Review for ‘‘Simulacrum’’ by Taylor Martin

We never cease to be pleasantly surprised by well-made, passionately crafted, deep-cutting sci-fi projects, especially when they make the most of a tight budget and shine through the dedication of everyone involved. No better example of this than Taylor Martin's third film for the year 2022, Simulacrum.

Though short on runtime, Simulacrum manages to navigate the emotional story of a mother and two siblings reuniting to communicate with their deceased father through Martin's cyberpunk version of a seance. A fast-paced, ethereal trip through the protagonists' memories and each character's perception of the father/husband paints a conflicting, relatable and bittersweet image of many-a-familial-relationship nowadays, with all the shortcomings, emotional baggage, moments of pure love and chaos and loss inherent in the tumultuous life of a family.

Esthetically, total immersion into the characters' distinct feelings and experiences is achieved through a mix of carefully-color-coded lighting, great cinematography, kinetic editing and profoundly personal performances. Despite its limited budget, Simulacrum boasts not only great art design but also beautiful and convincing CGI that deftly transports the viewer into Martin's handcrafted universe. Though the soundtrack is unremarkable, the short's visual excellence makes up for it.

In summary, Simulacrum exemplifies what sci-fi shorts are supposed to be, interrogations of our society and vessels for amplification of personal human stories. Expert writing paired with a keen eye for visual harmony and metaphor position Martin's project high above the baseline, and leave us longing for a longer project where she can spread her creative wings even further.