Phil gets an exclusive sneak peak at the new short film SWIVEL SHOT-February 25, 2016

Over the years I've had the pleasure of viewing some outstanding films, whether at my local cinema, special screenings or at film festivals. Today's film review comes courtesy from the filmmaker himself. I first met director Christopher Glatis back in 2013 when I saw his film DOSE OF REALITY when it was screened at the 23rd Annual Cinequest Film Festival in my hometown of San Jose. I received an email about a week ago from a Social Media Rep named Brooks Elms informing me that Glatis was once again returning to Cinequest this year to screen his new short film SWIVEL SHOT. Unfortunately, I informed him that I no longer lived down there and I wasn't going to able to see it. However, since I really enjoyed his last feature, I really wanted to see his new film. Glatis was kind enough to email me a screener of his short so that I could review it. And I'm so glad that he did!

Festival Movie Poster (2016)

The film's official synopsis: Two LAPD police officers, at the height of their love, plan to surprise each other with joyful news. Unfortunately, a day that could have been beautiful for both, turns out to be heartbreaking.

Glatis once again proves that he is one of the most talented and gifted filmmakers I have ever seen. His direction is flawless and achieves that perfect balance between action and drama. His set-ups and compositions are fantastic and shows us, the audience, that he has a precise vision that he executes effortlessly. Whether it's a simple shot of two people talking or an action scene, he captures that moment of time within the frame beautifully.

Another arsenal that Glatis possess in his cannon is his screenwriting abilities. Clocking in at about 14 minutes in length, he showcases a fantastic script complete with developed characters, action, a dash of humor and that sense of uncertainty and danger. It's a gripping story with characters we become invested in emotionally, which is not easy to accomplish in a short film and Glatis is able to pull it off wonderfully.

You can have the best screenplay in the world, but it won't work if you don't have the right actors to bring these characters to life. Fortunately, Glatis had two of the best actors appearing in his film. Both Rick Ravanello (DOSE OF REALITY, HART'S WAR, THE CAVE) and Jacqueline Pinol (ROAD TO JUAREZ, THE FAULT IN OUR STARS, ANSWERS TO NOTHING) are phenomenal in their respective roles. They bring so much to their characters that their performances are so believably honest and real. Their on-screen chemistry is fantastic. I found myself completely lost in their acting. Amazing job by these two outstanding actors!

SWIVEL SHOT is one of the best short films I have seen a long time! I predict it'll be only a matter of time till we see Christopher Glatis directing some big budget Hollywood blockbuster. If you get the opportunity to see this film, make sure you see it! It's than damn good! 5 out of 5 stars!! Very highly recommended!!

SWIVEL SHOT will be having its premier at this year's Cinequest Film Festival in San Jose, California. The festival starts March 1st and runs till March 13th. The film will be screened at the Camera 12 Cinemas at the following times: Saturday, March 5th at 9:30pm, Sunday, March 6th at 1:30pm and Saturday, March 12th at 11:59am. You can follow this film on Facebook and Twitter. To learn more about Cinequest, their film schedule and to purchase tickets, visit their website at http://cinequest.org.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the show!