The Visitors
Filmed right here in Utah, “The Visitors” is quite a trip to watch complete with a twist and a female lead. Serena Centauri lives in a picturesque neighborhood and is just trying to find a way to communicate with any extraterrestrials from the great beyond. What she gets instead is a grand night of life-and-death action and adventure.
The creative minds behind this short are writer Nick Patch and director Ben Alyk who is from Syracuse, Utah. He is definitely on his way to making a name for himself. He loves sci-fi and fantasy. He loves the artsy side of film. His director statement is “Everyone’s a cynic, everyone’s a critic. Cynicism can kill creativity, so don’t make what others want, make what you want.” The creativity of the whole crew shines through on this short film, produced by Ben Alyk and Joshua Heinze. They made a really great team and brought together an enjoyable film for all audiences to watch.
“The Visitors” is a little bit of an action flick, a little bit of a quirky love story, but all sci-fi thriller. It even throws in a bit of alien politics and biology, which is both funny and weirdly thought-provoking.
This amazing short film has potential to truly become a classic. You can tell that they made something that was enjoyable for them, which in turn gives the audience something fun and entertaining—something everyone needs from time to time!
It has everything a movie would want such as special effects, cool sci-fi makeup, and even a little love story. Miranda Denmon plays your average curious backyard scientist, Serena Centauri, who didn’t ask for any attention on earth but got it anyway. Lorenzo Silva plays the typical boy-next-door love-struck neighbor with good intentions who sometimes oversteps his bounds, but sometimes in a good way. Jason Wixom and Cameron Harford play interesting characters that overturn Serena’s otherwise normal night. The four work well off of each other and create a story that is easy to connect with, despite all the sci-fi and crazy happenings. The humor and product placements adds a bit of charm to the film.
The cast came together really well. They played funny, comedic, down-to-earth characters who are forced to reckon with each other. Serena Centauri is loveably sarcastic and anti-social. It’s really fun watching her navigate through the awkward situations she encounters in one night. The sound was really good. I loved the original score. The vibe of the film reminded me of a quirky eighties film. I can see this film being turned into a really fun video game.
