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Directed by Kel Webster and Steve Lawson
Written by Helen Crevel
Starring Colin Baker, Helen Crevel, James Parnham, Skye Lleshi
Short Film Review by Chris Olson
As old as science fiction itself, time travel stories are a cinematic mainstay. For decades, filmmakers have dared to embroil themselves with complex narratives that intertwine scientific theories on the possibility of traveling into the past and/or future, with the human impact this can have emotionally, physically, morally and more. Time and Again, a short film written by and starring Helen Crevel, balances both halves of the equation brilliantly, with co-directors Kel Webster and Steve Lawson delivering a compellingly rich and layered movie.
Colin Baker plays Theo, a professor whose penchant for physics sees him acquired by Maggie (Helen Crevel) when she needs assistance with a rather remarkable discovery. Interested piqued, Theo follows Maggie into a room with a glowing hole in the floor, which she claims may hold the key to time travel. At first cynical, Theo is soon convinced when he becomes part of the experiment.
A movie of two halves, short film Time and Again revels in the science during the first half and unearths the drama and conflict in the latter. Once we discover more about the motivations of the characters, the narrative suddenly feels incredibly layered. The emotional core of the story gets slowly pieced together, making the extraordinary risks that the two characters take even more impactful. Crevel's story then goes further to serve up thematic and philosophical quandaries for the audience, such as the nature of reality and the concept of destiny. Overall, a wonderful assortment for the viewer to ponder.
Baker is a great lead, lending a nice sense of gravitas to the role, and his chemistry with Crevel is solid. Crevel feels a little less comfortable on screen, a touch wooden next to Baker, but by the latter section of Time and Again becomes a more engaging presence. The final sequences of the movie, in which she features heavily, are the most affecting of all.
The cinematography from DoP Jon O'Neill is excellent, bringing a wonderful richness to each frame which kept the story from feeling too clinical and detached. Indeed, his efforts meant that the powerful turn of events in the second half were all the more effective.
Fans of time travelling movies will be in their element with short film Time and Again. It takes audiences on a journey that is not only intelligently crafted, but also emotionally charged and humane.
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