DANCES WITH FILMS: Episodics (Pilots for TV/Streaming Shows)

  REVIEWS WRITTEN BY JOE COMPTON

I have had the wonderful privilege of experiencing the Dances With Film LA Film Festival digitally this year, and here is a look at all the films I have seen. Keep them and the folks involved on your radar, as you never know when you just might get the chance to see them for yourself. 

We are going to start with all the EPISODICS/PILOTS I watched.

THE RESISTANCE

DRAMA
RUNNING TIME : 13:23
WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY NATALIE SCHWAN

STARRING  ELLA-JUNE HENRARD, CIEKLE BESSEMANS, FELIX MEYER, AND MICHAEL BAUWENS

I love this opening shot and right from the word go we are into a deepening plot that has several characters involved and you get a sense of what the stakes are, of course if you know history or have seen anything set in this time you know the stakes, but what this pilot or proof of concept does so well is it makes it personal for each character. 

The attention to detail here is also exquisite. You feel like you are in 1930's and 40s Belgium. The work with shadows and colors here also richen and heightened all your senses. I love the tiny imperfections of the camera work here where the framing is often off center, or there is a small shake. Its the kind of subtle artistry that makes this feel authentic.

I do feel a small frustration in watching something like this because there is a movement between scenes and plot points that I think is honed by the type of narrative being told. By that I mean because of its format and its trying to show all the things this show could become it doesn't allow us any lingering, it pushes us past small moments that deserve some pause or reflection. The opening scene is a great reflection of that, instead of continuing to pull in, it puts into a hard cut of the scene. It feels awkward at times but the character work here and emotions tolled in this very poignant narrative are so masterful, both in the look and acting that you get into the pacing eventually. 

This is a show I would watch but more than anything as the timeline I assume we would get the filler of what happens in those moments in between or in and back for flashback momentum. Also the growth of these characters and toll this life plays on each of them fascinates me tremendously. 

ITS GETTING LATE WITH OWEN REED

COMEDY/MOCKUMENTARY

WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY RYAN DOUGALL

RUN TIME: 44: 46

STARRING MARISSA PISTONE, JEREMIAH WATKINS, ALEXA BLAIR ROBERTSON, AND LUKE BARNETT 

This is a masterclass in how to pay homage to those shows that paved the way for this show to be possible and yet still have some innovation and special touches of its own to give it a different sensibility, a different flare. I also love how bold this show is and how it is not afraid to shoot its shot so to speak. 

A lot of that comes from the amazing leadership of Marissa Pistone. Every one of these type of shows needs 3 things. A patsy, a put together anchor that is secretly a mess, and a character that surprises us and we end up gravitating too. Pistone that anchor and what she does with it is gives us so much to just pay attention to. She is sharp, funny, and really messy and it is glorious. Some of the funniest moments here.

Jeremiah Watkins is our patsy as Owen Reed and like a good patsy the genuine moments and almost stupid genius are very nicely orchestrated here.  

Its hard to say from a pilot where we might get our 3rd criteria but an early candidate is Kyler for me. He just seems to have the most intrigue and maybe the only other person who has it somewhat together. 

I like that this show does not ignore the cliche or what makes something like this work, sharp jokes, great expressions, and genuine moments of tenderness, stupidity, and harsh truth. You end cheering for these folks even though they can't get out of their own way and that is the magic a show like this possesses for audiences. I love that it doesn't ignore the modernisms like algorithms and comment sections. Its the touch that makes it unique. This is definitely a show I'd give a chance too. I think there is a lot of meat on this bone.     

   

MATCHED  

COMEDY

RUN TIME: 24:03

WRITTEN BY: DOMINIQUE SALERNO

DIRECTED BY: ELVIRA IBRAGIMOVA

STARRING: DOMINIQUE SALERNO, KRYSTINA ALABDO, MARISA BRAU-REYES,  AND JASON VEASEY 

This was amazing writing. I did not expect it to go where it went and when it went there, it was gold. Jason Veasey and Dominique playing the failed/aspiring actor roommates are really funny, really good and I can watch them recite the phone book and almost did (; ) lol - a little mini-spoiler for the show). 

This started a little rough, took some time to get going but staying with it pays off and I can imagine how the rest of the series seizes the momentum of the last 10-12 minutes here. Growth is key in character's like this, so that is only thing I would say this doesn't really give you. It's about the punchlines and the twist. Which for a 25 minute short works well. 

Elvira is a very good director, who knows when to hold on to the moments that are necessary to sell here. She doesn't make it flashy or give us some reason visually to be taken out, she uses the Medium close-up to perfection here because the cuts make the sell and this is very well edited around those key shots. 

I am not sure this is a show I would seek out but its one I wouldn't give a chance too. Especially seeing in my mind where it could be going.