A retro-styled fantasy/adventure inspired by such 80's classics as The Goonies and E.T. along with the similarly styled Stranger Things, The Grand Palaver is set to open the 2017 Sci-Fi Film Festival in Sydney on October 11th followed by what should be a popular, lengthy journey through the international film festival circuit. 

The Grand Palaver centers around three young adventurers trying to liven up their summer holiday who become increasingly captivated by their quirky, elderly neighbor. Over the course of the film's 16-minute running time, our adventurers learn the truth about their neighbor and snag the adventure of a lifetime. 

It would be difficult, and maybe impossible, to watch The Grand Palaver without thinking about Spielberg's early adventure-lite, family friendly efforts. From Dale Alexander Bremner's spirited lensing to Mia-Danica Jamora's spot-on production design, The Grand Palaver is an unabashedly sentimental and fun adventure with performances by Jacob Lentfer-Maguire, Jasper Lloyd, Zana Rockwell and Taryn Wallace that are earnestly compelling and devoid of over-intentional styling that could have turned this effort into a "nails on the chalkboard" effort but, instead, turns it into a low-key, sincere effort that should have no problem attracting fans as it heads toward the festival circuit. Filmed using the Arri Alexa, The Grand Palaver soars on the strength of its production quality with some closing magic, in particular, that transcends the special effects quality that one usually finds in a modestly budgeted indie short. 

Expertly directed by Australia-based filmmaker Michael Cristian Greene, The Grand Palaver is that rare indie short that practically demands to be seen on the big screen and it's definitely one to prioritize should you get the chance to do so. For more information on the film, visit its official Facebook page linked to in the credits. 

© Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic