48 hours, part 2

What a delightful afternoon it was, made even more so by the presence of my youngest brother by my side at the Savannah Film Company!
This Fathers Day coincided with my viewing of the second block of shorts made for the 2018 Savannah 48hr Film Project. (I saw the front nine on Thursday. Why the golf lingo? Why not!)

Referred to Group B, here is the screening order.
* Odd Lot Improv, "Noir Baby"
* 21 Nuke Salute, "Legend of Sixkiller"
* Argyle Forest Films, "Music Theory"
* Dapper Dog Films, "The Interloper"
* Irish Wolves, "The Lies"
- - intermission - -
* Gored by Rhinos Productions, "Ripples"
* Dorky Puppy Productions, "Stealers of The Lost"
* The Moment After Productions, "Chello"
* Killer Fish Productions, "Bias"

I really wanted "Noir Baby" to be my favorite, I really did... especially as it was noir, done as Odd Lot knows how. However, the sound was muddy at the beginning, for the Tina Chello dame in distress - and that threw me off. Then, I didn't care much for the story line of child trafficking - nope, didn't like it. I especially didn't like seeing Justin's son and the Soucyman's daughter in bondage. Nope. (Kindly bear in mind that I walked out on "The Children Of The Corn", back in 1984, because of the killing of children. That's the only movie I've ever left within the first fifteen minutes.) Other than that, great music, great black & white cinematography of this town I hold dear, great twist at the very end!

This western, "The Legend of Sixkiller", was definitely a favorite! It actually blended science fiction into its mix, with Melanie Goldey showing up as a time-traveling bounty hunter - hilarious! Hey, as Sixkiller himself said as he hightailed it on outta there, "Any time you can walk away from a gunfight, you know it's going to be a great day!" I know Mister Willie would agree!

"Music Theory" was a very good film about a widower who took over the teaching of his wife's class of non-traditional students. Backstory was given for several of the characters, with much growth during their second chances at life, culminating in a song with personalized verses - so it was almost a musical!
Kudos, y'all!
And kudos, too, for daring to be involved in two simultaneous 48hr Film Projects! That involved some mighty fancy footwork between here and Jacksonville, but they seemed to have performed the moves flawlessly, a pair of pliers in one hand and a wrench in the other. Wow!

Billed as a mash-up of film de femme and vacation/holiday, "The Interloper" pitted a woman the daughters liked versus a woman their widower dad liked.
One had been the mom's best friend; the other, Tina Chello, may have been found on a "Russian brides" site.
The women had each been invited by a different party to the lake house for the 4th of July, neither knowing of each other and both having to work without a net to keep the peace in the family.
How very nice that they managed to sort things out!
I recognized the two women from the Tybee Arts playhouse!
Very lovely cinematography of the marshes, too.

"The Lies" was not really to my taste, even though it was spy/espionage, another favorite genre.
That's partly because it had a horrific character with zero backstory, but also because it was plagued by very muddy dialogue in quite a few places.
The story was a bi t disjo inted,t oo.
(See how aggravating that is?
I'll stay tuned in to this group of youngsters -
they have plenty more time to get it right.
(smile)

Time for intermission!
Let's all go to the lobby,
let's all go to the lobby,
let's all go to the lobby,
and get ourselves some eats!
Or something like that - lol!
*
I won a T-shirt and tote (for a defunct film festival)!
*

"Ripples" featured 'Jessica Savannah' in two roles, though we don't find out that's the case until the end.
The film opens with a disgruntled Tina Chello, raging into an army surplus store and accusing the owner of unspeakable acts against her family, years ago, in Saigon. That scene closes with a gun shot.
Flash forward to a public library. A woman looks like Tina Chello having a good day strolls in. Suddenly, panic breaks out, an off-duty police officer draws his gun, and... well, click the link and see!
Very good story, especially for a first-timer!

"Stealers of the Lost" was an absolutely delightful romp! Part fantasy, part spy/espionage, definite comedy
I couldn't help but see echoes of Fox Mulder and Dana Scully in the characters of Thomas and Tina Chello -
"No relation", as they were quick to tell us!
They were the only humans in a world populated by three-headed dragons, the Easter Bunny, and a fairy store keeper, among others.
What a delight!
Hopefully, I'll find a video link soon...

So, "Chello" is billed as a road movie, but I prefer to consider it vacation/holiday mashed with horror comedy.
Hear me out, please.
What if Riff Raff and Magenta - the other-worldly butler and housemaid for Dr. Frank N. Furter - returned to this planet for a bit of rest and recreation?
Now, what if their idea of good times continued to be death and destruction all around?
And what if they needed updated aliases for their travel?
Well, then you would have the Chello siblings portrayed here!
Seriously, look for their heads touching and tell me I'm wrong!
Loved it!

Honestly, this last one of the day - much like the last one of the Thursday slate - was my favorite.
"Bias", done partly in black & white, was a silent film and drama, opening with six witnesses to the gas chamber death of a murderer.
As the flashbacks proceed, we begin to mistrust that justice is being served...
follow the tattoo of the musical instrument, y'all!
Stunning indictment of preconceptions holding sway over facts.
Very well done, very well, indeed!

So, that's a wrap, folks! Tony and I left after the Q & A session, seeking dinner and discussion of our own about the afternoon's stories.
What a perfect ending to our day together!
I'll have to stay tuned so I can let him know which films won awards...
(smile)