Other Reviews by Cycarax 257

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  More Commitment Needed
  A review of Committed
  by Cycarax on 02/15/2009
  This film has a lot of good things going for it. Editing is good, music scoring is even throughout - although it is not clear if Moby gave rights for the scoring, but taking it for granted he did - it is suitable for the mood of the scenes. Shots are well framed and the plotting is fairly complex. Obviously there is a strong technical knowledge of shooting a film. The biggest... This film has a lot of good things going for it. Editing is good, music scoring is even throughout - although it is not clear if Moby gave rights for the scoring, but taking it for granted he did - it is suitable for the mood of the scenes. Shots are well framed and the plotting is fairly complex. Obviously there is a strong technical knowledge of shooting a film.
  
  The biggest problem is in the development of the story. I was confused by the first scene. That looks like Sean with his hoodie and baseball bat, but did he whack someone? And if so, who and why? The phone call to the wife seems to come from her con husband (I think) with a bloodied hand. At first I thought that was who did the hitting, but the last scene has Sean in the hoodie with the baseball bat. I watched the film twice (already not a good sign for a film when you have to see it twice to figure out what is going on) and I only became more assured of my confusion.
  
  The characters are very cliché the way they are presented. They could be any average movie triangle of unhappy man and woman with a con husband in the background where inevitably violence breaks out. Hollywood has told many stories about people like this. To differentiate them, more individual character development is needed. It would help to know something of the kind of person Taylor is, does she love her con husband? Does she love Sean? She is too passive in this film and that makes her a weak spot. Is Sean a violent person? Does he love Taylor that much to attack the con husband for her, or is he just jealous and possessive? Only Simpson seems to be a clearly defined character. And what happens in the end?
  
  I think this film suffers from too much depending on the drama of violence and potential violence to sustain interest and not enough on the individuals who bring this drama about. read
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  Illuminating Mix
  A review of Mix CD
  by Cycarax on 02/01/2009
  This is a charming and watchable film. The lead actor especially is very good, very charismatic and animated. I bought into his character totally. Production skills are impressive, even more amazingly so after I read your production notes. Everything looks very professional. The premise is very engaging. How to tell a special girl about yourself by the music that matters... This is a charming and watchable film. The lead actor especially is very good, very charismatic and animated. I bought into his character totally. Production skills are impressive, even more amazingly so after I read your production notes. Everything looks very professional.
  
  The premise is very engaging. How to tell a special girl about yourself by the music that matters to you. The dialogue could have used another re-write or two, more tightening up. It was a bit cluttered and confusing. Maybe we could have had more revealed to us about who these people are. But on the whole it was quite good. read
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  White Lies Review
  A review of White Lies
  by Cycarax on 12/28/2008
  The tension in the story is very good. It does keep the viewer riveted. The pacing, and revelation of the "white lie", the twists in the dialogue are done very, very well. The production quality is more haphazard. Lighting seems poor and the framing and editing could have been more imaginative. The fact that there were no close-ups of the woman comes across as awkward... The tension in the story is very good. It does keep the viewer riveted. The pacing, and revelation of the "white lie", the twists in the dialogue are done very, very well.
  
  The production quality is more haphazard. Lighting seems poor and the framing and editing could have been more imaginative. The fact that there were no close-ups of the woman comes across as awkward and frustrating. Her face was mostly very dark, distant, far away. It didn't help that the acting wasn't very professional. Both actors provided the minimum and seemed to only experience their characters superficially.
  
  This ran for 6+ minutes. Perhaps the missing 4 minutes could have been used to build up the characters and their relationship more. As it is right now it seems like a long commercial for how not to guarantee permanency in your marriage. Making the characters more individual would have helped to remedy that. read