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Reviews
Retreat (2011)
Could have been a lot more interesting!
Ah, men and their egos! That was my reaction after watching this. This film could have been a lot more interesting. But it stayed surface level with a lot of violent scenes, dull characters who are too afraid/foolish to ask any of the important questions, and the typical hot-headed young man who displays signs of tyranny. That trope is so tired.
There were some interesting plot twists, but they didn't give the film any sort of intelligence or make it memorable.
The Arbors (2020)
Waste of time!
Misleading premise, bad acting, bad dialogue, very flat characters, and unlikeable too. A really sparse film; stripped down, but not in a good way. Somewhat plotless and plodding, predictable. This film could have gone somewhere perhaps if they had taken more creative liberties. You can do that with a small budget. You can do it with no budget at all. What's the word I'm missing...........imagination. This film had no imagination whatsoever.
Taylor Swift: Back to December (2011)
Very fitting
Beautiful, minimalist. Stunning locations. The song tells the story. The actors and setting provide a reasonable backdrop. It really displays the art of music video; videos are supposed to complement the song and enhance our understanding of it, not distract, bedazzle, or confuse us.
Taylor Swift: All Too Well (2021)
Very good! But..........
Impressive performances by Sink and O' Brien. The film certainly captures the tone and aesthetic that the song does such an excellent job of conveying - rust colored autumn leaves, scarves, fall time whirlwind romance.
However (and I say this as a long - time Swift fan), the film itself just falls short of excellent because it doesn't quite feel like a short film; it honestly feels more like a very long music video, with the song playing in the background. In that way, the direction could have been better. TS did a good job, considering she's a musician, and doesn't direct videos professionally, but I believe she should have hired someone else to handle that aspect of it.
How could it have been better, in my mind? Cut the song. We already know the film is a tribute to 'All Too Well.'. This is not a music video. This is a short film. Show more sequences between the two main characters. Show scenes of them in different stages of the relationship, like the kitchen fight scene.
It did leave a lovely lasting impression, and the cinematography is stunning. Great, but it could have been better.