On this week’s edition of Short Films For You! a fun bunch of favorites! Today’s bundle of shorts were originally reviewed as part of Horrible Imaginings Film Festival over the years.
Nepenthes (Canada) (2018)
This short film by Ariel Hansen is the second appearance from Tristan Risk in these shorts and once again she fascinates and entrances. Here she is the lady who attracts a stranger through an app to come meet her in a house where things are very odd. While this stranger is attracted to her and to seeing her, warning signs are everywhere that she should back away and go home. This short film is all about the atmosphere and attraction, what makes people keep going when everything in them and near them is telling them to back out and go away. The film explores this with themes of attraction, wanting to fill the loneliness of the digital world with real world connections, and more. It’s one of those short films that is beautifully shot while being dark and enigmatic with cinematography by Jordan Barnes-Crouse which highlights the right moments and items while keeping other things in the dark until they need to be revealed. The film is one of those that works as a short as it has just the right amount of time to build up and reveal itself without giving away too much.
Watch Nepenthes here!
We Summoned a Demon (USA) (2017)
Two dorkly friends try to summon a demon in a warehouse to become the coolest dudes in town. Instead, their demon decides to play with them. Writer/director Chris McInroy comes back with another fun, gory, funny, at times ridiculous in the best of ways, short film following his festival hit Death Metal which was a part of the Emilie Black’s Top 10 Favorite Short Films of 2016. His short films are always a riot and this one is no different. The cast composed of Kick C. Johnson, Carlos Larotta, and John Orr as the Demon himself is effective and fun to watch as they go for broke with their parts and manage to make them relatable while still being a bit off. The film achieves a good balance of humor and blood, giving the viewer and fans of McInroy exactly what they came to this short wanting.
Watch We Summoned a Demon here!
TiCK (Canada) (2018)
Ashlea Wessel once again delivers a strong short film with important ideas brought to the screen in a manner that lets the viewer watch along and make up their own minds. Following her 2016 short Ink, she is a strong candidate for best new voice in horror with these two shorts and one more coming soon. TiCK takes a vampire pandemic and uses it to show engrained racism and xenophobia that come part of colonialism, something that will resonate with many. Her take on this hits hard and makes a point of not taking the easy road. The cast composed of Alison Brooks, Ava Close, Alexander De Jordy, Brooke Debassige, and Tal Zimerman all do great work with their parts, imbuing them with a natural ability to transfer emotions and show the story in ways that connect with the audience in a very strong manner. Wessel’s duties here are not only as a writer and director but also as cinematographer and her way to present her vision is clear with a style that fits the story like a glove. The visuals here let the story talk and the human side of everything, the emotions, comes through beautifully.
Watch Tick here!
The Call of Charlie (2016)
Charlie is a friend, so Mark and his wife help him out by setting him up with Maureen. As the evening goes along, with uninvited guests Virginia and Jay joining the 4 of them, things take an odd turn. The Call of Charlie is a short film that looks great, has a talented ensemble cast, fantastic effects, and a funny story that works with the characters, the horror elements, the comedic timing. This short is hilarious in the best of way and one that should be sought out.
Watch The Call of Charlie here!
Creatures of Whitechapel (2016)
Creatures of Whitechapel is an absolutely fantastic short that could easily be turned into a feature, but works perfectly as is. The short film format gives it just the right amount of time to develop its story while keeping some mystery. The acting is powerful and talented while the whole production is clearly carefully planned and executed. The whole short shows tons of talent from everyone involved and a knack to create something visually stunning and filled with emotional connections. It’s one of those shorts that makes horror fans wish shorts were more easily accessible. It’s one of those shorts that needs to be seen on the big screen to get its full scope and impact.