Horror Shorts Reviews for December 2021
Text © Richard
Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2021
Images from the
Internet
Filmmakers, please note: usually, I do not review films (unless requested) that appear on sites like Alter and Screamfest, because they have a known platform, which is great, while I would rather focus on films with no sponsored online affiliations.
The Bellringer
Directed by Cindy
Stenberg
Swedish Ghost Lovers;
Uncanny Pictures
7:47 minutes, 2021
One of a film challenge taken up by Stenberg to direct three shorts in
two days. Ends up it has won multiple awards. It’s easy to understand why. To
get over a writer’s block to finish a novel about a haunting, Jessica (Jessie
Lewis Skoglund) rents a bungalow that is in the center of many others that are
similar (I so want to visit the real place, with camera in hand, because it is
incredibly atmospheric). The inside of the cabin looks up to date, but the outside
is full of faded wood, fog, and darkness. After a bit of a slow start that is
help by some incredibly detailed camerawork and editing, Jessica starts seeing
a woman in a cloak (Annika Forslund Rimbléus) ringing a bell as she walks among
the buildings. There is no question the ringer is up to no good. It's the cat and
mouse action that will definitely keep the tension strong. Also, the make-up on
the bellringer is stunning, among other well done SFX by Sana Öhlund. The
darkness and the fog keep the mood tense and nerve-wracking. Beautifully done.
Full film HERE
Blunda
Directed by Fredrik Hellqvist
Hellfilm; DBoy Productions
9:02 minutes, 2021
What produces recurring nightmares that cause night terrors? That is the question Vanja (Inés Cherif) brings to Professor von Ranck (Henry Lodin) at a clinic in this spooky short from Sweden (with English subtitles; the title means to shut one’s eyes). With slow, wispy dissonant music behind the images, Vanja is hypnotized as we follow her on her dream path into the presence of something that seems evil, Marasiten (Olle Åkesson). The film is just the right length to keep the audience compelled without overreaching, which is just what the (sleep) doctor ordered. Bathed in blue light, you can feel for Vanja and her dilemma, and the almost condescending confidence of the professor in the reasoning. A really enjoyable watch that will creep you out.
Trailer HERE
Crayons
Directed by Cindy
Stenberg
Swedish Ghost Lovers
5:02 minutes, 2021
Another part of the three shorts in two days project, this incredibly
fun film shows a woman (Jessie Lewis Skoglund) on a walk. Partway through a railroad
underpass, she finds some crayon scrawled and a box of large pieces of chalk.
She draws something, which comes into existence. From there it escalates to
bigger and better, until greed gets the upper hand for which there is a price.
This is a fun story from beginning to end, even though it was quickly shot, and
it shows some really fine filmmaking skills. My only question, and I say this
with a smile, who handles chalk that size while wearing black cloth gloves?
Anyway, so worth the view.
Full film HERE
Face Mask
Directed by Dan Allen
and Adam Huber
Midnight Video
6:05 minutes, 2020
This is a film for our times, that’s for certain. It’s night and a guy
goes to his garage to do his laundry. He’s approached by a spooky guy in
sunglasses (again, it’s dark out) and a surgical mask, who suggests the
launderer do the same about wearing a mask. His tone is dissonant and threateningly
almost monotonal as he asks to use a phone. The tension between the two is
palpable as they stand near the garage and chat. But the end has a really nice
O. Henry-esque twist that is unexpected and though a bit illogical, quite fun.
The madness of suburbia.
Full film HERE
The Ho Ho
Howling
Directed by Andrew
Neill
Two Jackets
Productions
10:27 minutes, 2019
Christmas Eve. A young couple has just put their tween daughter,
Charlie, to bed to wait for the morning presents. But there’s a noise on the
roof and the parents investigate to find the most angelic looking Santa I have
ever seen. The story nicely takes its time, not rushing towards its direction
which is generally obvious from the title, but still manages to throw in a few
surprises to keep both the audience off kilter and give a bit of a WTF quotient
to make it humorously ludicrous. Not in a way that’s annoying, but rather with
a nice touch of originality. There could have been a bit cut out of a
pre-transformation scene whose color palate is right out of Creepshow
(1982), but all-in-all, this film’s imaginative twists make it worth the watch.
Full film HERE
Jolly
Directed by Todd
Spence
Midnight Video
4:06 minutes, 2020
In a Talking Tina-esque Christmas Eve, with but one minute to the
holiday, a man is napping on the couch when his animatronic Santa head
seemingly comes to sentient life, and gives a dire warning. This leads to some well-presented
tense moments as we, as well as both the man and Santa, count down the final
seconds of the Eve. The reward is worth the wait, and in the short time as we
follow this situation, the director does well to keep the viewer on the edge of
their seat, and for that we are well rewarded. I felt jolly after the viewing.
Full film HERE
Santa
Directed by Alexander
Henderson
The Installments
6:58 minutes, 2019
A young teen (or near teen) asks his mom, “How does Santa know when you
are sleeping?” That is the general theme of the creepy titular character in
this episodic story, as the young man veers between waking and sleeping, or to
be more precise, having nightmares about the jolly old man. While a bit over
the top at times, the story does its best at delivering some nice tense moments
and the viewer stays as baffled as the kid. A real sley ride (a cliché pun, but
why not if it fits, right?).
Full film HERE
Synonymous
With
Directed by Thom
Hilton
Cataract Pictures
12:16 minutes, 2021
Taking place in 2009, the once host of local horror program “Synister
Synema,” who used the professional name of Synonymous (Remy Gerinario), aka
Syn, is asked to be interviewed by a college student, Jackson (director Thom
Hilton, who is unseen). The questions start off semi-innocent, but quickly
delve into the strongly personal side of Syn’s life, probing deeper into his
psyche. This is mixed with clips from the television show where lots of Grade B
and C films are mentioned, and anyone who is a horror fan should definitely
feel an affinity with them (unless you’re one of those sad, “I don’t watch
black and white films” kinda person). There is also a nicely edited montage of
Syn’s life mixed in that works under the dialogue. This felt really personal,
sometimes a bit uncomfortable in a good way, and my only complaint is that I
wanted it to continue, even though Syn is the only person on camera other than
Thing (Mark McGann), a hand character on the now-terminated television program.
This is a good watch on many levels with a strong LGBTQ undertone. Hard to
believe this is Hilton’s directorial debut as it is quite well written and constructed,
including his editing.
Full film HERE
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