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Finite |
Image courtesy of One More Time Films |
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Because I’ve reviewed my share of student films, I guess you could say I’m used to seeing the worst of the worst. So, after learning that neither of Finite’s co-directors, Dusty Culbertson nor Eric Hyland, had ever attended film school, I instinctively prepared myself for what I assumed would be a mess of embarrassingly low production value when they asked me to review their sophomore film. Of course, as soon as I agreed to watch Finite, I started to wonder what in the world I had gotten myself into. Relatives posing as actors? Corny dialogue? Pie tin UFO’s hanging from visible fishing line? Oh well, I figured if Finite contained any nightmarish combo of these amateur faux pas, I could always pretend it was just another Ed Wood flick and get a good chuckle out of it. To my surprise, when I put in the DVD, the opposite happened; and, my “Plan 9 from Outer Space” was completely thrown out the window. Their film was good – damn good. Whereas Culbertson and Hyland’s first flick, Cat Food and Bean Dip, was an anti-Valentine’s Day homage to love in the check-out lane, Finite turned out to be an avant-garde film exploring the lingering emotions of a relationship that is no longer what it once was. Yes, you heard me correctly. Neither Dusty, who has a Masters degree in finance, nor Eric, a graphic designer, has ever studied film; yet, this odd twosome apparently has a natural talent for filmmaking. Even more impressive was how these two savants managed to recreate a textbook example of 1920’s French Impressionism without even realizing what they had done. In today’s eclectic assortment of narrative films where everything seems to only target niche audiences, continuously push the boundaries of vulgarity, or is just another uninspired sequel, it was refreshing to see Culbertson and Hyland create something uniquely different with Finite. Because their film is avant-garde and does not follow a traditional narrative pattern, it forces you to put the pieces of the puzzle together and draw your own conclusions. Finite’s original score (composed by Chris George) keeps a fluctuating tempo of events by creating a visual type of ebb and flow. This juxtaposition of music and cinematography is the very thing that helps guide us through the protagonist’s (Rich McDonald) fragmented memory as it blurs with reality to evoke a dreamlike state of being. Also adding to the photogénie of Finite is Culbertson and Hyland’s mastery of fast cut editing, even going as far to generate a Kuleshov Effect of visual continuity during three separate points in the film. Are you sure these two filmmaking savants didn’t go to film school? Another impressive element of Finite is the critical attention to detail within the film’s optical devices. Fluctuating combinations of flashback sequences, blurred images, and subjective point-of-view shots enhance the symbolic imagery of the mise-en-scène and embody the depth of the protagonist’s sense of loss for his love interest (Gwendolynn Murphy). Most importantly, the combination of visual flow and symbolic imagery is what makes Finite one of those rare films that allow you to feel the emotions of its characters at the same time it is making you think about the meanings behind its visual aesthetics. Yet, in spite of all its strengths, Finite isn’t completely without flaws. The film does have some audio issues; however, they are so minor only someone who is extremely anal would even think about nitpicking them. I also had a couple of questions regarding some of the dialogue and CGI effects used; but, they are only a matter of personal preference, and don’t really detract from the overall quality of the film. Honestly, I’m pretty damn impressed by the way Culbertson and Hyland were able to effectively incorporate elements from both avant-garde French Impressionism and a difficult Russian montage editing technique into what is only their second film. The expert cinematography and haunting score succeed in defining the protagonist’s feelings of loss; and, the meticulous attention to details within the symbolism and imagery make it a film worth remembering. Ironically, when everything is said and done, it doesn’t really matter what you think about Finite – what matters is that it makes you think. Not bad for a couple of guys who never went to film school…not bad at all. © |
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