I caught Bottle Tree at the Sidewalk Film Festival, and was truly impressed by the thoughtfulness of the storytelling and direction. Bottle Tree is about a young African-American man coming to terms with his mother's death in a very concrete and meaningful way. Tyndall makes interesting choices in every shot, and as the film unfolds you realize that he's shown considerable restraint in this depiction of grief, addiction, and ultimately, redemption. For a short film to culminate in such an effective catharsis is rare, and considering that this is Tyndall's first foray into directing, I look forward to seeing what he does with a larger palette.
2 Reviews
Great visual storytelling
jasonbrown20 September 2006
Warning: Spoilers
What an interesting short. "The Bottle Tree"'s story of how the past lives through us every day is visually stunning. Tyndall tells his story through decisive images which hint at the metaphor of life being told. With a accomplished cinematography of Seamus Mulligan-Ferry, Tyndall subtly displays how a grown man (Brandon Johnson) deals with his past. Alex Johnson portrays the man as a young boy discovering the things that will stay with him the rest of his life. Instead of hammering home the same old wrought ideas of this story reveals, Tyndall gracefully portrays the ambiguity of life's choices and consequences. Worth the time to seek this film out.
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