SHORTS BLOCK I – MLFF 2015

Today, I kicked off my visit to the Mammoth Lakes Film Festival in Mammoth Lakes, CA with their first film screening of the day, SHORTS BLOCK I. Below you can find the films that screened, and just what I thought of them. Check it out now!

MULIGNANS – Director : Shaka King / USA / 5 min

MULIGNANS is a play on the Italian-American slang for a black man, which is based on the Italian word for “eggplant.” This comedic film reverses roles, and puts African-Americans in the role of Italian Gangsters, much like any mob movie that you’ve ever seen. Not only is this film funny, but it’s also a big of an eye opener, with caucasian hipsters being the underdogs. 5 stars

UNA NIT – Director : Marta Bayarri / Spain / 17 min

Boy meets girl. Girl goes back to his place. Girl finds out he’s completely nuts! UNA NIT follows two frisky individuals looking to have some fun. When the girl decides to ask too many questions his behavior starts to change, leaving us with an open ending as to her fate. This film is intense and uncomfortable… and reminds us that stranger danger is still something that all of us should look out for! 3 stars

JAM – Director : Brett Fleisher / USA / 8 min

Director Brett Fleisher was inspired to write JAM after sitting in traffic in LA for far too long. The short takes us through various cars stuck in a ridiculously long traffic jam. We end up visiting different characters as they try to cope with their predicament, as they journey to the front of the jam and find out exactly how/why they are there. This film jumps around from comedic, to honest and intense, and holds the interest of the viewer. 4 stars

T’ES PAS GAME – Director : Sandrine Brodeur-Desrosiers / Canada / 12 min

David and Margot are a happy couple that likes to have fun. They’re spontaneous, and aren’t afraid to make complete fools out of themselves for a laugh. After accidentally locking themselves in the bedroom, the two are forced to check back into reality and have a serious discussion. The actors have a great deal of chemistry, and the subject matter is incredibly relatable for most couples today. This film is charming, with a message that isn’t discussed in many films. 4 stars

UPON THE ROCK – Director : James Bascara / 9 min

UPON THE ROCK is an animated short that tells the story of a man stuck in a rut. One day, after seeing an image of an island, his entire life changes. He drops everything and goes on a life-long quest to find his dream island. The animation in this film is beautiful, but the way it transforms into a mythological story might be confusing for some viewers. I heard the guys behind me stating that they didn’t get it, ‘but it looked cool.’ It’s strange, but if you like interpreting imagery then you will enjoy it. 3 stars

FORCER BABY – Director : Spencer Showalter / USA / 14 min

FORCER BABY tells the tale of Spook, a greaser kid on a mission to avenge his father by taking out the man who killed him, Sheriff Jones. The only way to do that is to find his fathers secret weapon, The Enforcer, a steam punk later gun that’s said to be the ultimate weapon. This film is a spaghetti western mixed with steam punk (or as the director calls it, ‘syrup punk’) and sci-fi. You can really see the 80’s, sci-fi and adventure film influence. FORCER BABY is cheesy, but it’s a ton of fun! 5 stars

LAY IN WAIT – Director : Jonathan Ade / USA / 25 min

File this under the category ‘Do Not See With Spouse!” because LAY IN WAIT is a bit uncomfortable. Maggie goes into the woods to meet with her secret lover while her husband is at home. While on the trip she loses her wedding ring, and is on a mission to find it before she returns home. Maggie is faced with ultimately choosing her lover or her husband, and it’s all decided by whether she stays to look for her ring, or returns to town with her boyfriend. The director does a great job of capturing the emotions of the actors, who are absolutely terrific, and showing Maggie as both empowered and vulnerable. 4 stars

If you’re in the area, SHORTS BLOCK II will screen tomorrow (Friday) at 2:30pm at the Edison Theater in Mammoth Lakes, CA, and SHORTS BLOCK III will screen at 10:00am Saturday Morning at the same theater. For More Info : mammothlakesfilmfestival.com