Saturday, January 14, 2017

Short Film Spotlight: NEON


Welcome back to another installment of SHORT FILM SPOTLIGHT, where we highlight some of the best short films out there.  This week, we take a look at the amazing new short film...NEON.

NEON is a bold fantasy-thriller with a dark romance at its heart.  It tells the story of Elias - an enigmatic, disfigured man - and Mary, the woman he’s in love with: despite it being forbidden.

As he’s stalked through the city by two mysterious men, Elias makes the desperate decision to end his own life in order to end his own hopeless suffering, and give Mary a final shot at real love.

Check out the trailer below:


When I first saw the trailer for this film, I was instantly hooked.  The look and feel intrigued me.  It had a Philip K. Dick vibe, which I love.  So, when the talented director, Mark J. Blackman, reached out and offered me an early look at the film, I was thrilled.  But little did I know what I was about to watch.

I have watched dozens and dozens of short films since starting Short Film Spotlight, and Neon is definitely in my Top 10, if not Top 5.  The trailer gives you a sense that something strange is going on, that this isn't just your average story, which it's not.  It's so much more than that.  Deep down it's a story of love.  Unfaltering, undeniable true love wrapped in a premise so unique that it screams creativity.  It's also a beautiful film, with gorgeous cinematography from Director of Photography Stil Williams, particularly the scenes with Elias.  
The next paragraph will have some SPOILERS, so if you want to avoid them, skip down to the following paragraph.

For the first third of the film, I thought I was watching a film about a hitman who fell in love, which is a cool, although clichéd, premise, but when I learned that Elias was actually an Angel (demoted down to being a Cupid), I was a bit speechless.  As I said earlier, this was a unique premise.  Something I hadn't seen before, which is rare nowadays.  And it was made in such a perfect way, with minimal action, focusing more on the dialogue between Elias (Joe Absolom) and Mary (Kerry Bennett), both of whom do a great job in this film.

**END SPOILERS**

Neon has been making the rounds on the festival circuit, being selected for 2016's FrightFest, Lund International Fantastic Festival, SF IndieFest's Another Hole in the Head, and Buried Alive Film Festival, and will be heading to Miami and few UK fests next, with more to come.  It will then be released sometime after its festival run.  So, if you're in an area where it'll be shown, I definitely recommend checking it out.

The Merc's Score: 8.5/10


If you have a short film or know of one you'd like to see featured on SHORT FILM SPOTLIGHT, please EMAIL me and don't forget to like and follow us on FacebookTwitter, and Instagram!!






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