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The Independent Critic

Writer/Director: Angel Connell
Starring: Christy Scott-Cashman, Eric Scheiner
Running Time: 7:30
 "Stocking Stuffers" Review 
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No, I'm not jumping the gun. "Stocking Stuffers" is not a holiday short film being reviewed in July. Rather, "Stocking Stuffers" is a two-chapter short film examining how an object of desire in ways that both enhance and subvert human values. In the case of "Stocking Stuffers," the object in question is a rather sexy leg of a rather sexy young woman draped in, you guessed it, hosiery.

Starring Eric Scheiner and Christy Scott-Cashman in both parts, "Stocking Stuffers" is the kind of film that you initially watch and go "Oh, hey. That was cute." Then, slowly, you begin to realize that writer/director Angel Connell has a lot more going on in "Stocking Stuffers" than one might believe.

In chapter one, titled "Consuming the Commodities of the Heart," Scheiner and Scott-Cashman appear as a young couple having obviously just finished a night on the town. Not surprisingly, the man in this scenario would like the evening to progress even further. While the female companion in this scenario isn't necessarily opposed, she'd like for him to make a bit of an effort to woo her.

Of course, she's wearing stockings and, yes, they are quite the turn on.

In the second chapter, the title's variation is "The Heartfelt Commodification of Consumption."

Same basic concept...or not.

This second chapter includes three short advertisements for a product called Sheek Stockings. The first two advertisements are, essentially, set-up for the closing advertisement's not so subtle closing.

Very few directors, especially in short films, can adequately construct an intelligent, well spoken and entertaining film successfully. While I'd argue that "Stocking Stuffers" feels a touch too short and could use some fleshing out, Connell has written and directed a short film of great clarity, intelligence and wit in which the film's underlying messages stay with you long after its closing credits have rolled.

Scheiner and Scott-Cashman both obviously connect with Connell's point, and their body language, vocal inflections and natural chemistry are employed nicely throughout the film's 7:30 run time.

Tech credits are solid across the board, notably Matthew Wagenknecht's nicely complementary camera work and the art and production design of Scott Kehs along with Perry Iannone's original score.