My Brother Jack

I randomly watched this film the other day and was pleasantly surprised. Sometimes independent films can get a little messy but this one seemed to come together well. The writing was very good and I loved the plot twist. Most of the scenes look like they were shot in the actual city of New Haven, Connecticut. The directing was great but I would have liked to see better cinematography in the movie. For me, these can always make or break great indie movies. Although not bad, it wasn't the greatest and I feel like it hurt the film a little. Overall, I would recommend giving it a watch.

My Brother Jack is a chilling mystery/romance tale about the aftermath of parents being murdered. One brother, Vincent, is suffering from mental and sleep problems. The other one, Jack, is pursuing art from objects that he finds. I watched this film when my college professor offered extra credit for it, and it was a great opportunity. I think it is one of the best independent films of the 2010s. The movie was filmed on a low budget, but with the skill of the cinematographers you would hardly notice. Scenes with quiet moments say more than words could establish. The cast, especially the actors, deliver a story that has much suspense concerning the whodunit mystery, and an outcome you never saw coming. I would recommend this to anyone who likes to watch movies like I do.

I had the opportunity to go to the films cast/crew screening. I was very impressed with the film as a whole, and the story kept me thinking well after it ended. I liked how the music was specific to the movie, since it was all composed by Jonny Rodgers, who is originally from New Haven. I liked how that ties in with the "New Haven" approach to the film. I enjoyed how the story line came together at the end, and I thought it was a smart movie, unpredictable, well written and creative. I was especially blown away by Jon Thorndike's performance as Vincent, and how he could make such a difficult, complex roll look so easy. I liked how the look, feel, and tone of the film went perfectly with the storyline, and my family and I were even more impressed when we found out that the film was made for under 40k, which it much less than it seemed.

I so happened to stumble upon this film and decided to give it a go. I was drawn in to the story through the characters fairly quickly...particularly the two brothers. I thought Jon Thorndike and Malcolm Madera created enough tension and a secrecy between them and I felt like I really wanted to see some emotional relief for them. Just an aside, I noticed the "Found Art" that was used in this film and waited for the credits to learn who was behind it. I saw that it was actually a local New Haven artist by the name of Silas Finch. I subsequently made it a to see and learn more about his work. Kudos for using local New Haven talent n a film that was beautifully shot in New Haven Connecticut. I also enjoyed the performance of Thomas Francis Murphy as Arthur Wood. I felt that there were just enough subtle cues to peak the interest of his character which eventually lead to the significant involvement in this story.

I loved this movie! The storyline was intelligent and engaging. I like when a film keeps me involved, no matter what the subject and this movie did just that. I was extremely impressed with performances of the two leads (Jon Thorndike and Malcolm Madera). The score was incredible, it really added to the film and created an environment that felt real. and I look forward to hearing more about this film in the coming year. Independent filmmaking is vital to this art form and when I see a movie like this, that is directed so well, I am very pleased. It's good to know that you don't need to have a big budget and Hollywood resources to make a great movie. This was a passionate and creative story, much different from what I've seen in some time.