Fly - A Short by Ronnie B. Goodwin

I've just viewed the latest short by Ronnie B Goodwin titled Fly. It's beautiful. It's as much about fly fishing, something that Ronnie enjoys, as it is about the beauty of nature. There are scenes such as the Dragon and Damsel Fly bumping heads that are simply heavenly to watch and something I could never have imagined witnessing in real life, or in this case even on film. In fact, even Ronnie mentions about this scene on his blog. 

My appreciation for Fly lies not only in its beauty, but also because I can imagine the patience that went into it. Filmed in 10 days, I can't even imagine being in nature and waiting and capturing a world hardly seen by a city dweller like me. It is simply a dream.

Having an ear for music, the right music, is as important for a film maker as is camerawork. I have always found that Ronnie uses music brilliantly. The music in Ronnie's shorts is as much a part of the story as are the characters. Listening to Moby's "Wait For Me" in the background whisks you away to the very spot where the film was shot.

The Good thing about knowing the filmmaker is that I could shoot an email to him asking to tell me a little about the Fly, and this is what he had to say;

“With 2 of my short films in the Possible Futures contest, results Tues 26 July, and other larger projects in the pipeline, I have found myself with a little time to spare. So I armed myself with a fly rod and my trusty camera, and took about 10 days to shoot as many little moments whilst fishing at my favourite retreat, Carman Reservoir, located near Loch Lomond at the gateway to the Scottish Highlands.

I wanted to make a pretty short film about how I relax as a film maker, so I applied for a music license with Mobygratis.com, sent them a short synopsis of the idea, they granted a licence provided I don't make money from the film, and when it was completed, they ask to hook up with their vimeo site http://vimeo.com/groups/mobygratis/videos/26802494”

I'm glad Ronnie is carrying on with his dream of making movies and is experimenting with varied subjects. I am a firm believer that if you can bring together your passions in one project there is nothing like it. He is a filmmaker to watch out for and I consider myself lucky to have been in contact with him ever since I watched his excellent short Shooter. You too can follow him on twitter (@ronniebgoodwin) and I recommend keeping a watch because he has a few interesting projects lined up.  

All photographs in the post are Copyright Ronnie B. Goodwin

Itsy Bitsy 5 Movie Review

Kick Ass (Arse if you are British) - If only the executives in Hollywood had the guts to make more movies like this. The film stays true to the comic book it's based on and that is probably why it was rated R. It takes your every-summer popcorn superhero blockbuster and turns it around by making it twisted in ways only imaginable. Watch it with an open mind, and don't take it too seriously, and you are sure to enjoy it to the max.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly - A true story about the Editor of Elle, France who is left paralysed with blinking his eye as the only way of communicating with the outside world. Based on a book, the movie is pictured brilliantly from the point of view of the main character. An uplifting movie, with quite a few funny moments, about hope and never giving up your will to live.

Predators - I went into the theatre a tad skeptical knowing that Adrien Brody was the primary character of the movie. Let's face it, the last time the movie came out we had Arnold and well when it comes to action there is little comparison. My prediction seemed to be coming true when I saw Topher Grace in the movie. I mean I had come to watch a mindless action film with characters who should technically be strong enough to fight a much stronger alien race, and it didn't look like I was going to get that. But, in the end I was pleasantly surprised. It wasn't exactly edge of the seat stuff, but for a change the movie kept me engrossed and in the end it pretty much delivered the mindless action that I went looking for in the first place. In fact they even had a couple of twists towards the end that I didn't see coming.

Tell No One - A french thriller, the movie follows our protagonist discovering one day that his wife, who was murdered 8 years ago, is still alive. It has its fair share of twists and turns and does keep you guessing on what's really going on. It's definitely worth a watch.

2 Days in Paris - Seems like I have been watching a lot of french (this one is based in Paris if you hadn't guessed) movies lately. Julie Delpy (also the director) and Adam Goldberg are amazing as the french and american protagonists respectively. The dialogue is not for the faint hearted, but the film moves smoothly over two days of comic situations where cultures clash and relationships are tested. It has the same feel as "Before Sunset/Sunrise" which Julie Deply was part of, but is more gutsy and comical.

(Sorry about the layout. The darn thing won't let me fix it for some reason)