A couple rest at a motel in unfamiliar territory. An unreliable memory puts into question the source of danger and the relevance of identity.

A 1984 Period Piece in Present Day will be playing at AFI Fest this week, head on over to this link here to check it out for yourself.

First, I would like to talk about Carlos Dengler and how he stole the show at the beginning of the short. He played this awkward yet creepy character that made you feel uncomfortable just watching him. Dengler also has a second scene in the short that he arrives at their hotel room door, and again, cringy and disturbing.

Next, the cinematography is gorgeous and gives you the old school vibe that Sean Glass was trying to present to us. James Siewert just did a beautiful job of replicating the 1980’s with these soft and warm colors.

In addition to that, Glass & Sandoval, who play our leads, have an enjoyable dynamic together that makes things click. They have this awkward chemistry that is equally as odd as the short is.

Finally, the short leaves you with questions you don’t get answers to, resulting from great filmmaking. A 1984 Period Piece in Present Day was a nibble of what I believe Glass can bring to the creative table, and I enjoyed every second of it.

The Verdict:

A 1984 Period Piece in Present Day is a beautiful piece of filmmaking.

Jacob is a film critic and co-founder of the Music City Drive-In. He is a member of the Music City Film Critics’ Association and specializes in the awards season. You can find him on Twitter @Tberry57.