It is rare that a former Power Ranger actor ever comes to South Florida, so I was thrilled to hear that Amy Jo Johnson, who doesn't go to conventions, was going to be in Miami. Recently Miss Johnson directed, starred and produced a short film narrative Bent. It screened tonight at the Miami Women's International Film Festival. I was nervous. I met my friend Ender who I met at Power Morphicon in August and I was surprised to see like six more fans, who were all male.
She arrived, took pictures against a screen. Then the fans went up to her and have her sign cards and Legacy Morphers. I was so jealous to see two guys with Legacy Morphers as I was not able to find them at Toys R Us, they found them at a TRU that is far from me. In fact, I live near where the Film Festival is being held, it is right in front of my old high school Design and Architecture Senior High School. So it was so surreal to take a picture with Amy Jo and see my old school across the way through the window. So before the short, she spoke and then did a Q & A afterward.
Summary:
Two friends meet every year at a cemetery to catch up on each other's lives, they grew up in a religious cult. One is a lawyer (Johnson) and another is pregnant (Sonya Salomaa) and smokes and drinks.
Review:
I don't want to reveal much, not that there is a big twist ending or anything but you gotta see it. I know it is hard because it is not going to be on Netflix or anything.. yet. I just don't want to spoil much. Amy Jo says as her directorial debut, she knew some things but didn't know it took so many things in editing and color correction, etc. She learned a lot. The shoot took 2 days but the prep for it took a month and the post-production was the same. She plans to write a full length feature that will sort of be a sequel but you don't need to see the short to get it. She says it is based on her real life but she created the two characters.
Overall it is a nice short, she seems to long for long sustaining establishing shots and minimal close ups. The dialogue is engaging and the photography is crisp and pretty. It is a good effort for a first attempt and Amy Jo actually glows on the screen, in fact both actresses are electric and have great chemistry.
In the Q&A, not a lot of people had their hands up but slowly questions came up. She looked kinda sad when there wasn't questions so I raised my hand and asked how did her character influenced her wardrobe. She answered and also added that her real life her family was in a religious cult. And one scene from the short actually happened. [In the short, the two main characters flash (we don't see nudity) a house belonging to the cult.]
