I’m just going to say it: short films are one of the most criminally underrated forms of entertainment. I’ve seen more than a few short films in my life, but I really didn’t know what I was in for when I decided to watch “The Neighbors’ Window.” This 20-minute short, written and directed by Marshall Curry, is profoundly emotional, and I was completely caught off guard. The plot is simple: ageing parents begin to spy on the young couple across the street through their window. Reminiscent of Hitchcock’s 1954 film “Rear Window,” my expectations were a little high going in, … Continue reading Short film lives up to expectations

It’s impossible to talk about independent movies without talking about “Clerks.” “Clerks” is the first-ever movie from now-famous filmmaker Kevin Smith, and you can definitely tell. The comedy revolves around Dante, a convenience store worker who comes in on his day off, a day that turns out to be insane. It mixes situational humor with funny dialogue to create a comedic effect different from most modern comedies. I found the story to be unique in comparison to a lot of things coming out around the time the movie was released in 1994. There are small, skit-like breaks in between big … Continue reading Cult classic Clerks comes up short

In the Arts and Entertainment section, we’ve seen movie reviews for plenty of big-name movies, but I wish to honor those with lesser recognition: independent movies. I want to ease into this mini-series with an indie film that you may have already heard of: The Crying Game. This 1992 film was directed by Irishman Neil Jordan and takes place during Ireland’s fight for independence from the British Crown. It stars Stephen Rea as Fergus, an Irish Republican Army (IRA) member, and Forest Whitaker in one of his infamous roles as Jody, a captured British soldier.  This film initially tanked when … Continue reading Independent film shows finesse