Wade on Birmingham

Sidewalk 2007: Drama-rama

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what love looks likeCraving something serious in bite-size pieces? Try this block of shorts from Alabama filmmakers at this weekend’s Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival.

But be warned: It’s heavy slogging through these dainty dramas.

‘Trains,’ the entire 3-minute film.

“Trains” | written and directed by Allen Berry | His lover died in a tragic blimp train accident. Will he be next?

“What Love Looks Like” | directed by April Simmons Caskie | A mish-mash of news footage of the War on Terror provides the backdrop for a wife trying to connect with her serviceman. This aimless look misfires.

“The Middle” | directed by Nathan Strickland | Will Tyler tell Melissa how he feels? Will Melissa continue to be Josh’s doormat? Will Tyler continue to be Melissa’s doormat? Find out in this special episode of “The Hills.”

Clip: Get ready to strap on ‘The Metal Wings.’

“The Metal Wings” | directed by Lee Fanning | This fable serves as a cautionary tale against either apathy or homemade jet packs. The hunt for a missing girl causes friction between a concerned young woman and her reclusive, barn-dwelling brother, the inventor of a jet pack. If only she could get him to search for the missing tyke by scouring the nearby woods from above … Apathy isn’t just the enemy in the movie — it’s the main reason I was bored halfway in.

Trailer: ‘Lunch With Lincoln’

“Lunch With Lincoln” | directed by Eugene Cuevas and Brian R. Reed | Can eating the same lunch over and over drive you mad? Believe it or not, this is the second local short I’ve seen involving a lunchtime mystery. Our protagonist (presumably the titular Lincoln) in this mostly dialogue-free flick has the same sandwich and juice box in his car day after day. He notices a man and a woman in the parking lot engaged in a different, and odd, exchange each day. Will he get it? Will you get it? Can I get a sandwich, please?

“The Little Things” | directed by Tony Beckham | Jerry is having the worst day imaginable, from girl and work troubles to a revenge-minded redneck in this offering from Montgomery’s BrainFreeze comedy troupe. Worse still are two problems with the movie. First is having a comedic short in a drama block (not their fault). Second is having an unfunny comedic short in a drama block (so their fault). The jokes are heavy handed and better suited to a stage presentation than a farcical little film.

“I’m Nostalgic” | directed by Daniel Scheinert | This quirky outing involves an ongoing exchange between a young couple heading toward separation. It didn’t do much for me, but the cinematography’s lovely.

“High Expectations” | directed by Yuri Shapochka | This dark and clever film shows justice finally being served. A prisoner finishes out his 20-year sentence, only to wind up in court to stand trial for robbery of a jewelry store and the murder of the security guard. It’s a Wonderland kind of world, as his court-appointed attorneys (one deaf, one mute) vigorous proclaim his guilt. Having read the script awhile back, I was still intrigued as to what would become of this dazed man, caught in his own Kafka-esque trap. The best of the block.

Alabama Shorts Block No. 4 will screen at 11 a.m. Sunday at Alabama Power.

Also:

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Action! Complete Sidewalk 2007 coverage.

2 Yips for “Sidewalk 2007: Drama-rama”

  1. Kenn
    Tuesday, September 25, 2007, 12:11 am
    1

    Glad I didn’t have anything playing this year… Oh, wait. I would have finally gotten my first piece of press. Shit…

    (But, contrary to my shameless pandering, it is good to see honest reviews of local work, so there’s that.)

  2. Wade
    Tuesday, September 25, 2007, 12:37 am
    2

    Well, here’s a plug:

    Go see Kenn and the Exhibit(s) at 5:30 p.m. Sunday at Sidewalk.

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