Author: Take2IndieReview: Mark Lakatos
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INTERRUPTION
Interruption, in a mere twenty minutes, shows us a part of the globe not often seen or heard from. Its most noteworthy achievement from writer/director Zineb Oukach, is lending a voice to those who are powerless to speak up for themselves during a time when they need it most. Oukach’s steadily paced and painstakingly eye-opening…
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NO PROMISED LAND
How far is too far? That is the question No Promised Land seeks to answer in all its dread-soaked bleakness. Colin Bressler’s feature film is dark, sometimes relentlessly so, as it shifts along timelines, following its characters as they pick up the pieces of their shattered lives. Grief-stricken after her secretive affair falls apart with…
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INTO THE SPOTLIGHT
Just how special can a musical be? Forget the bright lights of Broadway for a second as you are dropped into the heart of Dallas, Texas, for the Spotlight Musical Theatre event. Hosted consecutively for an impressive 11 years, the show is the product of 27 hopefuls with disabilities. Hosted by the Highland Park Methodist…
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PIVOT
Pivot, from the WIA Vancouver ACE (Animation Career EXCELerator), is a uniquely charming animated short tackling the time-tested message of identity and confidence. Though its premise has been done a dozen times before, the storytelling operates at a refined level few others can hope to reach, making this vibrant little film easily digestible. Ashley’s day…
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1805
Period pieces of the indie variety are hard to come by, and Daniel H. Jacobson’s ambitious romance drama, 1805, certainly has a lot going for it. Set during a turbulent time of slavery in Virginia, the short spotlights the escape of a plantation worker, Basammer (Nathanial J. Ryan), and his wife, Marfay (Michelle Kariuki). Chattel…
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GEORGE
As self-deprecatingly honest as a film can be while also showcasing the unpredictability of life, Gregg Chilingirian’s George finds the writer/director creating a character for himself in front of the camera. A life he then proceeds to dissect, take apart, and try to reassemble in just under 11 minutes. Produced by Academy Award-winning Chris Overton…
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ISLA SOLEDAD
From Isla Soledad’s captivating opening shot to its moving conclusion, it becomes clear that filmmaker Omar Deneb Juárez and Academy Award Winner Chris Overton’s production company Slick Films, have something they want their audience to pay close attention to. The film is currently screening at the acclaimed HollyShorts Film Festival. Reeling from a painful divorce…
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LAST OPTION
A crime caper with a superpowered twist serves as a baseline concept that merges an ever-fatiguing genre with one that is, quite frankly, going out of style. There’s nothing like a good old-fashioned thriller that explores the morally gray areas of life, and that is what writer AJ Fitzgerald and director and star Don-Dimitri Joseph…
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BEN & LACY
It’s not often that filmmakers take the unconventional, yet still recognizable vlog approach to their projects. This form of self-documentation is a format only the most adept storytellers can master, and young filmmaker Michael Shacket certainly manages to make a strong impression, evolving the concept of the vlog into a surprisingly poignant filmmaking device in…