Cracker Bag

I would rather watch paint dry then get re painted than watch it again and then watch the wall gradually peel and drink bleach rather than watch this again. The only circumstance where i would watch this if i was given a cookie but otherwise forget it.

I saw this short film prior before viewing Disney's Holes. I thought I was in the wrong cinema when Cracker Bag showed up. But I stayed through the entire length of this piece.

Eddie is young bespectacled girl growing up in Australia in 1980. On the 4th of November she has a special day planned out called Cracker day. She saved money to buy numerous firecrackers just for this occasion. Her mother made a special Cracker Bag (hence the title) for her just to carry the crackers. Simple as this film may be, it had that nostalgia feel to it as I recall wondrous memories of my childhood and yes, those colourful firecrackers.

A film that lights up my heart with fireworks.

It was only when I saw Napoleon Dynamite that I remembered seeing Cracker Bag. Just beautiful sentiment and yet never stooping to being soppy. There is some terrific cinematography and the lead girl is quite brilliant. It captures more than the nostalgia of the time. It has a real heart to it. It is the Achilles wound of childhood that is exquisite and painful. A simple story is always effective when done well. This Glendyn Ivin has a big future and I for one, am looking out for his next project. The follow up is always the most difficut thing. It's like the second album blues for most people.

I just hope his next film is not something lame like a shark film. Cheers to all. Enjoy your cinema.

An important thought which would immediately cross minds while watching Australian short film "Cracker Bag" is that it is a suitable tale for all types of audiences.It can be enjoyed by curious youngsters as well as their mature adult counterparts.Australian author Glendyn Ivin has succeeded in creating a universal tale of innocence coupled with dogged determination in a harsh world where one has to be bold enough to enjoy unexpected joys offered by a mysterious thing called life.The positive impact of this film is huge as there would hardly be any viewer who would fail to detect its universality.Cracker Bag deals with the universal theme of bursting crackers which is a favorite pastime of innumerable people in the world.It is rightly said that the true joy of life lies in being brave by stoically facing unexpected situations.This is something which happens in the life of this film's protagonist Eddie. Glendyn Ivin has created a perfect short film as Cracker Bag is capable of eliciting positive responses both from audiences and critics alike. Lastly,it can be said that Cracker Bag is a perfect film for those who would like to discover new facets of screen writing of short films.

Alright this was quite a sensitive little number but I can't help thinking I've seen it before. Reminds me of another VCA film I saw at Poitier called "THE OTHER DAYS OF RUBY RAE" Also had specks of "Welcome to the Dollhouse" and "Ratcatcher" and Lynne Ramsay in it's execution. Which is not to say that they're not tasteful references...just that they feel very modern and very fashionable...which makes me feel like this is closer to advertising (as an approach in style and story) than the work of an original and authentic auteur to come.

The cinematography is just...too perfect for my liking. Too coral filter (or charcoal) for my liking...too archly framed 12mm. Therefore the entire impression left me a little distant -- beware of art that proclaims itself too readily! The french (they are a conservative bunch) seemed to buy it as did the jury however... but Cannes short film selection is notoriously conservative compared to it's feature selection although I wonder what's been happening in the last few years.