“Shell” is a syrupy short film about two children, their respective parents and the beach where they meet. Director Yelena Demikovsky attempts to a tell a story of innocence lost and the fleeting nature of youthful affection, but winds up getting bogged down in leaden dialogue and cheesy music, both of which conspire to drag her film even deeper into the depths of irredeemable melodrama.
Demikovsky can’t quite overcome the cliches inherent in coming-of-age tales, and her film quickly devolves into what looks like leftoever footage from a karaoke video for a Christopher Cross “yacht pop” gem from 1985.
It’s better than “Ghoulies”, though. I’ll give it that.
