At three minutes in length there isn’t a ton of set up to “ATM” but it does have the particular feeling of a creepy past or SCP. The idea of a sentient ATM feels like something out of a dream but becomes a nightmare for a poor man one day. Director Ooullo’s experimental animated film is a mix of stop motion, absurdist humor and live action to form a tale about experiencing our wildest dreams and the whole idea of the sword of Damocles.
Tag Archives: Short Film
El Halcón (2023) [Cinequest 2024]
I appreciate what director Arlene Torres was going for with “El Halcón,” but her short drama is something I just couldn’t click in to. While there’s a lot of interesting potential in stories revolving around Latinos in lower class Los Angeles, “El Halcón” is tough to watch mainly because it’s so centered on trite story beats and over schmaltzy melodrama. I could never really empathize with or connect with any of the characters, as everything in “El Halcón” felt so disingenuous and forced. Everyone feels over rehearsed or struggling to build this friction that could enhance the narrative’s whole sense of tragedy.
Bunny to the Moon (2023) [Cinequest 2024]
The team of Akira Maynard, Sammy Liu, and Justine Fong really do create something so unbelievable and special with “Bunny to the Moon.” It’s a classic tale about friendship, companionship, and the idea of sacrifice and learning to care for oneself before caring for others. Although the “Bunny to the Moon” does suffer from a run time that could have used at least ten more minutes, the short is beautifully animated and feels so much like a callback to films like “E.T.” or “My Neighbor Totoro.”
Knight of Fortune (2023)
Lasse Lyskjær Noer’s directing and writing debut is also a masterpiece drama comedy about the concept of death and grief. The now Oscar Nominated short is a wonderful meditation on processing the death of a loved one as Lyskjær Noer observes how we all go through different rituals in order to process death and protect ourselves from pain. “Sometimes people cry, sometimes people even laugh,” a mortician explains as he’s escorting Karl to see his wife Karen in her final resting place.
The Reclaimers (2023)
I don’t know if “The Reclaimers” is a proof of concept short film or not, but if director Jason Sheedy is planning a bigger feature, count me in. “The Reclaimers” is a stellar horror scifi hybrid that watches like a mix of “I Am Legend” and “Bird Box.” It’s an interesting concept in a well worn concept that works very well thanks to the single performance by star Erin Ownbey. After her grandparents are killed by invisible creatures, a determined young woman seeks to avenge them with the help of her canine companion – the only one who can see the mysterious invaders.
A Time Out of War (1954)
Academy Award trivia buffs will know the 1954 production “A Time Out of War” was the first student film to win the Oscar – in the Short Subject (Two-Reel) category, beating out competition from the Warner Bros., 20th Century Fox and Disney studios. And when you experience the film, you’ll understand how a small no-budget student project could one-up the major Hollywood players.
Continue reading
The Last Repair Shop (2023)
Now Officially Available to Stream on Youtube and Screening in Theaters.
Ben Proudfoot and Kris Bowers’ Oscar nominated documentary is a wonderful look at music and the human connection it can provide. In a world where less and less human contact is being explored, music is one of the last bastions we have where we’re capable of not only connecting with one another mentally, but emotionally, and sometimes physically. “The Last Repair Shop” is about the fragility and art of music and the instruments that make them.