Reviews of The Most Wonderful Time Of Year 12

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  A great dark comedy
  A review of The Most Wonderful Time Of Year
  by mje323 on 11/11/2010
  It's unusual to see a dark comedy on TS this so I was glad to see this film. I loved the way the central character's bad day just got worse and worse. I also loved the completely unsympathetic nature of the people leaving the messages. Technically it ticked all the boxes too with no obvious flaws that I could make out. I liked the optomistic "No I won't do it." spirit of the... It's unusual to see a dark comedy on TS this so I was glad to see this film. I loved the way the central character's bad day just got worse and worse. I also loved the completely unsympathetic nature of the people leaving the messages. Technically it ticked all the boxes too with no obvious flaws that I could make out.
  
  I liked the optomistic "No I won't do it." spirit of the character at the end but I think I would have preferred it if he then had a really stupid accident that proves fatal, or maybe a truck that ploughs through his house.
  
  I think that this is a cool little addition to the TS site, but then I quite like my comedy dark. read
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  Time Twister
  A review of The Most Wonderful Time Of Year
  by jmdsbussrv on 11/09/2010
  OK, interesting with the twists. From a cinematic standpoint, well done. Music is good too. Not sure I'm a fan of the writing, but unless you wrote it, it's what you had to work with. My only thoughts were that some of the messages seemed unrealistic with the information they leave on the machine. Especially doctors, to my knowledge, don't leave that much information on... OK, interesting with the twists. From a cinematic standpoint, well done. Music is good too.
  
  Not sure I'm a fan of the writing, but unless you wrote it, it's what you had to work with. My only thoughts were that some of the messages seemed unrealistic with the information they leave on the machine. Especially doctors, to my knowledge, don't leave that much information on a message.
  
  Putting that aside, I will say I was expecting some sort of twist, but then thought you really had him shoot himself. Glad to see you didn't, but then the other guy comes in. Didn't really know who he was, but did offer another unexpected twist. Well done from that aspect.
  
  Anyway, good use of what you had to work with.
  
  Thanks for reading my thoughts and opinions.
  
  JIM read
• 
  Review
  A review of The Most Wonderful Time Of Year
  by GimmeABreak on 11/06/2010
  The soundtrack music is waaaay too loud. Hate the fuzzy titles. Headache-inducing and they hurt my eyes. Messages left on the answering machine were borderline ridiculous - too over-the-top. There were also too many of them. Makeup for the gun shot wasn't realistic (in terms of the application). Sorry, I didn't care for this. There wasn't a good balance between the drama... The soundtrack music is waaaay too loud.
  
  Hate the fuzzy titles. Headache-inducing and they hurt my eyes.
  
  Messages left on the answering machine were borderline ridiculous - too over-the-top. There were also too many of them.
  
  Makeup for the gun shot wasn't realistic (in terms of the application).
  
  Sorry, I didn't care for this. There wasn't a good balance between the drama and the comedy. I didn't care for the lead character, either, because all of the messages painted him out to be a loser.
  
  Wish I had more positive things to say about it.
  
  Concept: average
  Direction: average
  Cinematography: average
  Editing: average
  Story: below average
  Acting: average
  Overall: average
  read
• 
  Slow as Christmas
  A review of The Most Wonderful Time Of Year
  by duncanjames on 11/05/2010
  I couldn't wait for this to end. I didn't believe any of the phone messages. Didn't ring true from the girlfriend's break-up message to the doctor's aids message. Those people wouldn't be saying those things that way on an answer machine. And I guessed that the messages were old when the loan shark said "tomorrow". Shooting the message machine was a cool twist, but I felt you... I couldn't wait for this to end. I didn't believe any of the phone messages. Didn't ring true from the girlfriend's break-up message to the doctor's aids message. Those people wouldn't be saying those things that way on an answer machine. And I guessed that the messages were old when the loan shark said "tomorrow". Shooting the message machine was a cool twist, but I felt you shouldn't have had him stick the gun in his mouth. Felt as if you went for the cheap con twist when you should've showed him pick up the gun, contemplate, we here the shot, think he killed himself, but then see the busted up answer machine. Then, I didn't understand that it was a gunshot that killed him. Sounded like an electrical shot. Then the loan shark planting the gun? With ungloved hands? But forensics would never miss the angle, distance, lack of powder on his shirt. They'll know it was a set up scene. All these factor into the believability of the piece, and I didn't believe it at all. read
• 
  i liked it.
  A review of The Most Wonderful Time Of Year
  by moviecre8r on 11/03/2010
  cinematography was great for not having to move the camera much. really loved the distorted wide angles with the morphing. the music was beautiful, the acting was actually GREAT. i really enjoyed this short. i have to say it's one of the better ones i have seen in this festival so far, so i sure hope you advance. well done all around. some of the voicemails i'm sure people... cinematography was great for not having to move the camera much. really loved the distorted wide angles with the morphing. the music was beautiful, the acting was actually GREAT. i really enjoyed this short. i have to say it's one of the better ones i have seen in this festival so far, so i sure hope you advance. well done all around. some of the voicemails i'm sure people can relate to which is disturbing in itself... they definitely had some good humor in them. i have no complaints or suggestions. well done. read
• 
  TMWToTY Review
  A review of The Most Wonderful Time Of Year
  by **DELETED ACCOUNT** on 11/03/2010
  Overall, I liked the concept of the film, but it was far too slow. Just listening to answering machine messages for 6 minutes seemed far too long to get the point across and the payoff wasn’t worth it. He’s got all sorts of problems and in the end decides to spare his own life only to have it taken by someone else, but there wasn’t any emotional connection to the guy and I... Overall, I liked the concept of the film, but it was far too slow. Just listening to answering machine messages for 6 minutes seemed far too long to get the point across and the payoff wasn’t worth it. He’s got all sorts of problems and in the end decides to spare his own life only to have it taken by someone else, but there wasn’t any emotional connection to the guy and I didn’t care who killed him or if nobody killed him at all.
  
  The acting was average. There’s really not too much to comment on.
  
  The music fit the film very well and sounded great.
  
  Nice work, but there has to be something to get the viewer to want the guy to live in order for the end to be successful.
  
  Good luck with your work! read
• 
  Wonderful time.
  A review of The Most Wonderful Time Of Year
  by Greg Jackson on 10/07/2010
  Fun short. Nicely shot, nice visuals, and the music was pieced together nicely with the editing selections. All in all it flowed very well. And thanks so much for not going the obvious route of the suicide. And Jeff's murder completely caught me off guard, in a good way. A few small things: It could have been a bit shorter, maybe one less phone call. I started getting a... Fun short. Nicely shot, nice visuals, and the music was pieced together nicely with the editing selections. All in all it flowed very well. And thanks so much for not going the obvious route of the suicide. And Jeff's murder completely caught me off guard, in a good way.
  
  A few small things: It could have been a bit shorter, maybe one less phone call. I started getting a bit antsy for something to happen around call 4. But I really did like how the calls were becoming progressively worse. Nice touch. Another tiny complaint. Where there was a bit of dialogue, you should have used a LAV mic or something other than the camera mic. The dialogue wasn't mixed well and it was a bit jarring. But again, that's a minor detail in an otherwise will done short.
  
  Well done, thanks a lot! read
• 
  TWISTED ending
  A review of The Most Wonderful Time Of Year
  by mythauthor on 10/01/2010
  I liked the direction and the look of the actor. The coloring and set added to the mood of the piece. Good twist with his shooting the phone which sort of implied that he was willing to go on. Films with voice overs and little action don't really get to show directors' talents so it is questionable that you haven't been able to exercise conflict in dialogue, action etc. Editing... I liked the direction and the look of the actor. The coloring and set added to the mood of the piece. Good twist with his shooting the phone which sort of implied that he was willing to go on.
  
  Films with voice overs and little action don't really get to show directors' talents so it is questionable that you haven't been able to exercise conflict in dialogue, action etc.
  
  Editing is solid.
  
  There is little to the makeup (if any) or costumes.
  
  Sound ability is an unknown factor.
  
  I did like the piece. read
• 
  very well done
  A review of The Most Wonderful Time Of Year
  by Tommy6858 on 12/16/2008
  i really liked this piece, every shot has been given so much detail to make it look immaculate and the story has been pieced together so well. i like the way that the audience can communicate with the main character through his answer machine, this has proved really effective. i enjoyed this short film throughout.
• 
  Nicely shot
  A review of The Most Wonderful Time Of Year
  by **DELETED ACCOUNT** on 11/16/2008
  This short film is beautifully shot. The cinematography is exceptional. I had some issues with some of the characterization as I am not too sure somebody from a clinic would berate somebody on their carelessness in their sexual practice. Although I suppose much of it was probably improvised. The lead was very good at visually expressing his anguish. The soundtrack was lovely... This short film is beautifully shot. The cinematography is exceptional. I had some issues with some of the characterization as I am not too sure somebody from a clinic would berate somebody on their carelessness in their sexual practice. Although I suppose much of it was probably improvised. The lead was very good at visually expressing his anguish. The soundtrack was lovely bringing a wonderful atmosphere from the get go. All in all very well done film. read