#12 - Horror Shorts!
So here's something a little different - I write this blog along with a group of people online who also watch a bunch of movies and write reviews. There are "challenges" involved, and one of those this year is to watch a bunch of short films with a total runtime of at least 60 minutes, and it will count as a single film. So here are the short films I watched for this, along with their runtime and where you can watch them (with links where possible!)
The Hug (2018) - 5 min
Hulu
A bratty kid has his birthday party at "Pandory's", a creepy Chuck E. Cheese knock-off. He demands to see Pandory even though the animatronic is on its "dinner break" - and of course that doesn't go well. This doesn't seem especially original in a world where "Five Nights at Freddy's" exists, but it's fine for what it is.
Haunting, Horrifying Sounds from Beyond the Grave (2018) - 6 min
Hulu
In an attempt to create a terrifying Halloween sound effects record, a musician decides to capture the sound of a real-life horror - his mother's dying breaths. I like the premise of this a lot, but it feels extremely rushed and probably would've worked better as a longer film.
Flagged (2019) - 7 min
Hulu
A young woman gets hired as a content moderator for a social media company, but soon finds that the videos she has to watch are worse than she could've imagined... Like the last short, this is a decent concept that is hampered by how short it is. Even expanding it to a ~15 minute film would help a lot I think. It's probably the best of the three Hulu shorts I watched, but still only ok.
Oscar’s Bell (2018) - 12 min
A man, his son, and his dog are on a camping trip, but there may be something sinister lurking in the nearby woods... This is definitely a step up from the last three shorts. The few extra minutes of runtime is key, allowing the film time to build up some real tension. The conclusion is pretty creepy too. I like it!
Judy (2014) - 16 min
Blu-ray (extra on Scream Factory's release of Sleepaway Camp)
This is a shot-on-video fan film starring Karen Fields, who is reprising her role as Judy from Sleepaway Camp. She apparently now spends her time finding and killing abusive parents? I don't really know why this exists, because the plot has nothing to do with that movie and at no point has anyone ever thought "gee, I wonder what this minor character will be up to in 30 years?". Even considering the microbudget and that Fields is the only actual actor, this is... still not good, but far from the worst short film like this I've seen. Not at all worth checking out though.
Geometria (1987) - 9 min
Blu-ray (extra on Criterion's release of Cronos)
This is an early short by Guillermo del Toro (Pan's Labyrinth, The Shape of Water) about a boy who summons a demon to help him pass his geometry test. It's stylish and funny and shows off how talented he was well before he made his first feature film. If you're a fan of del Toro's work, or just of horror/comedy in general, this is great and I recommend it.
Beau (2011) - 7 min
An early short film by Ari Aster (Hereditary, Midsommar). A man about to leave on a trip to visit his mother has his keys and suitcase stolen from just outside the door of his apartment. Afraid to leave without being able to lock up, he cancels the trip and becomes increasingly paranoid as strange and horrifying events start to happen. This was excellent, and shows that a talented director can tell an effective story in a very short amount of time.
Autumn Harvest (2014) - 17 min
A Norwegian film shot in black and white and with virtually no dialogue. A sailor about to commit suicide is instead enlisted to kill and feed some kind of Lovecraftian sea creature. This is a beautiful film, both visually and in its sound design. Quite creepy and effective, too - I highly recommend this one.
Eldritch Code (2017) - 10 min
An IT guy is alerted to a virus on his company's network, but when he investigates he finds horrifying cosmic forces are involved. This is decent. The idea is cute and there are some brief animated sequences that I enjoyed. It doesn't really have a whole lot of plot though and is mostly an homage to Lovecraft. At only 10 minutes it's worth the watch.
Special Day (2018) - 7 min
On her 18th birthday, Emily's family shares a special gift with her... I liked this a lot! It's a creepy idea that's executed really well, and it's short and to the point without sacrificing any tension. Definitely recommended!
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