It’s not often I get an independent animated film for the blog and that’s probably for a good reason. Animation is long, and demanding, even if it’s essentially cheaper as a filmmaking medium. “Cool Summer” has its heart in the right place, and also has a good idea in its corner, it just needs so much work to be done from top to bottom, and much of the pitfalls narratively and production wise keep it from being great.
Tag Archives: Drama
Alone (2020) [Fantasia Fest 2020]
John Hyams’ “Alone” begins kind of sketchy. In fact I spent the first fifteen minutes not quite sure where the screenplay was going, if anywhere. But sticking with it, I’m glad to discover that “Alone” is one of the best and most exciting thrillers of the year. While it does get off to kind of a sputter, it transforms in to a journey of self discovery and evolution for a woman who is shambles when we first meet her. By the end, she has to figure out if she can keep charging head first in to the world, or if she wants to recede back in to the night.
I WeirDO (2019) [Fantasia Festival 2020]
A germaphobe meets the girl of his dreams who he follows to a supermarket as she steals chocolate while wearing a similar protection outfit as his. Together, they attempt to make their life better, or at least perfect for them as a couple, that is until something unexpected happens and changes one of them.
Life: Untitled (2019) [Fantasia Festival 2020]
A young escort is disillusion by life and her work, bringing the viewer into the life of an escort agency and its members, working escorts, drivers, bosses, clients, et al…
Sheep Without a Shepherd (2019) [Fantasia Festival 2020]
A husband and father will do almost anything to protect his wife and daughter after extreme measured had to be taken to protect themselves.
Baby: The Secret Diary of a Mom to Be (2019) [Fantasia Festival 2020]
A young woman about to climb the ladder in her career after years of hard work and effort finds herself pregnant unexpectedly. This delights her mother-in-law who begins a series of overbearing, meant to help actions.
Padmavyuha (2020)
Raj Krishna is a fantastic director, one who has promise to bring audiences entertainment with substance. While I’m never a big fan of films about religion and affirming religion, it’s a good change of pace to see a film like “Padmavyuha” that explore the complex and unique dimensions of Hinduism and how a man struggles with his core beliefs and his all encompassing faith.