After having reviewed Taryn Hough's last film, Unit 30, I was pleased when Ms. Hough dropped me an e-mail offering me a chance to be one of the first to check out her latest short film, the far more experimental and innovative Electro-Cute.

In Electro-Cute, Pandora (Hough) receives an unusual device, the Electro-Cute, from her mother. The device promises to "attract others towards you," but not everything goes quite as planned when Pandora doesn't bother to read the warning label and begins attracting far more attention than she ever thought possible.

The film weaves together live action, animation, comedy and just a hint of sci-fi into an 11-minute short film that commands your attention and that you're constantly paying attention or you're really going to miss something. Electro-Cute benefits greatly from the presence of Hough in the lead role, whose normalcy and befuddlement are a delight to watch unfold as the world around her becomes increasingly chaotic and weird. Hough projects a sort of "girl next door" screen presence, no small task when the attention she starts getting becomes increasingly strange.

The original music by Phillip McCollum is spirited in an almost vaudevillian kind of way, while D.P. Cherrie Hamilton's camera work is energetic and inspired. Those expecting pristine animation will be disappointed, as Hough's animation is more of a rudimentary nature that works well within the framework of the film.

For more information on Electro-Cute, visit the film's website listed in the credits.

© Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic