A Few Short Films

Here are a few reviews from short films that I have seen recently. There will be links at the bottom of every article if anyone would like to check out the films. I'd like to thank http://www.entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/ and http://www.pbs.org/ for providing all of the films! Enjoy!

Spin- (UK, 2007)

Spin is an interesting little film clocking in at nine minutes. It shows a group of teenagers at a party, smoking and drinking and having fun. The film takes a surprising twist, however, when a teen that no one at the party knows is invited to play a game of spin the bottle. He spins and it happens to land on another young man. The two must go into the bathroom together where some true feelings are exposed. The film isn't explicit with its ideas but it's obvious that it wants to make a message about sexuality. I believe the film is trying to explain how confused many teenagers are about their sexuality and if they are bisexual or homosexual how hard it is to expose that and be who they truly are. Here's a link to that film if anyone would like to check it out:http://shootingpeople.org/watch/film.php?film_id=618

Pin Point- (James Kin)
Pin Point is a disturbing animated short that clocks in at four minutes. Probably the most disturbing animated film I've ever seen, Pin Point begins in a graveyard at the grave of a small child. After the funeral, a little girl and an older woman go back to the orphanage where the young girl lives. It is here we're we learn the older woman runs the orphanage. She is shown cooking food for the children and the putting poison into the stew. The little girl discovers this and decides to save all the children by killing the old lady. The story, however, isn't the only thing that makes the film creepy. The animation is very unique and interesting. It has a very child-like style that is extremely disturbing when paired with a story about the poisoning of children and voodoo. Here's the link if anyone would like to check the movie out: http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/insideindies/shortsfest/player.html?chosen=pinpoint

The Furniture- (Tyler Measom, 2004)

The Furniture is a darkly comedic short film clocking in at two and a half minutes. It begins with a man on the phone with his psychiatrist, telling him that he is very scared. The psychiatrist talks to have for a few seconds and then the young man begins repeating "The furniture does not want to kill me." At the beginning the film I believed the movie was trying to explore the depths of mental illness, however by the end I'm pretty sure that wasn't the idea the film maker was going for. With an ironic and clever ending, The Furniture is a hilarious short film with a very smart plot that just wants to make people laugh. Here's the link if you'd like to check it out: http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/insideindies/shortsfest/furniture.html

That's all the short films for today! I hope you enjoy these films and please keep reading the blog for more reviews of independent shorts like these.

-H