Felix_Elliott
2 Entries and 71 Reviews
Entries
Regional Runner Up
Singularity
Felix & Luke's Excellent Team
Reviews
Chaos Cabin
The scale of this was quite impressive, but I clocked the snow globe in the opening shot, so I was sort of awkwardly waiting for the reveal.
I think the limitations of the medium make it extremely difficult to maintain a coherent tone.
In Light of the Day
I would have liked a stronger statement at the end.
I understand that the film is about the sense of emptiness, but I feel a more full exploration of that feeling would also explore the development of that feeling, and potentially it's catharsis, or apotheosis (shout-out).
There Came a Big Spider
This reminded me of so many things!
Eraserhead (Lynch), Enemy (Villeneuve), and Stalker (Tarkovsky).
There was a real cohesive vision here. The story has THEMES!
Excellent cinematography choices! The 4:3, film emulation, and strong composition came together in a satisfying way that enhanced the tone!
Was also super impressed by the spider puppet!
In conclusion, keep it up!
Magic in the Sack
Some really solid filmmaking on display here.
First off; the visual storytelling was always very clear.
The key idea of the story was pretty funny, and led to a great reveal around the halfway mark.
Unfortunately, the rest of the film sags a little as the opening gag about costuming had me feeling like I was watching Scary Movie, and a couple of moments felt like they were explaining the jokes a little much.
I loved the ending of the film; it had a real Midsommar vibe to it, where she was freed of her trash boyfriend.
What’s truly baffling is the aspect ratio. Choosing the super cinematic letterboxed look over a more sit-commy 4:3, or standard 16:9 draws attention to a pretty bland setting that isn't particularly interestingly shot or lit.
Overall, some solid performances and direction. Could have used more commitment to a specific vision as opposed to going broad with it.
Party Disrupted
The pace of this one was quite strong; there are lots of characters, so events unfold quickly, with energy.
I would have liked some really unexpected, big, emotional, payoffs towards the end... Things wrapped up in a very "gently quirky" way, as opposed to a satisfying emotional payoff.
There were some pretty awesome performances here! All the characters felt quite defined; everyone had their little quirk/ niche. This might seem like a small touch, but the filmmakers really keyed in to what makes an ensemble film work.
Zero Mum Game
A very standard, unambitious 48 hour project; the sort of thing you see a lot of.
What elevates the film is a powerhouse lead performance, stellar direction all around, and a breakneck pace.
This film does a very simple thing, very very well.
Technically competent enough to take the Christchurch win this year, with some absolutely stand out colour grading.
On a more controversial note, the cinematography didn’t do a lot for me personally. Competence wins out over creativity here, and we’re left with the visual flare of a cleanly shot delisio ad.
There are also a number of script problems here, primary of which being the protagonist’s journey; it’s never fulfilled. While the film opens with the Mum feeling unappreciated because she has trouble making jokes, she never gets the chance to put this right. Instead the film ends with her outside the house, not even interacting with her family again.
Further, it might have felt more fulfilling had the message been more along the lines of “learn to feel comfortable with your strengths” as opposed to “go change yourself so people like you more.”
Further, the film is haunted by the spectre of the “women in comedy” issue. Here, Mum is unable to grasp the joke-making process without the help of an outsider; a man.
The message seems to be “women aren’t funny unless they get help from dudes.”
It felt like a really odd note to end on in what I was hoping would be a deeper analysis of motherhood and familial affection.
Overall, I could watch a 15 minute director’s cut.
Birdy Nom Nom
A structurally impressive film that slowly gets more surreal as it goes on, adhering to the absurdity curve with impressive tenacity.
The film has an enchanting "slice of life" quality which takes the perfect amount of time to define each character, while still leading the audience along with a strong narrative drive.
I was also very impressed with the technical elements; both camera work and audio were up to a really high standard.
God Has Abandoned Us (The Devil Is Here)
As the writer/ director, I'm biased, but here we go.
The story was a little too ambitious for such a tight time frame, and struggles to bring it all together towards the end. Some clunky exposition and ropey audio also bogs down the first couple of minutes.
I was extremely impressed with the performances on the whole; though they were a little overwrought at times, the actors really committed, and that's the most important thing.
I was disappointed that the devil ended up being a dude at the end; I would have loved for it to really go off the rails, in the vein of the girl's head catching fire. I feel it ultimately didn't really commit to the absurdity towards the end, opting for more of a sappy emotional ending (which I feel isn't the film's strong suit).
Overall pretty satisfying, and a solid learning experience.
Terrible, 80s comic book title though.
Brought back for the Shot
Stunning colour grade on this, along with really competent audio.
While the cinematography really worked at times, I get the feeling a full frame setup would go a long way for this team, allowing for more flexibility in terms of the lighting effects that didn't quite come together here.
I was impressed by the quirky, grounded yet ambitious narrative, though I would have felt more satisfied without the montage sequences, which went by a little quick. In addition, the ending goes somewhere insane, which is a lot of fun, but isn't necessarily a satisfying narrative conclusion.
I'd love to see more films follow the ambitious, yet grounded approach of this one.
Kingdom Animalia
This really felt like a film from routine city finalist Herm's Heroes.
Ultimately, I guess I wanted more! I wanted the action scenes to go insane!
Stage Four Law
First off, the story feels really heartfelt. Controversially, I thought that the concept of trying to sue cancer is brilliant. The theme of loss is tackled in a really sensitive, thematically cohesive way.
I think it’s a beautiful, poignant statement that closure can’t be achieved in the same way when you lose someone to diseases like cancer.
As a brain broken individual, I couldn’t help but notice something of a “sony look” to the image, with a whole lot of flat, grey shots with a whole lot of sharpness to them. I wonder if that decision made the whole thing feel a bit real for some people. Maybe a shallower depth of field, and more of a dreamlike grade could have softened that a little.
The film is tonally confusing. The initial reveal of the cancer blob seems geared towards a comedic reaction, while the performances strike an exquisite sombre note that sees the whole thing become a bit incongruent.
There is also the graveyard question. It made me pretty uncomfortable to see an actual graveyard used for this project. If it was a fake graveyard, that’s super impressive, and I’d love to hear that be the case. But in the meantime, I personally feel pretty troubled by that choice.
Overall, pretty great in a lot of ways, but falls short fairly dramatically in others.
Spoiler Alert
I feel like the premise allowed the characters to feel a lot more genuine compared to previous RAJ entries.
I feel like the comedy didn't successfully iterate throughout the movie; it was fairly consistently tame.
I really applaud not going for the single shocking element again. I would like to see a more ambitious film from this team though.
I feel like every scene for the past couple years is in a park or a very nice house! There's so much more potential in this comp!
I would love for these folks to make something that's truly shocking and unexpected, but not in a crass way!
I'd like to see them embrace an entirely fresh aesthetic!
The technical elements are quite strong, though the cinematography is at times hampered by the aforementioned bland settings.
Additionally, the edit and sound mix don't feel quite as tight this year?
I really enjoyed the tone; super consistent, warm, and gentle. There was clearly a very steady directorial hand at work, supported by consistent, confident performances!
Would love to see this team make...
A live action Wallace and Grommit movie?
Burnt
Stu has been super nice in seeking out a review from me, so here we are!
Let's clear some air; I meant chief only as a synonym for "pal, buddy" or "dude."
This movie isn't for me! I think the cinematography is really hampered by the setting; there's nothing tougher than standing out while shooting in a normal house cause most people are doing that!
I feel like last year's film from Everything Sticks was a little stronger in the visual department!
Good plot! I enjoyed the twist, though it was heavily hinted at throughout.
I found all the characters pretty tiring. Everyone is just nagging each other, and it feels pretty hollow and miserable.
The moment where the toast fell in the sink was a funny laugh!
Ultimately, I'd like to see this team shoot somewhere interesting; having access to a cool location can change the game in 48 hours!
Whether that's building a set oneself, or filming a groovy house, park, hill, road, or whatever! Something that make people go "woah, weird!"
All that said, I look forward to watching more work from this team going forward! Make it 18 years!!!
Stuck in Invercargill
Strong step up from last year; would love to see that trajectory continue.
This felt relatively ambitious! But... There are bolder places to film than Invercargill!
If you're gonna build a film around a location... This ain't it! I understand that's the point, but it becomes a point limited by its own success!
The Road Not Taken
I'm not super into texts that exist entirely to utilize other texts.
The poem exists!
What's YOUR poem??!
Pariscope
Æ this reminded me of Tarkovsky, and Elem Klimov.
I loved the decision to embrace vibes and dive into a magical realism vibe, where things aren't necessarily literal.
As an artistic exploration of anarchic power structures in a Peter Pan vibe, fantastic work!
I think this works probably pretty elusive to normies though! It's incredibly strange!
The Pursuit Of Murder
I enjoyed elements of the aesthetic, but I feel like the exposition could have all been delivered visually.
I really think a version of this film with no dialogue would kill 🔪 🎃
RED RAIN
Energetic camera work, committed, post-ironic performances.
Hardest I've laughed so far (on the first night of this year's 48 hours)!
Pop's Precious Pranks
I really dug the vibe of this one; all the performances really sold the tone! I felt like there was a cohesive directorial vision here.
While the visual language was a little muddled at times. It felt like moments were chosen to SET UP A GREAT SHOT... But I KNOW every shot COULD be a banger!
The Adventures of Shart Boy and Larvae Girl: 3D
Stunning, energetic camera work which stomps all over the "chip commercial" look any day in my book.
While the decision to present the film in 3d was a technically ambitious element, I would have loved to see more of a narrative thrust, and a little more spectacle.
Some really awesome animated elements on display here; I've never seen a film play with the medium to such a degree, and I really hope to see more of that in future. I think this film questions what exactly a 48 hour film can be, and really commits to a direction in a way so many entries don't.
Misplaced Death
I feel like I've seen the "Death tries to kill people, antics ensue" movie in this comp so many times!
He always has a little stopwatch too!
This movie set itself apart by using some cool graphic match cuts during important plot beats - which was really neat.
Everchild
Absolutely gutted that this was disqualified. Really pronounced production design, and precise narrative structure that plays effectively with tone and pacing.
MILK!
I wish this team had a leaf blower; it would have enhanced some of the practical effects! No other complaints...
That's nice milk!
USBrie
The performances are INSANE!
There were moments in the cinematography that reminded me of Danny Boyle! That could have been leaned into to make the chase scenes even more intense!
The lead guy... Is like finding for substances. He's tweaking hard! He's doing facial expressions I've never seen before!
The team name is a quite pretentious for such a fun movie!
I really dig team names that reflect the tone of their work!
Spicing Things Up
While the pace didn't FLOW as much as I would have liked, it was great to see these character PLOPped into such a difficult scenario.
Seeing the look on their FAECES when they realize what's going on SCATtered a smile on my face.
I would POOt this film amongst my favorites this year.
Gates To Castle Yonder
Huge step up from this team!! Great jokes throughout, supported by some of the strongest comic performances of the comp.
I love how out there things got; could have gone a little further - both in terms of comedy and narrative.
I would have loved to see the fabulous miniature return for the finale!
There are some minor technical things; the edit could be slightly tighter. The autofocus struggles with the low light scenes.
The camerawork feels pretty unmotivated at times too; a lot of static tripod shots.
This movie really pulled off a sense of fantasy whimsy that no other team could. So charming, such strong jokes! Great sound mix!
For When You Wake
This was the best version of a poor concept! I think a lot of really tough decisions were made...
The delivery directly to a static camera...
Shooting in a mundane location...
But the execution is pretty fuckin' flawless! I'm really interested to see how this film does.
In the past, judges have required this disgusting ironic sheen on everything! It's a generational thing.
As those judges cycle out, and new ones cycle in, I hope that sincere films like this get more of a look in!!!
Little Re-Writing Hood
I feel like the core concept requiring people to constantly halt the narrative stopped things from really flowing for me!
Had some real laugh out loud moments though
Nature's Calling
This was really awesome; standout pacing, all the characters had their time to shine.
I really enjoy the alternate reality elements such as the cold related diarrhetic condition. It reminded me of the rat puppet from last year.
I'd like to see a film from these guys that goes a little harder on those otherworldly elements
The Getaway
The decision to shoot the film vertically was straight up inspired; really pulling the viewer into the narrative in a way that some of the more generic cinematographic approaches simply don't.
The narrative conceits really synergized with stylistic decisions here, allowing for a clearly explored concept.
The leads were at their best here; both felt super natural and comfortable in a way that many performances don't, even in mass media.
Finally, every gag landed for me; I was cry laughing for the majority of this film.
Super impressive film, great concept, wonderful execution.
The King of the Playground
Some fun camerawork and sick edits towards the end!
The exposition heavy scenes at the start were shot pretty flatly; I wanted more of an emotional connection to the characters.
Really enjoyed the fantasy element; it's a touchstone short film trope, so it gave this a solid foundation.
Walk It Off
I think this team really achieved their goal this year.
I'd be really interested to see what happens when they spin up and craft a more intense narrative.
The tone and setting are quite standard for 48hrs, but things are elevated by generally quite strong technical elements.
I felt there was much more to explore in this relationship.
I feel like time was given to maintaining a lighter tone, as opposed to exploring the relationship more deeply.
A more elegant screenplay might consolidate the two! Use the gag to tell us something new about the characters.
I feel that some minor script tweaks, plus some more varied and emotive cinematography would have elevated this movie from solid to great.
Toast
I assume this is based on a true story, because I had deja vu. Like a stoner shared experience.
Beautiful looking film; consistent, creative, out there style alongside strong visual storytelling.
Hi Santa, it's Charlie
Ah, this really felt like there were only 2 jokes!
1: making fun of... People who like trains?
2: he keeps calling Santa.
It was just quite long! The same 2 jokes for 5 minutes! I think it would have shone a lot more either if there was an escalation towards the end, or if it was simply a couple minutes shorter.
Stage Fright
Really sweet film that executes well on its premise. The film hinges on a strong and committed lead performance and energetic camera work which helps keep a strong pace.
I guess it could have used some more curated, dramatic lighting, but environments and tone are established effectively without it.
I MetaMan™
I've spent the last year scheming ways to beat this team. It's almost become an animal instinct that I have to escape my own PEASANTRY.
I'm working on it, just keep that bias in mind.
I was impressed by this team's ambition to go bigger than last year.
The reveal of the studio was really awesome. I'm a real sucker for 'using a film studio as an in-universe studio setting'. That space looked incredible and I would SELL my pinkie for a tour. 🐭
The cinematography felt at times like a big step up! There were some real standout shots, such as the aforementioned "pull out".
Other moments however, such as the numerous shot/reverse shot conversations lacked zest. By the end, things definitely felt more commercial than cinematic...
Or like a Netflix movie.
I mean, this team is perfectly capable of achieving a more cinematic look. I'd love to see them go for it!
I was slightly disappointed by the reveal for a couple reasons, one of which I won't say here!
But I thought that we needed some nice split screen shots with multiple Wills at once.
I thought the twist was quite clever! Obviously, she would have noticed being in a room with 10 of her exes, but it's fine! She was distracted!
It also absolves her Robot! That lady was twerking on a different robot in that alleyway!
I guess I wanna see this team do something really impressive and unexpected? Show off some recourses the audience is truly incapable of predicting!
Uuuh, Chester remade Companion, I remade Interstellar?
The Plot Thickens
This was positively delightful; quite gentle, grown up Peter Rabbit vibe.
The camerawork wasn't particularly emotive, but that's not what a comedy begs for!
Good vibes!
Noise Complaint
Really fun movie that really goes for stylistic flair to mixed results.
Conceptually, there's nothing wrong here; I think with enough time, and some more technical equipment, this would be a super solid entry.
Ghost PTSD
I didn't dig this one; I think if you do not have access to REALLY good actors, it's important to make a comedy!
It's just so difficult to manage a dark tone when the lead isn't fully believable!
A Silence In Sam's Town
The only real criticism I have is the mise en scene! There were a few moments when things were on screen and I was like "hmm, is that supposed to be there?" It breaks the tone from time to time.
Over all, really technically strong; I think the serious tone is super tough to pull off in such a tight timeframe.
Absolutely stunning macro!
eggy hoas
The "kids run around town" genre is a staple of 48 hours, ripe for insanity. Teams embracing this genre have reminded me of Trainspotting, Reservoir dogs, all the classics, but this one...
This reminds me of Tetsuo the Iron Man; an obscure cult horror film from Japan.
It's clear that this team is lead by a real cinephile, so I desperately hope the influence was intentional!
The visual storytelling was a real weak point; often the camera was stationary during chase sequences, or we would be dealing with bread and butter shot/reverse shot. It's all quite workmanlike, though the grade began to stand out during the beach sequence.
Overall, a solid 48 hours movie!
Looking forward to seeing what they make next!
Nothing Personal
This really reminded me of Run Lola Run, and Trainspotting!
I think with some practice, an extremely entertaining, unique visual directorial style is in the very near future!
LARVAE GIRL THE ROAD TO REVENGE PART 2
I asked myself... How?
How could it get any better...
And Hindsight showed me how.
Reset Day
I was surprised how topical this team went!
This was a poignant, sweet movie.
The serious ones always win me over!
Data Management and Security Training
This was quite tame!
There was a really beautifully lit shot of these guys walking down a corridor, and I wish every shot looked like that!
The inspiration is there, but something is holding the creatives back! They seem embarrassed to really commit to the bit! There's an interest in the aesthetic of a wacky, interesting, sinister movie. By there is NOT commitment!
Obviously, the technical elements are flawless... Which in this case is bad! I wish this movie was shot on a shitty camcorder! I wish the lighting was always as bold as I know it can be!! I wish the performances would go crazier!
So, a good foundation! A good concept! I just want it to go harder!
Flat Meeting
It was a BOLD decision to take on the mantle of RIP FOCUS.
Like when Batman was Jean Paul Valley instead of Bruce Wayne...
The performances aren't fully committed at times, but I don't really give a shit about that. I think the pace gets high enough that nothing lingers long.
But this is comfortably solid!
The effects are charming, the physical comedy and cinematography styles switch up so often! The script is quite tight... A little slow getting going, but extremely funny and charming once the wheels are turning!
2025 national 48 hours winner
The wind howls like a stray cat through the orange oaks; blue in the moonlight.
Rain again...
A homely glow flashes in my pupils as I light a cigarette.
"Four long heats."
I sigh as the room is engulfed in extremely cinematic, yet safety conscious smoke.
As I toss open my laptop, the room is engulfed in the aggressive florescent glow of the 48 hours website.
I blink, hard... The message is unchanged.
Like a skittering bug, my hand runs across the keyboard... CONTROL R!!!
A FLASH!
The message remains unchanged.
VIDEO UNAVAILABLE. VIDEO PRIVATE.
I toss myself back. I cry into the night...
"HOW LONG MUST I WAIT TO WATCH THE 2025 NATIONAL 48 HOURS WINNER???"
Music To Die For
This reminded me of Tarantino's short "My Best Friend's Birthday" from a narrative place!
Next year, I think some really dynamic camera work would sell it!
The Haast and The Furious
Some really solid audio in parts! I think with a little more visual flare (beyond some impressive drone shots), and a bird prop, this would have been a great story.
Standout performance from Cameron Richardson; really enjoyed the energy there.
Sensed a bit of "too many cooks" scriptwise. The ending, while thematically cohesive, undercut the character journeys for me.
Overall, a really promising submission; this team is one to look out for going forward!
Tiny Pricks
This was technically stylish and well executed! The duel roles really leant into the exoticism of the location! Like is this place a cloning farm??? Is that why he steals one succulent, then suddenly there's a billion?
Probably not!
The Reserve
First off, a tour deforce performance from a young lead actor. Working with some difficult material, he rose to the challenge and dare I say, he slayed.
Unfortunately, the story lacked a sense of direction, and the film dragged at several points. Additionally, the audio mixing might have used a little more time in the oven.
Where the film excels however, is with its cinematography. Some truly inspired decisions help the Reserve itself to feel like a character; a truly sinister, monstrous and unbeatable antagonist.
Overall, a well acted and stunningly realised vision of a sinister, eldritch concept which could have used a little more work in terms of narrative.
You broke my space laser!
This movie fixed my space laser ;)
HARDCORE HENRY meets KINGSMEN meets A MASSIVE TIME CONSTRAINT!
I was super satisfied by this; lots of inventive action which is sometimes let down a little by the edit.
Fully committed performances and production design.
I wanna know what makes Michael Adams tick... I want to know more about him!
Studio Mask
The shortlist is a mystery; this really deserved a spot.
Shot in a pretty interesting, emotive way for the most part. I was super engaged with the story beats at the start, but the performances didn't sell some of the more emotional segments towards the end.
But overall, really impressive!
One Star
This one slapped from start to finish.
Good pace, strong visual storytelling, and solid performances!
With some ambition, this team could annihilate!
The True Story of Billy the Horse
Planetfox is always a highlight!
The grade is always excellent, with a solid sound mix, and strong visual storytelling!
I always feel deflated when a short film dedicates a large amount of time to a montage. I feel like leaning montage is indicative that the scale of the story is too large to tell I. This limited framework!
The Loch Nest
This movie is alive with strong comedic performances and sharp edits.
A lot of people go for the "game show" format, and Reel Housewives carried it well.
A Helping Hand
This isn't my first "walking in a forest" movie this year, but this far it's the best looking!
Relatively thin plot.
Reminded me a lot of The Reserve - a city finalist from last year.
Singularity
As the director, I have a lot to say!
The sound mix drops out towards the end, which sucks.
There's one line reading in there I could have directed a lot better.
I think a few shots linger too long! Gotta keep the pace up!
I think the meaning of the ending is quite obscure. I don't want to get in the way of people's interpretations, but equally, we have our own idea of what's up.
Would have loved to put in credits, but it was so damn down to the wire, we just didn't have time!
Precision Response Enforcement Command Intervention Operative Unit Specialists
This reminded me of Bad Taste!
There was such a commitment to going out and being freaks!
The helicopter Toyota joke just kept giving! The sound effects! The vfx!
But more than anything, this film reminded me of Who Killed Captain Alex? In the best way possible!
I think you guys NAILED the cheapo action schlock fest in aesthetic, and narrative execution!
11/10
Inspection
Fun wee movie, if a little unambitious. While some of the gags were a little played out, the majority of them really landed and had me in stitches.
It's a real shame to see something with such energy film in a nice, modern house. I feel with the sheer level of commitment on the table, this team could have gotten super creative with a more visually engaging location.
Fairly mixed on the technical side, but the camera work was extremely competent and did a great job conveying important story beats.
Would love to see more films with this level of energy and commitment.
Slán Go Fóill
This film grabbed me instantly with some of the most stylized, effectively executed, and inventive cinematography of Christchurch's 2024 offerings.
I continued to be impressed by the sheer ambition of the subject matter, and strong commitment by two impressive leads.
Stilted dialogue leads to a wonderful ambiguity as to whether the leads are humans, or fallen angels, alluding to more powerful forces at work, and giving the whole film a welcome sense of gravitas.
Finally, consistent audio is rare, and well worth praising here.
Overall, a really engaging watch.
Emergency Key
This was exactly what I was expecting from this team!
Is that good or bad? Nah.
I wanna see you guys push further technically! Find a film school that gives you access to lots of equipment, then use it as much as you can! Practice!
You have the sauce, you just gotta work on how you cook the steak!