Boyhood is a labyrinth of self-doubt, the pursuit of imagined confidence, young romances, and the many complex struggles of everything all of this entails. Our two characters, Edwin and Steven, navigate it with an endearing charm, and in the process, without trying or consciously intending, simplify a complex experience, condensing it into something entertaining, amusing, and heartfelt. 
The two may have no idea of how the world functions, but they are full of how it functions in their own individual realms, and there is no stopping them from using that as a manual for the situations life presents. While one of them struggles to ask out a girl, the other is trying to write and act, to overcome personal inhibitions. Essentially, both boys hope to move towards finding a way to express themselves before a world that seems alien and distanced, be it a crush or a theatre audience. 
The film does a wonderfully effortless job of tying the two together. Additionally, the boys’ attempts to find a physical space to hang out with each other is an echo of the emotional space too that they seek, one where all of these uncertainties have been resolved. In the portrayal of all of this and some more, the film efficiently utilizes the chemistry of the two actors and presents a screenplay, as well as a final result, that is wholesome and balanced in a complete manner.

Practice Space  | Short Film of the Month

The scene is set for a porn film to be shot. The actors, the seasoned Luna and the rookie Benjamin, are all ready too. With the frame fixed and the camera in place, only one thing stands in the way of the work from going ahead - the director of this already-doomed-work project. He is abusive, harasses the young Benjamin till no end, and ensures, despite everyone's best efforts, and gradually increasing impatience, the shoot halts more than it progresses. 

A single exchange that encapsulates the narrative most wonderfully is one that unfolds between Benjamin and Luna, as the two get candid over some junk food soon after. 
The film not only employs a fixed space with efficiency and care, alongside notable performances and chemistry but also offers a story that is heartfelt and sincere in its simplicity and vulnerability. It captures one encounter and portrays it with authenticity, taking a chewable bite and, in the process, doing full justice to the end result.

Benny Boy | Spotlight

A man stands by the curb, waiting to be picked up by someone. The mood is melancholy, marked by dolefulness of color and mannerisms. However, the tension is soon undercut by what follows next. Two people, accompanied by a dog, stop by, and ensure that the protagonist finds himself sandwiched in a very uncomfortable situation. 

The narrative subverts any and all expectations the film’s title may have established so far. Instead of beverages and snacks by the roadside, we are instead met with a very different ‘curb service’. After lightheartedness and teasing, now emotions of loss, grief and death enter the plot, but without making it overbearing. 

The film offers a union of the two moods, and it is indeed in this that its most notable characteristic lies. It is also a welcome prospect to see further exploration of the premise, and overlap of mood and tones in future storytelling endeavors.

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