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WisconsinFilmFed
Reviews
Chinatown (1974)
Classic.
One of the greatest thrillers ever made. Happy to screen this film at out fest. Polanski's crown jewel, in our opinion. He somehow managed to bring the best of himself in material that is not Polanski.
Small Town Wisconsin (2020)
Great or Imitating Great?
This is one of the few films we have seen this year that has been in the festival set in Wisconsin where it actually plays such a large part. The acting, direction by Niels Mueller suggest strong correlation with a brilliant cinematic eye and strong cinematic literacy. However, what needs to be in the background is pushed forcefully and rather unnatural into the foreground. The tone is inconsistent as character written surprisingly naturally like Monica, suddenly spew thematic ideas.
Aurora Short Film Festival (2012)
Rather impressive film, could have used more tightness.
This is a good film, not great, and it is content with that. This would be a rather satisfactory feeling in regards to films which do not have much depth. Yet given the depth of this subject matter it is highly unsatisfactory that this filmmaker was so content to only scrape the superficial aspects of such a brilliant thematic core. The question has to be asked, is the greatness of this film a sign of coincidence or control?
-WisFilm.
The Grapes of Wrath (1940)
One of the greats.
A great film or even one of the greatest by the greats John Ford. His contribution to film is simply astounding as he established the film grammar, while everyone correlates that the great Kurosawa has been emulated for generations it can be argued that Kurosawa found his calling style and movement through the films of John Ford. This film is grape. Mind the pun.
- Wisconsin Film Fest.
Faces of Void (2022)
Excellent Portrait of Our Morality, or our lack of it.
"Faces of Void" is a very impressive short films, with a firm command over the cinematic language and the literacy is effective and immediate. It's thematic core is relevant, even more impressive when you compare it to the superficial, forced, and tacky subjects found across many short films today. Although the subject matter could easily be shoved into a melodramatic story of a character arch, the treatment is introspective and brings out themes of darwinism and the postmodern amorality. The main character, known only by his alias, "Ben Willis" is a not a man who is aware that he sins, but a man who is indifferent. The imagery especially stands out, with sharp memorable images. I look forward hopefully to what this team will do in the future; they have a clarity, confidence and ability to translate their imagination into effective cinema.
Cheers,
WisFilm Fest.