A rush of pure nostalgia leaps off the screen when The Object first opens. A rocky beach with toys and rubbish scattered across the sand, small details like a plastic soldier dangling from a small parachute that blend in so well with the environment. Visually, they mimic the old I Spy books, which featured photographs from Walter Wick. Surrealist imagery that conjures some vintage magic, the kind that writer/director John Kenower’s film has in spades.
Rhonda (Jordan Cooper) discovers a strange-looking device during an afternoon stroll and takes it back to her warehouse, where she meets a potential buyer in Ian (Alex Barlas). An artist with sustainability on her mind, Rhonda becomes completely obsessed with this strange contraption that clearly has a mind of its own. When she least expects it, a wave of otherworldly electricity courses through the room, and she is trapped in a rather peculiar version of reality. Stuck in this dream-like scenario, Rhonda and Ian find themselves questioning and experimenting with just how far they can push the possibilities.
Whether you love contemplative sci-fi or wacky throwbacks, The Object elevates its warped premise with kinetic storytelling that merges clever editing by Kenower and stylish, minimalistic set pieces. Point blank, it’s a short that knows how to have fun while keeping you guessing. It’s wholly entertaining, even if it may lack the big-budget polish in certain scenes with the odd slipup in the special effects department.
Even still, the methods Kenower employs harken back to a simpler time of filmmaking without monotonous VFX. If you experimented with making your own home movies back in the day, you’ll certainly love how appreciably the crew elevated these seemingly simple techniques. Even The Object’s namesake proves a terrific screen presence with its sentience showcased through a unique fisheye lens. Two particularly strong performances by Cooper and Barlas lend credence to these effects. An odd pairing between two characters with vastly different personalities, but one that makes for some truly exciting sequences in the latter half of the short.
Characterized by timeless charm and unexpected plot twists, The Object should be on your watchlist if you’re looking for an original, well-crafted film on YouTube.
