Civilization has fallen after a prolonged pandemic. Two brothers wander through a post-pandemic world, trying to survive as they travel across the US countryside. They journey toward 75° West, surviving as best they can on what they can find as they try to avoid human dangers along the way.

Juror comments: 75 Degrees West is a really good adventure movie. It’s incredible that it was made by an 11th grade student, Thomas Parrish V. The camera work is really good. The sets are pertinent to the idea of this story - survival. Lastly, I like that the supporting characters play roles that make it more real. An example is when the boys' bags are stolen by a lone traveler as he was really hungry, which makes sense from a survival point of view.

Civilization has fallen after a prolonged pandemic and two boys, Zach and Jack embark on a dangerous adventure after their parents have passed away, hoping to get help. Along the way, they see many dangers and have to put their bond and survival skills on the line.

I like that the film tries to show this is not a fake thing with the news reports going off from a multitude of countries. It stays true to the idea of survival as the actors grab only minimal resources that they need to survive, which also make it feel real. Lastly, the scenes of looting and car theft when the boys steal a pickup after a man hunts them down, also support the idea of survival, showing that everyone is on their own.

I like the close-up shots throughout this film; they are really on point in conveying the emotions of the characters. When Tom, Zach's brother, knows that he is not going to make it, we see his tears streaming down his face. In another scene which is a flashback, the camera captures their house, showing where they came from before they go out on their own. The location in a forest depicts an abandoned civilization, which is makes the aftermath of the pandemic look real as we see abandoned places and rusted out equipment. There is a lot of walking in the forest, which shows the boys trying to survive and trying to stay low profile. The background music is well chosen to support the various scenes, particularly the song playing during the ending credits which makes direct reference to the boys' experience. The song is sung in a heavy hearted voice, which supports their difficult journey that killed one of the boys. The lyrics, "It gets harder to carry the weight of what I've done, I am speaking from experience," relate to Zach having to deal with the aftermath of his brother, Tom getting shot when he made a clumsy mistake and alerted the shooter to their presence. The actors give admirable performances. My favorite part is when the shooter's gun jams as he is trying to reload and the boys' steal the guy's truck. He gets what he deserves for trying to shoot the boys.

The message of this film is: Do not give up; even though it may take time and effort, you will make it. You should be aware that it contains bloody, gory acts of violence, shooting and the guns.

I give 75 Degrees West 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 16 to 18, plus adults. By Tom W., KIDS FIRST!