I have a lot of time for those working on short films - some people are brilliant, some are not, but their effort and passion is what impresses me and puts me in awe. Corrie Chen is one of the names I know because of this feeling, and I have enjoyed many of her films. Reg Makes Contact is a change in style for her; no connection to her Chinese heritage at all but rather a sci-fi inspired tale of aliens, where the main story is really about a man with dementia.
At its core I liked the idea; the feeling of the main character hunting for something in the stars (which corresponds to him not being able to fully grasp memories) was an interesting correlation in the concept. The delivery also captures the sci-fi feeling well, with nods to Close Encounters as well as others. As a piece it was professionally done, with good shots and framing (the figures through the frosted glass is nice for instance), however the film lacked heart when it mattered. I was surprised by how detached from it I was; I wanted it to engage me more in the plot, but at the same time move me as I got closer to Reg. Neither of these things really happened.
The film remained one I respected and found well put together, but not one that I really loved. Chen's career continues to do well thanks to her talent and the support from Screen Australia, but Reg Makes Contact feels like it was more of an experience to conceive and make, than it was to watch.
