Next Caller

Next Caller (2008)

This is another short film from the prolific Patrick Rea. This time out we are introduced to an obnoxious radio DJ that is doing an afternoon show about ghosts. He has a psychic in studio as a guest and treats her a bit rough, claiming that they are both in show business and that there are no such things as ghosts. But before you know it he is having a conversation with not only he dead mother and brother, but god and the devil too! That isn’t enough for him; because he won’t believe in anything he can’t see. Her response, “Be careful what you ask for.”

In spite of having a predictable twist ending this might actually be one of my favorite shorts from Patrick Rea. With the exception of maybe Prisoner Exchange at Bannon’s Lookout this has the best atmosphere. From the start you know something bad is going to happen, and sure enough does. I loved the characters of the radio DJ and the Psychic, both of whom are portrayed excellently by the cast. I also thought that there was something especially creepy about the disembodied voices coming over the phone. And even though I had figured out the twist, the big reveal at the end was very creepy.

This is another winner from the best independent filmmaker that I’ve seen. Really this is the sort of filmmaker that our community needs to support. There is a selection of his movies available from the SenoReality website at http://www.senoreality.com/

4 out of 4

reviewed by John Shatzer