Chris R. Notarile's Stand Off and Four Femme Fatales: A Movie Review

*an online screener of this film was provided by Chris R. Notarile.

Director/writer: Chris R. Notarile.

Cast: Mandy Evans, Kim Santiago, Ella Jane New and Kerri Miller.

Almost every great director had a low budget start. When comparing Quentin Tarantino’s first feature film, Reservoir Dogs to Chris Notarile’s second major project, Stand Off, there is no denying a few similarities—and Notarile shows plenty of potential as an indie producer/director. He has had plenty of practice with his short genre films on his website, Blinky Productions, and in his foray into feature length movies, he is keeping the movies he likes to make simple.

With Stand Off, there’s a deeper meaning that can be found, or it can simply be enjoyed at face value. And just like this director’s other short film projects, Notarile has no problems in borrowing from other works. He releases these movies under the Creative Commons license, and that gives him the opportunity to experiment with recognized names from many lexicons—comics and drama for example—and build himself a following. From the horror films of the 80’s, Notarile’s short, “Krueger, a Tale from Elm Street,” demonstrates his panache as cinematographer, director and video editor, but just when will he reach mainstream?

With Stand Off, he is well on his way to being recognized. Notarile adapts the heist-gone-wrong scenario, and his version is all gams. A gang of thieves known as the Executives—comprised of Tess (Kerri Miller), Sims (Ella Jane New), Fox (Mandy Evens) and Youngblood (Kim Santiago) have to figure out what to do with the dough they stole.

Greed overcomes their reasoning and that’s starting to affect their relationship with each other. When a cop, Cole (Roberto Lombardi), walks into the scene, the situation is only made worse. Tess and Fox believe a snitch is in their midst and the remainder of the film rests on the group trying to figure out who she is.

The leading ladies have the prowess to pull off a very commendable round of a whodunit thriller. Even without the God of War (in this film, Lombardi looks like Kevin Tod Smith from "Xena: Warrior Princess") interrupting the scene and providing a few rough and tumble moments, the Executives are not cozy with each other after all. Notarile provides for a very interesting script, and the exposition that develops may be an allegory for a greater truism about the depths of the human psyche when faced with making tough decisions.

The latter part of the film breaks down what the self must feel of looking in the mirror and asking the question of who friends are and what a close knit group means to each other. Who is the lion? Who is the mouse? What’s the difference between reason and entropy? And more importantly, just how will the girls break up the money they stole after someone in their number disappeared? Egos are not the only thing coming into question.

But unbeknownst to them, the authorities are trying to put a stop to the girls’ shenanigans. In this subplot, Notarile does a good job in building the suspense by providing a few clues in who may be the nark. The better job he's pulled off is in the editing of this short 60-minute film.

The balance between exposition and plot nicely moves this movie along, and each actress gets the screen time she deserves. Audiences are invited along to guess how this tale will resolve itself, but the twist that this film answers the greater question of how conflict should be resolved. Just how that will go down is the fun part of this movie. Some may be more interested in watching the four-way catfight, while others will analyze it for the answer it provides. Either way, this product is worth the hour to watch the human drama unfold, and perhaps also realize that watching movies is not the best way to learn how to pull off a perfect robbery—or anything else for that matter.

After all, movie entertainment is meant to be escapism, and not be a shootout at the OK Corral. No one can really escape fate, but just don't tell Wyatt Earp that.

Currently, this movie is looking for a distributor. To track when this film will be released, or to learn more about the performers, please visit Chris R. Notarile’s official website below.

Overall: 8 out of 10.

Chris R. Notarile's website:

Blinky Productions

The film's fan page is here:

Blinky Productions' Stand Off on Facebook

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Posted in: 2011,2011 release,chris r. notarile,crime thriller,gang,gangster,gangster film,movie poster,movie review