The storyline follows a girl named Justine (Alani Zaya Hertzog) who chooses to isolate herself from her peers. In doing so, she comes across an abandoned mansion and sneaks inside, stumbling upon a pocket watch that allows her to time travel. As she traverses worlds through a picture frame found in the mansion, Justine comes to understand the importance of living childhood to the fullest.
Despite the premise, the film manages to be grounded in realism by means of the situations Justine finds herself in which echo the unpleasantries people face in the real world such as homelessness, pollution, stealing, and similar. The film succeeds in informing younger viewers on how harsh reality can be, while reminding older viewers to come to terms with their personal experiences. With minimal dialogue and constant changes in location, the film's plot retains cohesion and a clear message. The camera work evokes a sense of nostalgia and familiarity, with the autumnal trees in a suburban neighborhood being the pinnacle of this. As the film progresses, that sense of familiarity becomes more abstract and otherworldly. Places that are inherently nostalgic, such as the film's beach and carnival settings, are masterfully reinterpreted by means of wide shots and odd angles that play into the film's subversion of childhood. Alani's portrayal of Justine serves as the perfect audience surrogate. With every little dialogue, and never being referred to by name, Justine acts as a template that any audience member can project their childhood experiences onto. This meshes really well with Justine's innocence and curiosity that Alani brings out very well. My favorite part is when Jasmine searches the mansion, as it perfectly exemplifies the dichotomy between the film playing into Justine's childlike sense of wonder, while evoking the uncertainty of adulthood through the mansion's ethereal nature.
The film's message is to live in the moment.
I give It's About Time 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 12, plus adults. By Christian C., KIDS FIRST!
The storyline follows a girl named Justine (Alani Zaya Hertzog) who chooses to isolate herself from her peers. In doing so, she comes across an abandoned mansion and sneaks inside, stumbling upon a pocket watch that allows her to time travel. As she traverses worlds through a picture frame found in the mansion, Justine comes to understand the importance of living childhood to the fullest.
Despite the premise, the film manages to be grounded in realism by means of the situations Justine finds herself in which echo the unpleasantries people face in the real world such as homelessness, pollution, stealing, and similar. The film succeeds in informing younger viewers on how harsh reality can be, while reminding older viewers to come to terms with their personal experiences. With minimal dialogue and constant changes in location, the film's plot retains cohesion and a clear message. The camera work evokes a sense of nostalgia and familiarity, with the autumnal trees in a suburban neighborhood being the pinnacle of this. As the film progresses, that sense of familiarity becomes more abstract and otherworldly. Places that are inherently nostalgic, such as the film's beach and carnival settings, are masterfully reinterpreted by means of wide shots and odd angles that play into the film's subversion of childhood. Alani's portrayal of Justine serves as the perfect audience surrogate. With every little dialogue, and never being referred to by name, Justine acts as a template that any audience member can project their childhood experiences onto. This meshes really well with Justine's innocence and curiosity that Alani brings out very well. My favorite part is when Jasmine searches the mansion, as it perfectly exemplifies the dichotomy between the film playing into Justine's childlike sense of wonder, while evoking the uncertainty of adulthood through the mansion's ethereal nature.
The film's message is to live in the moment.
I give It's About Time 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 12, plus adults. By Christian C., KIDS FIRST!
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