Pluto
“Pluto” is a really interesting film because every shot makes you feel isolated and distant. We are merely observers watching the main character trying to find reason and hope. Everything about this makes us feel like we, too, are alone in the vast universe, and in that sense, it’s depressing, but in a way it feels human and very raw. The interaction the main character has with a girl he meets feels organic and I believed everything they were going through on an emotional level. We’ve all been there at some point.
Like I stated earlier, this film revolves around a kid who is isolated. We watch him try to grow as he meets a girl that just moved in. They fly her kite together and eventually they bond. It’s sweet. But when he’s alone… When those scenes appear on the screen… the short film becomes even more interesting because of how ambiguous the meaning behind them are. I could get a different interpretation while somebody else got one that’s not even close. That’s not the only reason those parts are interesting, however, it’s the way they are introduced and shot. It’s experimentally beautiful (odd thing to say – I know). Ultimately we follow him as he tries to overcome the lonesome feeling.
I think the actor who played the main character really pulls this off and sales how lonely his role is. Right from the beginning I couldn’t help but feel bad. I wanted to reach out and say, “hey bro, things will be okay.” Thankfully the girl he meets made me feel less anxious as I could see his interest in life peak a little more. The actress who played her was quite charming and the chemistry between the two felt natural. I loved the interaction between them.
The way this was shot was extremely clever during some points. My favorite moments – the ones that I really can’t stop thinking about – were the ones I hated because of how distant I felt myself. I mean that as a compliment. There’s a reason we see the two interact from afar while hearing their dialogue being crystal clear. As stated before, we are nothing but observers having the emotions the main character feels inflicted upon us. I get why it’s shot the way it is and I think it’s super effective. On that note, there’s a lot of fun lighting and the cinematography looks great all around.
The director definitely has a voice and his style shows in this short film. It’s hard to properly convey something that’s so subjective, such as loneliness, but make it cohesive to an audience and have them actually connect. For as visually interesting this film gets, it also gets an interesting theme across that I think (know) a lot of people can relate to what is being said in this short film. It’s beautifully shot and the interaction between the two characters is admirable and charming. This has a direction it was going for and it succeeded.
