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Reviews
The Flight of Dragons (1982)
Timeless
This movie has a lot of relevance even today. I would love to see a remake of this - some elements could be modernised and the theme/message could stay exactly the same. The film is very layered - for it being over 40 years old it still has a lot to say.
The world building is great, the characters are great, there are some great action sequences and lots to see and discover. Each scene feels like you're exploring a new part of the world, with its own wonders and hazards.
This film is an underrated gem and deserves a lot more limelight and attention. A wonderful adventure. A timeless masterpiece.
The Ghost Within (2023)
Decent Indie Horror
Michaela Longden gives a wonderful performance and her talent really shines through. It has vibes of The Others and what you'd expect from classic ghost stories but with it's own unique flavours and moments. Although slow to begin with, once the film finds its feet it leads to a satisfying conclusion and has just enough ambiguity to let audiences make up their own minds about the morals of the characters and their ultimate fates. The visual effects are also very good and one scene involving footprints gave me chills. A well crafted indie horror with some wonderful cinematography and a haunting score to boot.
Tealight (2022)
A sensitive portrayal of battling one's own demons.
This film is a great portrait of isolation and phobia, with many elements of a psychological thriller. It draws the viewer in and does not let go until the mystery is solved and the "tealight" wins over the forces of darkness in the protagonist's own mind.
It is a well written script that moves the story along, shot in contrasting dark and light frames to bring home the idea of inner fear and its powerful grip on the main character.
We are introduced to Evelyn, and in the first few minutes, realize that she has a paralyzing fear of opening her front door. Through the dark shots, the soundtrack, and the emptiness of the house she lives in, we get a great sense of isolation, despair, fear, and loneliness. The actress playing the main role was very believable in her portrayal of the inner struggle of the character she was playing. She did embody the feelings of fear and desperation, and those of hope and courage.
This short film was done with great sensitivity and empathy towards the issue of a person coming to grips with grief, loss, fear, and the inner demons that are most often more potent than any external threats.
Through the movie the only main point of light that comes into Evelyn's life is through her cellular phone, and contact with a friendly and loving cousin. The film maker made it a point to contrast the dark and bleak shots in the house, with a bright and vivid telephone image coming through to shine a "tealight" on Evelyn's life.
It is certainly and engaging visual feast that the film maker has created. He uses a lot of symbolism and subtle hints to make the viewer figure out the main character's psychological state. Symbols such as the doll house, the tattoo, the globe keychain, etc.
All in all, this was an enjoyable short film with a message of compassion and reconciliation with one's own fears and anxieties, and a message about how we all need someone to be that "tealight" in our times of darkness.
R. Barotta, Ph. D
Monthly Indie Shorts.
Jurassic World Dominion (2022)
Redeeming
Some great new Dinosaurs to awe over (and they at least act like animals in this as opposed to the brain dead set pieces they were in FK), some great tidying up of mistakes from FK and it's great to see the original cast together.
Some of the character building/dynamics are off but it has its heart in the right place. I enjoyed this movie for what it is.
It redeemed the franchise for me but the next movie needs to be in a park/safari/sanctiary type setting - the open world just doesn't work as well.
Jurassic Kingdom perhaps?
The Adventures of Maid Marian (2022)
Great fun!
Thinking about this afterwards made me feel nostalgic. Like it would be the kind of story we'd peform as kids in the woods if we had a budget, and real swords and armour - and that's where the charm of the film is. The film makers and cast obviously had a blast making this and their passion shines through. Sure it's low budget but they squeeze every penny and put it on screen. Sophie Craig is a delight as Marian; equally bad-ass as she is vulnerable. And it's Marian's own story; it's not a carbon copy of Robin Hood, it's a Maid Marian film, and there is so much room for more. Sequel please! I want to see more.
August (2021)
Review from Tokyo International Monthly Film Festival
Matt Taylor provides a very mysterious and interesting vision in post apocalyptic short film AUGUST. With a dark and cold color palette, great actins, atmospheric sound design and some creative shots this short movie can engage organically with the audience. Only thing that remains questionable about this film is the pacing and the lack of dialogue creating an eerie aesthetic that hits but also misses. There certainly is room from improvement but it's a great sign that at an early stage we are witnessing talent and skill in Matt Taylor's craft.
- Tokyo International Monthly Film Festival - 17th August.