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First, the Recap:
The mysterious world of the paranormal. Needless to say, it is a hotly debated subject, and countless people have tried to both prove and disprove the existence of ghosts and other creepy, supernaturally-based entities that go bump in the night. And for the tiny, but highly superstitious, New England enclave of Mallas, MA, taking advantage of its gullible citizenry is exactly the plan for con artists Brian Higgins (Timothy J. Cox) and Maria Snyder (Maria Natapov). Hatching a scheme to pose as “paranormal investigators”, complete with a patchwork “ghost detector” and industry lingo to boot, the two come to the home of resident Eddie (Eddie Nason), who’s already consulted local medium, Robyn (Robyn Kaan), though with no results.
Guided to the home’s basement, Brian and Maria begin their “hunt”, trying to ensure everything looks “official” as they utilize their “tools” to search the entirety of the darkened lower level. Collecting their final bits of “evidence”, a venture into the final area of the basement grants them an actual surprise in the form of a young girl, Sydney (Uatchet Jin Juch & Nekhebet Kum Juch). Deciding there’s no better chance to take advantage of their newly found “ghost”, Brian utilizes Sydney by filming her in different locations both inside and away from the house, though her playful elusiveness begins to confound him. Finalizing the con by going on a local news program to be interviewed about their findings, an admission by Brian and a revealing of truth illustrates that things are not always as they seem.
Next, my Mind:
Originally filmed back in 2013 in Boston, MA by writer/director Sean Meehan (whose film “Total Performance” I reviewed here), this clever short (at only 8 minutes in length) takes an ultimately whimsical look at the entire concept of the paranormal and those who would seek to fleece an unsuspecting town’s population by perpetrating the con that their quiet burgh has activity of such nature. Beautifully filmed to bring the “real world” look of the town’s serene setting to life, the narrative never slows down but carries the viewer through what feels like one extended sequence of unfolding events, which this story lends itself to nicely, and therefore keeps the fluidity intact.
Solid performances by Cox and Natapov keep one’s interest afloat in the characters of Brian and Maria, who’ve obviously been pulling con jobs like this for so long, that anything which shakes up the “norm” would just as immediately derail their entire sense of purpose and execution of this newest job in Mallas. Nason and Kaan likewise put fine effort into their brief appearances. And the wonderful utilization of both Juch sisters as Sydney was, frankly, a stroke of genius, as it allows the character’s nature to be so much more effectively filmed and employed here. So, in total, “Mallas, MA” maintains what this reviewer has truly found to be a consistent trend with this form of project–longer is not always better, as so much can be said in short form when everything comes together right.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
Special Bonus: Want to go ahead and see for yourself what is happening in Mallas, MA? Check out the film itself HERE! Enjoy!
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