The 2012 Student Showcase proves that SCAD has some of the most imaginative and inventive future filmmakers.
“The Portrait” [rating:3.5/5]
Perhaps some of the hardest tasks artists face is the challenge of defining oneself. A self-portrait can carry so much weight and forces us to answer the infamous question, “Who are we?” In David Goddard’s subtle short film “The Portrait,” a skilled painter’s task is just that. We are right along side as a painter struggles to paint the ideal self-portrait in his cozy and almost too beautiful studio. He has numerous portraits on his walls, so why can’t he complete this one? It is not until his process is shook up: the paint palette falls and he smudges his perfectly painted face! What’s a guy to do? What all artists do. He finds truth in the mess, and in it finds truth in himself. “The Portrait” explores a long and daunting process and makes this process evenly blend.
“Departure Time” [rating:4/5]
Go hug your parents right now. If you are away from home, call them up just to say, “I miss you.” In Brandon Withrow’s short animation “Departure Times,” we are reminded that we should never take the times we have with loved ones for granted. A sentimental mother and her son who’s bearing a suitcase arrive at a train station. Their emotions are told through their gigantic eyes — the mother is emotional and touchy-feely and the son nonchalantly plays it off like this goodbye is not a big deal. But before he can get on the train, he finds a pair of colorful glasses at his feet. These glasses allow him to see an aura behind everyone. Gears shift and clink as a clock keeps time of people’s lives. The keeping of time is done in clever and simplistic ways, making the film’s impact all the more powerful and moving. Seriously, go hug your parents.
“Madly Into Eternity” [rating:3/5]
Where’s the brotherly love? “Madly Unto Eternity” turns the romantic comedy into an action packed turn of events. Twenty-something Danny Lynch has landed himself in the slammer and even his brother won’t bail him out. The film has a little bit for guys and girls, while mostly teaching us to stray away from any trouble with gay middleweight boxers. Through retelling of last night’s chaos to Danny’s cellmate from hell, who resemebled a creepier version of Zach Galifianakis, we are taken along Danny’s wild ride of deceit, fist fights, girlfriend drama, and a chase that feels like it can’t get any worse. Although “Madly Unto Eternity” puts an unexpected twist on the rom-com genre, some characters feel underdeveloped and at times leave us wondering if most of them are even mentally stable.
“Dawn” [rating:2/5]
Nature was very pretty in the 1860s, but other than that, it was really depressing. “Dawn” has excellent production value with gorgeous shots of an idyllic forest and a picturesque log cabin. There is very little dialogue with a narration from the main characters mumbling and their melancholy thoughts. It is hard to stay in the suicidal character’s world, hoping something happens, but the plot falls short. There is a bizarre encounter with an outlaw who turns out who we as audience believes to also be his dead pregnant wife. The only thing that made the main character relatable was that the moviegoer was also able to feel his illusions. Like, did that just happen?
“Tightening Our Belts” [rating:3.5/5]
Oh, the horrors of the recession. Even trick-or-treaters are feeling the pressures of staying afloat in today’s economy. On the night of Halloween, a boy finds himself tied up in an obsolete and decrepit bathroom of a house along his trick-or-treat stops. Meanwhile, his parents of modest means discover he is missing and begin a search for their missing son. Back at the house, the boy manages to get himself out of the bathroom only to be met by a masked woman carrying a knife. Through a nail biting chase and a seemingly never-ending winding staircase, he finds himself trapped in a cannibalistic couple’s home. The house looks like it came out of an fashion catalogue from the 1960s, with collages of pumpkins and photographs of the couple’s prized provisions. The sounds and sights of the film will make you squirm in your seat; vegetarians be warned. The villains are so pathetic and warped that it may leave you rethinking who the actual villain is in “Tightening Our Belts.”
“Paperhands” [rating:5/5]
Move over Sesame Street, there’s a new puppet in town. From stilt walkers, to a twenty-foot tall monk, these imaginative puppeteers have created a truly unique way of incorporating dance, theatre and music in a whole new way of storytelling. The creators and puppeteers behind the cardboard and paper maché turn into the characters and pour their hearts into every project. “Paperhands” spotlights a formidable art form, and the puppeteers spark something new in their audience.
“The Nature of Life” [rating:4/5]
With a little help from a satyr and an old turtle, we are reminded of the wonders of the cycle of life. In a monochromatic mythical world, a boy who is half-goat and possibly the world’s slowest turtle team up to fetch a bright red apple from a tall tree branch. On the turtle’s last leg, the satyr is able to pluck the “apple.” Before all hope is lost, a spark from the turtle bursts into a mass sprouting of plants and flowers, engulfing the once stagnant world. New life is brought into the mythical forest and a new cycle of life begins. From lighting to the bark in the trees, the beauty of “The Nature of Life” is all in the details.
“Olive” [rating:4/5]
Sometimes we can find guidance and security in the most unlikely people, or in this case, trees. The curiosity of Olive, a young, wide-eyed girl, leads here in a forest with trees ten times her size. The films transitions with different artistic mediums and captures the peak of the beauty autumn has to offer. Her exploration turns into a terrifying encounter with a tree that has taken human form and bares a grimace-looking face, similar to Tim Burton’s “Boogie Man.” In an attempt to flee from the nightmarish tree, Olive takes a turn for the worse and is no match for her new foe. But before all hope is lost, she is lifted above the treetops by a wooden hand, and spots her destination — her home. In a short and sweet way, “Olive” ensures that no matter how hard the journey is, you can always find your way home.
“East and West” [rating:4/5]
“Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” has nothing on this animated short film. In a bright and colorful world live two creatures on their own mountain. A red lantern catches their attention and quickly escalates to a chase between these two dragon- and deer-type characters. As they fly and jump about, they create a new mountain with every color imaginable. The two resolve the lantern issue when they realize this new mountain provides a safe home. The designs and animation can only be fully appreciated first hand, stimulating the mind with a new image in every frame.
“Reigning Men” [rating:2/5]
It’s a gay man’s world in the half hour sitcom “Reigning Men.” Straight-guy Evan Walker is a bright and aspiring writer. He thinks he is a shoo-in for a position in a prominent sports magazine through a connection with his uncle until it’s lost to someone else. But his uncle can’t just leave him jobless, so he finds the next best thing: Atlas.com, the leading news source for gay Americans. Evan’s character is reminiscent of “New Girl’s” Nick Miller, only slightly neater and less hairy. His co-workers range from several different types of gay: chill gay, flamboyant gay, uptight gay, bossy gay, and a transgendered receptionist (who they don’t like). Evan’s position at Atlas is the sports writer, and his first assignment is to interview a gay minor league baseball player. The insight Evan gains opens up his eyes and makes for a killer first piece that lands a spot on the front page. Alexander, the uptight gay of Atlas, is jealous of the rookie’s popularity among the staff and bribes Rocco, the flamboyant gay, with an opportunity to cover a fashion piece for Atlas. The characters of the show become a little too predictable and therefore sometimes unlikeable. Although it’s half-way to making a new and unique series about relationships and showing the gay community in a whole new light, the characters are often unbalanced and dialogues are carried out for too long. As for now, the best part of “Reigning Men” is the energetic and retro opening sequence.
“Chassé” [rating:4/5]
The Student Showcase ends on a happy note with “Chassé.” The film can only be described as a bird dance off. In a playful competition, two birds flit and flutter about. The visual is simple and colorful and ends with a hug. The only complaint is that the film could have been a little longer, because those birds really had some nice moves.