Sunday, May 8, 2011

Cursed - A Short Film

A buddy of mine asked me to review a short film he worked on and in and who am I to say no? If anyone has any movies they've worked on or acted in and want it reviewed let me know.

CURSED was written, produced and directed by Ryan Callaway, who has written a few novels as well. It follows a young woman (Mary Lelina) as she investigates a series of crimes that are believed to be Satanic rituals. As the police and criminal profilers (Greg Pantaleo) aren't coming up with any leads she experiences a series of strange phenomenons until they get too close for comfort.

Clocking in at just over 18 minutes the story is nicely paced, getting in enough information on the background so that we can have a complete story. The actors are usually competent and do a decent job. I've seen worse in other low budget horror films. The directing is serviceable, never striking you with awe, and never making you shake your head. There is one scene I particularly liked, involving a home intruder which is creepy in it's simplicity. The music was one of the high points for me, it set the mood of the film from the start and never lets you feel at ease. While you are aware that you are watching an independent film done entirely by those who are still in the learning stages, there is no shortage of passion, and this is a good early step.

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