Hello ladies and gentlemen, Muldoon here with this week's solid selection of short films from around the globe. Hopefully you've had a pretty kickass week and are able to kick your feet up, relax a bit, and just enjoy some fun films. This week is more of a dip into genre territory, so not much drama going on, unless you're slightly twisted and can overly relate to some rather bizarre people. While the films below are drastically different from one another, some featuring CGI creatures, some with psychopathic madmen with power tools, or a man having difficulty with writer's block - on thing's for sure - they've come out of the minds of some rather creative folks. They've been thrown into existence by passionate filmmakers, folks who love to watch movies like you and me. Hopefully you have the time to watch each film (full screen, full attention, and decent audio levels), and find them all as fun as I do. I just hope to show you something you might not have seen yet. I'd love to hear your thoughts on them in the Talkbacks below, love or hate (just no need to be a dick). You never know, a lot of the time the filmmakers are out there lurking in the shadows - so if you've got a question about a given film - pipe up! As always, if you've got a completed film that you think would fit here on SATURDAY SHORTS, send it my way! (mike@aintitcool.com) Enough talking, let's get this show on the road!
HEARTBURNS' A KILLER
TRT: 1:01
Our first short of the day is a super quick jumble of "80's Vibe" that will leave you with a chuckle. Director Fergal Costello, along with DBC created the stylized one punch joke of a short. I'm a sucker for amped up romanticized 80's action where it's not "straight out of the 80's" but something in the spirit, almost "more 80's than the 80's." "HEARTBURNS' A KILLER follows maverick cop McKnight as he tries to take down his nemesis in a furious gunfight. McKnight didn't bet on the heartburn ruining everything however, with lethal results." (Minor spoiler alert in the title of film) If you want to see more from Costello, think about clicking over to his site and poking around!
GAVISCON - Heartburn's a Killer. from Fergal Costello on Vimeo.
DRAFT EIGHT
TRT: 10:18
Director Chris Chalklen has our next film, a story that "centers on an elderly author's struggle to come to terms with his life's regrets, as he wrestles with a character from his latest novel." It's a rather interesting take - an author interacting with a figment of their imagination (LAST ACTION HERO-ish), great performances from its leads (Tony Parkin and Alex Corbet Burcher). Chalklen's built quite an impressive filmograpthy and has a website that you should put your eyes on if you enjoy this one!
DRAFT EIGHT Short Film from Chris Chalklen on Vimeo.
VERSUS
TRT: 1:24
Next up is a dip into the "slick visuals" territory with a rather icredible piece from ManvsMachine, created all inside Cinema 4D. Now this isn't your standard short, but has such inspired visuals I had to share. I'm very curious to hear what you folks think of this one.
VERSUS from ManvsMachine on Vimeo.
CHAINSAW
TRT: 8:29
Next up is a slasher of a film from Directors David Dinetz and Dylan Trussell. This film is like something you'd read about happening a few states away, something that seems like "it could happen." It's the "what if" of haunted house attractions - what if one of the cast of characters had ill intent? What if one of them really was a psychopath just looking for an excuse to unload their sick pleasures upon paying customers? If you are hooked with Dinetz and Trussell's twisted flavor of terror, check out their Cuplrit Creatives site.
INJUSTICE FOR ALL
TRT: 20:41
Let's close us out with a joke. Director Donavan Darius has our next film, an alternate origin story for DC's The Joker. It's dark, creepy, and feels fresh. Check out more from Darius on his White Hand Films website!
BAZAM! There we have it, ladies and gents - a fun lineup of incredible short films. I hope you had fun with this week's selection. I'll catch you all next week. In the mean time, feel free to check out past columns for more fun films!
SATURDAY SHORTS 2012
SATURDAY SHORTS 2013
SATURDAY SHORTS 2014
SATURDAY SHORTS 2015
Hank & Honey: A Holiday Horror; Black Christmas; Grammy; Pick Ups (1/2/16)
Lilitu; Auld Lang Syne; Chronoshred; Ash Vs. Lobo Vs. The DC Undead (1/9/16)
Believe; The Dragon's Blade; Native Immigration; The Problem With Friends (1/23/16)
Harbinger; Hyperthermia; The Chickening; Head (1/30/16)
Erebus; Boldly Gone; Cupcakes; City In Crisis; Vandalaze "Great Big Things" (2/6/16)
Blurry; American Virgin; Azarkant; The Homing Bird; Sex, Lies, And Terminators (2/13/16)
Connected; Terry And Brenda; Fuck Buddies; Audrey; BigHead Walking Dead Parody (2/20/16)
Absence; The Adept; MAT ZO - "Sinful;" Dreamco; Hoot (3/12/16)
Pop Music; Tumble Dry Low; Rooms; Promise; Darth Maul: Apprentice (3/19/16)
Status Update; Kafka's Little Fable; Ghoster; I Got Your Nose; Creature Feature (4/2/16)
Steve; The Good Survivor; Field of Screams; Mirrored; Jack Edwards - "Falling In Love" (4/16/16)
Rest Stop; The Technician; Romp; Who's There?; If Joke & Harley Quinn Were A Normal Couple (4/23/16)
Trial; Star Struck; Color TV, No Vacancy; Notifications On; One Sunny Day (5/14/16)
You Are Not Alone; Giraffe Soup; Brother; Bury Tomorrow - "Last Light"; Rain (5/21/16)
The Group; The Trap; The Echo of Small Things; Alison Blaire - "The Sight of Sound"; James (5/28/16)
Blinking Lights; Dédalo; Invisible; Identity Crisis (6/25/16)
Schackled; Miss Nobody; I Hate Mondays; Jefferson; Mary's Passion (7/2/16)
Swap; Ghostbusters: All Manned Up Edition; The Invisible Man; Sleep Tight; Defining Fay (7/10/16)
Carl; Flat Tire; Loree's Crazy 'Bout Kittens; Chum Zone II: Shark Fin Soup; Archetype (7/16/16)
The Chaplain; Bump CLassique; The Listener; Timelike; Fantasy Hospital Episode 4 (7/23/16)
Trial Run; Thick Air; First Date From Hell; Rise; God, Me And The Salty Peanuts; Graves (7/30/16)
Deathly; The Hope You Promised Love; Surrender; Crumb; Deep 6 (8/6/16)
Broadhurst "Take Me Down;" Prungen; The Paris Syndrome; Foxed!; Ecstacy Boulevard (8/14/16)
If you have a short and think it belongs here or are on the fence about whether to send it in, please do send it in - I'd love to see what you've put together. I've already seen hundreds of fresh new filmmakers' shorts and like any good addict, I need more!
Shoot me an email at "Mike@aintitcool.com"
In the subject line include:
“SHORTS” + “Your film’s name” + “The film’s genre”
Then, in the body of the email, please include a synopsis of the film and any contact information you might think I need or would want published. The more info you send my way, the more info there is to put with your short.
Please don’t feel the need to submit multiple times.
Remember, the filmmakers might still be in the audience, so feel free to share your thoughts in Talkbacks below. (JUST DON'T BE AN ASSHOLE). I picked them, so you know I think highly of all of these, but how about you fine folks? How'd you like 'em?
BY THE WAY: If you've had a short featured here, that means that I personally am a fan of your work, so feel free to shoot me any kind of news on new projects/films/whatever. I can't say I'll be able to help or in what capacity, but I'm interested in your work and am always down to see more! (Keep making cool stuff, everyone!)
- Mike McCutchen
"Muldoon"
Mike@aintitcool.com
