Saturday, June 24, 2017

Heavy Nimbostratus Clouds

In this atmospheric student short by Newark, New Jersey-based filmmaker Michael Turner, foster siblings fall back into each other's company after their mother passes away, an awkward situation that dredges up painful memories and highlights personal differences. Yet Turner places little emphasis on conflict and traditional narrative. Instead, he employs long camera shots, soft lighting, brooding music and philosophical vignettes in service of a lyrical and dreamlike mood.

Given the inferred and emotional nature of the work, one could say this is a difficult film to comprehend completely on the first pass. However, thoughtful editing gathers the poetry of Heavy Nimbostratus Clouds into a cohesive whole and the excellent cast makes Turner's characters highly relatable. An altogether fine effort from a talented, emerging filmmaker and his team.

You can watch the trailer here: Heavy Nimbostratus Clouds Trailer