Reviews of The Other Side of the Wall 26

• 
  Creepy. In more ways than one.
  A review of The Other Side of the Wall
  by Savene on 12/05/2012
  This film was great. The concept was original and unique. Worth watching. The acting was very convincing on the part of the man. The woman was a little tougher sell for me, but she still got the job done. Once he was inside the room, I figured it out before the woman got back because the sound would only play when she was home. It was really sad. My issues with this film... This film was great. The concept was original and unique. Worth watching.
  
  The acting was very convincing on the part of the man. The woman was a little tougher sell for me, but she still got the job done.
  
  Once he was inside the room, I figured it out before the woman got back because the sound would only play when she was home. It was really sad.
  
  My issues with this film were small but I feel they took away from the story. Why was she upset about the mail? That whole scene with the mail felt forced and out of place. Also, for her to use a key to lock the door was fine, but then why leave the key, why not take the key since it's the only way back in. If she knew she was being watched, why not make it a point to try and hide from the peep hole. Also, why go down, just to come right back up? And lastly, how did she get back in, if the key was taken. Did he put the key back and I just missed it?
  
  I would have had her grab something, as though she had forgotten it and then been distracted by the laptop before sitting down to play the video. I also would have made it a different night from when he discovers the key. Aside from that, I thought it was a fantasically executed film. read
• 
  A Tear.
  A review of The Other Side of the Wall
  by MarioCorry on 10/19/2012
  Reviews talk of many things, sound, edit, color whatever. Maybe I would have cut down on the babies vocal a little, had a better color correction and fixed the sound edit of backround reverb noise. These things are important but my most important thing is the story. This film had a wonderful story and it brought a tear to my eye.
• 
  Good shots. Edit can be better.
  A review of The Other Side of the Wall
  by caughtboy on 10/08/2012
  First thing I noticed in 'The Other Side of the Wall' is the clever use of 'Journal' as a tool of exposition. It served the purpose of the narrative. Voiceover wouldn't have given the same effect. Very good. There's no background given about either of the characters. It's irrelevant to the narrative, maybe, but it would have gives us a subtle reasoning about their daily lives... First thing I noticed in 'The Other Side of the Wall' is the clever use of 'Journal' as a tool of exposition. It served the purpose of the narrative. Voiceover wouldn't have given the same effect. Very good.
  
  There's no background given about either of the characters. It's irrelevant to the narrative, maybe, but it would have gives us a subtle reasoning about their daily lives.
  
  Interior shots are good but exterior shots look clumsy. Lack of camera movement is one thing but it almost borders on making the movie photographic. Can't see the artistic reasoning behind that.
  
  Coming to the plot, it's good. At one point, I wished there would be more to it. More confrontations between the characters maybe.
  
  Actin wise, the guy is very good but the girl could have done better. The ending isn't easy to guess, which is the greatest strength for the film. read
• 
  Enjoyed
  A review of The Other Side of the Wall
  by The_Stoic on 09/24/2012
  This was a very good film. The opening scene of him typing and cutting back to his lap top was interesting. "What would Edgar Allen Poe do?" was a good part of this story. I could see the main character taking it upon himself to resolve the mystery about what is really going on on the other side of the wall. At first, I was thinking that the noise was coming from his mind... This was a very good film. The opening scene of him typing and cutting back to his lap top was interesting. "What would Edgar Allen Poe do?" was a good part of this story. I could see the main character taking it upon himself to resolve the mystery about what is really going on on the other side of the wall. At first, I was thinking that the noise was coming from his mind (Like, EAP in the "Tell Tale Heart.") The film was dark and gave a sinister feel to it, which helped the movie and fit the story well also. As the story progressed, and things began to unravel, it made more since that there was more than meets the ears upon hearing a child cry.
  
  IMPROVEMENTS:
  The sound quality wasn't too good. As far as dialogue, I think that it would be better if the woman didn't talk as much, only to lead the audience to believe that there is something sinister that she is trying to hide.
  
  v/r
  Stoic read
• 
  Interesting concept, not executed optimally...
  A review of The Other Side of the Wall
  by michaelbloomfield on 09/07/2012
  A nice concept lies at the heart of this short: a next-door nuisance is in fact a sad tale of loss. The acting perhaps leaves a little to be desired and the film feels a little long for the material. One nice touch is the meta-narrative device of his being a writer who poses a question that leads to his discovery of a story within his own drama, which is also our story.... A nice concept lies at the heart of this short: a next-door nuisance is in fact a sad tale of loss. The acting perhaps leaves a little to be desired and the film feels a little long for the material.
  
  One nice touch is the meta-narrative device of his being a writer who poses a question that leads to his discovery of a story within his own drama, which is also our story.
  
  A little technical quibble I had was that the baby crying doesn't sound authentic through the wall - it sounds computerised, leading me to immediately assume it was not in fact a real baby, slightly spoiling the dénouement.
  
  That aside, a nice idea that suggests good things to come. read
• 
  Hitchcock like
  A review of The Other Side of the Wall
  by JaredHirsch on 07/08/2012
  While I was not assigned this I happened to cross its path, and I decided that I really liked this film, it had the feel of a hitchcock film particularly in my mind, rear window. The beginging writing on the laptop was very clever. Overall this film was well lit and shot. Maybe the story could have been longer as it did not develop enough for the character to have a need... While I was not assigned this I happened to cross its path, and I decided that I really liked this film, it had the feel of a hitchcock film particularly in my mind, rear window. The beginging writing on the laptop was very clever. Overall this film was well lit and shot. Maybe the story could have been longer as it did not develop enough for the character to have a need to enter the woman's room. The ending was chilling and powerful though. I really enjoyed this film, keep rockin on. read
• 
  Review, shall we?
  A review of The Other Side of the Wall
  by Jordan Ray Allen on 06/26/2012
  L, I applaud what you were going for, but I think it could have been tighter in various areas. LOBBY/MAIL BOX SCENE: For me, the acting was flat. More in the female than the male. When she confronted him about going through her mail, It's clear that she's supposed to be confrontational, but it appears the actress is playing a caricature of someone who is supposed to be confrontational... L,
  
  I applaud what you were going for, but I think it could have been tighter in various areas.
  
  LOBBY/MAIL BOX SCENE: For me, the acting was flat. More in the female than the male. When she confronted him about going through her mail, It's clear that she's supposed to be confrontational, but it appears the actress is playing a caricature of someone who is supposed to be confrontational. The male's response was flat as well.
  
  LIVING ROOM SCENE (A): For me, when she was watching Caleb on the computer, her cries appeared forced and unrealistic.
  
  LIVING ROOM SCENE (B): For me, the male going into her apartment in the first place seemed like a stretch. We the viewer, have seen nothing but what appears to be a good man trying to write in peace. There was never a moment where he seemed a little offbeat or adventurous to that extreme. Moreover, to stop her video, close the laptop and risk her waking up to the shift in room tone was a pretty gutsy or silly move on the male leads part. I figured he'd bolt for the front door the minute she fell asleep or went to the bathroom. But he hung around. When he walked over to the urn, is when I wondered "Who in the world does this man think he is?". He doesn't strike the viewer as mentally ill or a stereotypical felon, so why is he behaving in a way that abandons logic and would only get him thrown into prison should he be caught?
  
  These are just my opinions, other viewers may feel completely different than I. I did however, enjoy the lighting and editing. Well done.
  
  Best,
  
  Jordan
  
  
  
  
  
  
  - read
• 
  Babies in the walls
  A review of The Other Side of the Wall
  by Tesssa on 05/19/2012
  This is a very sweet story. I liked how the writer at first moves the viewer's mind towards horror, then to find a completely different story alltogether when he does the research. That's a very nice turn of event, and it's often true that the weirdest phenomena have the most simple explanation. However I felt the story needed some elaboration at some points. It's unclear... This is a very sweet story. I liked how the writer at first moves the viewer's mind towards horror, then to find a completely different story alltogether when he does the research. That's a very nice turn of event, and it's often true that the weirdest phenomena have the most simple explanation. However I felt the story needed some elaboration at some points.
  
  It's unclear to me why she accuses him of stalking, unless she's a bit crazy herself: there's no way she can see him watch through the peephole and as far as we know, he hasn't taken any other steps that would make her say such a thing... You might solve that by showing several other attempts of him trying to solve the mystery. Maybe she finds out about him once or twice, or he's always in the hall when she comes out, etc. The only attempt we saw before that was a neighbourly talk, nothing suspicious whatsoever. It needs more continuity.
  
  Technically I thought everything seemed fine, but you missed some nice opportunities to add some extra atmosphere to the movie, by working a bit more with lighting and by adding some different shots. Now you focused all your shots on the interaction between the two characters and their actions and emotions, however those only didn't give the necessary impact for horror or, in the end, drama. For example, a pan across the wall seperating both appartments, the lady looking at the peephole, as if she knew that he was looking but didn't care, the writer reading up on baby horror stories while the laughter plays in the back...
  Bottom line is that you need to frame the characters in their setting and their mindset and change light, sound and camera to add to that effect.
  
  As a conclusion, I thought the plot, story and setting are well chosen, but you need to make it a more cinematic experience by using all the tools. Lightning, sound and camera are all there to add to the atmosphere, and I didn't feel as if this movie used them to their full potential. read
• 
  Very heartwarming short!
  A review of The Other Side of the Wall
  by SaintSinnerCEO on 04/28/2012
  Congrats to Lou Barbarelli for creating a really simple, yet cool little short film. It's mood is solid, and visually the picture looks good. A couple of the exteriors were an eyesore, but they're so brief they hurt nothing about the short in my opinion. I enjoyed the fact that this story somewhat could go in alot of different directions, whether into horror or comedy or... Congrats to Lou Barbarelli for creating a really simple, yet cool little short film.
  
  It's mood is solid, and visually the picture looks good. A couple of the exteriors were an eyesore, but they're so brief they hurt nothing about the short in my opinion.
  
  I enjoyed the fact that this story somewhat could go in alot of different directions, whether into horror or comedy or what have you, and it's built in a short amount of time with some tension between the two characters which is awesome.
  
  The payoff at the end is great, and not at all what I was expecting, which is rarely the case these days with unoriginal films of all lengths.
  
  All the best in your budding film career, Lou! Keep on this path and you'll do just fine in the filmmaking biz. read
• 
  Well Done!
  A review of The Other Side of the Wall
  by godardisbest on 02/16/2012
  The Other Side of the Wall was a well done short film by Director Louis Barbarell. The sounds of the child were very nerve racking and it made me feel the neighbors pain right along with him. I liked the information giving on how he felt by use of the story he is trying to write on the laptop. I expected to see the eraserhead baby when we went into the room! The crying laughing... The Other Side of the Wall was a well done short film by Director Louis Barbarell. The sounds of the child were very nerve racking and it made me feel the neighbors pain right along with him. I liked the information giving on how he felt by use of the story he is trying to write on the laptop. I expected to see the eraserhead baby when we went into the room! The crying laughing child on the laptop was a nice surprise. I hope we see more work from Louis in the future. read