Stinking Cigar 
GREAT movie!!! I thought that this film suceeded in many areas including: the film looked great, I really felt Jennifer's feelings of betrayal, hurt and abandonment. She appeared to be griped in the struggle of grief over her father. She also harbored a lot of anger toward her mom's boyfriend, and you could really sense her disgust with him.

Hats off to Aymee Balog for her great portrayal of this young woman's pain. I hope to see more of her in the future. The director did a superb job in this film with camera and capturing emotion. -- By SocraticMethod, Posted on Friday, April 7, 2006

Doesn't Stink 
This film had it's moments. It was good overall, but i thought it needed a more of an explosive ending, to do justice to this well made film. The direction was very well. I like the style of the film, (the jumpcuts, voice over, and extreme close-ups). Again the only thing I would change is the ending, by that I don't mean make it a happy one or anything just have her do something more significant. -- By Film man, Posted on Sunday, March 26, 2006

Ambitious 
This director takes on quite a challenge for a short of this length. To build a story of this depth, make us believe it, and feel it, and care about it, is no easy task.

First off, my hats off to you for daring to try. I believe you are successful, at least to some degree. The film does not fall flat, as it could so easily do, but unfortunately, neither does it soar high, taking us along on the emotional roller coaster it could.

The technical aspects here are all well done, and shot selection is imaginative in many areas. The acting is above par. The thin almost indefinable essence that can make the sum of the parts greater than the pieces is all that's missing, and unfortunately, I can't tell you exactly what that is. This is a good film, and I enjoyed it.

Keep rolling, and thanks for sharing. -- By gapoz, Posted on Friday, January 6, 2006

STINKING CIGAR 
STINKING CIGAR HAD A BEAUTIFUL OPENING. THE ACTRESS CAME ON BEAUTIFUL AND THE OPENING SHOTS WERE BEAUTIFUL. IT WAS VERY GOOD PHOTOGRAPHY THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE FILM. THE NARRATION WAS GREAT TOO. IT CARRIED THE STORY VERY WELL. THE MUSIC WAS BEAUTIFUL WHAT CAN I SAY: GREAT MUSIC: GREAT SOUND EFFECTS; GREAT STORY: GREAT ACTRESS. VERY SAD AND DRAMATIC . MY HEART BROKE FOR THE YOUNG GIRL. OH WHAT I WOULD HAVE GIVEN FOR A HAPPY ENDING TO A STINKING CIGAR! -- By Lillyannrose, Posted on Saturday, September 24, 2005

STINKING CIGAR REVIEW 
Well, first off, great production values on this short. The shot composition was also well done. You have a keen eye for visuals. The story was simple and the voiceover was well written, at some points, poetic. Jennifer's performance was great, but the mom's acting was very stilted, Slow at points, but I'm a fan of minimalist cinema. Good score, sometimes cheesy though in my honest opinion and I think the credits needed to fade in and out faster. -- By thirdman27, Posted on Thursday, September 8, 2005

Almost A Gem... 
While I think this is one of the better shorts I've come across as far as direction, purpose, and overall production value is concerned, there were still a few things that were a little off, at least in my opinion. I'll get those out of the way first.

One is the music. I think the tune was nice and helped direct the emotions of the viewer, but on the whole it seemed a little awkward. I wonder if real instruments were or could have been used, because it sounded like it was coming from some kind of music synthesizer or keyboard. It did have the Bernard Herrman thing going from "Taxi Driver," and it worked, but that little bit bothered me just a little.

Secondly is the construction of the screenplay. The internal monologue form is a difficult one to master without falling into the common pitfalls that most writers do. What eventually happens (in most cases, including this one, although not to a large extent) is that the story succumbs to laziness in that the director winds up expressing through the voice over what he should be expresing through the actions and interactions of the characters. That is the only real thing holding this back, in my opinion. I'll admit, some things simply can't be shown or demonstrated and need to be told through this technique. However, it is the ability to convey this message through a physically narrative structure and still achieve the same effect, albeit on a more subconscious level, that separates the good filmmakers from the truly artistic, talented, and gifted ones. Simply put, I would rather feel what she is feeling, rather than be told what she is feeling.

This can be as simple as a look. A great example is in Steven Spielberg's "War of the Worlds." Early on in the movie, Tom Cruise and his wife exchange a look that sums up their relationship. You may criticize that this was more of an action epic rather than a character study, but this is the precise quality that allows Spielberg to work his magic. Rather than getting bogged down in showing their relationship (a task which could easily take thirty minutes of screentime), Spielberg demonstrates his masterful ability by accomplishing this task in some thirty odd seconds. The point is that it didn't even take dialogue to accomplish this. The audience gets it, so he can move on with the story.

Stinking Cigar was a good movie. It was a difficult project to tackle, but I think it was tackled with care and feeling. Aside from the problem with the writing (I wouldn't really call it a problem, but it borders along the laziness thing I was talking about. Not that it detracts from the movie or anything, I'm just saying it is something you should really keep in mind if you plan on making movies in the future), the acting was top notch, the cinematography beautiful, the sound impressive, the music fitting, and the overall production solid, I think you made one decent movie. It gets my recommendation. -- By Scarface789, Posted on Friday, August 26, 2005

everyone seemed so nice? 
the cinematography was well done, i really liked the shot of the girl smoking through the bushes. i thought the lighting was well done and the sound was good. i thought the acting was good but not sure about some of the choices (although it might have been the writing as well). everyone seemed so nice, there was no one to hate, and that made me lose sympathy for the little girl. the boyfriend seemed nice, not dirty at all, and the mother seemed really loving. i started to side with the parents. i just wanted a good antagonist to hate. i do understand that this is a slice of life story, and there's not always a clear antagonist, but i would have liked to see one.

i was left wanting a little more and a little less voiceover. give me more conflict and interaction between characters. i also think you should set up the characters in the beginning some how. just something simple to show how the mom doesnt care and the boyfriend is a perverted slob, then show me the beautiful memories. the mom just seemed sweet through the whole thing.

all in all, i must say this is a well done project. i am just being a little picky. it looked very professional. congratulations on a well done film, i look forward to seeing what you do next. -- By matthew christopher, Posted on Tuesday, July 19, 2005

Stinking Cigar 
Wow! Congratulations for making such a good film. I really enjoyed watching this short film. The camera work was excellent, the music was great adding a real dramatic score to it. The acting was superb, Jennifer came across as a typical teenage girl with problems and alot on her plate. It must have been harder than it looks to get the problems Jennifer has in only 9 minute of film. This is definitely one of the best short films I have seen. -- By miked86, Posted on Wednesday, June 8, 2005

No stink 
That was good stuff, I really felt bad for the girl. I thought the cast was great, and the shots and sound where all good. Now I don’t want to sound like a sicko and complain about a good thing, but I think if the girl killed herself at the end every parent would have fell to there knees and cried. Very good work, I’d recommend. -- By johnnyunderworld, Posted on Wednesday, June 1, 2005

The reflective pool of adolescents 
Interesting portrayal of adolescents crying out for attention. This feels like a pro production including, the rage and scope of material. Preference aside one thing to consider is VO. Film is a visual medium and as such can serve as an equally powerful method of relaying the frustration the child feels. 

I watched the film again without any sound and still got the same message. Overall a great effort, and kudos for tackling such an mature topic. -- By shadowtrap, Posted on Tuesday, May 3, 2005

Amazing, Moving, Well Done! 
I was quite impressessed with the simplicity and moving way the film was done. Im really proud to have worked with Arun in Br(a)illiant when he was still studying at the NYFA.
This is a Director to watch for. It`s amazing how much he progressed in he`s movie making. This is a beautiful, painfull short with a well acted essemble.
I fell completly imersed in this girls memories and sorrows. I myself once lived this phase of life where one needs to be aknoledged.
I really loved the storyline, the shot`s, the emotion the director was able to create just by the kicking of a bottle! This image tells so much about her. This is a sign that Arun knows about people, and a director who knows people is a real director. Were all tired of special effects right!
The soundtrack is excellently well done, helping the movie in its emotional power. I also loved the main theme Dad`s Girl.
Congratulations and im looking foward for your next film! -- By dinartefreitas, Posted on Saturday, April 30, 2005

Great ending 
Her moment of trancendance if front of the mirror was outstanding acting and direction. A lesser filmmarker would have used the old reflection bit, but your side shot was outstanding, and perfectly paced and rendered by Aymee Balog. I like the casting/acting of the mother, too. I'd like to see more of both your work and Aymee Balog's. -- By cjj, Posted on Sunday, April 24, 2005

Stinking Cigar - Review 
After viewing some of this filmmakers earlier works and now watching "Stinking Cigar" I am so happy to see a wonderful progression of storytelling skills. From how the dolly shots are composed, to the seamless editing to staging of the actors, this is a filmmaker growing before our eyes. The casting of the teenage girl is perfect as well as her voice over during the beginning. I like the choice that her mother and boyfriend didn't look like bad people after all, and maybe all this angst and anger was simply her internal struggle all along. We will never know. The ending is very subtle, maybe too subtle, and for this reviewer, all this filmmaker should consider: is a stronger theme or statement at the end, which haunts us and reminds us - (the audience) - of something maybe we've forgotten. Short films have an opportunity to be fables, where a lesson is the moral center of the script. Once you find that, you will be unstoppable. -- By Drew Eric, Posted on Monday, April 11, 2005


Trials of Youth 
The cinematography in this short is excellant and Mr Vaidyanathan is clearly adept at directing. I have not seen any of his previous work but based on my viewing of this film I would like to see what else he has done in the past. Other things that I like about the film other than the cinematography was the acting of Aymee Balog. I think she held her own as the alienated young girl and there were times during the viewing when I felt I could truly empathize with what she was going through. Overall I think the film worked well in what I think the director was trying to convey. Being 'unheard' is a major issue in our society and I think Mr Vaidyanathan has done an admirable job with this short film. -- By dazbear, Posted on Wednesday, March 30, 2005


Beautifully shot, strikingfilm 
The first thing that struck me about this film was the bright colors and striking cinematography. Very well done! I thought the concept was simple, yet poignant. I would have liked to see a little more from the actors, as opposed to hearing it in the voice over, but I do understand that there’s only so much one can do in under 10 minutes… Overall, I thought it was a lovely, visually interesting short. Oh, and the editing was really well done and should be noted too! -- By jwhit, Posted on Tuesday, March 29, 2005


Awesome 
A sad story of how single parents in their own search for a new life can - in their haste - forget the ones that they haven't lost. Being a single father I just wanted to hug poor Jennifer for her obvious cries for attention. You can only imagine what other forms she'll start to use to get the affection she so yearns for. Great story, good casting and wonderful acting. Should be a PSA for single parents. -- By bigturner, Posted on Tuesday, March 22, 2005


Great 
I thought this was really well shot. The framing and camera position were great and made the film look fantastic. The colour, look and feel of this film was great. The sound was fantastic and the music added to this. The film had me gripped all the way through. The film was really well edited. -- By claireallison, Posted on Wednesday, January 26, 2005


off the tracks 
What avery nice subtle piece. In todays mtv world its good to see a slowly paced and well thought out film. There was no hurry to this film and no rush. Even at this pace the film held my attention. The story was very poetic and quite moving. I liked the sort of ambiguous ending; where is she going to go, where is she going to end up? The visuals were very well done and obviously shot with great care and attention. I really liked the way you went about filming this as you described in your notes. Great idea to video it first and take photos for your storyboards. I liked the sound alot although i dont know if it was for the right reasons. It sounded very produced which gave the film an unreal quality. I dont know if you meant to do this or not. Geat film, make some more! -- By grifter110, Posted on Tuesday, January 11, 2005


Very subtle 
Great camera, music, editing and writing. And for the most part actiing. the only slightly false not was the mother's VO. A bit stiff and artificial. My first thoughts after wiewing was that I wanted to see a stronger conflict and deeper resolution on the part of the girl. Maybe from resenting her mother being drunk etc and taking the resposnsibility to learn to help rather then criticize. Then, seeing her mother in a normal setting, just putting on make up to go out, it seemed that most of the girls resentment was just in her adolescent mind, and taking the mouthwash was showing in a very subtle way her turning point to growing up. Very nicely done. -- By filmaker2000, Posted on Friday, January 7, 2005

Well Done 
This is one of the more professional looking films I've seen on Trigger Street. The story was good, it was shot and editied well and the acting was better than a lot I've seen on this site. I did think it ended rather abruptly, but that's just my opinion. My only advice would be to cut it down. Nearly 10 minutes is too long. There was definitely some fat in this film that could be trimmed without affecting the story. -- By GeorgeKaplan, Posted on Tuesday, January 4, 2005

Nice 
This film followed very well. I liked you choice in music, and the voice over work was done very well. The story seemed to have sudden ending (mouthwash was a nice idea). I liked the flash back work and the first person view you gave. The camera work was good, and the lighting was perfect. Audio was clean and clear. Overall a verywell put together film that I enjoyed but seemed to end quick. Id give it a 7 out of 10. -- By Imaginationmachine, Posted on Wednesday, December 8, 2004

Good Story 
First, I'll state what I did not like or rather found annoying to get it out of the way. I personally dislike any short where the credits seemingly are just an excuse to play someone's song.The good was the acting and story. I felt the angst of the character wanting attention and being in a situation beyond her control. This sometime difficult age was well represented. The shots of the boyfriend did make me think amatuer, but those two seconds won't bring down the reading. I would have gone for more natural dialog and have her V.O. take care of the rest, but might just be me. Good effort. -- By DaveElliott, Posted on Saturday, December 4, 2004

A wishful dream 
great camera work that is for sure. The acting is solid. Definitly captures the feelings of tweens. Great writing and something that I haven't seen before on triggerstreet. This is a huge plus. I hope to see more stuff. Too long on the credits but that is just something that bothers me about most shorts. Best of luck and professional grade work. -- By theIndianMaiden, Posted on Tuesday, November 16, 2004

Great flick.. 
Great Flick.. For a suprisingly small amount of story and dialogue, this one went rather quickly. I suppose that has more to do with how well it was shot and scored. A very good job with the cigar, and the subject, Jennifer, was well cast. She seemed to understand her role pretty well. Well composed shots, a nice and easy film to watch. -- By InfoUp, Posted on Monday, October 25, 2004

Top Notch 
This was movie executed in top notch style. I can really tell you put alot of blood, sweat and tears into the making of this movie. Brandon's (Hal e woode) colorization process put the cap on this "film look". The colors were rich and gorgeous and also gave depth to the movie that mini dv cannot, for the most part, deliver. Camerawork was nice all the way around - framing, shots, etc. Lighting - very nice. Sound - nice. Nice voiceover too. Editing - also nice, of course! The score written for this movie was awesome, as was the song "Daddy's gal". The beginning title hung on for a bit too long... I began to wonder if there were problems with the movie loading. Basically, that's the only mini thing I can bitch about! All in all, this is festival worthy! Thanks for the view. Oh... I might've failed to mention the acting. Acting was perfect. Good job, Aymee! -- By SeaMowse, Posted on Tuesday, October 19, 2004


review 
First off, Arun's "Stinking Cigar" is a short film that looks amazing. The beautiful cinematography and camerawork made me want a DVX100 and their talents badly.Editing was also very good, as their choice was for a slow paced, heart felt story. The lead actress delivered her lines very well in voice over, and did a good job on the role.Thumbs up! -- By bskubs, Posted on Thursday, October 14, 2004

Profound and excellent! Great use of theme! 
This film was excellent. It clearly depicted a phenomenon that is far too common in our modern culture. The film was eye-opening, profound, and sad all at the same time. The story was just long enough to get the message across that children long for their families to be whole and happy. I love how the girl used the cigar in vain. This movie deserves to be in the TriggerStreet competition! -- By arthouse, Posted on Wednesday, October 13, 2004


End Of Innocence 
This film shows something that so many parents fail to consider - the effect of divorce on their child. And there is even more to this film than that - it also shows with clarity what happens when parents fail to consider the consequences of setting the right example, and also how simple neglect can leave lasting, lifetime damage. Jennifer craves attention and love but knows she will not get it, even if she misbehaves. She smokes the end of a discarded cigar hoping to get any kind of reaction from her mother, even punishment - that would still be better than nothing. But nothing is all she gets. She has made an unwilling, early entry into adulthood, her childhood long gone. Young Aymee, under Arun's direction, is poised and confident in front of the camera. The combination of her VO and physical delivery of the character brings the story to life. Her reluctance to go home during the first half is clearly evident, and at the end she dreams of being punished - all these beautifully brought to life. Srikanth has delivered yet another beautiful, haunting score. Excellent camera work, every shot has been composed and shot perfectly. Al Sotomayor's brief appearance is creepy and scary - great job by him. Arun, this is your best yet. -- By Spodaking, Posted on Wednesday, September 29, 2004