The Centrifuge Brain Project (2012) User Reviews

The Future of Film

[pro_crustes · 9/10 · 9 November 2012]

I believe this film is a preview of what the best to come from the future of film will be. It's short, but every moment of it shows what can be done with talent and modern technology. A longer film would require a bigger budget, but even this outstanding seven-minute production would have been impossible to create a few years ago without major resources.

As editing, sfx, and other capabilities continue to find their way onto the modern auteur's desktop, expect to see more of this kind of creative, ground-breaking, and (not to leave out) entertaining stuff.

If you're as tired as I am of retreads like yet-another-Batman movie or the seemingly endless stream of interchangeable Tom Cruise films, be patient: this is the kind of movie you've been waiting for, and there's a lot more about to be created where this came from.

I Was Caught Out . Almost

[Theo Robertson · 8/10 · 2 March 2014]

Dr Nick Laslowicz a well regarded scientist is of the theory that centrifugal force can effect and improve the brain development of very young children by up to 30 per cent . Knowing this he aims to develop the ultimate funfair ride that will benefit Mankind though one has to ask what four year old child will be brave enough to go on one ?

Okay I'll put my hand up and confess I was fooled . I came across this on The Short Of The Week website in the science section and being interested in the topic of science I thought I'd give it a watch . There was of course no cast list saying " Doctor Nick Laslowicz - Leslie Barany " or anything like that and thought the theories put forward had a grounding in scientific reality . For the most part it remained credible and thought Dr Nick wearing a hard hat inside a car might just be one of those quirks of an eccentric scientist . As the story continued the rides themselves did become a bit more and more outlandish especially the ride that seems to " punch " its occupants outwards in a sort elasticated arm ., but let's not forget some adrenaline junkies would love fairground rides like this . I also found it strange that during one experiment some volunteers spent 14 continuous hours on a ride but I dismissed this as people wanting to be a part of something and were getting a free fairground ride at no cost to themselves . The penny did drop with the final sequence of a ride where the mis-en-scene didn't ring true at all with an impossibly infeasible fast ride in the background and people nonchalantly walking past . If the ride was real then people including myself would stop and watch awe struck with our chins on the ground . So I wasn't fooled in the end - just for the first six minutes which serves me right for putting my faith in science

"Gravity is a mistake"...

[MrGKB · 9/10 · 20 January 2024]

...and this brilliant short film is determined to prove it! Presented as a remarkably credible documentary (though in truth a clever mockumentary), the piece won writer/director. Till "Black Panther" Nowak a slew of awards, propelling him even further along a career track of visual effects, production design, and filmmaking.

What's notable to me is how dreamlike the thing is, while being firmly rooted in a reality indistinguishable from our own, the sort of thing that advances in Artificial Intelligence have promised, but so far failed to deliver. It remains to be seen if AI progresses to the point where it can match the creative imagination of the humans who gave us "The Centrifuge Brain Project."

Meanwhile, if you haven't seen it yet, hie yourself over to YouTube, where it's currently enjoying over 7.5 million views, and enlighten yourself. You won't regret the ride.

Impressive effects combine with real footage and an effective "documentary" tone

[bob the moo · 16 February 2014]

When I started this film I wasn't sure at first if it was a real documentary because the tone and style is so well done. We start with Doctor Nick Laslowicz ("hey Dr Nick") telling us of experiments into the developmental effects on the brain caused by centrifugal forces and the rigs which he designed to further explore this. Very quickly we realize this is a mockumentary because the footage of experiences is essentially fantastically impossible fairground rides. The film continues the serious, scientific tone while at the same time each "clip" of the various experiences is really well delivered and becomes more fantastic.

The effects are one of the main things to come for and they are really good, using slightly grainy footage to help the blend between real footage and the tremendous machines. They look great and it is funny to see their impossible actions while also hearing them discussed by Dr Laslowicz. This additional layer is what sets the film apart from the many "look what my computer can do" short films that you'll find because this mockumentary style is engaging and funny. Laslowicz is well played by Barany and his delivery is good of some fine funny bits of dialogue. Throwaway lines about the Extender experiment working well apart from once being too near a building are great because they backup the distance of the experiment while also putting in our minds this machine hammering into the side of an office block; my favorite line in the whole piece was about one even more extreme ride, sorry – experiment, where it reportedly resulted in the "readjustment of key goal and life aspirations", which is a very scientific way to say that it terrified the life out of those on it.

The internet is full of short films that offer you great computer effects and style, so it is nice to find one that uses the effects as its starting point and not as the destination. A fun and well made mockumentary that works well on several levels.

A short film legend

[wiltshire7 · 9/10 · 3 June 2019]

Not much more to say. This short spawned many a creepy pasta and internet rumor long after its release. I'm not into short films or amateur productions, I've seen maybe five, this one is fantastic, special effects are palm sweating believable and the interviewee is convincing enough. Nothing amateur about it, well done.

Fairly uninteresting

[Horst_In_Translation · 4/10 · 8 February 2016]

"The Centrifuge Brain Project" is a 6.5-minute live action short film from 4 years ago written and directed by German filmmaker Till Nowak, his second work after a considerable break since his first. However, despite him being German, and thanks to the lead actor not being German, you will not need subtitles if you are an English native speaker. This little movie is basically a fake documentary about a guy who developed several rollercoasters over the years. It is almost exclusively comedy, but I personally did not find it funny I must admit. The only somewhat impressive thing here are the special effects. So yeah, this was not a good watch. I do not recommend checking it out and I cannot say this got me curious or optimistic about Nowak's upcoming projects. Thumbs down.

experiments

[Kirpianuscus · 24 July 2022]

A mockumentary absolutely inspired. First, because you feel the states of presumed people parts of experiments. And this experiments are pure expression of craziness , as meeting of expectations for powerful emotions of public with a large freedom of research.

The finl result - a sort of fascination.