AMPM Review

AMPM is a 2020 short film written and directed by Thais DeMelo.

As any good parent will say, too much TV will rot your brain, well if they ever need a visual reference for such a statement, they will be happy to know a film like AMPM exists.

Dripping with a dystopian punk rock style, this short film wastes no time presenting the television as a gateway drug into a psychotic acid trip. It is visually enthralling, with stark red and blue lighting propped up against dizzying photosynthetic edits.

The cinematography by Pedro Carballal brings an extreme flair of color, which is inescapable throughout the piece. It is, as mentioned, quite enthralling.

Our two leads as portrayed by Caio Graco and Natalia Garcez are perfectly cast, portraying these punk rock drug addled people with a spot-on style. They each fully commit to their dysfunctional characters and bounce off one another eloquently.

This is a cautionary tale about how we consume media at a rampant rate. We can become glued to our television screens or by extension our phones for hours at a time. It is not too far off from the addictive qualities of drugs, and this film takes that stance literally.

This may be a piece that is a tad too bombastic or on the nose for some, but it is easy to appreciate the style and confidence that it brings along with that. Saying the TV is bad is nothing new in the cultural landscape but really encapsulating that sensibility is rarely captured well, something this film does in spades.

Overall AMPM is a film that will make you want to set the remote back down the next time you are thinking about just watching some mindless television. It brings a lot of topics to the floor and while it takes an indifferent, almost copasetic approach by the end, it is still a stunning short film to behold throughout the entire runtime.

To follow on social media: Instagram, NQTC Films, and Thais Demelo.

Cheers!

Daniel Hess

Film Festival and Award Highlights:

Muestra Moimiento Audiovisual

Pantalla Rota Art Festival

NewFilmmakers NY

Best Film Experimental Sessions

Best Cinematography Nominee Kingston Film Festival UK

ALC Videoart Festival

UNDERTHECOUNTERCULTURE

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