Tag Archives: MYM

Film Related, Film Reviews, Monthly Wrap Up, Other Reviews

Monthly Wrap Up [#3]

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Hey All,

It’s been a minute since I did a chat session with everyone, but I hope everyone is doing well and staying healthy. September was a pretty busy month, and as a result, I did not get to a monthly wrap-up. So, here it is! I will include September’s monthly wrap-up in October’s post to make up for last month.

September Recap:

In September, we explored (and finished) two separate PBS short film programs: Reel South Shorts and Film School Shorts. Both of which were full of some of the most life-altering films I have ever watched. They were dark films. They were emotional and heavy, but they were also fantastic.

I also had the pleasure of watching the Vancouver Latin Film Festival, and I loved it. The flavor was different from other film festivals I have seen this year. No energy was put into making the films look perfect; all was focused on creating a natural and honest experience. If you did not make it to this year’s festival, I recommend attending next year.

SFW Monthly Film Favorites:

A World For Raul

Still one of my favorite films; I think my excitement stems from how suspenseful it was. It is painless to worry for the boy. You recognize his softness and intelligence, and it makes you both relieved and uncertain about his future. The boy shows you that he is willing to survive in a cruel world, despite not being made for it. The transitions in this character’s development are smooth, and I love the creative direction.

Less Than Human

This is a uniquely quirky film about zombies desiring equality. There are a lot of cheeky and fun moments in this animated film, but there is also a wholesome message about accepting differences. The film demonstrates a fictional world that is representative of our society. We see the breaks in our conventional ideology of human beings. This leaves room for us to question what a life experience is for others different from us; why shouldn’t we let someone/something live out its version of a life experience without ridicule.

Drum Wave

This is a crazy horror film, but I love it. It was thoughtful, and it kept me glued to the screen.

Polaroid

This was a fun horror film. The polaroid camera was a nice element, and it added a unique quality to the horror.

October Recap:

October marked SFW’s First Anniversary. A year ago, when I started this blog, I had no clue what I was going to do with it, but I wanted to build something. I was on YouTube, and I saw some of the most impressive short films. Content that was better than the movies on T.V., with only a few hundred views. These short films changed my whole perspective on visual art and filmmaking. My biggest goal for this site is to give small filmmakers an audience. I have watched many short films that have positively changed my life over the past year, and I hope this site offers something to the people visiting it. Having a place to share my thoughts on fantastic films every day has been an incredibly rewarding experience, and I am thankful.

November Schedule:

October, we started this dive into short films about mental health and mental illness. In November, we will be continuing this short film deep-dive.

Also, I have a couple of film festivals I want to attend. So, I will have my reviews up later in the month for you guys.

SFW Monthly Film Favorites:

Last Call

You spend most of the film questioning whom the main character is talking to on the other line. Then, you wonder if the main character is even talking to another person. It is a sad film, but it is also simple to connect to the character’s difficulty letting go.

Amani

It is ok to feel broken but never to stay broken. I love the poetry of this biopic. It is based on a harried moment in Amani’s life where he almost died. The film details Amani’s struggle with the demons of youth and his progression away from street life.

Film Related, Other Reviews

MYM: Gracie

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How can a second spent reminiscing about long-gone memories entrap a person in their mature age? 

The film Gracie captures the unique essence of the passage of time. 

Following the character, Gracie, an elderly Jamaican immigrant, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease, as she comes to terms with her situation. Grace lives in a nursing home and is frequently visited by her daughter and grandson, Aaron. As the story progresses, we learn Gracie is stuck in a memory where her deceased husband, Winston, is still alive. Believing Winston is coming to get her, Gracie sits in her room and waits for him.

Other times, Gracie is observed shifting between good memories, like tasting the sweet mangoes from her homeland of Jamaica, and bad memories, like the racism she once experienced from her neighbors. Fortunately, for Gracie, she has her grandson, Aaron. During one of the scenes, Gracie suffers an episode, and she forgets she is in a nursing home. Gracie begins packing her bags, readying herself to reunite with her husband in Jamaica. Aaron forced to remind her where she is and manages to settle her emotions. In a dreadful sight, we see a woman losing touch with her reality in the final stage of her life. As tears stream down Gracie’s face, she realizes she cannot leave.

Days pass by, and the nurses and Aaron start to see Gracie receding back into herself as she listens to a familiar song playing in the background, silently recalling a simpler time when she used to dance. 

Wanting to do something special for his grandmother, Aaron makes plans to recreate one of Gracie’s favorite places. He grasps her by the hand, tells her to pack her things, and takes her outside to a recreated beach. Gracie, overcome with joy, settles down on one of the beach chairs and takes off her shoes. Sipping a cold drink, Aaron plays the tune she loved so much, only this time she does not have to listen to it alone. The last shot is tears rolling down Gracie’s cheeks and a smile on her face, as she relives the life she always wanted.

Film Related, Other Reviews

MYM: War Has No Eyes

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This is a well-crafted short film that attempts to bridge the gap between a young man’s religious expectations and his personal freedom. To me, “war has no eyes” means, there is more than one way to generate change in this world.

The lead character, Mahmoud, is a young Muslim man living in the United Kingdom. The film highlights Mahmoud’s imperfections and his journey back to the roots of his Islamic faith with the help of his mentor. During his former years, Mahmoud was subjected to negative influences, ones that were meant to turn him down a dark path. He could have come to be those odious things, but instead Mahmoud chose to better himself. As the film progresses, Mahmoud realizes that living a fruitful life can be about having both, an existence of full possibilities and a dedication to his faith.