Isolation Movie Review by Jordan

Isolation is the story of Billy.  Today is his 16th birthday and it is not a happy day.  You see, his mother (who was a crack addict) died shortly after giving birth to Billy.  Since that day Billy has longed to be closer to his mother: to find her and know her.  Billy spends most of the movie walking around a seemingly abandoned town in his own 'isolation'.

The one thing that really struck me about this film was the feeling of isolation.  For pretty much the entire movie Billy is the only one onscreen.  There are many outside shots where Billy is seemingly the only person around.  Perhaps because he is, or perhaps because of his own self-inflicted isolation he only thinks he is.  The film is shot mostly in black and white (with about 1-2 scenes in color).  I enjoyed the use of black and white in this film as it really gives it a dreamy sort of quality.  The cinematography was also outstanding, although some of the 'effects' they used were a bit overdone.

On the other hand the few weak points of the film were a predictable story, not enough character development or plot explanation.  I suppose for a short film there really can't be a whole lot of character development.  However, it's harder for the viewer to really become attached to the character and develop a sense of care and understanding of them.  As for plot explanation it could've used a bit more as we're never really told why Billy has such strong feelings for his mother, of whom he knows nothing.  For a brief moment we meet his father (who is a less than savory individual) but as for his mother we know nothing.

All in all it was a good film.  I liked the cinematography, as I am a big fan of the black and white medium.  Also, the music was outstanding.  Being a big fan of ambient I felt that they really made some good choices music wise.  It fit the dreary, isolated feel of the movie.  If you have the chance to view this film please do, as you should be pleasantly surprised.