Ivan Kander
Profane, gruesome, kinetically shot and cut, Valibation is the kind of short film that comes barrelling out of the gate, punching you smack in the corneas. Its camera moves are dizzying, its style ostentatious, full of the kind of hyperactive visual flair that would make Michael Bay jealous. Yet, it’s not an action movie, nor is it some bloody gangster Guy Ritchie rip off. Valibation is, instead, a simple three-way love story about a man, his hand, and the shiny new iPhone that’s always attached to it.
As that plot description may have indicated (as well as the compound title), Valibation is decidedly NSFW, so watch away from the prying eyes of coworkers. Heck, to be thematically in sync, this may be an experience that’s a best viewed all by your lonesome. Director Todd Strauss-Schulson (for you IMDb aficionados, he directed 2011’s A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas), has crafted a fast-paced mishmash of horror-comedy-weirdness that is undeniably compelling. At a hefty 20 minutes, this is a short that breezes by—even the most ADHD riddled teen won’t be able to stop watching. Though, he/she might have to look away at a few of the more nausea-inducing moments.
Valibation is undoubtedly a slick production—the caliber of the cast and crew is enough to convince you of that alone. But, as mentioned earlier, those crazy, swooping camera moves are truly something special. For us technical dorks out there, the film was shot using an Impala motion control rig. The result is a roller coaster of jibs, pans, and spins that will make you smile in awe whilst you’re losing your lunch. Not to mention, make a few crane operators out there worry about job security.
But, it’s not all just visual fluff. At its essence, the film is driving home a point we’ve seen and heard over and over in our new technology culture. To put it bluntly, we’re screen obsessed. Just take a look around next time you’re waiting in an airport and be amazed by our attachment to those little devices that we’re constantly tweeting/facbooking/instagraming from. For objects that supposedly increase our connection to the world, it’s amazing to think how solitary they have made us become. Granted Strauss-Schulson’s film isn’t exactly elucidating a brand-new concept, however, it is giving us the ole’ song and dance in a fresh way. All that connectivity is less about forming bonds with others and more about our own personal validation. With each status update or snarky tweet, we’re putting on our own little show—holding out our arms and asking for the internet to love us back, to tell us that we’re important, that we’re funny, that we matter. Valibation is just a lot more upfront about what the majority of social networking actually is—you know, as Woody Allen famously joked, sex with someone you truly love.
If you dig Valibation’s tone, be sure to check out more of Strauss-Schulson’s work at Ulterior Productions.