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Reviews
Gin & Dry (2010)
Brilliant!
Whilst the general happenings of a few geriatric's in an old peoples home may sound a little mundane, 'Gin and dry' manages to break this convention using a lot of humour, a little more emotion and a jaw dropping twist.
Upon viewing the trailer for this movie, it appeared to be solely about some old people wanting some booze -- So they go ahead to plan/steal it, Oceans 11 style, which made it somewhat unattractive but may be worth a few laughs, but it's much more than that. Whilst the opening few minutes are pretty funny, the movie isn't really about the heist, it's about the character Ablie, our protagonist.
We learn so much about this character in such a short space of time it's really quite fascinating.
If there were to be any negatives about this production, it would be about the rest of the cast. They're all quirky and can be quite funny, but overall none of them really stand out. However, I believe this actually benefits the film, as it makes Ablies character shine even more which is just brilliant.
All in all a great short, one recommended to all.
9/10
Hawk (2011)
Over-all, a stunning watch.
'Hawk', a surprisingly dark tale ultimately about survival, sacrifice and loss is a very enjoyable piece of film. Reminiscent of a Tolkien world, the North Wales portrayed in the feature seems like an entirely different plane of existence, allowing the audience to get lost in a fantastical new world. The stunning backdrop accompanied by the great score are two key factors as to why this film is a joy to watch.
The narrative, for the most part, is quite captivating. Gawain mentors young Rowan, where he is also mentoring the audience, truly drawing us in and immersing us, whilst giving us all the information we need to know about this land. Fastforwarding to the end sequence, the build up and the payoff is extremely tense and very exciting to watch.
However, there was one transition that slightly hindered the film somewhat, which is the change from young Rowan to old.
A great deal of the film is dedicated to Gawain mentoring young Rowan, time in which we get to know these protagonists fairly well. In transition, the now adult Rowan, seems to retain little if any of his previous characteristics, thus feeling more like a new character, a stranger. The payoff, whilst powerful, would have been a greater spectacle if we knew this character more or saw something recognisable within him.
That being said, to reiterate, the end sequence makes for some real compelling viewing either way. The Adult Rowan made a great hero - It was a shame we couldn't see more of Rowan as the master hunter/survivalist he had become, but always leave 'em wanting more is the phrase that comes to mind.
'Hawk' is a visually stunning piece of film and a pleasure to watch.
7.5/10