更新时间:2013-02-14
西北偏北 • 吾时将近:Review for Our time is up (unrevised)
Comarts 135
19 April 2012
Directed by Rob Pearlstein, Our Time is Up is a short film about a psychologist who finds that he just has six weeks to live and the changes happening in his life, nominated for the Academy Award for Live Action Short Film in 2006. Even though the award eventually went to Six Shooter, Our time is up is indisputably a humorous meaningful story, which is worthy and enjoyable to watch.
The beginning is appealing. Several simple and neat shots are linked smoothly and nicely, presenting the well-ordered and scheduled life of our main actor, Dr. Stern. Beep, beep, beep- the close up of the alarm clock tells us it is 7 o’clock in the morning. Bright sunlight filled with the room, with the camera zooms out, a hand stretches out to turn off the alarm clock, then with the camera zoom in, two feet reach out to put on the shoes and walk away. Then, the camera tracks along the orderly hanging suites, ties and shiny black shoes, and moves to a close up of the coffee machine, which is cooking coffee right now. The man in the tidy suit picks up the newspaper in the ground, turns back towards his house, paltering with the gardener who greets him, and sits upright reading the National Psychologist while eating the breakfast. Until now, we haven’t seen his face, which is one reason that attracts you to continue watching.
Stepping into the office, we finally meet this meticulous and precise man. He insincerely replied “all in due time” to interrupt the new doctor who calls him to learn how he handles his patient- doctor relationship and impatiently hangs up the call. He’s busy to have an appointment with this newcomer; he’s even too busy to care about the new plant in his garden. The voice of first patient makes the transition to the scene he deals with his patients. Quietly listening to eight different problems, funny problems, patiently viewing their confused and upset looking, the doctor just calmly and slowly asks “what do you think of that is?” or “how does that make you feel?” The use of montage helps to switch the appearances of these eight patients between their conversions, which is a very concise and clever way to present.
All is in order. All is in due time. He smiles faintly and tells them “all is in due time”, maybe his heart has already been numbed and the due time is just another numbed excuse. However, if time will ends in six weeks, what would he do?
Beep, beep, beep, it is 7 o’clock again, but no one turns it off. Silent as dead pictures, the still shots of suit, tie, shoes, newspapers, coffee machine and breakfast table show that the doctor has been crashed by the terrific sudden news. The eight patients come back to the screen again, but this time, the doctor, overcome with exhaustion, points out their problems frankly and sharply, which makes his patients astonished, stunned and leave in anger. He changes the therapy to actual action, rather than just saying useless “in due time.” The relationship between his patients and him changes too, which makes this precise and gentle man amiable and humane.
No more ringing alarm, no more neat suit and no more National Psychologist, the middle-aged man completely gives up his well- ordered life and lives in a relaxed and unrestrained way. His house is for sale. His hair is unruly. He sits in the cozy sofa and watches television. His patients appear again to thank him for truly cure their mental problems. Their upset faces are replaced with happy smiles, but none of them knows what the doctor is going to face. In the last scene, the newcomer calls again and this time after an intensely silent moment, Dr. Stern answers “how is right now?” When the time is up, he learns that “in due time” is no longer working; he can’t escape from the real problems anymore, and that finally makes everything change.
The shots of alarm clock, suits, ties, shoes, newspaper, coffee machine and breakfast appear three times. Each time represents a different state of the doctor; also it turns out to be a different way to deal with his patients. Before the death call, Dr. Stein is too busy to care about things happening around him. Living in his established habit, he just consistently repeats yesterday. No change to his life, no progress in patients’ disease condition. After the call, when the “due time” is going to be six weeks, when the life time is going to be run out, he realizes that he should enjoy his life and make change. In this busy planet, how many people are too busy to enjoy themselves? Slow down your living pace and take a look to your world around. Thanks Our Time is Up for reminding us life is short and beautiful.
19 April 2012
Directed by Rob Pearlstein, Our Time is Up is a short film about a psychologist who finds that he just has six weeks to live and the changes happening in his life, nominated for the Academy Award for Live Action Short Film in 2006. Even though the award eventually went to Six Shooter, Our time is up is indisputably a humorous meaningful story, which is worthy and enjoyable to watch.
The beginning is appealing. Several simple and neat shots are linked smoothly and nicely, presenting the well-ordered and scheduled life of our main actor, Dr. Stern. Beep, beep, beep- the close up of the alarm clock tells us it is 7 o’clock in the morning. Bright sunlight filled with the room, with the camera zooms out, a hand stretches out to turn off the alarm clock, then with the camera zoom in, two feet reach out to put on the shoes and walk away. Then, the camera tracks along the orderly hanging suites, ties and shiny black shoes, and moves to a close up of the coffee machine, which is cooking coffee right now. The man in the tidy suit picks up the newspaper in the ground, turns back towards his house, paltering with the gardener who greets him, and sits upright reading the National Psychologist while eating the breakfast. Until now, we haven’t seen his face, which is one reason that attracts you to continue watching.
Stepping into the office, we finally meet this meticulous and precise man. He insincerely replied “all in due time” to interrupt the new doctor who calls him to learn how he handles his patient- doctor relationship and impatiently hangs up the call. He’s busy to have an appointment with this newcomer; he’s even too busy to care about the new plant in his garden. The voice of first patient makes the transition to the scene he deals with his patients. Quietly listening to eight different problems, funny problems, patiently viewing their confused and upset looking, the doctor just calmly and slowly asks “what do you think of that is?” or “how does that make you feel?” The use of montage helps to switch the appearances of these eight patients between their conversions, which is a very concise and clever way to present.
All is in order. All is in due time. He smiles faintly and tells them “all is in due time”, maybe his heart has already been numbed and the due time is just another numbed excuse. However, if time will ends in six weeks, what would he do?
Beep, beep, beep, it is 7 o’clock again, but no one turns it off. Silent as dead pictures, the still shots of suit, tie, shoes, newspapers, coffee machine and breakfast table show that the doctor has been crashed by the terrific sudden news. The eight patients come back to the screen again, but this time, the doctor, overcome with exhaustion, points out their problems frankly and sharply, which makes his patients astonished, stunned and leave in anger. He changes the therapy to actual action, rather than just saying useless “in due time.” The relationship between his patients and him changes too, which makes this precise and gentle man amiable and humane.
No more ringing alarm, no more neat suit and no more National Psychologist, the middle-aged man completely gives up his well- ordered life and lives in a relaxed and unrestrained way. His house is for sale. His hair is unruly. He sits in the cozy sofa and watches television. His patients appear again to thank him for truly cure their mental problems. Their upset faces are replaced with happy smiles, but none of them knows what the doctor is going to face. In the last scene, the newcomer calls again and this time after an intensely silent moment, Dr. Stern answers “how is right now?” When the time is up, he learns that “in due time” is no longer working; he can’t escape from the real problems anymore, and that finally makes everything change.
The shots of alarm clock, suits, ties, shoes, newspaper, coffee machine and breakfast appear three times. Each time represents a different state of the doctor; also it turns out to be a different way to deal with his patients. Before the death call, Dr. Stein is too busy to care about things happening around him. Living in his established habit, he just consistently repeats yesterday. No change to his life, no progress in patients’ disease condition. After the call, when the “due time” is going to be six weeks, when the life time is going to be run out, he realizes that he should enjoy his life and make change. In this busy planet, how many people are too busy to enjoy themselves? Slow down your living pace and take a look to your world around. Thanks Our Time is Up for reminding us life is short and beautiful.
吾时将近Our Time Is Up(2004)
上映日期：2004-10-08片长：14分钟
主演：凯文·波拉克 / Frankie J. Allison / 薇薇安·邦 /
导演：Rob Pearlstein / 编剧：Rob Pearlstein
