I bought this and watched it. I was not expecting much from a $10,000 film. Wow, was I wrong. The cinematography is brilliant. Simply beautiful to experience. The locations used are simply...delicious to look at. Yes, I know that is an odd description but it is true. Even the settings with want, rot or decay are stunningly realistic and incredibly interesting. A Hollywood movie would build a FAKE set and hire people to make it look decayed. And then they would add such FAKE lighting that it would look so unconvincing. I would bet that a lot of the locations used in OZLAND were places of actual neglect or decay...and they are brilliantly used.
The camera angles are very professional, the movie contains lots of nice wide shots. The colors chosen are rich and immediately give the movie huge bang for the visual buck.
The movie focuses on two characters and luckily the acting is legit.
I WILL say that the screenplay, because it focuses on two characters had its work cut out for it because a movie is NOT a stage play. I can honestly say that although OZLAND packs its movie thick with words that it does give moments of pause and silence to help with chewing, swallowing and digesting the movie.
I do wish (being honest) that there was a subplot. The settings used and cinematography were so strong that it deserved a subplot.
The movie felt like THE ROAD. And I kept thinking that as I watched. This is a compliment. I wanted the characters to face exterior threats instead of just hints from a story. But, that is because the potential of what was presented was so strong. Had there been a subplot it might be wise to make those scenes completely without dialogue. This way the weight of the dialogue of the two speaking characters' scenes would feel less heavily worded.
I am also wondering if it would have been better to have started off the two characters as separated. In the Wizard of Oz Dorothy discovers the other characters one by one as she journeys. I think having the younger character walking about for a while all alone would have made the arrival of the other main character a little more effective. He could have provided the younger one (as he did) with water to aid him.
All in all this film is a MUST SEE for anyone looking to create Indie Films. Well set, well filmed, well written, well acted.
I recommend it! I expect MUCH success from the brilliant minds behind this movie. They have super great potential!
