Short Films

Synopsis: While retching uncontrollably in the bathroom of a dive bar, the unnamed main character makes a deal with Danny Pickler. Pickler, a childhood acquaintance has been dead since the age of nine and says he is a dealer of death for God, offers him a deal.

In exchange for killing Pickler’s entire family and a few childhood friends, he’ll forget to carry him to the afterlife where it’s pretty certain he’ll go to hell. Told in flashback over drinks to another friend, his plan runs smoothly until he cannot kill Pickler’s childhood crush, Cassie Parades.

Leslie’s Review: This short is a bit of a fresh take on an old idea. The trick with these types of things is to find a good hook, and I think filmmaker Alex Grybauskas did well. He presents us with an idea with which we are already familiar (making a deal with the devil), and then throws in a couple of twists. One somewhat expected, the other not so much. Instead of Satan, we are presented with  Danny Pickler who says he’s from Heaven yet demands a horrific penance in exchange for the main character’s life.

At eighteen minutes, it is quite a ride. For a somewhat longer short, the fast pace is reflected in many short, choppy cuts of footage as well as in all the ground the main character has to cover from when we find him on the bathroom floor to the end drinks with his buddy. There are several parts of this short that left a positive impression, but only one doesn’t involve spoilers.

Before Pickler offers the deal, our main character acts out the seven stages of grief in a somewhat over the top manner, but those moments struck me as interesting both in writing and execution. Not limited to the stages of grief, the acting is a bit much at moments, but it’s not so much as to distract too much from the storyline. I appreciate its clever nature and recommend giving a watch when you’ve got a few minutes to spare.

You can find it streaming here: http://vimeo.com/81393176

 

This post was originally written by Leslie Shaip. You can follow her rants and movie reviews on her blog: Gallimaufry

Synopsis: A man and his 92 year old grandmother kidnap, torture and kill women.

Quick Review: It’s not everyday that you stumble upon a short movie that leaves you with a sour taste in your mouth. If you thought Torture porn was so 2005, director Joey Medina is trying to prove you wrong with his short, Missing.

Not everything is perfect in Joey Medina first horror short (mostly due to budget restriction), but thanks to a creepy score and uncompromising visuals, Missing delivers a vile, sickening experience that is truly hard to sit through.

Gorehounds should be pleased with that one!

 

 

I say right this second, but what I really mean is after you finish this article. I have to admit, whenever someone brings up Guillermo del Toro in conversation (it happens more than you might think), I fangirl out a little.

Ever since I saw Pan’s Labyrinth in 2006, I have been a huge fan of his work. I wrote a paper on Cronos for a film class once, and when I got his book, Cabinet of Curiosities, for Christmas, it was hands down, my favorite present.

Earlier this week, a friend and I were talking horror, and del Toro’s name came up. He asked if I had heard of an early short film he’d done, Geometria (1987). Epic fan fail, I hadn’t. So he sent me to YouTube, and I have to share my thoughts on it. Now, don’t expect The Devil’s Backbone quality, but here are five reasons you should definitely check out this tragic comedy of horror.

1. It’s short. There’s very little time investment on something that’s an early experiment. Seriously, it’s less than nine minutes out of your day.

2. The props and the creatures. In the very first shot, a doll lamp sits on a side table and the main character slings around an noisy bat on a wire. Del Toro is known for his love of “things in jars” and his fantastic creature creations. With a production budget of only $1,000 he couldn’t do much with this early film, but the idea behind it is still there, and the makeup and prosthetics of the couple of monsters we do get to see aren’t bad for such a small budget.

3. It’s clever. Despite the 80s cheese factor, del Toro plays with words, background shots, and folklore to set up the ending to his story. In such a short film, there is no room for fluff, and even seemingly insignificant details work to set up the ultimate joke.

4. Music. Speaking of which, if you like the 80s, you’ll appreciate the soundtrack. The music sounds like a creepy, hellish carnival establishes the tone nicely.

5. Lighting. The harsh color filters set the tone and provide the hint of the film’s deeper meaning. The symbolic, red light is ever-present but strategically placed among the dominant blues and greens.

6. The twist. This tale gives off the vibe of an Twilight Zone reboot episode, and like every Twilight Zone episode, there’s a funny, little twist. It won’t blow your mind, but it might make you cock your head to the side and think, “I see what you did there, Guillermo.” You can almost see a 23-year-old del Toro just off-camera, winking at you.

(warning: this is quite bad vhs quality)

This post was originally written by Leslie Shaip. You can follow her rants and movie reviews on her blog: Gallimaufry

I had been eagerly waiting for a new episode of the fan made krueger short movies (showing us glimpses of Freddy Krueger before he was killed by the parents of Springwood) and I’am pleased to say that the last one did not disappoint:

“In Springwood, long before he became a demon of dreams, Freddy Krueger stalked the streets under another name – The Springwood Slasher. Our third story centers on the inner working’s of Freddy’s mind. What makes him tick and how does he view the world? Edited to reflect his fragmented way of thinking, we follow Freddy on a walk through Elm Street as he interacts with a soon to be mother, outside of a very familiar house”

If you haven’t, you can go watch the first 2 episodes here