The final 16 films were very good except I though a few didn't deserve to be in the top 16. It's just that, I have seen a lot of better short films and I think the finals use to be of a higher quality in 2006, 2007 and 2008. Also, I understand that a few were funny but I don't think we should judge short films on instant humour gratification. They should probably be judged as a film. (will try to explain later on in post). I will talk about a few, then the winner.
The films that caught my attention were:
DEN SISTA GALAXONAUT http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVdk86wB338
- Amusing/funny and entirely unpredictable. I think it is very good at story telling and uses an original concept/way. The colours and style of the film suite it very well and the effects used make you feel as though it is a story being told. It feels like a fairy tail or a dream or a comic even. The ending is a good ending and the way they make what happens to the character seem so enjoyable is very well done. One word that I think sums this film up is: 'Uniformed'. Everything seems to be a specific way to match the story and i feel all the pieces are carefully chosen. That is important with film.
THE APPLICANT
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQLTPFHAxLgThis was very entertaining and the acting was extremely well done which is important because it is very character driven since all we are watching is the behavior of a man who is going for an interview, but we don't know what it is for. The story line is original but I did predict it. I knew exactly what the character was within the first few seconds based on his responses and unusual behavior. This is good in the sense that we obviously get the story, so it worked at showing us an event right? Well yes, but we would have known it at the end anyway but I don't see any other way of making the film without us knowing at the start. Very good, just thought I should mention I knew, it doesn't matter though since we are so engaged in the character.
This is very beautiful. The cinematography is beautiful. The sound design is very well done and the music is beautiful. I have to say that this is well made except that I disagree with the storyline description by the creator. Tropfest on youtube has 'Jonah dreams of being able to fly away from his life in the housing commission. But after an encounter at the local skate park, he finds his wings in an unexpected way.' but I don't think that comes across; here is what I think.
When I first saw it and now after watching it a few more times I still feel as though the start is obviously metaphorical of him trying to fly and wanting to feel free like a bird for whatever reason. Then it focuses a bit on his skateboard and the kids. I felt as though he wanted to be their friends and wanted to skate with them and that he loves skateboarding. when it shows him skateboarding, I felt as though he would be accepted by them now that they know he can skate and what really made me feel was his expression when skating. He looked free, I thought that skateboarding made him feel the metaphorical flight that he longed for.
Then he crashed... And the crash was a good use of the 'key' theme. The kids laugh, he walks off, but then is stopped by the leader who hands his keys to him and he smiles and achieves the metaphorical flight. that is what I think it is about and I don't think any meaning of the masks or the halloween skull on the keys or the whole fact it is focused on 'government housing' comes across. Well made though. Let me know what you think.
MISSING HER http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUm3Fw4sHck
It is a good look at an adopted boy missing his mum. I don't want to go into this much except that at the end, the stars above his bed, although they are stickers are meant to represent his mum watching him even though he is where the stars don't shine in the night sky.
Now onto the winner of Tropfest of which I disagree with a great deal.
ANIMAL BEATBOX http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxiSP_ch_oI&feature=relmfu
If you watched the entries that I spoke of above then hopefully you agree with me that this shouldn't have won. I understand that it had such a large positive audience response, everyone was not expecting a film like this and was laughing and I think that I was one of the people who laughed the most and respected it but I still don't think that it should have won. There are films I love and other things I enjoy but I am not naive in the fact that I don't consider them works of art because I like them. It is funny, yes. But how long does the appreciation of it with laughter last? Mine has already warn off after 3 times. It is an instant gratification and that is it. The judges should have had the overall decision. I am not sure how the winner should have been selected but I found it funny and didn't award it first, so why did others? (I know I am not absolute)
People say that it was original and innovative. Ok, EXCEPT that this existed before it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Q4bPD8AnaU ' Eustus - Dog Cat'. I don't know if the creator of it is the person who made Animal Beatbox but I don't think they are. Also, even if tropfest doesn't require story telling in the films, the ones above are still more creative and amusing and have a longer impression on you. This film is like any other youtube or internet meme. I end this by saying www.badgerbadgerbadger.com