There will be another showing of these short student films on Nov. 1 at 2:30 p.m. in the Trustees Theater.
“Unorthodox” Rating: 3/5
As Yankel prepares for his Bar Mitzvah he realizes that he has more questions than answers. The film is filled with funny moments as Yankel tries to understand his faith. Actor River Alexander carries the weight of the film playing Yankel. Without his strong performance this film is nothing special. It just reminds you that it’s OK to ask questions — but for most of us that’s not enough. Overall, the actors are worth watching, but an added plot twist would have made for a more compelling story.
“Justice Denied” Rating:4.5/5
When Howell Woltz and his wife were arrested outside their home by the FBI, they had no clue what was going on. This fascinating true story about the Woltzs makes up for all the other flaws. Even with poor acting, this film shines because every interview — Robert Cooke, the chief of police; Art Strickland, the attorney — creates tension and reveals corruption in U.S. Government. Yes, it would be nice if the office interview wasn’t so cluttered and the other “prisoners” in jail wore more convincing attire, but it wouldn’t keep me from watching it again.
“The Collector’s Gift” Rating: 3/5
This animated short is about a young girl who finds a something special while searching through debris. The animators create a futuristic fairytale where our world is a big city of rubble and brought an old story to life through the pages of a journal using flashbacks. There is a great moment when time speeds up and we watch through the clock’s face, but the rest of the film loses because of the unfinished details. The girl’s jumps turn into hovers and a storm causes objects in the house to be thrown in odd directions — maybe this planet has a different kind of gravity. Either way, something is off.
“Pretty” Rating: 4/5
If you want to see a film where with every piece in place, then this is the one to check out. The cinematography is just as the title says — pretty. With soft inviting lighting and framed shots of the kitchen where we see Mary washing dishes while her mother raves about her program in the other room. These actresses — Darrie Lawrence and Merissa Morin — encompass their characters entirely with emotion and passion. If it weren’t for the bad writing one particular scene with Mary and her old classmates in the forest, this might just be perfect. Alex Lubliner, the writer, director and producer, pulled this piece together and created something that was more than just pretty.
“Runaway” Rating: 2.5/5
Chillie, the 1950s fridge, runs away in this animated short all because he thinks his owner is going to replace him. It’s filled with cute moments that try too hard to be funny. Chillie attempts to make it out of the door and gets stuck, prompting the new sleek refrigerator to make fun of him. The childlike mini fridge in the store steals the show when it points Chillie in the right direction. If this flick had more heartfelt moments, like that, then it would be much better. “Runaway” really does manage to teach an important lesson at the end but you have to make it through all the charades to get there.
“Skin” Rating:3/5
“Skin” tries to put a spin on the story of an outcast by throwing in taxidermy. A kid goes home to a trashed trailer — which looks more like meticulously placed sets of objects than an actual mess — to help his father skin and gut animals. It is as disgusting as it sounds. The taxidermy has it’s own role in the movie that takes away from this young boy. He likes a girl and wants to impress her. Their little dialogue is perfect and captures how children’s responds effortlessly, in simple matter-of-fact phrases. With an underdeveloped plot, the story lacks substance and it shows.
“Baxter” Rating:5/5
This little animated raccoon will make you want to get out your gloves and start organizing. His OCD tendencies get the best of him so he can’t help but tidy up the candy store after it closes. The animation employs all the moves that videographers do in a feature film—zooming in on objects, panning the room, using different angles—even speeding the scene up from the lens of the security camera. It’s impressive and keeps the film moving along at the right speed. This is right on up there with Pixar and Disney’s shorts from start to finish.
