The film I chose to watch and review is entitled L’Accordeur and I found it to be… oh wait, you don’t speak French and have no idea what I just said right? I’m so sorry, L’accordeur simply means the Piano Tuner.  Now this film is very well executed and for 13 minutes it definitely packs a punch.  I truly did not know what to think when initially selecting this movie. I won’t lie, I was drawn in by the fact the lead character was a blind piano tuner. I mean, come on, if that isn’t an original character I don’t know what it.

     The film is about a visually challenged Piano tuner whom was once a great pianist but after failing to win a coveted piano competition falls into a deep depression and finds comfort in pretending to be blind.  Within the first few minutes of the film he lets us all in on the secret that he isn’t blind and gives us the magical reason that he does it, and it is because… “tips are better, people are nicer and less suspicious” astonishing isn’t it?, its not wonder more of us don’t pretend to be blind to get that same satisfaction. He also exclaimed to “know things about them that no one else does”.  In other words people let their guard down around him because in their minds their thinking “why shouldn’t I get undressed in front of a blind person, he can’t see me” but little do they know he is actually watching(cue creepy music).

     The beginning of the movie gets you comfortable with the character and what he actually does for a living, which is the interesting world of piano tuning(did you catch the sarcasm there).   At about the 8 minute mark you see the main character ringing the bell of an unassuming older woman who seemed very nervous about letting him in but finally relents after finding out he is blind.  Once in the house he see’s  something that truly freaks him out, he see’s a…hey wait a minute, I’m supposed to be giving you a synopsis not a spoiler alert.  Go see it for yourself, its only 13 minutes not to mention FREE and you can’t beat that.

     In relation to other thrillers, I would say that this one really catches you off guard and gets into your head unlike most movies where within the first 20 minutes of the film you’re able to tell exactly what’s going to happen and you have about 2 people in mind that could be the killer.  I enjoyed this movie and found myself  being relaxed by the soothing piano that seemed to always be in the background of every scene.  The main character was very likeable and I truly didn’t despise him for pretending to be a blind person, I actually thought it was pretty cool that he found a way to make his job as a piano tuner more exciting, please don’t tell my mother I said that.  Hmmm, now I need a unit of measure so I can show you just how good it was and since everyone uses apples or stars I need to be original. I got it!!  I’m going to use something that will put everyone in a New York state of mind and nothing says New York like pigeons, yes, Pigeons. So out of 5 Pigeons I give the film 4 and a half Pigeons. The only reason I gave a half is because I’m upset with the director for leaving me in suspense at the end and making my mind go in so many directions as to what happened.  That could be a reason to give them 5 pigeons but for those that know me, I don’t like being left out of secrets.

 Watch the Piano Tuner(click the blue words, I dare ya)

Photo taken from theseoldcolors.com

To me, dystopian science fiction movies must be the Film God’s version of the Babel Tower, a way of smacking down an audience for having the gall to possess an imagination. Something about the lost promise of technology and the future just seems to resonate with the bleak atmosphere and hopelessness of the dystopian theme apparently. While I can appreciate the irony, there are some instances where I find it grating in the extreme, especially in post-apocalyptic versions where science often revert backwards. The reason is they take away the one thing I have always loved about the science fiction genre, the ability to push the boundaries on what we think is possible.  Yet I’m happy to say there is reason to rejoice in the form of the short film, Portal: No Escape by Dan Trachtenberg.

Portal: No Escape, based on the videogame with the same title by Valve Software, begins with our protagonist waking up in a cell with absolutely no idea where she is. Time passes as she acclimates herself to confinement, probing the walls every so often in search of a way out. Finally, she discovers a very interesting device that, with the right amount of creativity, may hold the key to her prison, and perhaps to everything else as well!

What I love about Portal: No Escape is the fact that it’s an example of what you can do when you put the science back in dystopian science fiction. The device, the technological possibilities it offers, is a central asset to the story. The doors it can open up, literally in some instances, challenge both the protagonist and the audience to think laterally in order to make the best use of it, pushing ones preconceived notions while still making logical sense.

Photo taken from telegraph.co.uk

I compare this to some of the latest futuristic dystopian films out there like the Hunger Games, which I did enjoy, but left me a more then a little tenuous on the necessity of science fiction elements being there at all. Whereas Portal is dependent on its technology to move the story forward, Hunger Games is all about tapping into something primitive and decadent, often having to make do with what little the characters have on hand in order to survive. I could easily picture  Katniss and the other tributes story in a period piece doing a show in the Colosseum of Rome or some surreal drama taking place on a television show set in the present day, like a less funny and more bloody version of Jim Carrey’s The Truman Show. 

If you’re looking for a thrilling experience that makes you do a different take on how you’re looking at things and opens up new possibilities for a seasoned genre then I highly recommend checking out Portal: No Escape. Oh, and The game’s not too bad either.

watch?v=4drucg1A6Xk

Brink? A concise title with romantic picture of the film attracted me to watch this film. Shawn Christensen directed the Winner of Tribeca short films, Brink; is science-fiction about love in live-action. This short 9-minute film impresses audiences with its narrative and unique photographic techniques.

Jeremy’s voiceover of his written letter leads the viewers into the film, and this impact lasts until the end of the film. Furthermore, the slow motions of the characters and objects’ floating in the air are almost dreamy and reminded me of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Shawn’s Brink had more hidden messages that audiences need to figure out themselves.

Therefore, I stared at the closing credits when I watched Brink for the first time because I totally felt at awe and did not understand what was going on. Moreover, Jeremy’s narration made me to feel like I was daydreaming. It was short but had a strong, lasting effect on me. But I gradually understood and immersed into his narration after watching many times of this film.

“Jeremy has been in love with his best friend, Evelyn, since before he can remember. He decides to profess his love for her through a simple, thoughtful letter… but there’s a strong chance they will never see each other again.”(Short of the week)

His confusion about the progression of losing gravity and uncertainty of the future with Evelyn is very well reflected in this film. Also, the indescribable emotion amplified by the psychedelic background music and his voice

L’Accordeur

The Piano Tuner is a French Thriller Short by Olivier Treiner about a failed musical genius that ends up working as a tuner. His boss is not happy with the plan he devises to become at least successful at this, but his bookings have doubled within one month. The clients tip better, treat him especially well and are more open with their private lives. His boss reluctantly allows him to proceed, however, sometimes the solution can easily become the problem…He has to tune what happens with the piano he is tuning.

The story is very well written, concise and well cast. The premise of the story is simple but the execution is refined, detailed – Brilliant! It contains just the right amount of suspense and type of music not to be over the top, the pace is perfect. Within such a short amount of time the films is able to touch upon so many subjects within the bigger story.

This film fits as close as two sheets of paper laying against each other into my favorite genre: Cerebral Foreign Films. A French produced, French language, thought provoking, intellectually stimulating film with a deep lesson to top it off.

The first 45 seconds are not necessary. Watching the film several times was the only way to notice that this beginning snippet does not add anything nor subtract so it is useless. L’accordeur is worth watching, no doubt.

Click here to watch