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Òran na h-Eala (2022)
Fantastic Movie
Paying a well-rounded tribute to the famous Scottish ballet dancer/actress, Moira Shearer, Steve Exeter's "Òran na h-Eala" (2022) does a wonderful job painting the picture of her career transition in the minds of his audiences. In time duration of mere 13 minutes, Exeter takes us on a journey back in time to when the classic movie "The Red Shoes" was first proposed to the then ballet dancer and shows us how she became one of the most iconic actresses of all time. The movie was set to release in 1948. Exeter's beautifully written short film is complimented impeccably by actress Shannon Davidson's performance and her uncanny resemblance to Moira Shearer. Her resemblance to the Scottish actress helps to enhance the visualization of the story that the short film is intended to tell. It is very clear to the watcher that the film has been created with quite a lot of attention to detail. Working alongside Shannon Davidson; Exeter casted Alastair Thomson Mills as Michael Powell, Alec Westwood as Emeric Pressburger and Nicole Nelrose as Margot Fonteyn.
The stars of the film did a fantastic job performing their respective roles but Shannon Davidson really did justice to her character. The feelings and emotions that she delivered through her performance are unmatchable. Apart from being an almost Moira Shearer look-like, she is also an extremely skillful artist.
The 50-year-old director/author created this phenomenal masterpiece especially for classical movie enthusiasts to show them what was going on the heart of Moira Shearer when the idea of her very first movie was proposed to her. It is a powerful representation of Shearer's mind just before and right after she made the decision that would change her life forever which was to star in Powell and Pressburger's emblematic movie "The Red Shoes".
Powell and Pressburger's classical movie "The Red Shoes" was about a young girl that ballerina who is torn between her life as an artist who is passionate about her career and the love of her life. This film has been an inspiration for many throughout the years and for the time it was created in, it has extremely modern morals. It is safe to say that that element of the movie has given it the position it has today. No wonder, Steve Exeter used this movie as a reference for a movie of today.
Moira Shearer's work as a dancer is incredibly difficult from the outset. She must choose between doing what she enjoys and achieving fame and success in life, both of which are viable possibilities with unspoken consequences. Doing what she enjoys will keep her in her comfort zone, allowing her to focus on what she does best without feeling any real pressure from outside her bubble. In order to achieve success, though, she must embrace something new, which may or may not be what she desires. That something for her was acting.
Being a classical movie fanatic, we have all seen the then ballerina in action, as she took on the role of Victoria Page in the Pressburger and Powell's movie. In fact, it would be unheard of any movie aficionado that they have not watched the then young ballerina flawlessly embody the role of a dancer that juggles between her art and love. It was not only the highlight of her career but work of art for the entire British film industry of the time. Fans to-date admire her performance in that film. Yet, moviegoers have very little knowledge of what went on the mind of the actress that played the character that we know and love and how much of a struggle it was for her to make that career switch. Shearer's feelings were almost the same as the character that she was playing as she was torn between her established career as a dancer and her newly discovered drive of acting. That is probably why she delivered such an unforgettable performance in her film because she could relate to her character on a more personal level. There is a bunch to learn from the behind the scenes of this movie therefore, Steve Exeter took it upon himself to tell the legendary actress Moira Shearer's story to the world.
The idea behind "Òran na h-Eala" has never been seen before on big screens. It is completely unique and a genre of its own. Director and author Steve Exeter went above and beyond to make sure everything about this tribute to Madam Moira Shearer King and her renowned movie is top notch. The vintage looking cinematography gives the feeling of an old flashback to the watcher. Also, the calm and content nature of the movie gives the feeling of living in someone's memories. One can say with one hundred percent certainty that this 13 minute long work of art was made with immense thought in mind. The mise-en-scene that is used in the movie is completely accurate for the time and the costumes and make up are just up to the mark. If it was not for the modern lighting techniques and excellent camera quality, it would have been extremely difficult to differentiate between an old movie and this one.
Other than all that, the film feature two melodious original songs. First one is "Paint the Sea" which plays during the opening titles of the film. The first of two songs performed by none other than the star of the film - the very talented Shannon Davidson. Later in the film piano variations of the melody are played by composer and lyricist Mike Lukey, during the reflective sections of Moira sitting in front of the dressing room mirror for a dramatic feel. The second track is derived from the title of the film, "Song of the Swan" which is the English translation of the Scottish Gaelic "Òran na h-Eala".
Exeter made sure to check all boxes for it to be one of the most iconic short films of all time. The thoughts that he put into making this film show really bring forward the respect and admiration he has for the Scottish actress. Her story can be truly inspiring for many people out there and the world needs to know about it. For the die-hard of the original movie, this little glimpse of the actress's mind meant that the marks that the movie "The Red Shoes" left on the world will never fade away.
What Happened to Christmas? (2019)
Wonderful Movie
Christmas is just around the corner, and we're all a sucker for Christmas-themed movies. Filmmakers, especially from the Rom-Com genre, haze the audience with over-the-top, and most of the time, unrealistic love stories with Christmas theme on the sidelines that everyone keeps gushing about for a minute and then forget the next. Hey, it's understandable! After all, this has been the trend for as long as one can remember - and might we dare say that Netflix is not helping with this at all!
Among this race is a budding Philadelphia-born director, Charles Graudins, a.k.a Chuk Fresh, who aspires to trailblaze his own way instead of heading in the direction where everyone is at. Chuck Fresh and Indie Originals came up with this awesome idea for a short movie 'What Happened to Christmas?' that is not just entertaining to watch but thought-provoking and meaningful in its message, to say the least. However, surprisingly there isn't a dull moment in this thirteen-minute film, and the more you watch it, the more it sweeps you in. The movie raises many significant issues that have engulfed humankind and are very powerful in delivering the message.
It won't be an understatement to say that this is NOT your typical Christmas movie, but in this case, it's a good thing! The short film kicks off with a rhyming yet amusing commentary about all the hustle, bustle, joy, and shenanigans that Christmas brings along with it. From fake Santas putting on extra pounds to get into the character and online retailers shoving EVERYTHING Christmas down the gullible consumers' throats - it kind of covers it all in a way that puts a smile across the viewer's face! The Christmas-themed music in the backdrop at the beginning sets the tone of the movie, oozing all the Christmasy vibes that and we're living for it.
We see a disgruntled and drunk Santa played by Chuck Fresh, trying to get through Christmas eve. And boy, oh boy! It's not an exaggeration when we tell you that this Santa does not like POUTY mouth and ENTITLED children. Chugging one bottle after another (well, he was dizzy feet after all that drinking, and the bottles kept slipping and cracking), the drunk St. Nicholas dozes off in the backyard - and Voilà - it's time to see Jesus! At first, he thinks he has died and rejoices that the curse has lifted and he didn't have to live through yet another bastardization of the Christmas holiday.
But not so fast, dearie - this Santa ain't dead - and from there on there is no stopping him as he lets his heart out to Jesus as he inquires about what happened to Christmas since St. Nicholas took the reins as it is not what it used to be once! Santa tells Jesus all about how Christmas has lost its true spirit and meaning as people have turned it into a spectacle of gluttony, increased deforestation, mass production, and EVERYTHING that screams carbon footprint. Well, Jesus has a rather perfect and befitting proclamation to make it a "holy day" once again. Want to know what it is? Then you must watch this delightful movie here.
All in all, it won't be wrong to say that this movie is a breath of fresh air. In a short span of time, it communicates what it needs to say to the audience. It's entertaining, compelling, and fun to watch. Chuck Fresh is definitely one of the directors to watch, and we have a feeling that great things are meant to happen for this talented filmmaker. Can't wait to see what he comes up with next!
The Petrichor (2020)
The Great inspirational Story
The Petrichor
Junga Song's "The Petrichor" has to be one of the most inspirational and soul-touching movies in the history of cinema. The movie follows the story of a woman named Maya (Olga Korsak), a former figure skater. Due to an extremely heart-wrenching tragedy, Maya has to quit skating even though it meant a lot to her. Her entire life starts to go downhill from that point on until she decides to get back to figure skating at the age of thirty. As she gets back in the ring, Maya begins to overcome all her sadness and grief and focuses on what is ahead rather than dwelling in the past. She places her idol, Igor Rusky into her traumatic memories in order to turn them into an inspiration for her to move forward in life.
Appropriately released in the year 2020, this Canadian movie has the potential to uplift just about anyone! Amidst the Covid'19 outburst, almost everyone had lost their will to focus on their careers which is where movies like "The Petrichor" come to the rescue. They really show that it is never too late to set the sail and be victorious. If you work hard enough for your goals, you will eventually achieve them. This is packed with such life lessons making it a MUST-WATCH.
27 September (2021)
Phenomenal Love
Minakshi Vinay Rai's phenomenal movie "27 September" wins our hearts with its miraculous aesthetics. The film is a purely based on the idea of love. Basically, it is the story of two people meet for the second time after 17 whole years in the city of Vanarasi which is also known as the spiritual capital of India. The movie shows how they manage to rekindle their romance after years of distance. The spectacular cinematography and camera actions grab our attention right off that. As the story progresses, the movie has the watcher completely lost in the tale of these two lovebirds. Rai's film is a definite must-watch!
Koko (2021)
Highly Appreciated
Very unconventional movie with a lot of handwork. Highly Appreciated the effort.