The storyline follows Karin and her mom when they go to her deceased Gran's house. Karin takes a camera that Gran told her was magic. She and her friend take pictures at places her Gran had been before and Karin sees something magical in the photos.
I like the concept of the girl having a camera that is magic to connect to her grandmother that she misses. I also like the ending because it leaves the viewer wondering if what she saw was real. The flashbacks are really well executed and add more detail to the story and use costumes appropriate to the time frame. The close ups help the viewer see the expressions of the characters more clearly. The items in Gran's house are staged well to look as if they belonged in an elderly person's home. The park scene is filmed at a perfect time because the background isn't too busy or distracting. The background music at the beginning sets the tone as mysterious and sad. The special effects with the photographs show a ghostly image in them and very believable.
Congratulations to Rodney Robinson who wrote and directed this film. It has an interesting plot with intriguing ideas. The characters have believable relationships on camera. The bond between the grandmother (Jane Hallstrom) and Karin (Kirana Kuie) is sweet and well performed. The relationship between Karin and her mom, Angela (Emily Tynan McDaniel), is typical of parent and teen relationships - with a little tension. Angela's relationship with Gran is similar in the flashback scene. Karin's friendship with her friend, Terri (Carley Oreck) shows how friends can be supportive when needed. My favorite scene is the one where Karin takes a photograph of the empty bench and, when she gets the photograph back, it shows her ghostly Gran staring back at her. It brought tears to my eyes. Who among us hasn't wanted to see someone we love for one last time.
The message of this film is "death can't destroy the strong, mysterious bond of love."
I give Magic Camera 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it to ages 8 to 15. This short film stands out because it is an intriguing story that will capture and hold the viewer's interest. It deals with coping with death and has a spiritual aspect to it. Reviewed by Carlee S., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic
The storyline follows Karin and her mom when they go to her deceased Gran's house. Karin takes a camera that Gran told her was magic. She and her friend take pictures at places her Gran had been before and Karin sees something magical in the photos.
I like the concept of the girl having a camera that is magic to connect to her grandmother that she misses. I also like the ending because it leaves the viewer wondering if what she saw was real. The flashbacks are really well executed and add more detail to the story and use costumes appropriate to the time frame. The close ups help the viewer see the expressions of the characters more clearly. The items in Gran's house are staged well to look as if they belonged in an elderly person's home. The park scene is filmed at a perfect time because the background isn't too busy or distracting. The background music at the beginning sets the tone as mysterious and sad. The special effects with the photographs show a ghostly image in them and very believable.
Congratulations to Rodney Robinson who wrote and directed this film. It has an interesting plot with intriguing ideas. The characters have believable relationships on camera. The bond between the grandmother (Jane Hallstrom) and Karin (Kirana Kuie) is sweet and well performed. The relationship between Karin and her mom, Angela (Emily Tynan McDaniel), is typical of parent and teen relationships - with a little tension. Angela's relationship with Gran is similar in the flashback scene. Karin's friendship with her friend, Terri (Carley Oreck) shows how friends can be supportive when needed. My favorite scene is the one where Karin takes a photograph of the empty bench and, when she gets the photograph back, it shows her ghostly Gran staring back at her. It brought tears to my eyes. Who among us hasn't wanted to see someone we love for one last time.
The message of this film is "death can't destroy the strong, mysterious bond of love."
I give Magic Camera 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it to ages 8 to 15. This short film stands out because it is an intriguing story that will capture and hold the viewer's interest. It deals with coping with death and has a spiritual aspect to it. Reviewed by Carlee S., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic
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