The lives of two people collide during an act of desperation in the powerful short film 21st & Colonial by writer-director Angelo Reyes. Check out our thoughts right here.
There doesn’t seem to be a week that goes by when news of a shooting incident in the United States of America doesn’t spread across the world like wildfire. School shootings, drive-by killings, and police abusing their powers and murdering civilians (guilty of misdemeanors, crimes, or nothing at all), there are certainly awful atrocities happening across the “Land of the Free”. The Black Lives Matter movement sent shock waves across the country, and for good reason; African Americans have certainly been dealt a bad hand and instead of looking at the root of the problem, they have instead been treated as secondary citizens, which is disgraceful.
Angelo Reyes, who wrote, produced, directed, and even stars in 21st & Colonial, gives us a nineteen-minute short film that takes a look at the lives revolving around a terrible incident and what leads up to the shocking finale.
Omar (Ogden Buck) is a young black man trying his hardest to get out of the slump he has found himself in. Trying to raise cash, Omar has resorted to selling marijuana on the side, only to have his “stock” taken from him by his mother, who demands he makes an honest living. Working at a local barber’s, sweeping up hair, it seems opportunities to improve both himself and his way of life are slim. His girlfriend has just found out she is pregnant, and her overbearing father has found the pregnancy test and ejected her from the family home. Together they decide to figure out their next step, starting with finding a home for them both to live in, but they need money.
We also get to meet Carlos (Angelo Reyes), a police officer who was once a Marine. His wife is looking to find him help for PTSD, but Carlos is adamant that he doesn’t need any help. We soon see that is not the case when both Carlos and his patrol partner are driving around the city. Carlos is always on edge and acting like he is going to lose his cool and do something crazy at any moment.
Shot in the same vein as The Hurt Locker or Children of Men, 21st & Colonial opts for a documentary-type feel with the use of the camera. Always moving and shoulder mount, no shot is ever steady. There is no use of dollies, jibs, Steadicam, or tripods; it’s all shoulder-mounted adding a sense of realism throughout, the nervous tension bubbling just below the surface, ready to erupt during the final moments of the short film.
The performances by all the actors are excellent. Buck portrays Omar as a down-on-his-luck guy who just needs to be given a break. Even though he is committing crimes such as drug dealing, we can see that he wants to do better, and the audience roots for him. Reyes also performs well as Carlos, a war veteran and police officer who needs a different kind of help than Omar.
Though it is pretty apparent how the film ends (we guessed it after a couple of minutes) i’s the journey there that makes 21st & Colonial such an intriguing watch. The short film has recently taken home Silver REMI Award at the World Fest Houston, and it’s not hard to see why, it’s a well-made and powerful short film that we certainly recommend.
Leave a Reply