I very very rarely will write a short film review. Most of the time, I feel missteps in short films can be forgiven since they are often at the behest of budgetary constraints or 1st time filmmakers finding their voice. But with Habana looking like it was shot professionally on a budget of somewhere north of 100k(a ridiculous amount for a short), I'm going to throw that handicapping to the wind.
Yes, Habana is beautifully shot, and while the film sets itself up as an incredibly powerful social allegory in the first five minutes(as a matter of fact, the pre title-card opening is probably one of the best short film openings I've ever seen), it felt as though the filmmakers thought that was all the weight they needed to carry them through the next 15 minutes. It's a very skin-deep examination that provides temporary relevance, but one that very quickly gives way to the sense that the filmmakers were showing off. To put it simply, they fell in love with their super-contrasty b&w footage at the expense of making a film of any real depth or merit.
To wrap it up, the film jumps the shark in the last 3 minutes and adds a sci-fi element that feels cheap. I've never seen a more pointless, indulgent festival short in my life. This is a wasted opportunity and a frustrating movie-watching experience.
Yes, Habana is beautifully shot, and while the film sets itself up as an incredibly powerful social allegory in the first five minutes(as a matter of fact, the pre title-card opening is probably one of the best short film openings I've ever seen), it felt as though the filmmakers thought that was all the weight they needed to carry them through the next 15 minutes. It's a very skin-deep examination that provides temporary relevance, but one that very quickly gives way to the sense that the filmmakers were showing off. To put it simply, they fell in love with their super-contrasty b&w footage at the expense of making a film of any real depth or merit.
To wrap it up, the film jumps the shark in the last 3 minutes and adds a sci-fi element that feels cheap. I've never seen a more pointless, indulgent festival short in my life. This is a wasted opportunity and a frustrating movie-watching experience.