Hello ladies and gentlemen, Muldoon here with this week's crop of awesome - a SciFi extravaganza of short films submitted by you, the readers of Ain't It Cool. This week's package includes a healthy serving of far out fantastical science fiction from all over, with budgets ranging from zilch to some with... well let's just say change must have been dropped. Regardless, they all contain a familiar thread, an escape from the mundane, an escape from the mediocre into a completely make believe world, and all roughly less than 20 minutes. I don't know of any other thing that can do that cars, trains... hell, even video games typically take a few hours, right? Okay maybe a space shuttle, but I digress.
Seriously, I hope you enjoy the films screening below - I do, but that's just my opinion. Because they were all user submitted, I hope we have some of the filmmakers in the audience and if so, please jump into the conversation in the Talk Backs below. On that same note, this is a "Troll Free Zone" and yes, I do realize how anti-AICN Talkbacks that sounds, but seriously folks - movies are difficult to make enough as it is regardless of budget, a well worded genuine critique is one thing, but an ignorant shouting off of the mouth/fingers(?) or surrounding a rushed paragraph with a sense of entitlement... If you find yourself writing things like "worst short film ever" or "___ just raped my eyes," you're gonna' have a bad time. Be excellent to one another.
Blah! Enough laying down of gutter bumpers in the bowling lane of internet blog culture - Let's check out some damn cool films and just have some fun!
Go grab yourself some popcorn, lock your kids in a closet, kill the lights, relax and check out this little weekly film fest we've got ourselves here:
DIRGE
TRT: 14:44
Up first is filmmaker Aaron Kirk's smack to the face of traditional sci-fi, a film born out of his "love for THE TWILIGHT ZONE." It shows, and then some. "Dirge is a sci-fi short about a man, Rod, and his sentient, talking computer, Ray, that have been wandering a post-apocalyptic world since Rod was a boy. Dirge was shot in September of 2011 and was created as a part of the inaugural CELTX Seeds program and received a small grant and promotion by CELTX upon completion."
CHAMELEON
TRT: 5:43
On to Sam Lemberg's short, CHAMELEON, essentially six minutes packed to the brim with a legit heaviness that relies quite heavily on actors, not necessarily outlandish visuals. I really dug this one.
A hostile race of aliens has invaded Earth and the government fears that the aliens are modifying their DNA to pose as humans. When a military officer abducted months ago mysteriously reappears, his wife is called in to ask him questions only she would know to find out who or what he really is. Starring James C. Burns (Call of Duty: Black Ops). Based on a story by science fiction author Colin Harvey.
Follow the film's Twitter: @ahernand.
AIDAN 5
TRT: 6:42
While I normally try to steer clear of screening webisodes (I just like being able to start and complete a story in one go for this column especially), this one's got me wanting more. It's a classic case of wanting to tell a massive story, but having to be stylistically creative in a way to make it happen - not waiting around for the money fairies to bless you with that perfect budget.
Set in the year 2064, AIDAN 5 chronicles the journey of one detective who must unravel the mystery behind the serial killings of his own clones. Originally a 48-hour film short, this pilot episode is part of a critically acclaimed web series told through a unique style of film-making and hand sketched art. It has been hailed as a "living comic book."
FRANKIE
TRT 22:20
The ability to control time, who wants it? Everybody. Director Mike Pappa knocks it out of the park (I always hate reading that in reviews, but it's damn true in this case). Seriously I love everything about this short from the lead's performance to the prodcution design and even to the sound design. Good stuff here that touches on greed and regret - feeling the need to change.
"When a watch repair man acquires an antique pocket watch that can control time, he decides to use it to achieve his dreams. His plans soon become sinister when he learns he isn't the only one with the knowledge of the pocket watch."
Check out Mike Pappa's site HERE or the film's site HERE.
BAM! So that's it, a lovely last film to go out with on a high note. The houselights are coming on, we need to clean the theater to prep the next screening, so folks - get one. "Hold on now," you say? More shorts? You're thirst for kickass shorts still holds strong? It's cool, I've got you covered - Click any of the links below to be taken to all sorts of worlds - horror - comedy - action... We've got it all in the links below:
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.
Please don’t feel the need to submit multiple times. I swear to each of you I truly check every email I get, and sending the same short a few times just makes it a bit messier.
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?
- Mike McCutchen
"Muldoon"
Mike@aintitcool.com
