Movie Review: 2019 Oscar-Nominated Documentary Short Films

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Movie: "The Oscar-Nominated Short Films 2019: Documentary"

Here are our reviews for the Oscar-nominated documentary shorts: "A Night at the Garden," "Black Sheep," "End Game," "Lifeboat," and "Period. End of Sentence."

Movie Review: 2019 Oscar-Nominated Live Action Short Films

Movie: "The Oscar-Nominated Short Films 2019: Live Action"

The Oscar-nominated short films always seem to be the most depressing movies nominated at the Academy Awards each year. This year is no different, and the theme of almost all of the shorts seems to be "how can we screw kids up irreparably?" Here's our review for each of the five nominees: "Detainment," "Fauve," "Madre," "Marguerite," and "Skin."

Movie Review: 2019 Oscar-Nominated Animated Short Films

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Each year, we seek out "the Oscar-Nominated Short Films," in particular the animated shorts, because we love watching what directors can do with such a small amount of time and a large amount of imagination. 2019 has several strong contenders, so without further ado, here are our reviews for the five Academy Award-nominated animated shorts!

Movie Review: Twisted Humor Short Films (San Diego International Film Festival 2018)

We had the chance to preview a collection of short films that will be playing Oct. 13th at 12:30pm and Oct. 14th, 2018 at 4:30pm at the San Diego International Film Festival at the Regal Cinemas Horton Plaza location. This set of shorts boasts dark and humorous tales that are slightly more askew than your average comedy, hence the category title "Twisted Humor."

Short Film Review: "Lost Face" (2017)

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Movie: "Lost Face"

Director: Sean Meehan
Year: 2017
Rating: ---
Running Time: 14 minutes

A French fur thief named Subienkow, who has been held captive by a native tribe, tries to come up with a plan to avoid being tortured.

"Lost Face" is a short film adaptation of a Jack London short story of the same name. A French fur thief tries to outwit tribe's chief, Makamuk, and thinks of a story that will save him from torture, though this story may embarrass Makamuk in the long run. This is an extremely gorgeous looking short film. The way it is shot is visually stunning and can be overwhelmingly gritty. In 14 short minutes, we also see a tremendous display of acting from everyone involved. Technically speaking, there is nothing wrong with this short. We cannot say the same for the narrative. We don't really feel the events leading up to its end justify the conclusion of the story. Sometimes things work better on paper than they do screen, and we have an inkling that may be the case with "Lost Face." We understand what director Sean Meehan is trying to do and say in this story in regards to power dynamics. We are clearly in the minority because all of the reviews we have read for this short are glowing. We remained quite engaged by it up until the end, but nonetheless, this is an incredible looking short with excellent and authentic production design, costuming, and acting.

My Rating: 6/10
BigJ's Rating: 4.5/10
IMDB's Rating: 8.0/10

To see the trailer for "Lost Face," click here.

Short Film Review: "One Halloween" (2017)

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Movie: "One Halloween"

Director: Rebecca Murga
Year: 2017
Rating: ---
Running Time: 15 minutes

A soldier who lost his leg while serving in the military teaches his daughter's bully a lesson.

Veterans in Film & Television have partnered with The National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP) to support writer/director Rebecca Murga and her short film "One Halloween," a touching tale of a former soldier and his child. Murga is an Army combat veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and wanted to make a short film starring actual disabled combat veterans. Here, we get an interesting and unique look at life after combat through the eyes of one father, played by Joey Banegas. This short touches on his post-traumatic stress disorder and how he must try to reconnect with his family, especially his 10-year-old daughter, post-war. It also details the stresses of coming home and attempting to reintegrate his life back into some sense of normalcy.

This is a short filled with both humor and heart, and it goes places we didn't expect. We really enjoyed watching it. We loved seeing a man who lost his leg in the war along with his fellow soldiers find a way to use their situation to teach some mouthy kids a lesson on Halloween. It's actually pretty perfect for this time of year, but more importantly, it shows how those impacted by combat must try to move forward from their experiences and learn to love themselves and others all over again. We commend director Rebecca Murga for her efforts. She has a tremendous flair for writing and working behind the camera!

My Rating: 8/10
BigJ's Rating: 7/10
IMDB's Rating: ---/10

To see the trailer for "One Halloween," click here.

Short Film Review: "4.1 Miles" (2016)

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Movie: "4.1 Miles"

Director: Daphne Matziaraki
Year: 2016
Rating: ---
Running Time: 26 minutes

On the Greek island of Lesbos, the coast guard must rescue thousands of refugees whose boats have started sinking.

"4.1 Miles" is a documentary short directed by Daphne Matziaraki. This is one of two Oscar nominated documentaries this year dealing with the crisis of refugees and immigrants fleeing their homes in order to find a safer place to exist. The other film that deals with this issue is the feature length documentary "Fire at Sea," which has garnered widespread critical praise, but is a documentary we found unfocused and boring. In 20 short minutes, "4.1 Miles" manages to paint a more comprehensive, superior picture than in the two hour run time of "Fire at Sea." This short truly displays the peril and tragedy refugees fleeing war-torn lands face in vast, depressing, harrowing detail. There is even a moment where we see a few Lesbos natives debating the strain on the infrastructure the influx of thousands of refugees may put on their small island in a country that has had severe economic problems in the last few years.

This is an emotional, sobering short showing the lengths many people go through to escape their horrendous situations, and that there are people out there willing to help above all else, even when it is often too painful to bear. The people helping and the refugees fleeing may be from different countries, but those willing to help understand we are all human beings, and that humans should do their best to aid each other regardless of race, creed, or government flag. A must see short film!!

My Rating: 8.5/10
BigJ's Rating: 8/10
IMDB's Rating: 7.9/10

Short Film Review: "Timecode" (2016)

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Movie: "Timecode"

Director: Juanjo Giménez Peña
Year: 2016
Rating: ---
Running Time: 15 minutes

Two security guards form a relationship by sharing timecodes with one another on the security camera system at their work.

"Timecode" is an Oscar nominated live action short film directed by Juanjo Giménez Peña, who wrote the short along with Pere Altimira. It stars Lali Ayguadé as daytime security guard Luna, and Nicolas Ricchini as nighttime guard Diego. This short is about the sweet connection of two guards who find a "partner" in each other through the closed circuit security system that they monitor constantly at their work. This seems to be a boring, mundane job. When Luna is asked to investigate a damaged car at the parking lot, she notices Diego doing something that piques her interest. She responds by leaving a timecode and camera number on a sticky note for him to check, replying to his actions. As the two go back and forth trading timecodes, they form a bond with one another through these secret videos.

This is a fun, refreshing little story that is quite charming and reminds us it's always important to enjoy yourself no matter what you do and no matter where you are. Shorts like this, ones that tell such a fantastic story in a short amount of time, make us fall in love with them all over again every time we watch one. "Timecode" is short enough to keep you engaged, but deep enough to leave you wanting more. We would not be made if this short won at the Oscars come Sunday February 26th, 2017!

My Rating: 8/10
BigJ's Rating: 8/10
IMDB's Rating: 7.3/10

Short Film Review: "Here Lies Joe" (2016)

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Movie: "Here Lies Joe"
Director: Mark Battle
Year: 2016
Rating: ---
Running Time: 23 minutes

"Here Lies Joe" is a short character sketch about a suicidal man named Joe (Dean Temple), who joins a self-help group and bonds with a suicidal girl named Z (Andi Morrow) over their mutual desire to kill themselves. In their bonding over their desire to die, they may actually find a reason to live.

This is a brief yet emotional and poignant short film that shows filmmakers often don't need a long-winded plot bogged down with a hundred places, people, and things to get the point across. This short is all about the need and desire for human interaction and connection. It is directed by Mark Battle, who also wrote the short with Pamela Conway. We were lucky enough to get a chance to see the film and really enjoyed it. We definitely recommend seeking this out this short for its great acting and its honest story. It's a fantastic way to spend 23 minutes and is concise, well made, and rather telling for such a short amount of time.

My Rating: 8/10
BigJ's Rating: 7/10
IMDB's Rating: 9.4/10

Short Film Review: "Kassel" (2016)

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Movie: "Kassel"
Director: Earl Wayne Crabtree II
Year: 2016
Rating: UR
Running Time: 24 minutes

The short film "Kassel" is directed by Earl Wayne Crabtree II, who also wrote the film along with Christopher Wellington Green. It boasts an impressive visual display in just 20ish minutes. From aerial forest shots to interesting effects and angle choices, the technical aspects of this film stand out for those of a first time director. Unfortunately, where this short fails for us is in its storytelling. We were a bit perplexed about what the true narrative of this film was. The way this story is told is almost incomprehensible because so much is left open to interpretation by the audience. In order to remotely understand what is going on, you would have find out facts and details about it somewhere else. We get glimpses and bits and pieces of what's going on, that it's about a World War II soldier who has been injured and may or may not be seeing things after fleeing from a battle, but we are left to disseminate what it all means without guidance or backstory. If the narrative had a little bit more of a basic structure, we may have enjoyed it more than we did. We understand and are all for ambiguity, but the audience must be given at least a small trail of breadcrumbs in order for us to comprehend the artist's full vision. As it stands now, it feels like we were dropped in the middle of a dense forest without a compass, even after watching it twice. There is hardly any dialogue in the film, which is totally fine, but again, there are no real clues in the spoken lines to give us any greater sense of what's going on other than "your food is ready" or "drop your weapon."

Despite "Kassel" having a free-form plot, the acting is great even though it is not dialogue heavy. It is clear that director Earl Wayne Crabtree II has a keen eye for visuals and puts a lot of attention to detail into certain aspects of his film-making, and because of this, we hope we get the chance to see his next project.

*our thanks to Earl Wayne Crabtree II for letting us have the opportunity to screen his short film! Check out his website for more information: http://www.nwpfilmss.com/

My Rating: 5/10
BigJ's Rating: 4.5/10

Movie Review: "Holidays" (2016)

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Movie: "Holidays"
Director: Various
Year: 2016
Rating: R
Running Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes

An anthology of short horror films, each focusing on a specific holiday throughout the year. 

Halloween is usually the one specific holiday associated with the horror genre. "Holidays," however, brings this horror to every holiday of the year through a series of short films, each written and directed by different people.

It starts with Valentine's Day, written and directed by Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer. It revolves around a bullied girl's obsessive love for her swim coach. We enjoyed this segment as the bullied girl takes her coach's concern for her being bullied as a sign of affection. The tormenting builds to a head where revenge and a sign of love all happen in one grotesque climax.

From there, we move to the Saint Patrick's Day segment, written and directed by Gary Shore. It combines a teacher's dream of being a mother with some Celtic witchcraft and the legend of Saint Patrick into a weird, slow burning horror. There is some creepy tension throughout this short that culminates in a bizarre finale. This short won't be for everyone, but we sort of enjoyed its interesting take on the holiday.

Next up is Easter, written and directed by Nicolas McCarthy. This story tries to reconcile a little girl's question regarding what rabbits and eggs have to do with the resurrection of Christ. Rather than the simple explanation of Pagan vs.Christian tradition, we get a weirdly disturbing amalgam of the Christ Bunny, which we had hope for but weren't really sure we were going to ever see appear on screen. The visually unsettling nature of this short made it one of our favorites.

We then move to the Mother's Day short, written and directed by Sarah Adina Smith. This film revolves around a young woman who gets pregnant every time she has sex, regardless of whether or not she and her partner use a condom or other birth control. Because of this, she has had quite a few abortions. This woman is then lured to a retreat for women with fertility issues, who then kidnap her as their surrogate. We weren't big fans of this segment. It's pretty expected and not very entertaining or horrific.

We go from Mother's Day right to Father's Day in a segment written and directed by Anthony Scott Burns. A woman finds a recording from her estranged father explaining why he disappeared. This short is a bit of a mystery and tries to play up the slow burning psychological aspect, but it doesn't have much of a payoff. This short had a lot of promise, but is honestly kind of dull.

Next, we jump all the way down to Halloween, the holiday most associated with horror. This segment is written and directed by Kevin Smith and revolves around a group of phone sex workers who take revenge on their sexually abusive boss. This is a fun segment that has a payoff fitting of his crime. Kevin Smith seems to be getting more messed up as his career progresses, and this short film is no different.

From there, we move onto Christmas in a short written and directed by Scott Stewart. It stars Seth Green as a father who wants to get his son a great gift and does the unthinkable to get it. He is then haunted by his actions, but this short has a twist or two before it finishes. Overall, this segment was just okay and it could have been way more powerful than it was.

The final short is all about New Years Eve, which is written by Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer and is directed by Adam Egypt Mortimer. This segment tells the story of a serial killer who uses dating websites to find his victims. His latest date is almost a perfect match on the website. Maybe this killer will find love, maybe he will find more victims, or maybe he will meet a woman that is more than he can handle. This segment is entertaining in a twisted sort of way, and anyone who has seen it knows they're pretty messed up for enjoying it.

In the end, when you have an anthology of shorts, the entire series can be greatly marred by its weakest links, and that's what unfortunately happens in "Holidays." There are some well done segments, but the bad ones are a real struggle to get through. Try and seek the good ones out individually if you can.

My Rating: 5.5/10
BigJ's Rating: 5/10
IMDB's Rating: 6.9/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 52%
Do we recommend this movie: Meh.
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One year ago, we were being scared by: "Sleepaway Camp II: Unhappy Campers"

Two years ago, we were being scared by: "I Drink Your Blood"

Three years ago, we were being scared by: "Final Destination"

Movie Review: Independent Animation Short Films (SDiFF 2016)

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Movie: "Moom"
Director: Robert Kondo and Daisuke Tsutsumi
Run Time: 15 minutes

A memory named Moom helps free other memories from objects they are attached to. 

"Moom" is directed by Robert Kondo and Daisuke Tsutsumi. It is a funny, adorable, heartwarming, and deeply moving story told within a very short time period. The filmmakers have done a brilliant job creating so much emotion and such an impactful story in just 15 minutes of screen time. This film brought us to tears. It's beautifully animated, crisp and clean, and it looks like the type of a short that is Oscar ready. This is an amazingly wonderful film that everyone should seek out as soon as possible.

My Rating: 10/10
BigJ's Rating: 10/10
IMDb's Rating: 7.4/10

Movie: "Illegal Move"
Director: Sana Srinivasan and Kyle Lopez
Run Time: 4 minutes

A love story between two chess pieces, a white knight and a red queen, who are forced apart by the rules of the game. 

"Illegal Move" is an extremely cute romance created by Kyle Lopez and Sana Srinivasan. It's unique in that it is a love story between two chess pieces on opposite sides who fall in love. A white knight and a red queen want so much to be together, but unfortunately, the rules keep them apart. This story is a rather brilliant allegory for cultural traditions when it comes to romance, how many young people in the modern world are still under pressure from their elders to follow tradition and that it takes a lot of bravery to break from these cultural and traditional restraints. We very much enjoyed the look and story presented within this short!

My Rating: 8/10
BigJ's Rating: 7.5/10
IMDb's Rating: ---/10

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Movie: "Borrowed Time"
Director: Andrew Coates and Lou Hamou-Lhadj
Run Time: 7 minutes

An old cowboy revisits the place where his life was changed forever.

"Borrowed Time" is directed by Andrew Coats and Lou Hamou-Lhadj. Both of these men work for the animation studio Pixar, though this is their independent project. It is a sad tale about an aging cowboy dealing with the demons of his past. It is an emotional tale that is trying to be poignant, and for the most part, it is successful. We like the choice to use very minimal dialogue in this short, and it is very polished and pretty looking.

My Rating: 7.5/10
BigJ's Rating: 7/10
IMDb's Rating: 7.1/10

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Movie: "Linden Tar"
Director: Olga Grechanova
Run Time: ---

A stuffed dog seeks out a light for his lantern friend.

"Linden Tar" is a bizarre stop-motion animated film written and directed by Olga Grechanova. This short is kind of like "Toy Story" if Spike's mangled toys were the protagonists. There is no dialogue, just a singular haunting song running over the course of a few minutes. The film is visually delightful, albeit a bit creepy. At its core, this is a tender, sweet tale of friendship as told through a small adventure with odd looking toys who have all been aided by one stuffed pup.

My Rating: 7.5/10
BigJ's Rating: 7.5/10
IMDb's Rating: ---/10

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Movie: "Los Gatos/The Cats"
Director: Alejandro Rios
Run Time: ---

A stray cat is taken into the home of an old man who isn't quite what he seems.

"Los Gatos/The Cats" is directed by Alejandro Rios and is written by Cesar Perlop. It has an interesting look and it almost feels as if the animation is done with water colors. At first, it seems like a sweet story, but it quickly takes a dark, depressing turn. In many ways, we believe it is an allegory for domestic violence, and there is an afterward in the credits that reveals this to be true. It is very sad and very tragic, but well made and beautifully animated.

My Rating: 7/10
BigJ's Rating: 6/10
IMDb's Rating: ---/10

Movie Review: When Worlds Collide Short Films (SDiFF 2016)

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Movie: "Hush"
Director: Michael Foster
Run Time: ---

A mother is driven crazy by her son's incessant noisy behavior.

"Hush" is a film about a mother who has an unruly son that she can't stand. Of course she loves him, but his constant screaming breaks her down bit by bit. Really, it broke us down much quicker. We were tired of the kid after about 30 seconds and wanted him to get slapped by his mom for being such a blatantly disrespectful brat. Midway through this short, we knew that how we felt about it when all was said and done was going to heavily rely on the ending, which it could go one of two ways. Depending on how it ended, we would have either absolutely hated the short or totally loved it, and we will say it ultimately didn't disappoint. Some may be put off by the nature of this film, but we very much enjoy it and think it is very successful at driving its point home.

My Rating: 7/10
BigJ's Rating: 7/10
IMDb's Rating: ---/10

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Movie: "Cupid"
Director: Maria De Sanctis
Run Time: 15 minutes

Cupid falls from the heavens and then falls for a woman. As their relationship falls apart, he has to make a decision about how to use his powers.

"Cupid" is a cute little romantic short about how Cupid, a young man, falls for a girl at a Valentine's day party. They seem to have a lot in common, but as the years pass by, she starts to grow and change as a person while he stays the same because he's cupid. He has an overbearing mother who isn't happy about his relationship and it starts to drive a wedge between them. There isn't a whole lot of newness in terms content here, but this short is endearing. As is the case with many short films, "Cupid" really strives for an impactful ending where our protagonist is faced with an important question. Good acting, cute story, and ultimately very sweet.

My Rating: 7/10
BigJ's Rating: 6/10
IMDb's Rating: ---/10

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Movie: "The Firefly Girls"
Director: Katie Micay
Run Time: 12 minutes

A man wakes to find a young girl in his home who won't leave until he buys some cookies from her.

"The Firefly Girls" is directed by Katie Micay. It stars Savannah Paige Rae, who many may know from her role on the TV series "Parenthood." She is a firefly girl, which is basically the equivalent of a Girl Scout. This girl breaks into a man's home and insists he buy cookies from her, not leaving until he does. There is more to her visit than what appears on the surface. His house wasn't chosen at random, and all becomes clear eventually. This story is meant to tug at the heartstrings of viewers as it deals with some pretty heavy issues, though some might call its execution and dialogue a bit cheesy. Savannah Paige Rae gets a chance to show what kind of emotional range she can put out in a very short time, and she is excellent in this short.

My Rating: 6/10
BigJ's Rating: 7/10
IMDb's Rating: ---/10

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Movie: "Prisoner"
Director: Matt Edwards
Run Time: 22 minutes

An American soldier takes a German soldier prisoner during WWII.

Written and directed by Matt Edwards, "Prisoner" is a short film that takes place during WWII. It stars Wyatt Russell as an American soldier who is able to take a German soldier prisoner in the hopes that he is led to safety. This is a film that examines how two characters from opposite sides of a conflict come to a mutual understanding. In war, the difference between friend and enemy is merely the color of your uniform. These two soldiers transcend this uniform for at least a brief time. Though very well made and well acted, this short is sort of basic in terms of plot.

My Rating: 5.5/10
BigJ's Rating: 5/10
IMDb's Rating: 8.2/10

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Movie: "Partners"
Director: Joey Alley
Run Time: 6 minutes

A lesbian couple argues over the frequency of their sex life.

"Partners" is directed by Joey Alley and is written by Jenn Tullock and Hannah Pearl Utt, who both star in the short as Leigh and Kate, the titular partners. They are a lesbian couple who have had seen sex life dwindle over time, which is causing a strain on their relationship. The argument about sex quickly spirals into an argument about even bigger things. This is a very honest film in the way it displays an argument between a long time couple. There is an underlying humor to it all as well, and it shows that even though two people are in an argument, they can still come together at the end of it and have each other's best interests at heart. In the end, it finishes like many arguments would, not with a dramatic blow-up, but a simple turn.

My Rating: 8/10
BigJ's Rating: 8/10
IMDb's Rating: ---/10

Movie Review: Unexpected Endings Short Films (SDiFF 2016)

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Movie: "Black Swell"
Director: Jake Honig
Run Time: 9 minutes

A man thinking about committing suicide runs into an old student who won't stop talking to him.

"Black Swell" is directed by Jake Honig and is written by David Rysdahl, who is also one of the two stars of the film. Joining him is Richard King, who plays the suicidal Mr. Fennimore. This is a dark, brief story about a man at the end of his rope. One man is hopelessly depressed, and the other is clearly ecstatic to see his old teacher and doesn't seem to be able to take the hint to go away. Of course, there is more to this situation than meets the eye, and while some of the dialogue may give away the ending before it even comes, this short is brief enough to where some may be taken in by it, though we weren't entirely convinced.

My Rating: 6/10
BigJ's Rating: 5/10
IMDb's Rating: 7.5/10

Movie: "Search History"
Director: Neil Stevens
Run Time: 4 minutes

A woman borrows her husband's computer, and while going through his search history, finds some concerning searches.

"Search History" is written by, directed by, and stars Neil Stevens as Mark. When Mark's wife Cindy, played by Whitney Gries, discovers some unsavory searches in his browser history, she starts to think he may be planning to kill her. This brief short is quite funny and has a lot of quippy banter between this husband and wife. The two do a great job playing off each other and sell this short film very convincingly. It's really great and feels like something that may actually happen in real life...though we sure hope it doesn't!

My Rating: 7.5/10
BigJ's Rating: 6.5/10
IMDb's Rating: ---/10

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Movie: "Breakfast With Tiffany"
Director: Andres Molano Moncada
Run Time: 15 minutes

A man makes breakfast while a woman sleeps in bed as he tries not to wake her up.

"Breakfast With Tiffany" is directed by Andres Molano Moncada. It offers a humorous situation where a man struggles to make breakfast without waking his nearby sleeping lady-friend. This is a task far more difficult than it sounds in the small, broken down apartment where they are staying. There is a lot of charm to this intriguing tale and it kept us fully engaged even in just 15 short minutes. We wondered while watching, "why the man is struggling so hard to keep her asleep?," and eventually all is revealed, and there is more to it than we initially find out at first glance. A very interesting short!

My Rating: 7/10
BigJ's Rating: 7/10
IMDb's Rating: ---/10

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Movie: "So Good to See You"
Director: Duke Merriman
Run Time: 10 minutes

On their way to a friend's house for dinner, a couple accidentally leaves a message of their conversation disparaging their friends on a voicemail.

"So Good to See You" is written and directed by Duke Merriman. It stars Sienna Miller and Patrick Kennedy. In the modern age where cell phones are in every purse and pants pocket, isn't everyone's worst nightmare to accidentally call someone while you're talking shit about them, leaving the entire conversation on their voicemail for them to hear and repeat for all eternity? This movie offers up a lot of uncomfortable, awkward comedy as we wonder if the situation will blow up as soon as someone listens to the scathing voicemail or whether or not the two main characters can get to the phone in time to delete it before others hear it. We laughed quite a bit in a short amount of time at this mini heart attack-inducing short that will teach you to never trust your technology or your fingers in the presence of a cell phone.

My Rating: 7.5/10
BigJ's Rating: 7.5/10
IMDb's Rating: 7.1/10

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Movie: "One Good Pitch"
Director: Parker Hill
Run Time: 4 minutes

A son plays catch with his father and is scolded until he throws a good pitch.

"A Good Pitch" is directed by Parker Hill. It stars Monty Renfrow as Andrew, and Roger Grunwald as his father Richard. Andrew throws pitches to his dad while Roger scolds his form over and over as he demands a perfect performance each time. It seems Andrew is preparing for some big game as his father demands perfection, not the casual kind of father son "wanna have a catch?" kind of ball tossing. They don't appear to have a great relationship, but everything you need to know about their situation is revealed in the end. This is a short film that just feels kind of there. It is competently shot and we get all of the needed information in just 4 simple minutes, but the emotion isn't there and it's pretty boring, if we're being honest.

My Rating: 4.5/10
BigJ's Rating: 4/10
IMDb's Rating: ---/10

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Movie: "Snake Bite"
Director: Tim Hyten
Run Time: 9 minutes

A group of kids contemplate what to do when one of their friends is bitten by a snake.

"Snake Bite" is directed by Tim Hyten, who wrote this short along with Nick Sherman. It follows a group of boys, played by Andrew Fox, Holden Goyette, Gabe White, and Luke Darga, who are out in the woods looking for snakes and exploring nature. This is a dark comedy about how the kids scramble to decide what to do when one of them is bitten by a snake that appears to be poisonous. In just a short amount of time, we fully see their thought processes on screen as they weigh their options, panicked, afraid, and determined to not let their friend die. We laugh and shake our heads at the numerous bad choices they make, choices that only work when a kid makes them. In a Q&A after the film, director Tim Hyten mentioned that this short started out using adults, but we personally think those involved in the behind the scenes making of this film made the right call by turning the protagonists into a bunch of kids as opposed to adults. This was our favorite short of the bunch and is one you must see if you can find it!

My Rating: 8.5/10
BigJ's Rating: 8/10
IMDb's Rating: 7.9/10

Movie Review #382: "2016 Oscar Nominated Short Films - Live Action" (2015)

Movie: "The Oscar Nominated Short Films 2016 - Live Action"
Ticket Price: $10.00

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Movie: "Ave Maria"
Director: Basil Khalil
Run Time: 15 minutes

A Jewish family crashes their car into a statue of the Virgin Mary outside a convent in the West Bank in Palestine.

"Ave Maria" is a satirical short about the culture clash between a Jewish family and a convent of nuns in the Palestinian controlled West Bank. After crashing into the convent's statue of the Virgin Mary, decapitating her in one fell swoop, the family has to plead to the nuns for help so they can safely get back to the Israeli settlement. This short does enough in 15 minutes to make you laugh and take notice of the political strife within a small region as a group of people must put aside their differences and communicate. The convent, who treasures silence, is confronted by a very noisy, brash group of people. While the nuns try to help, much of what is offered to the family goes against their religious principles: the drinks offered are not Kosher, they cannot dial the phone because it is Shabbat, etc. This is a decently constructed, but predictable film that is awkwardly cute, but rather basic when we you get right down to it.

My Rating: 7/10
BigJ's Rating: 6.5/10
IMDb's Rating: 6.7/10

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Movie: "Shok"
Director: Jamie Donoughue
Run Time: 21 minutes

An abandoned bicycle brings back memories of a childhood friendship during the war in Kosovo.

A story about children during wartime? You know this is going to be a cheerful story. #sarcasm. Two men are driving along in a car when suddenly, they come across an abandoned bike in the middle of the road. The passenger named Petrit gets out of the car, picks up the bike, and says he will find his own way home. From there, the short flashes back to him as a child during the war in Kosovo. Petrit remembers his friend, Oki, who had a bike exactly like the one he found in the street as an adult. From there, this is a tale of friendship, brotherhood, war, and reconciliation. It is one of those gut-wrenching tales that shines a light on the horrendous nature of war. It is a devastating, depressing, and grim story that has been winning awards on the festival circuit for some time now. The fact that this is based on a true story makes it all the more dismal. "Shok" is a bleak but well told short film, though garnering an emotional reaction out of a situation like this is like shooting fish in a barrel. I know I still sobbed my eyes out.

My Rating: 8.5/10
BigJ's Rating: 8/10
IMDb's Rating: 8.6/10

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Movie: "Everything Will Be Okay"/"Alles Wird Gut"
Director: Patrick Vollrath
Run Time: 30 minutes

A divorced father picks up his eight year old daughter for their scheduled weekend, but he has more planned than just a simple visit, which may lead to serious consequences.

One of the more relatable films of the Oscar nominated live action shorts, Patrick Vollrath's "Everything Will Be Okay" focuses on how divorce and loneliness affect a person's actions. Many people have experience with the subject of this short as divorce is a fairly common occurrence in today's society. One of the biggest troubles that arises from divorce is the custody of children. Michael, played by Simon Schwarz, sees his daughter Lea, played by Julia Pointner, every so often, but it seems like Lea's mother wants to keep her from seeing her father. In a desperate attempt to make this change, Michael does the unthinkable in this depressing, palpable short film. Schwarz and Pointner both perform excellently. It's another film destined to tug at your heartstrings and hit you hard, especially if you have been through something like this personally.

My Rating: 8/10
BigJ's Rating: 8/10
IMDb's Rating: 7.6/10

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Movie: "Stutterer"
Director: Benjamin Cleary
Run Time: 12 minutes

A man (Matthew Needham) with a socially debilitating stutter debates whether or not to meet the woman he has had an online relationship with (Chloe Pirrie) for the past six months in person while she's in town.

"Stutterer" has the least amount of time in any of the live action short film nominees this year, clocking in at just 12 minutes in length. In this short time span, director Benjamin Cleary does an excellent job developing his main character Greenwood, played by Matthew Needham. Greenwood is a man with a eloquent, verbose inner monologue, "excels in the art of self-pity," but has little ability to express it because of his terrible, debilitating stutter. Even Ellie, who we primarily learn about through an internet chat screen, is a well developed character the audience can easily understand and empathize with. We root for her and Greenwood's relationship, which makes the emotions of this short run deep despite its simplicity. In 12 measly minutes, "Stutterer" did more for us emotionally than most feature length films we see in a given year. The payoff is totally worth it, and BigJ and I both found ourselves crying once this one was finished. An extremely engaging, well made dramatic short!

My Rating: 9.5/10
BigJ's Rating: 9/10
IMDb's Rating: 7.8/10

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Movie: "Day One"
Director: Henry Hughes
Run Time: 25 minutes

An army translator named Feda (Layla Alizada), stationed in Afghanistan, has an unbelievably difficult first day on the job.

Another 'war is hell' movie among the Oscar nominated shorts this year. Of the short films, "Day One" seems to have the highest budget and the most notable actors. Navid Negahban, who stars as Dr. Nasir in the film, has been in movies like "American Sniper" and had a major reoccurring role in the Showtime series "Homeland." Layla Aziada stars as Feda, an army translator who is ready to start her first day on the job in Afghanistan. On this first day, she experiences things she never thought she would have to do as a translator: deliver a baby for the wife of an enemy combatant, who has just tried to bomb her unit. This short is another tragic story that tries to draw an emotional response from the audience. Well, they nearly succeeded. Much like "Shok," this film deals with a tough, shocking subject matter that will do its best to draw some kind of reaction. For us, though sometimes shocking, it never really raised the stakes to a level that fully moved us emotionally.

My Rating: 7/10
BigJ's Rating: 7/10
IMDb's Rating: 7.6/10