The Oswego Film Club held its annual Fresh Fest on Sept. 22, screening eight short films produced entirely by randomly assigned teams of students in 36 hours. The screened films were diverse and generally enjoyable – but some stood out more than others.

The Al Roker Cult
Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Fresh Fest opened strong with this three-minute thriller from Brian Maguda and Gia Moran, starring Via Perretto and Eunee Na. Combining rock-solid cinematography and excellent use of locations around the SUNY Oswego campus, with an effective escalation of tension and a hilarious final twist, this is both a generally entertaining horror experience and a treat for the Oswego community in particular.

Writer’s Block
Rating: 3/5 stars

Perhaps the best implementation of this year’s “comic style” theme comes in “Writer’s Block,” from Robert Ferrara, Ryan Dreher, Elizabeth Ryan and Charlotte Evans. This competently shot and performed meta-comedy has fun with its creative and original premise and is sure to stir up some laughter, though its resolution and editing leave something to be desired.

Echoes of Stone
Rating 2.5/5 stars

Though featuring a memorable, multi-faceted performance from Giavanna Latta and an interesting, multi-layered concept from writer John Winston, well executed by director Michael DeMars, “Echoes of Stone” falls flat. Its opening sequence is a fun tribute to classic sitcoms and its tense remainder mostly works, but inconsistent sound and lighting combined with an unclear conclusion bring this short down.

Lazy Writer
Rating: 1.5/5 stars

Miles Hedderman and Sam Singer’s “Lazy Writer” takes the potentially entertaining premise of a cranky wizard living as a tree on a college campus and does little with it. Between two passionate but ineffectual performances, numerous technical issues and a nonsensical plot that does little beyond fulfill Fresh Fest 2024’s specific requirements, this film never really comes into its own.

The Big Scoop
Rating: 3/5 stars

“The Big Scoop” from Ghoul Hunters Productions features a distinctive three-part structure that combines a traditional scripted story with unscripted interviews to mixed results. Enjoyably performed throughout, this short particularly excels in its first and final sections; however, it stumbles in the middle and is also hampered by notable technical problems. A solid script and laugh-out-loud ending redeem it, making for a worthy addition to the Fresh Fest lineup.

Late to School
Rating: 2.5/5 stars

Wearing their Japanese pop culture influences on their sleeves, Elyjah Logan, Jordan Tuggle, Colleen Murphy and Keira Davis’ “Late to School” swings wildly between endearing fun and embarrassment. Its twin leads play their respective archetypes well and competently, even clever photography features throughout, but a lackluster (if self-aware) plot and ridiculous, distracting overediting detract from this otherwise charming short film.

Avior Away
Rating: 2.5/5 stars.

Dylan Keyes, Casey Kapilla, and Jael Santiago star in this fantasy piece directed by Kapilla and Bianca Lugo and shot and edited by Marcus Foster. Though sometimes funny and featuring occasionally striking camerawork, its sound and performances are inconsistent, and obtrusive visual effects early in the film do little to save it.

Photo via:  Evan Youngs