— by MARIUSZ ZUBROWSKI —
“It Shines and Shakes and Laughs” looks and sounds like a film from 20 years ago; this is no “Panic Attack” — another short film that produced awe-inspiring special-effects for a couple hundred dollars, but this is part of director Matthew Wade’s brilliance. Scenes are noisy with what sounds like a malfunctioning air conditioner, but this distinct sound adds to the atmosphere.
This short film follows an unnamed man who travels the hills after some unnamed disaster in search of peace, but he also discovers a sense of loneliness.
The story is told with no dialog, another excellent move that adds to the environment. The actor who plays the man, Lane Whiting, does a great job of capturing the essence of the mute character, and actress Sarah Lynch does equally good even though she is only on-screen for a minute or so. “It Shines and Shakes and Laughs” does not feel rushed at all, and the story seems well-developed and almost poetic at times even though the film’s run-time is approximately only seven minutes. It takes more than one viewing to fully grasp some aspects, but these replays are well-deserved.
“It Shines and Shakes and Laughs” was a official selection at this year’s Slamdance Film Festival.
Source: Trailer Addict
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Excellent description, Mariusz.
That was interesting, but I’m not exactly sure what the ending was supposed to mean.