Neo Dome
Rating: 5/5
By: Nathaniel Simpson
Many films have detailed a dystopian America, where the citizens have ran out of food and water, making it hard for them to survive. There is always that one safe haven, where those who get inside the exclusive zone are welcomed to unlimited parties, food, drink, housing, and so much more. For Bonnie Discepolo's film, that is the Neo Dome, a haven that will help those after the post-economic crash in America. This is the destination that Monica (Anna Camp), Gary (Michael Mosley), and Larry (Nicholas Logan) are trying to reach. What Discepolo and screenwriter/producers The Pfeffer Twins are able to capture is an expertly-crafted fight for survival, with performances that leave a lasting impression on the viewer after the fifteen-minute film and making the audience to want even more.
The movie starts as Gary and Larry are driving on the road to the Neo Dome, when they decide to pull over and help hitchhiker Monica, who is seemingly stranded with a tank of gas. They agree to give her a ride to the Neo Dome, with all of three of them hoping to find their form of the American Dream inside of it. However, when things start becoming strange, Monica then soon learns that she should be cautious of strangers on her way to the giant Dome in the distance.
This fifteen-minute film was only shot in three days, which is incredibly impressive and shocking when you see the final product. This picture is crafted expertly, with amazing cinematography from Carson Nyquist, a tightly-written screenplay from the Pfeffer Twins, focused direction from Discepolo, and intense, show-stopping performances from our three leads. We will get more in-depth on these filmmaking aspects, but as a whole, they all work seamlessly to bring to screen this Neo-western, action/thriller that they only had three days to make.
I think the standout reason this movie works so well is the directing from Discepolo. In an interview I did with Discepolo and Camp, Camp suggested her longtime friend and collaborator for the role, which I think was a brilliant decision. With how this film plays out, this short needed to have a woman in the director's seat; I genuinely don't think the movie would have worked as well as it did with a man driving the car (pun intended). Discepolo does a wonderful job of capturing the essence of the unknown, which then turns into fear and this feeling of fight or flight when Monica starts to realize what is going on after she got picked up by these two men. From the camera angles and the choreography within the car, the movie perfectly captures the viewer's eyes and where they are supposed to focus their attention to, which is a major compliment to Discepolo and her vision for this story.
Speaking of the story, the Pfeffers do a wonderful job of crafting this Coen Brothers-esque idea into this short film. This movie works as a Neo-western, a thriller, an action film, and as a character piece. The way they are able to blend these genres together for such a short runtime speaks volumes of their skill as writers. They understand what needs to go into telling this story and how they need to add the necessary ingredients to make sure the final product turns out. While Discepolo's direction definitely brings this story to life in her vision on the screen, it is the screenplay that roots the understanding of this world and these characters.
The performances here are fantastic in every sense of the word. There are moments here when they don't need to say anything because the eye contact tells the viewers everything they need to know. All three of our actors here throw themselves into their respective characters and really give it their all. They each have ideas of what the characters want and how they will go about getting it, which then translates into the performance on the screen. Camp, Mosley, and Logan all have not only amazing chemistry here, but I genuinely only see the character rather than the actor. That is how you know you have a damn good cast on your hand, and they simply elevate this movie beyond what the story is on paper.
This movie is an Oscar-qualified short, with voting for the nominees coming up very soon. I genuinely hope the votes for the Academy Awards see what I see in this film. Everything here works incredibly well, and this group of such talented filmmakers and performers come together to deliver a wonderful work of cinema in only 15-minutes. There are discussions going on about this short film evolving into a series, and I truly hope they are able to explore more of this world and these characters. There is so much there for them to do, and for me, I was left wanting more as the movie concluded.
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