THIRST (2010)

Rated: Unrated

Genre: Thriller/Suspense/Short

Directed By: Pushpak Jain

Starring: Abhijeet Rajput, Shashank Bharadwaj

This movie is disturbing, for a few reasons. It is just under 12 minutes of two guys wandering around a barren wasteland, with no real dialogue. We are given no back story, whatsoever. The first half of the movie is full of glorified pan-shots, in which the actors are walking.

Then, just over six minutes in, something happens… action is introduced. One man is down to his very last sip of water. Right before he can drink it, the second man attacks him. A small scuffle breaks out, and neither man gets the water. They decide to improvise. What follows is one of the weirdest scenes I’ve ever seen: The two man take turns smashing each other in the hand with a large rock, and drinking each others’ tears and blood. The last shot is both men, dead, covered in blood.

The direction is not great, but it is good. The actors were faced with the difficult task of telling a story without words. The only real issue I could find with this film was the editing and sound, but, for a student film, it is not bad at all. The very end of the movie has a warning about wasting water, turning the entire experience into a threatening public service announcement. It states that, “This is not a social message. This is a warning”. It is obvious that the filmmakers have talent, now they must gain more experience.

3 Knocks out of 5

Watch it here!

Of Dreams and Glory (2008)

Rated: Unrated

Genre: Thriller/Suspense/Short

Info: IMDb

Directed By: Joe Buscaglia

Starring: James Heffron, Gerry Maher, Sarah Anderson, Rachel Griffo

“Of Dreams and Glory” is set in an ambiguously vintage era, following Homer J. Doyle (Gerry Maher), an old man who works as a night clerk at the front desk of the Mayflower, a hotel for women. Doyle is crabby and irritable, and hard to sympathize with. The story begins with two women entering the hotel, innocently laughing and giggling with one another. Doyle makes a snide remark, and the girls head to their rooms, commenting on his demeanor. It is immediately apparent that Doyle is not what we’d call a “people person”.

Cue Edward Lambert (James Heffron), a seemingly harmless young man, who appears to be searching for his sister. After exchanging some brief dialogue with the curmudgeon Doyle, Lambert shows his true colors. Doyle is knocked unconscious with a telephone, and awakens, tied to a chair. Lambert reveals to Doyle his wicked plans, which include murdering the women in the hotel.

What follows is an eerie display of psychopathy. James Heffron is able to hold our attention through mere dialogue, which is as unnerving as it is suspenseful. Quick shots of a clock ticking away slowly help to build the tension. We slowly begin to do what is seemingly impossible: sympathize with Homer J. Doyle. This is easily ruined when we discover that Doyle is just as much of a monster as the story’s antagonist.

This short is satisfying. It’s strongly centered around a story with substance, similar to the styles of greats such as Alfred Hitchcock and Rod Serling. The production quality is decent, and it is obvious that the filmmakers have the talent and know-how to tell a great story. Leading to one question: What type of product would they be able to produce if they had substantial time, finances, and resources?

All in all, given the acting (which is believable), the plot, the overall organization, and the suspense as a result of sound and story; this makes for one enjoyable short.

*For your viewing pleasure, courtesy of Justin Sammarco and brought to you by Vimeo:

Watch it here!

4 Knocks out of 5

Tiny Magic (2003)

“Tiny Magic”

Rated: Unrated

Genre: Drama/Short

Info: Official Website

Starring: Matthew Mesler, Stephanie Cadman, Rebekah Boisvert

Directed By: John Takacs

“Tiny Magic” is set in a shadowy bar. As it begins, on stage is a hip woman reading poetry. When she is finished, a mysterious young man with long hair takes the spotlight. He is able to make a magic wand levitate. He then takes a seat at the bar. An attractive young woman orders a drink, and the magician sparks up a conversation. He impresses her with a neat magic trick. She kisses him, and walks away. We see that the magician actually holds the power of telekinesis; he is able to move objects with his mind. He uses his power to slip a note into the woman’s jacket, across the room. He then exits the bar. The woman reads the note, which has a bit of tongue-in-cheek humor. The magician returns home, and falls asleep. We see that he is now in a wheelchair, and he uses his power to walk.

This short is worth the 18 minutes or so. The creators of this film are able to pull off an interesting story within a short period of time. They leave us wanting more, asking ourselves such questions as: Who is this man? How did he gain these powers? Will he pursue a relationship with this woman?

The fact that these questions spring up means that the makers of this film did something correct… they told a decent story. Though at first, the lack of lighting is an annoyance, it soon becomes another aspect of the story. The acting is decent, and the direction is unmistakable. I expected the movie to fall off in the end, but it did the exact opposite, giving us a nice twist. Overall, it’s a decent movie, and it works well as a short.

3 Knocks out of 5