Tampa Film Fan

campus moviefest’s grand florida finale last week

I’m a homebody and proud of it.  With my comfortable marriage, comfortable sofa and big TV, I’m content to stay at home and watch movies and read.  But sometimes there are events worth leaving the house for.  Campus MovieFest’s Florida Grand Finale was one such event.  Last Thursday I drove to Orlando to watch the top 16 short films created by students at Rollins College, University of Tampa, University of Central Florida and Jacksonville University.  The audience was high energy and the films were incredible.  These are the top 16 Florida films:

• A Tough Call (UCF) — A funny look at a producer listening to pitches of movie ideas.  Had some clever moments, but wasn’t outstanding.
• The Daisy Effect (Jax U) — The story of a break-up, told from the guy’s point of view.  Earns points for some interesting camera angles and for using no dialogue, but loses those points and then some for being slow-moving and somewhat boring.
• The Paperboy (Rollins) — A hilarious film about an overly-dedicated guy delivering papers around town on his bike, whether residents want a paper or not.  One of the best films of the night.
• Guitars and Caffeine (UT) — A day in the life of a loser guitar player/songwriter.  Very funny and well done.  (I dare you not to laugh at songs like I’m trapped on the toilet bowl….wishing I had a paper roll…so I could wipe my…)  Another of my favorite films of the night.
• Insane Delict (UCF) — A thriller/drama about the tragic effects of a cop’s flashback nightmare.  Great storytelling.
• Video Games (Rollins) — This “Public Service Announcement” about the evils of videogames (a.k.a. online smack) was well written and well executed.  And absolutely hilarious.  One of my favorite films of the night.
• Waiting for Huffman (Rollins) – In this clever parody of Waiting for Guffman, a college drama group making their first film is anxiously expecting the arrival of VIP Felicity Huffman.
• Three Dead Mimes (UCF) — Question: How does one mime commit murder?  Answer:  All sorts of ways.  There’s the mime “dropping” of a heavy piano, the “stabbing” with a mimed weapon and so on.  This is one of the most creative stories I’ve ever seen.  The mime interrogation scene is brilliant.  Another of my faves of the evening.
• Slow Motion Sickness (Jax U) — How can I describe this film?  I think you’ll have to go to the website and watch it yourself.  This was one of the audience faves of the night, but I didn’t like it as much as everyone else seemed to.
• Dead End (UT) — This film is proof that a five-minute horror film can be suspenseful, nail-biting and riveting as hell.  Dead End was far better than a lot of the dreck that Hollywood churns out.  One of the best films of the night.
• The Sidewalk Revolution (UCF) — Remember how Forrest Gump had fans jogging behind him when he was running cross-country?  Change Forrest Gump into a college student, switch jogging to stripping down to one’s underwear, and voila!  You’ve got The Sidewalk Revolution.
• The Deli (UCF) — Three college students try a new deli and learn about some very unusual special ingredients.  Bet they’ll never order the homicidal hash browns again!
• The Snake and the Rat (Rollins) –  A documentary about the destruction and damage caused to mobile homes by a tornado in north Florida.  Poignant and moving.  However, I would suggest larger, easier-to-read text for the statistical facts shown on the screen and a stronger call-to-action at the end.
• I Am Tom Younghans (Rollins — I think) — This very funny film is the story of a college student in Florida who thinks he is the famous 70s hockey star Tom Younghans from Minnesota.
• The Importance of Playing Yardball (UCF) — Yardball seems to be just a silly made-up game created by the main character’s younger sister, until it becomes the only way he can force Death into giving him a second chance at life.  Very, very funny.  One of my favorite films of the night.

The Campus MovieFest hosts gave out several awards throughout the night, including:

• Golden Tripod Award for Best Special Effects — Slow Motion Sickness (Jax U)
• Golden Tripod Award for Best Costume — Three Dead Mimes (UCF)
• Audience Choice Award (awarded by each university from the larger pool of entries): A Halloween Story (UT); Video Games (Rollins); Insane Delict (UCF); Slow Motion Sickness (Jax U)
• Golden Tripod Award for Best Concept — The Importance of Playing Yardball (UCF)
• Golden Tripod Award for Funniest Moment — The Deli (UCF)
• Golden Tripod Award for Best Soundtrack — Guitars and Caffeine (UT)
• TCM (Turner Classic Movies) Classic Short Film Award — Waiting for Huffman (Rollins)
• TBS Very Funny Award — The Deli (UCF)
• Campus MovieFest Best Picture of Florida Award — Slow Motion Sickness (Jax U)

At the end of the evening, the audience voted for Audience Favorite by using their cell phones.  It worked out for the best that my cell phone couldn’t get a signal in Orlando, because I was stumped on which film to vote for.  (It was between Three Dead Mimes, Dead End, Guitars and Caffeine, and Video Games.  And maybe the yardball one.)

The winner of the Audience Favorite Award was Slow Motion Sickness from Jacksonville University.

I can’t wait to see what Florida students come up with this year.  View the Florida-created films and more at http://www.campusmoviefest.com/.