I saw this film at the Savannah Film Festival before a feature film that wasn't comparable to this. I was happy to see this short being a 35mm film even though it was projected HDCAM it still preserved it's beauty... Short simple story about a pilot in a plane flying through the north Atlantic talking to someone via cb radio. I really enjoyed this film and it looked great. I wish that all short films could be as awesome as this film was. I haven't seen a film that has such an innocent fun loving feel to it in a long time. The director of this film should make a feature similar to this film because it's just that great. Everything from story plot to sound design to cinematography was just phenomenal and I hope this film maker makes a ton more films like this.
3 Reviews
The Ring Of Truth
Theo Robertson12 April 2014
I imagine one of the good things about making a short film is there's no commercial pressure on you . There's no Hollywood producer jumping on your back saying " How the heck is this British regional character going to strike a chord with middle America ? This calls for Brad Pitt doing an Irish accent like he did so brilliantly in The Devil's Own . You're fired you schmuck and you'll never work again " . This short film is possibly a case in point . Apparently based upon a true story I have no knowledge of the case it is based upon but it does have a genuine and honest feel to it . I've always found the Spanish friendly and know the earthy fatalistic Celtic sense of humour very well and all this is reflected in this short film . In other words the emotions and character interactions between the two characters who never meet in the flesh ring true and the emotion seems earned . Now try and imagine this pitch being made in to a Hollywood blockbuster . where in the need to exploit commercial extremes we'd need the air traffic controller played by Will Smith grabbing a rubber dinghy , rowing out in to mountainous seas to rescue Jennifer Lawrence who has just conveniently stripped in to a bikini with a soundtrack by Beyoncé blasting in the background John Ford said " Always print the legend " but sometime you just have to disagree
Controlled and effective
bob the moo11 April 2014
Based on a true story, a young man is manning the control tower of a very small airport in the Azores when he makes contact with a plane flying blind with radio and other control issues. At the helm is an older Scottish man and it is clear that he will not have the fuel needed to make it to this airport, which is his nearest. Sea rescue efforts are launched but seem futile given the odds, leaving the two men in voice contact for the remainder of his flight.
Not being a fan of guitars there is a key scene in here that threatened to derail how involved I was in this story and it is testament to how well pitched the film is that it made it through this aspect for someone like me. Opening with a great shot of the plane in the middle of nowhere, the film plays it low-key from start to finish, never really playing up the drama or throwing in anything that would appear showy or out of place. The result is a surprisingly affecting film because of how matter-of-fact it is, which is a reflection of the characters in the piece. There is no show-reel material here from the actors and it feels more natural this way – it is basically about these two men, both knowing what is going to happen and both accepting it without a lot of fuss. There is a bond there and there is a certain sense of two people making a connection at the end and it is this that I liked.
Although the director does not throw in flamboyance or things to stand out (aside from the opening shot), the control on the tone and pace of the film is what impresses and he did a very good job to get everyone on the same page and deliver so consistently. The low-key nature of the short may reduce how big an impact it makes on audiences but to me it made it more engaging as a whole, with the simple post-script being a particularly nice touch. A simple, controlled and effective film that is worth a look.
Not being a fan of guitars there is a key scene in here that threatened to derail how involved I was in this story and it is testament to how well pitched the film is that it made it through this aspect for someone like me. Opening with a great shot of the plane in the middle of nowhere, the film plays it low-key from start to finish, never really playing up the drama or throwing in anything that would appear showy or out of place. The result is a surprisingly affecting film because of how matter-of-fact it is, which is a reflection of the characters in the piece. There is no show-reel material here from the actors and it feels more natural this way – it is basically about these two men, both knowing what is going to happen and both accepting it without a lot of fuss. There is a bond there and there is a certain sense of two people making a connection at the end and it is this that I liked.
Although the director does not throw in flamboyance or things to stand out (aside from the opening shot), the control on the tone and pace of the film is what impresses and he did a very good job to get everyone on the same page and deliver so consistently. The low-key nature of the short may reduce how big an impact it makes on audiences but to me it made it more engaging as a whole, with the simple post-script being a particularly nice touch. A simple, controlled and effective film that is worth a look.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
