My Name Is Lisa

By:Sheltonfilms

REVIEW

Concept

It is based around a girl, Lisa, and her relationship with her mom who is suffering from a disease that I shall not mention so as not to give the story away.

Direction

While the camera work does seem a bit shoddy at times, the direction is pretty satisfactory overall. One thing I would certainly like to mention is the soundtrack. Keeping in mind the nature of the movie they could have made it pretty heavy and sad. They could have tried to make the viewer really sad and depressed. Thank God they did neither. The background music while sensitive to the situation does not try to take advantage of the viewer and that’s cool.

Acting

Carlie Nettles as Lisa was brilliant. This is not the first time she has appeared in a short and she has some serious talent. Her acting was very realistic and she really did seem like a kid who is having trouble dealing with all the problems.

Sally Smythe as her mom did well too. I actually started feeling sorry for her.

Overall, this short has some of the best actors on display and its nice to see such good acting in a short.

Conclusion

My Name is Lisa doesn’t try to force the viewer into liking it, but it’s the subtle things that make this a short worth watching. The acting is really good and the concept is different. We mostly see mothers having ill children in shorts, but it’s the other way round here.

This short will certainly touch you. It might not make you cry or feel depressed, but its not there to do all these things. It’s not even about the disease itself, but about the people who have a loved one suffering from it. It’s their plight that this short portrays and its darn successful in doing it too.

Recommended for sure.

Score: 7.5/10

Running

By: sheltonfilms

REVIEW

Concept

Running is about a dysfunctional family basically. Though, the concept is old there is a lot to like about Running.

Direction & Acting

If you have read my previous reviews (which I am sure you must have :)) you must know how important direction and acting is to the short. You can have a great idea executed poorly to make a lousy movie. But, if the direction and acting is nice you can get away with a lot.

That is the case with Running. Direction is quite good and though there are no major faults though the angles used, sometimes lacked imagination.

The acting however is pretty good. The girl is really talented for her age and her acting is remarkable. Though you sometimes do feel she is over-acting, but that’s so much better than being dull and expressionless.

Conclusion

All said and done Running is an okay short. I have nothing much to complain apart from a weak and done-to-death script, but its execution is pretty much spot on. The ending is pretty much left for the user to decipher. We are left to wonder what decision is she going to take (although signs are she will make the right one).

While you may very well be satisfied after watching it, the next day you would have completely forgotten about it! Even the name is so common; you are not going to remember it.

Running won’t occupy your thoughts for long, and that is its biggest downside.

Score: 6/10