ONLY THE BEST SHORT FILMS
Film Of The Week: The Bloody Olive
The Bloody Olive by Vincent Bal (1996) (Belgium) (10m)
The Bloody Olive is a slick, funny spoof from Belgium, where the comedy deepens as things go from crazy to crazier and then up a notch. Don't try to follow the details of the ever-changing plot too closely - just sit back and enjoy one stupid twist after another! Bal went on to make the succesful TV animated series, Kirka & Bob, while the ending of Community episode Conspiracy Theories and Interior Design closely resembles this film.
Knick-Knack by John Lasseter (1989) (USA) (3m) *
I always see Knick-Knack as a Christmas short film. Six years before he changed cinema with the release of his animated feature Toy Story, John Lasseter made Knick-Knack, which is not explicitly a Christmas short film, but feels like one because it centres on a snowman stuck in a snow globe. Desparate to join the other toys on the fun end of the shelf, our hero employs all manner of tactics to escape his glass surroundings but to little avail. Can he escape his prison?
Not Real by Michael Nicholls (2016) (Australia) (6m)
Not Real is a comedy about the disabusement of a child regarding Santa Claus, and his subsequent disallusionment with his parents and the world in general. Having been told that Father Christmas may not have been solely responsible for delivering his presents on Christmas Eve by his well-meaning but rather blunt father, the young boy feels compelled to reveal the heartbreaking truth to his younger sister.
Knight Of Fortune by L Lyskjær Noer (2022) (Denmark) (26m)
Knight of Fortune (Ridder Lykke) was nominated for an Oscar in 2024. It is very Scandinavian in its themes and tone, bringing to mind previous Oscar films like Helium and The New Tenants (by another Danish filmmaker). Knight of Fortune finds a man, Karl, come to see his wife in the morgue and looking to distract himself from his grief. He meets Torben, who is there for the same reason and does not want to have to face his grief alone. Things then get a little a strange
A Bear In The Woods by Andrew Laurich (2023) (USA) (11m)
When a bear interrupts a couple's lovemaking in a tent in secluded woods, they are forced to question whether their relationship is worth endangering their lives. It is a simple story nicely made and beautifully acted, with some top notch VFX to finish it off. Laurich also made the successful dark comedy A Reasonable Request back in 2015.
The Facts In The Case Of Mister Hollow by Gudiño & Marcone (08) (Canada) (6m)
This brilliant horror animation was co-directed by Canadian filmmakers Rodrigo Gudiño and Vincent Marcone with the writing credit attached to Gudino. I was reminded of it by the music, which is by Canadian band Johnny Hollow, and perhaps the best short soundtrack ever. It is apparently based upon a real-life photograph from the 1930s, while its title references The Facts In The Case of M. Valdemar, a short story by Egdar Allen Poe.
Sing by Kristof Deak (2016) (Hungary) (25m)
Sing won the Academy Award for Best Short Film in 2017; reaffirming the Academy's commitment to honouring films which centre around a child. Inspired by a true story, Sing (Mindenki) tells the story of Zsófi, who joins a new school with a famous, festival-winning choir. Although Zsófi is allowed to join the choir, she is soon asked by the manipulative singing teacher to mime instead of vocalise the lyrics. But is she the only one whose singing is not up to scratch or is the whole choir a sham?
A Lien by Sam & David Cutler-Kruetz (2023) (USA) (15m)
A Lien is a stressful and brilliantly made film. Knowing nothing about it, I thought perhaps the "alien" was going to be literal but maybe I'm just an idiot and the word is used more in the States. It follows an immigrant going for his right-to-remain interview with his American wife and daughter. For some reason, they are running late for the most important interview of their lives, and the stress only increases from there.
The Spider by Andy Chen (2024) (USA) (9m)
The Spider re-imagines Spiderman in the vain of the classic 1958 horror The Fly (remade by Cronenburg in the 1980s). Simple idea, very nicely done. The story is perhaps a little linear but the filmmaking makes this horror short a cut above the average fan film (which are usually below average).Of course, a fan film is technically illegal but this is closer to The Fly than Spiderman in terms of story anyway.
An Ostrich... by Lachlan Pendragon (2022) (Australia) (11m)
Nominated for the Best Short Animation Oscar in 2023. This animation not so much breaks the fourth wall as frames the whole film within it in a mind-bending Kaufmanesque melange of metaness (it strangely reminds me of Synecdoche, New York). We are told we are watching a fake world from the beginning, but that does not stop us wanting an animated character to break free from his imprisonment.
