Short Film Review
Film Info:
A homebody with a stash of pulp fiction sees a gun hidden in the waistband of her charming new tenant and debates joining him in a life of adventure. Written By: John Michael Wagner Directed By: Ed Hellman Genre: Comedy 19 Minutes IndyRed.com |
DIME CRIMES # 34 ( 2015 )
Within the first few minutes of " Dime Crimes # 34 " one thing became apparent quite quickly. It was done well. This wasn't going to be a typical Youtube quality video, if you know what I mean. So what exactly is John Michael Wagner's short in terms of style? Frankly, there's such a mix of elements that it's really hard to place... but comedy isn't really one of them. Save a few smile moments. What " Dime Crimes # 34 " actually is, is a retro styled piece mixed with modern elements; blended up and jammed down your throat. In a good way, of course. This is a short film that screams old school pulp magazines but actually delivers a surprisingly non-pulp-genre short, with some real acting and and not so funny outcome. Depending on how you look at it, and what you consider funny. Is it a watch-worthy short film? The short answer... yes. Yes it is.
On the technical front, as I wrote above, " Dime Crimes # 34 " is done very well. The lensing is done with some real style as is the lighting and set-ups of the location; making this a fabulous looking short film. Finish off with a slick, although surprisingly standard edit for the intended style, a great audio track and a nice coloring. The end result is " Dime Crimes # 34 " and it doesn't disappoint. A special mention should be given to the cast who performed their respective roles excellently, playing off each other in a way that not many indies ever achieve. This is an excellent short film that was nicely directed by Ed Hellman and penned very well by writer John Michael Wagner. I was impressed by the fact that the dialog felt real, and not hollow and scripted. With that said however, I feel the need to mention the major drawback of this title. I was expecting a lot of half ass acting and cliche one liners. The promo for this short, and even the title itself pretty much demand it. I was under the impression this was going to be a stylized, retro-pulp kind of film. What I actually got was a well done film, that was not really retro-pulp at all. As a short film, " Dime Crimes # 34 " excels and exceeds all indie expectations visually; it also happens to be very entertaining. Just not in the way I was expecting. Still, if entertainment is the name of the game we clearly have a winner here. I was glad to have gotten one of the first looks. -JT Other Reviews That May Interest You
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