j_chy
It is a very good indie with a similar story to OXV. I did not find it atmospheric or with great cinematography, but for the budget, they did well. If I were the filmmaker, I would look upon this with pride. As other reviewers noted, empathy for the characters is a bit difficult.I did enjoy the score. I loved the premise, and the moments of lightness (OkCupid and "Landline") were well-done and necessary. The philosophical underpinning to the moral conflicts were excellent. This reminds me of stories like the rise of apple, Microsoft, and facebook, each is world-changing technology started by a few nerds. I have to "ding" it a bit in ratings because production values could not let the filmmakers explain a few scenes as well as they needed to be. It also had some plot points that were annoyingly contrived (leaving the device at home). My biggest complaint is that it had some direction changes in the 2nd half that I could not follow quickly. The plot jerks around quite a bit. Usually that is a positive when the direction changes due to reveals; here it was not pleasant and slightly confused me. I had to re watch the second half, just to make sure that I didn't miss something. It took my mind on a journey akin to OXV and to Primer. The best movies ping pong around in your brain long after the credits have scrolled, and this one does that for me. So overall, I enjoyed it.
landapictures-624-97862
The films concept revolves around two students who invent a device that can listen to people's "music" which everyone on Earth apparently has. It's a great and fairly original concept which needed some very careful execution to get right and "Listen" doesn't disappoint. This is a very well written film with a strong script and great ideas behind it, there is some exploration of morality regarding the abuse of power and explores the differences between attraction and love. This is not an action film and it rewards audiences with patience and an open mind. My only problems with the film are the two main characters that for the first half of the film are very hard to like or connect with, although as the story unfolds the characters to improve and there is some nice development. There's a few parts of the film I'd have really liked to have seen more of like the relationship between the Grandfather and the protagonist when he was a child. Also there is a great character in there Calhoun who is a shady business man interested in buying their device, I would have loved to have seen that side of the plot develop further. Despite the minor niggles I have with the film it's a no brainer to see this film, anyone who's a fan of unconventional science fiction stories will love this and get great enjoyment out of it. The film is available for free viewing on a number of platforms, I watched it on Snag films which is the only place it can be watched internationally, I'd love to see it on Youtube at some point if it's going to remain free to view as it's much more accessible there to a wider audience.It's a beautiful looking film with some great cinematography and a lot of fun. I think if this is the directors first feature, it's a cracking debut. I highly recommend you give the film a whirl.
Stephen Smith
This is the type of independent film we all wish we would've thought of first. But Fred gets all the props for being the mastermind behind this great tale!The idea that there is music inside all of us that's unique is something that is simple enough to understand. But the way that this story plays with that idea is what makes it so complicated and interesting. The world created by this film opens it up to a great series of stories that I would happily consume. The ending alone leaves you wondering what could possibly be coming next!This is one all aspiring filmmakers should watch and study as the correct way to make a film on a budget.