Cashback
I loved this short. I thought it was going to be really monotonous and boring from the get-go, because the opening shot was of a ceiling with the sounds of people being checked out in a grocery store. But I guess that was the point - mirroring the monotony that these people felt during the 8 hour night shift.
From the beginning I learned two very crucial things about the boy: 1) He really likes women. He stared at a girl walking by while he mopped, and he does this to other women until he finally explains his fascination. 2) He goes to art school and has bee studying the “fundamentals of still life.” This we can clearly see when he just stares at a spilled bag of peas and then again later when he stops time and studies the women. He also talks about the “art” of making time go by fast, and how everyone has a different style.
There were a few kind of random things that I noticed while watching. First, the second time they show the pictures of the employees, the manager’s picture has been defiled. Secondly, all of the women that he saw naked were of similar body structure. Does he only find beauty in thin women?
I can’t decide if Ben is objectifying women or not. He does seem to stand up for his co-worker by “moving” the pervert boss in the way of the thrown milk jug. And he does talk about the beauty of women’s bodies. But at the same time, these women only exist for him in the still life. Objects to be explored and drawn. A way to understand beauty. And then there’s the bit about women wanting to have affairs with artist because only an artist will fully appreciate every aspect of their body and therefore their beauty. Seems very romantic but almost a bit shallow in a way. I’m not totally sure. But overall, I really liked the film.
