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Reviews
They're Here (2021)
Visually Impressive
I enjoyed this short a lot more than I initially thought I might-- the production quality is strong with some very stylish lighting and solid cinematography. It's always risky casting a kid actor in the lead role, especially for a serious, dramatic narrative, but she did a good job. The last couple minutes of the film surprised me the most with some really cool creature special effects that definitely surpassed the production quality I typically expect of indie horror shorts. Nice work by writer/director Sid Zanforlin and the rest of their team, I hope they keep making stuff!
Would definitely recommend especially for fans of serious alien scifi horror.
20 Days in Mariupol (2023)
One of the best documentaries I've ever seen
I was very lucky to attend a sold-out screening of 20 Days in Mariupol in Boston that Mstyslav Chernov himself attended. This is a must-see, brutally honest and beautifully told documentary that portrays the naked evil and barbarity of russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine from a deeply human standpoint. Chernov's voice as a storyteller is achingly Ukrainian, and the film's tone and editing evoke a sort of spiritual pain that exceeds the material destruction of war.
20 Days has a very strong edit that leaves in moments of Chernov's camera falling by his side as he's resting or unable to film: these moments add extra depth of realism and transport the audience into the warzone, not just watching some polished news report. There is almost a "found footage" quality to the edit and frantic first-person shaky cam scenes, but this film is much scarier and more disturbing than any horror movie could be because it's the truth, and to this very moment Mariupol is occupied by the same ruzzian butchers seen in this documentary.
The music and sound are another highlight-- the film ends on images of russian occupation set to a disturbing, pulse-like tone. The music throughout by Jordan Dykstra
compliments the scenes greatly and elevates the film's tone, both in highly disturbing war scenes and in moments of bleak, depressing stillness.
20 Days in Mariupol is a cultural and historical document that should absolutely be shown in schools, especially in the West, so non-Ukrainian people can finally begin to understand the brutal, colonial and genocidal nature of russian imperialism. Mstyslav Chernov is nothing short of a hero in my eyes, and an incredibly brave and profoundly-spoken human being.
Watch this film and show it to as many people as you can.
Alpha Class (2016)
Unwatchable Non-Film Inflated by Phony Reviews
I was a brand new 18 year old film student when I received word of an "internship opportunity" from D-Mak Productions. We talked and they wanted me to watch this film, which I did, and then leave it a good review, plug it on social media, and then go out and physically try to sell copies of it to the frats at my university--all unpaid, of course. They're based in Phoenix AZ and I remember asking them if I could at least visit their HQ to see what the company's all about, and they declined. Some "internship".
Ironically, or perhaps fittingly, the makers of this "documentary" about hazing wanted to exploit my time and labor to peddle their slop. It's more than a bit frustrating to see this page's high rating and positive reviews which are certainly the result of other starry-eyed young people being used to cynically advance this company's publicity.
As for the "film" itself? It has no message, no reason to exist other than to recollect and arguably celebrate some meatheads' sleazy frat nostalgia. The most confusing thing about alpha class is its tameness-- it fails to remotely shock its audience enough to be a graphic depiction of hazing, which was what the film's marketing was based on. There isn't an argument being presented about greek life. There are few, if any, thoughts at all in this "film", no doubt a reflection of the fine intellects responsible for its creation. Beyond a few mild hazing scenes there is nothing to see but pedestrian frat drama that, even as an 18 year old, felt impossible to be engaged with. They managed to make a frat hazing documentary boring-- congrats!
An utter waste of time with nothing to offer and no shortage of sleaze and questionable ethics in its intern-exploiting marketing scheme. Shame.
Dish Dogs (2000)
A must-watch for anyone who spent a significant amount of time washing dishes for restaurants.
Dish Dogs is a film that hugely benefits from the chemistry of its excellent cast: Sean Astin makes a memorable wannabe-philosopher who is lovable for his hardline commitment to his ideals. Mathew Lillard has great energy and is especially fun to watch alongside Astin, with whom he shares fraternal chemistry. Shannon Elizabeth is charming and funny, and Brian Dennehy brings a certain soothing quality to his scenes, though still humorous.
A highlight of Dish Dogs is the 'philosophy' behind washing dishes as expressed by Morgan (Sean Astin) over a number of scenes: anyone who has undergone the rite of passage that is washing dishes for a restaurant will get a kick out of this. There's a sequence later in the film in which Astin & Lillard must effectively work as slaves to pay off a mechanic, which further cements Dish Dogs as a sort of loveletter to the unskilled labour most young people perform to earn money. This is where the script shines: how often do we see a coming of age story celebrating the monotonous work we all had to do, let alone philosophizing about it and presenting dishwashing in such a unique, exciting, and memorable way?
Reprisal & Baptism (2018)
An inspired, constantly entertaining mob short.
Reprisal & Baptism is a short narrative student film with very impressive production value and an overall abundance of talent from the director and lead actor that make it highly entertaining to watch. Lead actor Ian Brownhill has a lot of charisma as an aspiring mobster and expresses a cold, ambitious edge that makes his performance very believable.
Despite its runtime just over 20 mins, Reprisal & Baptism is full of thrills and surprises, as well as a dramatic ending that left a bigger impact on me than a number of feature length gangster movies have; this is also thanks to a clever script and sharp direction, for which I wholly recommend this short movie for anyone who is able to see it.
King Candy (2015)
A visionary short feature that showcases Sepe's promising talent.
Ralph Sepe Jr's KING CANDY as a thrilling psychological crime short feature of sorts and is a wholly impressive production given his age and lack of professional resources when he made this. While its runtime constitutes the bare minimum of a feature film, King Candy has stuck with me more than many full-length mob/crime films have, as the sheer resourcefulness of Ralph's filmmaking is such a spectacle to behold. The script also displays a great and very psychological understanding of how people are motivated for things in life-- money, prestige, justice, materialism, it's wonderful. Definitely give this one a watch to see the beginnings of a rapidly improving and thoroughly talented filmmaker.
Off Track Betty (2016)
A Beautiful and Profoundly Moving Short Narrative
I had the pleasure of seeing Off Track Betty during Queens World Film Festival 2018 and was awed by its beautiful, deeply moving story about a big-hearted young man finding his father's past love amongst a New York City which is hardly recognizable to its longest-time storekeepers. The lead performances are near perfect, they're full of charm and an unprecedented amount of humanity which really captivated me while watching. Likewise, this is a gorgeously shot film that is as much a tribute to New York City in all its constant evolution as it is a beautiful story that all people can relate to. I fully recommend this beautiful film to anyone who can find it, especially to those who love New York.