Movie #966 ........................."shorts 1 at the Chicago Film Festival 2014"

Movie #966 "Shorts 1" included ohs theatre alum Adam Poss's short "Speed Dating" which I would rate 5 out of 5.  This short was a nice neat package.  It is all made with Stop/Action motion, and it takes you painstakingly through the speed dating process --- you get the impression this is the girl's last desperate chance to meet someone, but it deals with the idea that you have to go through many frogs to get to your prince, and Adam is one of the "frogs" or bad date possibilities.  It's cute and has a little surprise, and a very nice ending.  The second movie was "Baby Mary", and it was about a very young girl, about 10, just taking this crying baby from behind the fence while the mother is crabbing about something on her front lawn and not noticing much about her baby being taken.  Then, we watch her "take care" of the baby, feeding her, entertaining and bathing her, and then HER mom comes home and returns the baby, and the mother then crabs at the mother and the 10 year old girl.  It was a bit rough in the filming, but it had heart and a cute idea, and I would give it a 3.  "The Fox of Bloody Woman Island" was next, and it was a waste of film.  Something about a guy named Ulf and him making a boat for too many endless minutes of film time. (a 1 out of 5) Along with "Framework" which just showed pictures of the beam filmed like news footage, with annoying sounds in the background.  The woman next to us had to leave (I put fingers in my ears and couldn't wait until it was over ---- another 1), but then "Lucy" came on and it was wonderful.  It told a complete story with a white board and marker about getting a dog.......it kept erasing and then quickly drawing another picture to move the story along.  It is hard to describe, but if you ever get a chance to see it, take it, because it was a winner (5 out of 5), and finally, "A Priceless Woman" was a homage to those Italian films of the 60s, and how this scientist built his wife again, after she died.  Overacted, overshot, looks like it was made in the 60s (which was the intent), and it was for the most part  fun to watch.  I'd I've it a 3 out of 5.  We missed the last 3 shorts because we had to eat some time, but what we saw was mostly good, with Adam's "Speed Dating" and "Lucy" leading the pack!