Rodrigo_Amaro

Something's happened in the Brody family that the three members of it can't seen to shake it up whenever they're in the same space. Brother and sister (Drew Starkey and Kate Kovach) have not seen each other for a long time but their small talks reveal a bonding, some worry and care for each other. When dad (Rich Robertson) gets home and sees them preparing to have a dinner the communication breaks down. He's a little close to the daughter but can barely look at his son. Whatever happened in the past still lingers, but a difficult situation involving the father and his future will only make them more distant when all they need is to get closer.

"The Family Portrait" moves in the gestures, the silences, the observations and the brief talks of each family member. Many households went by similar scenarios and obstacles of people who lived under a same house for many years, and then they all feel strange to each other, without ways of acting in front of parents, sons and other relatives. They know each other so well that even the slighest remark or movement has to be thought in advance just to avoid conflict, or maybe not even bring any kind of good sentiment. I'd like to see more moments of each of them alone with their inner thoughts, and then more situations that could explore a little about what they had and what they lost. This is too much in-between - they came from nowhere, we met them in this walking on thin ice situation, and we have to imagine if things will get better. Great acting by everyone involved, which makes of this short something worth seeing. 6/10.

The only way for "Extended Stay" to pass as something worth thinking about or as something very good to see was if the Ricky character was a male hustler conflicted with his sexual orientation versus his inability to be a provider in a relationship with a woman. Instead, the short film presents the couple (played by Drew Starkey and Diana Riley) living in a cheap apartment, barely no money left for the simple pleasures of life like buying a pizza. She has a job, he apparently sells drugs. Most of the time he just stays in the trashy room in a lazy manner. It's like they accept poverty and each other, but not for that long as there are some arguing because they want things but they also don't have money for those things. The complication ensues when one night the man brings a male escort to the place and that's when some hard choices must be made.

Never a case of a lost film or case of bad acting - they're good actors - it's more of a case of scenarios that I couldn't accept for real. Far from being judgmental about the young man, it's all about being critical of how those two are living together and accepting it as a solid relationship when they can't make ends meet, they're not discussing the path they're going or what to do to improve the relationship or end it for good. If felt as something dishonest when you have to think about that there are many lonely souls there who are providers for themselves and can't find a loving partner, someone to share a life in common - and we have to consider finances as a major point in a relationships, unless someone's committed in providing everything (sugar moms and daddies).

By the time the big reveal was made, all I wondered was why Ricky wasn't the one selling himself and discovering if he's attracted to other men? Even if hating the experience, at least he'd have some money in the pocket and wouldn't feel bad about not having things. Instead, he was the one enjoying the girlfriend was out, probably hid some money from her and hired some company. Perhaps I'd be more inclined to accept this whole scenario in a distant decade. In this day and age, to cry out in despair "I'm not gay" as a sign of greatest shame of all, simply doesn't stick. In the end, we have to accept ourselves cause no one else will do it for us. And, going with the cliche, those who matter don't mind and those who mind don't matter. 5/10.

Vangelis main theme from Ridley Scott epic "1492: Conquest of Paradise" is one of those themes that a great majority of listeners probably heard in some other media outside of the actual film in which was played. I heard it from a long time ago, can't remember from where, so when I watched the film it became a familiar piece of music, one that was truly epic, beautiful and great. These days I also associate it with a religious network that uses it as a background to the "Midnight Prayer", one of those times you flipping through channels and hear something extraordinary - the music, obviously.

The Oscar winning Greek composer delivered a masterpiece of towering proportions that takes us back in time, imagining the great voyages from the Age of Discovery in the 1400's, the vast oceans to be conquered and the new found lands. It's a theme that makes you dream of impossible feats, challenges and battles to be won, strength in the union of forces, with The English Chamber Choir chanting words in a unique manner as the electronic synthesizers and keyboards of Vangelis dominate everything with style and effect. The choir performance in the video is very surreal, in the dark, all dressed in black and placed in a peculiar manner as if being creatures from a different era observing everything - there's also some smoke and light effects, and Vangelis also appears with his endless equipments. Some moments from Sir Ridley's movie are shown too, and that's the official clip - artists performance and bits from the movie, rather than the 4HD film tributes displayed everywhere. 9/10.