REVIEWS FOR INDEPENDENT FILM, LOW BUDGET FILM, SHORT FILM & WEB SERIES
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You know that person. That awkward individual that no matter what they do, they still manage to remain... well... awkward? You know who I'm talking about. That person that generally gets picked on or ignored by the ruling elite - of whatever social circles happen to be in the area. The punching bag or even worse - the one who isn't there. Now what would happen - if the fate of the world was placed into the nervous hands of one such person? Eleni Romanias, who wrote and directed this indie film, has the answer... in the form of a soft boiled heroine with a quick mind and the heart of a warrior.
Meet Athena. A high school senior and flag twirling captain. One of those people I wrote about above, all heart and no true social graces. She has almost made it through high school - but by the looks of things only just. Perhaps she's been spared a lions share of ridicule because her brother happens to be popular - but that doesn't make her completely immune to the taunts and bullying of her peers. This is the life so many of us can relate with. Deal with it and move on right? Athena was happy to do just that... until Diomedes, a student teacher enters her life and changes everything. Dio, as he prefers to be called, educates Athena about her true nature. Tells her that she is indeed, a Greek goddess as her name would suggest - and that she alone can stop the angry Ares from his dastardly plan to rule the earth. "Greek Goddess" is an ambitious low budget indie flick that has it's own take on the ancient stories. In Romanias's world, the Gods have always been here - within certain individuals on earth. It's only when needed, or forced out, that their essence is revealed. It's an interesting idea - especially in the context of this film. Be careful. That nerdy loner you love to pick on? Just may have a secret. They may be one of the chosen vessels. As a whole film, "Greek Goddess" is mostly a fun watch. Being an indie movie you can't expect perfection, but truthfully, this film was far better than I was expecting. Eleni Romanias puts forth a fun, warm film that despite some technical flaws, manages to entertain and perhaps even delight a little. A quirky little adventure that I'm sure most will enjoy. If you're not into reading about my technical thoughts on the production, stop here - and know that this movie may not be the ultimate lions roar - but it is definitely the cat's meow. Even though "Greek Goddess" is a low budget film, it was a small array of technical issues that slightly hindered my enjoyment. I generally write about things that could have been done - within the same budget. Keep in mind however, that this is all my opinion and mine alone.
So aside from the usual indie hallmarks, a line or two of dialog seeming a little scripted, or perhaps a cut that should have been left out, the main problem with "Greek Goddess" was the editing. It's an interesting thing - because the vast majority of the edits felt just right. Slick and done by someone with a natural talent and good eye. Yet "Greek Goddess" has one major problem I couldn't let go. It's massive amounts of fades. The fade to black's must have numbered in the dozens it feels like. Sounds like such a small thing right? It's not. It got to a point where every time the screen faded out I groaned. It's really a distracting transition, that should be used carefully. Don't believe me? Throw on any of your favorite movies and you'll quickly see - now that you're looking for them - how sparingly these transitions are used. Some movies don't have a single one! It's a transition usually reserved for a major plot development. Not as a scene changer. I don't generally point the way to our own articles, but you can find a brief write-up on transitions by clicking here. Bluntly? After numerous fades within the first few minutes, every time I watched another one I had to put myself back into the film. Just saying. Other than that, maybe a few awkward cuts during fight scenes, but I really don't have much more to say. As I wrote, things flowed nicely for the most part allowing me to enjoy the movie. "Greek Goddess" ends up doing what it sets out to do. Tell a fun, adventurous story in the most entertaining way possible. I enjoyed it - and that's really all that counts. Technical jargon aside, if a film can keep your eyes onscreen for it's entire length - it's a success. A solid two and a half stars out of five. |