Dakota Skye

I had read so many good things about Dakota Skye, that I had to track it down and give it a spin. I agree with some of the positive things that have been said about it. The young actors that are the stars were uniformly wonderful and believable. The direction and acting all shared an organic feel, that made it easy to get into the vibe of the movie. 

Other than that, I wasn't really wowed by Dakota Skye. The story is interesting enough, and Dakota's ability, while fantastical, actually serves as the emotional groundwork of the movie. Dakota's personality is perfectly reasonable, given her circumstances. I know I'd be as cynical and jaded as she occasionally was. Maybe even more. It's refreshing to see such a well-written character. But beyond that, the movie was never much more than a mildly enjoyable experience. Decent, but not great. I liked the idea more than its actual execution.

Mr. John Humber is a name we will all soon be hearing about.

I just saw this movie at the Phoenix Film Festival... I was blown away by the quality of the writing, the acting, the soundtrack, and, above all, the direction, the overall creativity of it. Eileen April Boyle is a standout, though her co-stars put in good performances. The script by Chad Shonk is remarkable in its subtlety, its creativity (especially given the genre), and for the reality of the world presented.

As a point of comparison (for you indie film lovers), Ed Burn's debut, BROTHERS McMULLEN, doesn't hold a candle to this film. And that's not to diminish Mr. Burns, but rather to communicate the quality of this film. Remarkable. Outstanding.

I spoke with the director right after the screening, and he shared that it has been rejected from a number of festivals because there are no stars in the cast. The selection committees should be ashamed of themselves for such a decision.

If you get the chance, SEE THIS FILM. It has left me in that dream-like state which only excellent films can accomplish, where the characters are so well-drawn that you don't want it end, don't want the credits to play, and which holds your thoughts -- and your heart -- in its hands for a time afterward.

(John Humber, you're my hero.)

Watching Dakota Sky was like breathing sweet air on a quiet summer evening. The writing is almost pitch-perfect - a quality that is this movie's stand-out feature, for me. The characters are honestly developed and well-acted. The film's structure and pacing are very fine - almost perfect.

The only downside is that the story is slight. (More drama, depth and complexity would have made this a better film - a different one, too, of course. I think the writer, director and cast could have handled it.)

Considering the budget, this is an outstanding production overall, and worthy of attention.

(I wanted to know more about the producer, director, writer and actors, and was disappointed to find that no one has produced Wiki pages for most of these creative artists, as yet.)

I just saw this movie at the Phoenix film festival where it won the award for best screenplay. The writing was very deserving of the award. The story is terrific and the dialogue very believable. The apathy and cynicism she has developed over the years with her ability to see through the lies of others plays very well and is very relatable because we have all felt that way at some point in our lives when we have seen through a lie that we had once believed in. The story is a very realistic exploration of the meaning and definition of truth and what role it plays in our lives. All of the actors were of believable age as well, which is often hard to find in a film involving high school age characters. Terrific movie well worth seeing and I hope it makes it into wider distribution.

We just saw the "world premiere" of this brilliant independent film at the San Luis Obispo Film Festival. This low-budget little masterpiece was shot in just 16 days (a miracle in itself). Creative concept, touching and original script and compelling performances make this the "Juno" of 2008. It is funny and thoughtful and moving without being predictable or sentimental.

It deserves broad distribution so the world can share this realistic look at the value of truth in a world full of half-truths and lies.

Bravo to the young film makers who really got it right.

P.S. Josh Brolin was there to introduce his short feature "X". He stayed for "Dakota Skye" and was very enthusiastic about the film.