SLTM Films

courtesy of my blog: http://cjferrara.blogspot.com/

I've become obsessed with my friends Sean and Christine Fitzgerald's work on you tube. They've engaged in a project called "Project 52." They intend to make 52 short films in 2011; 1 per week every week, and post it on you tube for all to see. This would be cute, and fun, and novel of them and best of all: the films are REALLY GOOD!!! They're currently 10 weeks in, and so far most of them have been amazing films done on a shoestring budget with volunteers for casts and local scenery. I highly encourage you all to check these out, then subscribe, follow on twitter (@sltmfilms) and like 'em on facebook. Here are the first 10 in my personal order of preference.

1. Heart and Soles - Without a doubt, my favorite. Also their first. An entire love story shot from the bottom, focusing on their feet and/or shoes. Beautifully shot and very emotionally evocative.

2. The Last Supper - A Horror film about a "Sin Eater;" someone who takes on your final sins before you die. He accidentally eats the sins of another sin eater and, pardon the pun, all hell breaks loose. Very well done. And the best thing, a lot of this isn't directly told to us in exposition, it all comes out through the events of the film. And it's SCARY!

3. We The Sheeple - An inventive take on a silent movie. A very modern idea done in a very contemporary way. The plot involves censorship and invasions of privacy. Very cool, and very well done.

4. Strays - A thriller. A serial killer is out there as a woman ventures out into the night to find her stray dog. Plot twists make this very rewarding and spooky, with a very satisfying ending.

5. Black Rain - A Film Noir. The deepest and most sophisticated of the films about a traveller who mistakenly picks up a hitchhiker with a mysterious bag that turns out to have been stolen. Well done, nicely acted and powerfully surprising.

6. Cracked Up - A comedy about tea cups who have a funny conversation. Sean and Christine tried some special effects to put faces on the cups. They don't think it worked, but I thought it was cute. Only problem was that it went on for too long before the big climax. Otherwise, very funny.

7. Envy - I give Sean and Christine props for tackling animation. A film about two "people" alone on earth who battle over a $20 bill. Nicely done, and nicely executed. Could have done without the sound effects, though.

8. Heart Strings - A Fantasy about a person who wakes up and strangely finds himself tangled up in strings. (I'm trying not to spoil. ) Well done, and a cute idea. I don't love it or hate it, I merely acknowledge the talent behind it.

9. Finding Night - A mockumentary about the disappearance of night featuring interviews with Dusk, Dawn, Day and the Sandman. Nice idea, but kind of lackluster in presentation. A good idea stretched way to far. Worth a viewing, though.

10. Why Knot? - Sad to say, not my favorite. It is supposed to be a farce about people preparing for a wedding, except the bride to be is not interested in getting married. And hilarity ensues. I think of farce, I think of silliness, and this isn't zany, it's actually kind of serious. Some poor acting performances also hurt the film. Sean does some clever things with the camera, such as shooting from the videographer's point of view. It had potential to be better, but didn't quite deliver.