HOLLYSHORTS 2020 FILM FESTIVAL REVIEW! Short films yield short reviews. It’s a fact and clocking in at just over 3 minutes, my review of Chelsea Devantez’s Basic will be brief. Rightfully so, because it’s funny with a punchline that can’t be spoiled.
Does your friend’s social media timeline sometimes become the source of great annoyance? If yes, do you ever succumb to the temptation to secretly mock your friend’s feed with vapid inner monologues? I know you have, just not out loud. That’s what happens to Gloria (Chelsea Devantez) as she goes through Kaylinn’s (Georgia Mischak) Instagram photos, lampooning them in the voice of a “Lil’ ho!” with a spot-on blonde accent. “I’m basic!” Gloria makes her imagined enemy think. When she reaches the photos of the lovebirds Kaylinn and Nick (Nelson Franklin), it is no-holds-barred.
“…lampooning them in the voice of a ‘Lil’ ho!’ with a spot-on blonde accent.”
In three minutes, Chelsea Devantez tells a hilarious story with a smart, laugh-out-loud punchline at the end. It is all wonderfully acted, shot, and produced. It’s lean, mean, and gets right to the point. The visuals of Kaylinn captures Gloria’s indignant tone beautifully. My standards for comedy shorts are high, and Basic more than meets them. Basic is available to watch at https://www.basicshortfilm.com/.
Basic was scheduled to screen at the 2020 SXSW Film Festival, the 2020 Santa Barbara International Film Festival, and the 2020 Hollyshorts Film Festival.
"…a hilarious story with a smart, laugh-out-loud punchline..."
