Deus-in-Machina

     This week's short of the week, Deus-in-Machina, was interesting in it's context. I usually don't watch foreign films for the simple fact I don't like to read subtitles; I miss somethings in the film trying to process the words I just read. I really couldn't keep up with everything, but I did catch some stuff. I caught the fact the guy was trying  to find a way around the system and get his points he lost back. He knew the task wasn't going to be easy and he risked being caught. Indeed he did get caught and the consequences of getting caught for such a crime is being locked in his own personal nightmare. In a way he really didn't get a bad punishment, because he still found a way to find comfort in his nightmares. I like the videography of the film and it's direction. The film was very high tech and had futuristic characteristics. It had a Star Wars feel to it. (I love the Star Wars films). I would suggest this film to people who like to watch science fiction films, but for ordinary viewers of movies, I wouldn't bother.

Nuit Blanche

     Nuit Blanche is a very interesting short film, as far as it cinematography goes. It was a black and white silent film, which I'm not too fond of. But it's actions, effects, and music in the background kept my attention. The slow motion action of everything; the actors, the car, the glass breaking was very cool. It gave the film life.
     The story behind the film is two strangers catches each others eye and began to move towards one another. They risk being hit by a car and breaking through glass for that one simple kiss. But in reality they both were imaging it. For that simple concept, the filmmaker made it very dramatic, which made for a great short film.

Old Fangs

     Old Fangs, which is this week's short film, was an interesting film. This one unlike the past shorts actually had dialogue between characters, although not much. The young wolf was on a search to mend his relationship with his father. Him and his friends drove far and walked through the scary woods in order to get to his father's house. The woods is a scary place and the creator of the film displayed that through sounds and noises to create suspense. As they journeyed along, the moods changed; as the moods changed, so did the colors of the woods. It went from green, to blue, to yellow, and so on. That aspect of the film was very interesting and exciting.
     They finally reached the house and the young wolf enters. He is a little uneasy about talking to his father and you could tell through the sounds and the tone of his voice. As he sat there, he reminisced about his childhood when everything was okay. But he had one memory that might have shown why the relationship with his father was estranged. I really like how this animation film used different shapes, colors, sounds, little dialogue, and creativeness to tell a story.  Unlike the previous film, Between Bears, this film had a main purpose and clear concise story to tell and it told it well.
   

Bottle

     This week's short film was entitled, Bottle. Bottle was a very interesting, fresh short film. I loved every minute of it. It's story line is much more impressive than that of Between Bears. Bottle showcases a typical love story of beings unable to be together. The ocean separates the two love birds, snow-woman and sandman. Because of their separation they began sharing different aspects of their environments with each other through the use of a glass bottle. I love how the director used the beach (which is hot) and lake (which is usually cold) as locations to film. That was really innovated and cool.
     The natural lightening from the locations was great. The way the sun hit the ocean and gave it a nice glare was a nice touch. The way the waves hit and crashed gave interesting sounds to the film. The structure of the snow-woman and sandman were awesome. The director turned a simple story line into a new, unconventional short film. This one has to be my favorite so far.

Between Bears

     Between Bears as a short film was okay. I really could not find a purpose in it's message, figuring it had one. Aside from that, the composition of each frame, the sound and music, lighting, shapes, and the overall animation was great. I love animation films and I really liked this one as far as it's direction. I love the shapes of the characters and objects in the film. It was really different and unique. The lines the sunlight created in the film added depth to the frame.It made the frame fresh and interesting.
     The music that played in the background added calmness to the film and made me feel relaxed. The film overall was relaxing, besides me not finding a purpose or meaning. The colors that were presented in the film were soft colors, except for the bright red scarf that were on the characters. That, to me, added flavor. I did like though, how the bears went through the different seasons and landscapes as they journeyed along. The landscapes were drawn perfectly. I think the film's overall composition was great, but it lacked purpose and meaning.

Pivot

     Pivot started off soft and positive. The guy was out and about taking pictures of his surroundings. The animation was different, but a good different, I haven't seen an animation film quite like this one. I liked how when the guy moved, his movement was shown. But just as some bad things happen to good people, this happened to him. As he was walking and snapping pictures, he stumbled upon a murder. His camera began snapping away at the murder scene capturing the criminal and the victim. The criminal gets upset and begins to chase the guy with the camera. I liked how the director decided to shoot the film from a third person point of view. It gives the audience the choice of forming their own opinion about the situation.
     As the criminal continued to chase the guy with the camera, the sounds of them running, opening and closing things, panting, and running into things created more intensity. All of a sudden the tables turned and the roles changed. The camera falls in the criminal's hands and the gun falls in the camera guy's hand. The chaser became the one being chased. The new criminal finally catches the guy with the camera. He kills him. Just as he murders him an on looker with a camera captures the situation. And it continues.

Plastic Bag

     After watching the short film Plastic Bag, I was inspired. The film made me really think. I think the director did a good job in making the plastic bag take on human characteristics. The life of the plastic bag can easily be related to a person who is lost in the world with no direction in search of it's purpose. I took two very important messages from the film. The first, the most important, was to recycle. I feel if the bag was properly disposed then it would not had to make that long, lonely journey across the world. Secondly, finding purpose out of life is very important. 

     In my opinion, I felt the director used the life of a plastic bag to signify a person who is lost in the world trying to find purpose. The colorfulness of each scene clearly represented the world and all the wonderful things it has to offer. The plastic bag, lost in that world, takes notice. The bag begins to embody the world, after being disposed of, rolled over, and left unnoticed. Nothing could stop it on the search for it's purpose, even after trials, tribulations, heartbreak, and loneliness. With great use of space, natural lightening, and natural scenery the director conveyed the message of searching for purpose in the world very well.