This Oats Studios review you’re about to read is proof that talents can be found anywhere in the world. Sure, Hollywood has a lot of money and famous celebrities, but that doesn’t mean no one can compete with them. If you are not familiar with Oats Studios, it is an independent film studio founded by the person who created Elysium, District 9, and Chappe, Neill Blomkamp.

Oats Studios distributes many experimental short sci-fi films that can make your jaw drop. It is simply impressive what they could do with limited budgets for every film. Back in 2018, Oats Studios: Volume 1 was released on Amazon Prime. It is a science fiction anthology series that features various short films and vignettes, focusing on the darker, grimy side of the genre. Here is my review of this amazing studio.

Oats Studios Review: Volume 1

If you love science fiction and want to see what an independent film studio can do, you should check out Oats Studios: Volume 1. Many people have regarded it as a triumph of artistry, storytelling, and originality, the three main pillars of art.

Each short film is self-contained and has a unique story that is engaging and exciting. Even compared to any Hollywood blockbuster, the visual effects really stand out. Basically, what you will find from each short film is a story that looks at humans in the most desperate, despicable of situations. It is going to be tough to feel optimistic while you’re being immersed in the story.

Surprisingly, there are plenty of big names appearing in each film. Sigourney Weaver and Dakota Fanning are two famous stars that you will see in Oats Studios: Volume 1. Besides their fame, these two stars have superb acting skills that the Oats Studios is looking for.

For example, in “Rakka,” a story about a brutal alien invasion in Texas in the year 2020. Weaver, who plays Jasper in the film, is fighting the aliens alongside other freedom fighters. The aliens can use telepathy and advanced technology to torture, kill, and even mutilate their human victims. They can also alternate the Earth’s environment according to their will. The story itself is amazing, the visuals and poignant narration are on point, and the appearance of Sigourney Weaver really added a lot of points of awesomeness to it.

What I don’t like from Oats Studios: Volume 1

Obviously, Oats Studios: Volume 1 isn’t perfect. There are two things that I don’t like about it. First is that the short films don’t have conclusions, which is not something that I like. I know that it is intentional, as some of them may be made into feature lengths films in the future if the studio receives enough funding. However, I feel like I just witnessed the world’s worst cliffhanger.

It is simply frustrating to follow a story to have it end abruptly before the climax. I also want to tell you that short films don’t have a traditional story arc. So if you want to watch something different, then you will love them. Second, one of the vignettes just didn’t seem interesting at all. I am talking about the “Cooking with Bill” segments that are intended to be funny. Instead, I found them to be boring and unnecessary.

That said, other than the two complaints I have, I would give Oats Studios: Volume 1 a solid 9/10 rating. The short films were interesting, engaging, and unique and left me wanting more. A few great things that you should expect from your entertainment.

What happened to Oats Studios?

A few years after Oats Studios was established, it saw many successes. Including its short films being available on Netflix. People on Twitter were talking about them a lot. Unfortunately, Blomkamp stated on Twitter that the studio didn’t raise enough to do something truly awesome. So I think we can assume that the studio will no longer produce more short films in the future. For now, we can just hope that Blomkamp will keep creating awesome films soon.

Conclusion

I can confidently say that Oats Studios review of Volume 1 makes it clear that this is a must-watch. It’s for anyone who loves science fiction. You will see what I mean by how unique the short films are. The difference between these short films and Hollywood movies is like night and day.

Jane