FILM INFO: Andrew and Matt have no home and no money. With Matt’s tenacity to be the alfa, he is constantly bullying and harassing Andrew, leading the two boys to an unforgettable tragedy.
WRITTEN BY: Imogen Ross DIRECTED BY: Imogen Ross GENRE: Drama TIME: 11 minutes
"Luna" is an odd yet good short film depicting a short time in the lives of two homeless youths. In itself, it's an entertaining piece right up until you really start to think about it. As interesting as it is as a stand alone story, it would have been great if writer/director Imogen Ross had given us some inkling of the boys reasons for being homeless. Understandably, only so much can be done with a film clocking in at around 9 minutes, but still, anything would have been welcome. The lead up to the conclusion of the film starts early, and I was completely expecting the ending... sort of. Again, no big deal. I can't count the number of times I expect a certain ending, and that pertains to both studio and indie. Now don't get me wrong, this is easily an above average indie flick. However, seeing a little more character depth simply would have made it that much better. The icing on the delicious cake if you will. Technically, it's an indie flick. You should have an idea of the technical limitations of such a film. But wait! Did I mention that "Luna", on a technical level is easily above average? I swore that I did. Anyhow, as I wrote, this movie plays really well. Some nice shots, dreary enough to remind you that the lead characters are homeless; all pieced together by a decent edit. This flick flows properly, the way it should. The cast themselves also perform surprisingly well, especially for an indie. At times, "Luna" could come across as reality TV. I was pleasantly surprised at the treat I had waiting, watching these two actors play off of each other, helping the narrative progress smoothly. Nice work all around. With "Luna", it all comes back to the lack of context. Some history, even a brief bit. Where are the parents? How did they meet? Why is Matt the way he is? Anything would have been nice. I also wasn't a huge fan of the ending. Not of the tragedy itself, rather the lack of answers. Was Andrew alive? Was he dead? Lastly, aside from being the instigating prop allowing Matt to make fun of Andy... what was the point of the Luna ring? The entire film kept going back to the ring, which actually had no purpose in the film, that I could see anyway. Right down to the title, I kept expecting the ring to play some "important" part in the story. It never did, aside from the fact the kid was looking at it when the accident happened. So what? The same could have been done if he was cleaning his nails. Why title your film based on a prop that serves no real purpose? Did his Mother have a similar ring? Did he like astronomy? These are all questions that kept haunting me "after" the credits rolled. As I wrote above, "Luna" is an entertaining piece, so long as you stop thinking about it immediately after watching. That's when the questions start. During the film, the time flies by so fast and I, personally really enjoyed it. A tribute to the acting and post production. This is one of those films that is great "as" you watch it. You "will" end up watching from start to finish, no question about it. "Luna" does entertain. It simply comes down to the questions and logistics afterwards that may make you scratch your head a little. All in all, Imogen Ross presents an above average indie short that does what it should. It entertains. After that... well, you be the judge. -MC
