directed by:
Medora Levy
written by:
Medora Levy
genre:
Drama

by JT

  Let's face it. Family is tough. The old adage comes to mind about blood being thicker than water but honestly? Sometimes most folks with siblings wish they were an only child. Stevie and Julia, the protagonists of this short film, are the perfect example of a realistic family dynamic. In today's world, anyhow. They seem to be complete opposites, and it isn't long before we find out that Julia was the star child of their deceased mother. Julia was always the one Stevie was compared with, and in her mind - she might as well not even exist. Well, perhaps that's not correct because, reader, Stevie did seem to exist for the sole purpose of screwing things up. Anyone relate?
 As the short film continues with the bitter bickering between the sisters, things heat up considerably, and Stevie has had enough. Enough of her sister's "holier than though" attitude and anger at herself for being so damn angry with things. You see, that's what this movie is really about - dealing with conflicting emotions. Things really get rough when Stevie threatens the contents of the urn - but I feel I've spoiled enough of this short gem already. Bottom line? Although lightning quick, "Greener Pastures" packs a big punch. Of that, there's no question.

  It's really hard to get into technical details with a film this short. Does "Greener Pastures" look like a Marvel film? Absolutely not, but it also looks pretty damn good for being a micro-budget project. Where this flick really shines, however, is with its leading ladies. The acting in this short film was fantastic. Even if I did happen to notice a few awkward edits scattered throughout, they were quickly forgotten because Jocelyn Shelfo and Emma Starbird, with direction from Medora Levy, did such fantastic jobs. "Greener Pastures" is not just good ... it's believable.
 Quick, at times tense, and emotionally more profound than you are probably expecting. For myself, that about sums up "Greener Pastures" as good a way as any. Did it leave some meat on the bone? Sure it did, but there's nothing wrong with that. Well done - three and a half stars.