As part of my continued coverage of the 2019 Buried Alive Film Festival, here’s one of the short films you should check out this weekend! There’s a huge selection, but this one sticks out so far as one of my favorites. And it screens just before highly anticipated film Antrum (2018).
Hellevate (2019)
Director: Dusty Brown
If you’ve ever been on a call center carousel, being transferred endlessly from person to person to solve a simple problem, you’re familiar with the frustration James Richardson (Dusty Brown) experiences. He’s trapped on an elevator, and he’s incresingly frusterated by the incompetent staff at the emergency call canter.
I don’t want to give anything away, but this one is hilarious and spot on. The bureaucracy and pointlessness of trying to get through really comes across. Also, can we talk about the set design? Simple but definitely with an art deco aesthetic that makes out protagonist look entirely out of place. It’s pretty glorious. This is a fun little experiment on bureaucratic nonsense and the horror of being entirely dependent on that nonsense for survival.
Hellevate screens tonight at 9:30pm and is only 4 minutes long. Don’t miss it!
My review: 5/5
If you’re interested in more of Dusty Brown’s work, check out the website.
Here are some ways to support me and what I do. I always appreciate shares, comments, follows, and likes.
Small businesses live or die by word of mouth. Sharing, following, buying from, or donating to me helps immensely.
Morbid Smile 