beemtoaustin

This movie has terrific atmosphere and is beautifully lit with fine camera work. A very moody midnight kind of movie for sure, but apropriately so. I appreciated too the director's very serious approach to the entire narrative. Many movies of this very familiar genre, especially low budget films like this, come off way too goofy with questionable acting and poor direction, but not the case here. It seems there was a lot of special care given to presenting the story, as tense and disturbing as it all is, in a strangely believable way, helped along by genuine performances from the entire cast, especially from the boy playing the lead. Check this one out. I enjoyed it, maybe you will too.

There are times during the film when I would like to see Scooter LaForge jump up and down with just some of the excitement I am feeling watching him calmly share all this relentless, playful brilliance, but that's me, not him, and if there's one thing clear throughout Ethan Minsker's lovingly detailed portrait, it is LaForge's almost level-headed sense of self, baffling contrast to the wildly surreal eclecticism on display. The paintings can collectively at first glance feel excessively and always flamboyantly busy until you narrow on that one certain thing, or many things, inside the frame that speaks to you especially, at which point you find yourself irrevocably involved, usually with a smile. And as specific to brushstroke art as LaForge's work is, there are underlying lessons, maybe even warnings here for all artists-to-be, regardless of form or discipline, because for all the talk of art this is as much a story of survival. Survival gained through hard work, self-discipline, self-reflection, and even reinvention.

Drawing upon his apparent endless arsenal of visual brilliance, be it festive graphics, stop motion, or perfectly paced edits, Ethan Minsker breathes adoring life into his familiar subject, wholly in tune with Scooter LaForge's world, so much so that if you didn't know better you might just assume LaForge made it himself and that's great filmmaking. Highly recommended.

As interesting and as obviously impressive as the Sci-Fi production values truly are, writer-director Chris Maes wisely chose to focus most of his minimalist budget and affecting narrative on his two excellent and very attractive female leads, their imperfect relationship and the desperate circumstances they are forced to solve as a team if they are to survive. The close interplay between the two felt very dramatic yet wholly natural and unforced and held my undivided attention throughout which speaks really well for this first time feature film director and his very talented crew from which I am eager to see more.