Great Lake Film Society

The Mis-Take

I was fully gripped from that first image, with the use of multi level movement and smooth camera work that constantly landed on the marks... until... it unfolded to "one take of chaos". If there was a bit more going on story wise this would have been a magical - the type of film we all dream of making.
Don't let that detract from the incredible work and achievement it was to pull something like this off - I fully get how hard just a short simple tracking shot is, so this needs to be noted how great this whole thing is.
Give us a little bit more story and this would be a master work.

Mentally Eel

TLDR = Watch this film. Hilarious and heart felt with great quotable lines!!!

LONG VERSION = Loved this film and cannot speak highly enough of it.

The chemistry between the characters is there. The comedy is there. The quotable lines. It's all there.
Normally I cringe when a mockumentary is made but this one hit all the right buttons. And I think that's largely down to great pacing. With humour as the driving force The story never stagnates.

There are some obvious sound issues (maybe chuck in some subtitles) and lighting could have been tighter in some scenes but it never takes away from the experience. And it's 48hours so perfection isn't the aim. The aim is watch ability and enjoyment. And this film nailed it.

With peace and love... The one other nitpick would be ending. Many films just end rather than giving us some decent cathartic release. This fell into that territory for me. Had the eel hunters had a falling out and finding the eel brought them back together OR maybe the tourist jumped in and became an eel (something really out the gate) then the ending would have been a big landing and much more memorable. Just my two cents:)

Really excited to see what this team delivers going forward!

EELS!!!

Ruin

A superbly put together film using the one take to its full potential.
Its minimal approach to story and characters doesn't hinder the enjoyment of the film as its offset by its pacing as the moments don't linger longer than they should and there is some new danger lurking around each new rock.
The costuming is lovely and would be right at home on a high budget film.
Congrats on the awards and placing:)

Fill your boots

Another knock out visual treat from the good bits. They never fail to deliver and this year it feels like another step up in terms of the look of the film. some of the visuals made me feel we'd stepped into a David Fincher film. Absolutely gorgeous.
And acting... chefs kiss. Staunch when we needed staunch, hilarious when we needed fun.
Just over all great work by everyone here:)

Run with me

I'm envious of the talent this team has at such a young age!
From the opening shot you're hooked and the film doesn't let you go till into the credits. This is exceptional work!!!

The Door

The tension, the intrigue, the twists - this film works on so many levels.
Thats without talking about the incredible camera work, lighting, location... Ok I'll stop gushing.
I'll just say this is incredible and everyone should watch it!

Face The Music

Bungle boys are back again. Every year they continue to grow creatively delivering banger after banger.
Seeing the amount of locations, the amount of setting up the drums etc this must have been a lot of caffeine and little sleep to get this done. Well done lads. We eagerly await your films every year!

Snuffed Out

Loved the look of this film. The locations. The intercutting. All were a treat for our eyeballs. As well as the melodrama embedded into the action - lovely.
Taking the 80s action concept and ripping into it without abandon. THIS IS WHAT 48HOURS IS ABOUT!!

I Can't Quite Put My Finger On It...

Yahoo. Absolutely loved this film when we caught it in the heats.
the pure joy of film-making is on display here. Harkening back to early Spielberg - in particular goonies - and also early Peter Jackson splatter/gore fun. It's a rip roaring fun time.
Displaying some superb moments and a tight structure there's more going on here beyond the fun. A great understanding of what keeps the audience engaged... an evolving story which moves at a great pace.
Im so jealous of the kids and the memories they will have of making such a fun film and I know they'll look back on it fondly:)
Possibly the most memorable lines of "dialogue" ive seen in the whole comp.... HACK HACK HACK HACK

Road 2 Revenge

BACK AT IT AGAIN. How cool to see this universe carry on. Can we just continue this series every year till the comp finishes or these guys get funded for a feature?

Their previous offerings were a highlight of the comp IMO and carrying on the story is appreciated. Campy films don't always land but this team lean so far into the Gonzo they not only hit the target - they take the target, turn it into a character, make the character an essential part of their story before taking it and propelling it into the sun to make the sun explode in a crescendo of ridiculousness. GIVE ME MORE!!!!

Loose End

"YOUR STRING IS YOUR LIFELINE - FOLLOW YOUR STRING HOME - KNOTS NOT PERMITTED" GSA (governing string authority)

The Trestleville Murders

Won't say too much because this film was a sneaky treat. That "self-inflicted" axe death... SO GOOD. Had the room cracking up. Surely it wasn't and AXEident?

Deep

Umm what the actual...

a romp into a post apocalyptic submerged world........ W all around

tim and his team really leans into their strengths on this one. No-one can say that the effort and execution of the set wasn't topnotch.

great film, much cinematography, such production design

A Product of My Imagination

So much to say about this absolute knock-out film. A great concept. Taking an overused location (offices) and breathing new life into it , as well as satirising the quirks of office life in unique ways.

I really enjoyed the variety of locations and visual interest they managed to pull out of what could have been a flat location. Never over-using the same location kept the story racing along.

Be warned it's a dense film with a lot going on - from its witty dialogue and offbeat humour, to its layered plot. You will enjoy it more and pick up on clever little bread crumbs on subsequent viewings.

This team doesn't miss and I think we're going to see this film go far in this comp:)

The Pink Portrait Escape

This film got the biggest cheer from our watch party on the night of heats. When Rosalie's logo springs on to the screen we're strapped in. And this year we were hollering and hooting and along for the ride.
Great pacing and some surprises along the way, you definitely feel the characters frustrations.
After seeing so many films this year with paintings in them I imagine the judges will feel the same as Rosalies character in this film - so this is a perfect metaphor for 48hours this year:)

Sit Tight

Style and substance. A top notch film from a rad bunch of film-makers.

the improvement this bunch of film-makers have made in a short period of time is impressive. There's no knowing how far these guys will go in film-making.

I wouldn't go as far as saying they were robbed from awards etc as many have said, as art is always a subjective endeavour, awards and nominations aren't what we should be striving for. But what i will say is that the film this team made was something to be stoked about!!

Chrono-Narcos

Midnight sunburn bringing us some more gorgeous imagery. Last year was incredible and this year it feels like a step up.
Loved the costumes. Loved the locations. The story was well paced. Cannot fault it. Top notch film-making.
Eagerly await whatever this team has on offer for us in the future!:)

The Paper Run

Another incredible entry into the pantheon of hilarious "needing to poo" films of 48hours:)
This one has so many great moments through out and the Nazgul homage was peak!
BOTU know how to make tight impressively paced stories. Congrats on pulling off another great film. Keep them coming

ACAB: All Cops Are Builders

Love loved loved this take on a crime caper. The puns were unreal and the set-ups and pay off worked a treat.

seems the time was spent well in post - being the stand off scene as this was pivotal to the story and it was executed really well with all of the effects looking smooth and appropriate!.

My Universe

Holy smokes this blew our socks off while watching in the heats. Like Pixar has entered the chat!!!!
Leave some room for the rest of use to try and shine:)
I would happily sit through hours of this animation on repeat if that was an option. Genuinely cannot comprehend how something like this is achieved - much less in a 48hour film festival. The bar has been raised!!!!

Greed

Loved this film. Great pacing and the story had me guessing where it was headed. The pay off was unexpected but satisfying. On top of the story elements some really great cinematography and editing techniques on display throughout. Nicely done!

Family Kids

Wow! What a film. This was just the right amount of over the top cheese to contrast with the... *cough cough... serious moments.
Great cinematography and color grade to compliment the split. Great structure. Gags that landed. Gosh diddily darn I think this requires your attention and second viewing:)

Earl & Muriel's Rural Burial

Holy moly. This is why I love this comp.
This film is a special type of short. The vision and direction of the film is so confident and bold that it demands your attention and intrigues you from the first shot - not letting go until the final closing image.
Did I understand everything? absolutely not. Does that matter? Not one bit. I was along for where ever this film was going and loving every turn it took us on.
Watching it feels like you're in the hands of creators at the peak of thier craft. I want more from these guys - more meaning I want a feature film. SUPERB!!

Nudity

HOLY CUT OUT BATMAN. Totally blown away by this film. I hope there was some rest for those hands and fingers after the weekend coz that looks like a gargantuan amount go snipping.
Beyond that. the style complimented the story. A beautifully told arc and lovely moments. Can't wait to watch again

Sacrifarce

THIS FILM IS SO EPIC. WE'VE SEEN IT 1 TIME AND EACH TIME WE WATCH IT IT GETS BETTER!!!

truER detective

Loved this film. The chemistry between the leads was so smooth. The lighting and underproduced nature of the camera work was spot on for the vibe. The contrast of the intercut hypothesised situations were all escalating in hilarity and the "other worldly" cutaway took me out.
A simple premise done in a visually interesting and engaging way

The perfect 48hours film - raw, unpretentious and unhinged fun with a great low key ending which tied it all together nicely.

Yeaagghewahh (Love Ya Face)

Check out this film. The eddie page team have gone from strength to strength over the years. This years offering showcased a maturity in the way the story unfolded and with some great gross out moments to boot.

Hacked Off

Loved this film. Love every film the IPA make. Every year they bring such a brilliant offering to the festival and we are all about it.
This year the story was tight. The jokes were fun. The beats were well paced... a step up in every way!

We are huge fans:)

Brian

Yikes. That was a slick film. From the opening shot to the final frame everything felt purposeful and perfectly in place for the world that was built. the exterior church scenes gave beautiful vibes of horror films gone by - huge plus for me as theres a soft spot for the horrors of yesteryear in my heart.

only downside was the story. Would have loved to have seen something more unfold from this location and premise. I don't presume to tell you how to do your art as thats what makes art interesting have everyone give their own take. But to me, a bit flat

Loved the sound design which worked so well given the context of an apocalypse. Make up 10/10. Performances superb!

Bloom

Beautiful film making (as we have come to expect from che and her talented collabs). The heart felt story is as timeless as it is currently relevant. The addition of the real life elements were so cute and had the room of hardened adults gushing over it.
Spot on:)

Oh Crap

Loved this film so much. A struggle I'm pretty sure everyone can relate to executed in a hilarious fashion. A perfect blend of suspense techniques enhanced the comedy ridiculousness of the whole endeavour.

Our only complaint is we have to wait so long to watch it again.

COMMIT

Simple gorgeous film. Every aspect from story - sound - acting - was pulled off perfectly.
A simple concept executed marvellously with some damn fine humour thrown in too boot.
The only crime would be not watching this film.

Higher Connections

Catching this film again at the BOP finals was a treat. Picked up some extra gems missed on the first viewing and the song will stick with you well after those credits roll.
Cinematography is as beautiful and so well directed.

This team came out of the blue and blew us away. A team to keep an eye on for sure!!

Retrovertigo

It's beyond my comprehension that a team could pull off such n elaborate and epic scale animation like this.
The team are true magicians - or lunatics - for even attempting such a feat.

TOTALLY BLOWN AWAY!

Going Solo

For some reason this film gave some Rick and Morty Vibes - don't ask me why - but its quite apt as R+M is heavily multiverse. so bravo:)
A fun film which will have you cracking up... even if you're sitting at home alone watching it... eating 3 day old pizza... in your underwear... surrounded by cats...

Totally not speaking from experience.

Superb film

Take Me Down

Loved this film!. The beauty of watching two characters who have great chemistry and an effortless way around the hilarious dialogue was so fun to watch.
The technical side of the film-making showed a maturity and restraint that is rare in this competition. And a major plus... we could hear the dialogue so clearly - which immediately puts this above so many films which seem to forget that sound is essential.
A great contained film which is undoubtedly one of the standouts in my opinion!

If You See Them

This film mostly just flew over my head. I dont quite understand what the "astral cowboy" was up to and why the friends wouldn't want old mate to go with him to a rave? Is it because raving is beneath them and their pretentiousness?

Regardless of my lack of understanding, A couple of great comedy moments with the "astral cowboy". And Great acting mixed in there!

Untimely Intervention

Simple and well set up conflict with a satisfying pay off. This has all the ingredients of a great short film. Asking multiple actors to step up and carry a film together is a task - yet Janine pulled it off solo. Great work!

Petrified

Everytime an EPP film starts you know you're in for a treat. And this year was no different. Great laugh out loud dialogue, impossibly good makeup and production design, and committed acting that will leave grinning.

The story this year - after this second viewing and noticing some more pieces - was both bold and subtle and the final shot of the film is a show stopper!

Well done EPP!!!

Jackson

This film is a treat to watch with so many nods and winks around every corner.
It holds a candle to an issue that many must be feeling - but in a way that isn't preachy or cliche. It's over the top seriousness worked in horseshoeing it back around to hilarious.
And those driving shots... chefs kiss

Down Slayment

What a film.
You can feel the confident direction and commuted acting on display from the opening shot and it doesn't let up until after the credits roll!

Technically top notch throughout the entire short with Great lighting and a perfectly suited location for the story being told.

The simple story works well with a twist you may see coming but doesn't detract from the enjoyment of this well paced film!

One of my favs from Auckland heats

HARD CASE

I want this to be a feature film! A hard nosed kiwi on an 80s inspired rampage - yes please.
The technical elements of the film were solid. Every impact and bullet felt weighty. The pacing was fast and didnt give you a chance to look away. This was great!

A Man of Great Taste

This film knows how to use its assets to its advantage and you'll be wishing you could go and spend some time at the films location after watching this film.
Balancing comedy and sentiment is a really natural way.
Without a doubt the best use of a drawing in the comp:)
The Great Lebowski style ending was fun but a bit too close to the cult classic IMO - With a slightly different ending this would have been an all time masterpiece.
That said this is without a doubt one of my favs from the comp!

Headspace

Amazing work team:)
After treating us for so many years with out the gate films and visual splendours, we have a full tilt serious offering which delivers on so many levels. The acting is superb! The movement of the camera to catch the different moments is spot on.
This is a great film!!

Flüstern des Herzens

Solid effort with huge atmosphere. This film revels in its strangeness and stays there. A definite front runner to take out the incredibly strange award at this years comp IMO

Cycle of Pretense

Another great offering by team Mayodaze. We are huge fans and this will undoubtedly gain them some more fans. Top notch editing and camera work help to elevate every aspect of the story here.
Loved the subversion during the break in. Overall a treat of a film:)