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katy_barwell
Reviews
Hawk (2011)
Imaginative story, epic cinematography
This is the tale of a boy living in the wilderness with his grandfather, and learning the ways of nomad life. He follows his grandfather's teachings, and fervently believes in traditional stories of spirits, until one day the boy finds his grandfather dead in the forest. The boy seeks solace in a potion of magic mushrooms and becomes entranced. In a daze of hallucinations he panics and commits an ungodly act, upturning the natural balance of nature. He is now forever in the debt of an eerie God. Or is he?
This unusual tale lies on the boundary between reality and the sublime. Stunning cinematography, seamless visual effects and colourist skills, help to bring out the emotion and create atmosphere in the film with the aid of an intense and powerful choral soundtrack.
Parts of this film felt a little rushed or unclear, which is a shame, because it could easily be a really fantastic piece. I feel that more work could have been done to develop the characters and clarify the storyline, which left me a little confused in places. The acting skills also tended to be a little over the top, in contrast to the beautiful realism of the visual effects.
Overall, I feel the technical skill displayed in the film made up for its flaws, and meant I could enjoy the piece based on its creativity.
Gin & Dry (2010)
A beautifully filmed tale of unexpected triumph over adversity
It is Christmas time, and the elderly inhabitants of a residential home are tired of being bossed around. Determined to take matters into their own hands, they stage a midnight attack on their unsuspecting carer, and break into the stores to steal their forbidden booze. But are these really the spirits they need this Christmas?
This is a beautifully filmed short by film and animation company Capture. A shallow depth of field is employed to give warmth to this tale of ageism, passion and acceptance. Creative lighting and the twinkling of Christmas lights help create a festive mis-en-scene and set the tone of the film, while a nostalgic soundtrack evokes to the glory days of the generation who feel forgotten.
The unpredictable storyline keeps us on our toes right up until the final twist, but I would have like to have more made of the heist to create a give a greater sense of climax. Ultimately, the film teaches us to make the most of our lives and cherish each moment, before time eventually catches up with us