Saturday 24 January 2015

Your Cocoon and You (2013)

Director: Dallin Cerva
Stars: Davey Morrison Dillard, Chase Ramsey and Leslie Hobson
This film was an official selection at the 10th annual International Horror & Sci-Fi Film Festival in Phoenix in 2014. Here's an index to my reviews of 2014 films.
After a cute animation, a traditional science fiction drama and a faux commercial, the second sci-fi shorts set at the International Horror & Sci-Film Festival in 2014 continued with something that isn't really a sci-fi film at all. It's an absurdist drama which uses a neatly surreal idea to illustrate how hard some people are with change. Jed shares a house with Tony, but Tony is moving out to get married to Kara and Jed feels he should save him from such a fate. Really he's just struggling with his friend moving on, especially as he's a stereotypical nerd: he's thin and bearded, is covered in zits, can't pogo, watches Santa Claus Conquers the Martians on BluRay, you know... the usual. There are surprisingly few posters on their walls, but there are lifesize Han and Leia cardboard standups watching everything they're doing. Tony forces the change though, literally. The very next day, Jed finds him in his room wrapped up in a giant cocoon hanging from his ceiling. The metaphor couldn't be more obvious. He has to move on to become himself.
I liked Your Cocoon and You because it's hard to dislike it. Jed might be a slob but he's certainly one of the good guys; when it comes down to it, he does everything he can for his friend. Tony might seem a pain in the neck, but he's obviously going through a lot so we can cut him some slack. His fiancée, Kara, the only other character we meet, is actually pretty cool, especially wearing a shirt that makes fun of T Rexes, and she shouldn't make Jed feel as threatened as he feels. The best part is the point where the whole world is about to collapse on Tony, now that he has wings, but Kara delivers a delightfully endearing line to make everything fine again, even if he has such poor taste as to have enjoyed The Boondock Saints. Culturally, bringing in a replica of the Sword of Omens from Thundercats is a more impressive touch. The worst part was the bouncy and intrusive electronic score that distracts rather than emphasises. The wings look cool but also could have looked more real. Mostly, this is well acted and enjoyable, if obvious and simple.

Your Cocoon and You can be watched for free on YouTube.

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