Other Reviews by agaul 104

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  THAT'S not on the menu!
  A review of Quiche Lorraine
  by agaul on 02/02/2007
  Quiche Lorraine is a skillfully executed short. The camerawork, editing, lighting, pacing and staging are all quite adept. The acting is more than adequate. The sound composition is mostly effective. The concept and story are conventional, but sufficient. A couple minor quibbles: the music accompanying the scene leading up to the final confrontation was a mite overbearing... Quiche Lorraine is a skillfully executed short. The camerawork, editing, lighting, pacing and staging are all quite adept. The acting is more than adequate. The sound composition is mostly effective. The concept and story are conventional, but sufficient. A couple minor quibbles: the music accompanying the scene leading up to the final confrontation was a mite overbearing. Also, I can't help but feel that Lorraine's initial scare (herself, in the mirror) could have been shot more effectively (I wasn't startled). Finally, Lorraine's physical reaction to being mortally stabbed was a little underwhelming (little more than a facial expression). Overall, this film is very sleek example of movie-making proficiency. Good job. read
• 
  Nothing wrong with Zilch
  A review of Zilch
  by agaul on 01/29/2007
  Great concept, nicely executed. The dialogue was generally witty, but not forced. The performances were likeable. The animations were well done. The concept wasn't a showcase for directorial skill, and recognizing that, the direction was appropriately unobtrusive. I have one minor quibble, and one small suggestion. In my opinion, the altoid break was pacing speedbump... Great concept, nicely executed. The dialogue was generally witty, but not forced. The performances were likeable. The animations were well done. The concept wasn't a showcase for directorial skill, and recognizing that, the direction was appropriately unobtrusive.
  
  I have one minor quibble, and one small suggestion. In my opinion, the altoid break was pacing speedbump. Secondly, the screenwriting assistant seemed overly familiar with Z/Bob, without explanation. Perhaps if there was a quick line or exchange explaining that the assistant had read Z's email (in 0.26 seconds). Something to that effect.
  
  There are few shorts here that do comedy well, and yours is an exception. Good job. read
• 
  Twisted fable.
  A review of The Ballad of Bernie Bear
  by agaul on 01/07/2007
  First of all, I think the idea of transitioning between illustration and live action was a great decision, establishing the link between fantasy and reality in a vivid way. One issue I had was picking up on the tone of the piece. Initially, I found the acting and actions of the protagonists to be too over-the-top. But I soon remembered that this is a child's yarn, and it... First of all, I think the idea of transitioning between illustration and live action was a great decision, establishing the link between fantasy and reality in a vivid way.
  
  One issue I had was picking up on the tone of the piece. Initially, I found the acting and actions of the protagonists to be too over-the-top. But I soon remembered that this is a child's yarn, and it only follows that a child would imagine broadly-drawn characters and actions (of course, this explanation does not cover the overacting of the child's father). It would have helped if the staging of the story was similarly over-the-top, rather than being in an ordinary residence, with ordinary-looking people. Technically-speaking, I thought the film was a little rough, from the editing to the shot selection. Perhaps it would have benefitted from an equally quirky approach to these technical aspects.
  
  Overall, I commend this effort. Good job. read