elytracollective

David M. Dawson's "The Long Weekend" is the most cinematic and accessible work of his career so far. There's a meditative and emotional approach to this tale of two brothers with an awkward relationship, on a camping trip, dealing with the loss of a friend who was their connective tissue. Kyle Owen shoots the hell out of this and Dawson makes damn sure to give each shot enough time to breathe, allowing us to bask in the grace of the naturalistic cinematography. Nicholas Stange does some tremendous work here as the older brother but it's Mike Miller who brings the real gravitas as a deeply wounded character. Ryley Walker's musical score really breathes life into this film, doubling down on the folk soul of the dramedy. David M. Dawson is a force to be reckoned with and "The Long Weekend" is a breezy hour-long movie that will awaken feelings and thoughtful personal musings.

David Dawson is back with a vengeance with his latest film "Leech", a cringe horror barnburner that also delivers quite the intense love-letter to Gothic King Cobra in the process. Jordan Acosta is lights-out phenomenal in this as The Dark Lord of Loves Park, the epitome of a nightmarish internet personality. Acosta's deranged commitment to the bit will mark this as one of Dawson's best works. It's a sweet surprise to have Mike Miller (who similarly doled out an all-timer performance in Dawson's "Flesh Games") show up here and channel the complete opposite end of the spectrum, which proves to be a nefarious antagonist to The Dark Lord's stream of broadcast psychosis. This one is a real pressure cooker as we dive into the deep end of a damaged psyche burrowing further down the rabbit hole until it's too late. The finale is vicious as we watch in grueling anticipation for these two speeding trains to meet head first on the same track. Not as good as "Flesh Games" but very close in its own way. Seek this out as soon as you get a chance.

Juggalo-centric delusion of grandeur jam "FAM-ILLI" is David Dawson's second release of the year and honestly, one of the my favorite short films ever. Like Dawson's other 2024 release "Leech", lead actors Jordan Acosta and Mike Miller return and prove once again that they are a dynamic duo. The characters of Karney J and Hatchet Harry are simply incredible. The various interactions with other characters had me howling; especially a rap battle in the beginning where Karney J gets bodied by the "white trash Kendrick". This also features an incredible track (performed by Acosta) that'll burrow itself in your head, despite your best efforts to disengage. This song has the power to convert any civilian life into one of a juggalo. "FAM-ILLI" is truly a great satire. Being on the frontlines watching a toxic friendship devolve over the course of 18 minutes into a flurry of bleach blonde hair dye, rap battles, face paint and human blood can only be pulled off this well by Dawson and his exemplary skills as a writer/director. As expected with Dawson's genre work, the third act erupts into a gory frenzy and brings down the house. Definitely worth seeking out, "FAM-ILLI" will make you wanna find your nearest loved ones and grab them by the ears while yelling "Stab! Chop! Punch! I'll eat you for lunch, ninja!"