By: Henry J. Fromage –
HollyShorts, which runs August 13th-23rd in Los Angeles, is the premiere short film festival in the world, and this year boasts quite a haul of talent.
474. A Scent
This short is based on the true story of Joy Milne, a Scottish nurse who claimed to be able to smell disease despite how little that tracks with medical orthodoxy. This well-produced and acted film shows her push past the skepticism of her coworkers and husband and be prove out as right- she really could smell the encroaching symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease, including in her husband, 12 years before he was diagnosed. Two Beers.
475. Meeting Your Maker
This purports to be a “feel-good movie about a puppet who kills himself”. The puppet in question is about to shoot the 300th episode of a well-loved puppet coffee hour children’s show, and facing an existential crisis about what it’s all been for, and whether he can go on… or be anything if he chooses not to. Heady stuff for a puppet-based entertainment, but this walks that feel bad/feel good line pretty well. Three Beers.
476. Getar Hero
This winning Indian short film follows a cowboy-attired guitarist who’s unfortunately had his guitar stolen. He crosses the Bombay night in search of one he can borrow to little avail, but his perseverance and talent can’t be denied for long. Really nicely acted and constructed- one of the rare short films that feels entirely it’s own thing and not a piece of an intended something bigger. Two Beers.
477. King of the Iron Will
This is the perfect example of just such a calling card short film. A warrior is about to wreak his ultimate vengeance on a corrupt king, the one who burned his village to set him on this path. In the short, we just get this final confrontation, but there’s an entire feature underpinning it (one the team here likely hopes this short will help find the funding for). As a stand-alone scene it works quite well, but it very much feels like a stand-alone scene. Three Beers.
478. Still Life
House of the Dragon‘s Ewan Mitchell gets quite a different showcase indeed in this short film where he plays a rather unique young man who lives in a house full of mates he carries a lively conversation with- the only problem is they’re all mannequins. When an actual human woman comes by to visit, though, he’s faced with quite the conundrum. A winning little actor’s showcase. Three Beers.
479. Certain Thomas
This short is set in a dystopian future in which the algorithm-driven New State has replaced the USA, and it is criminal to even retain any reminders of what came before. A young guard on his first day on the job learns quite quickly the price of retaining this order- and the higher one he’ll yet have to pay. This is a well-rendered authoritarian world on a budget, although slight demerits for being obviously overdubbed- I though for a minute this was a foreign-language short dubbed into English, even. Three Beers.
480. Selah
Selah is a bright and capable young teen who takes a job transporting a purebred pup from Texas to California seemingly on a bit of a whim, but she has a motive that a few clues will reveal far before the film does. Overall the focus is on roadtrip shenanigans with the cute little hound and a teen who’s growing up fast- faster than perhaps she really should. Three Beers.
481. I Am The Prize
This effective short stars Russell Tovey as a Manosphere pundit- the kind who made his reputation with purposefully controversial misogynistic statements and now uses that currency to teach “being a real man” and “psychological” pickup artist techniques to lonely young men. He’s got secrets of his own though, which between those and Tovey’s commanding performance gave me real Eric Dane in Euphoria vibes. Very well done and self-contained. Two Beers.
482. Echoes
This short is an actor’s showcase for Ashley Walters, who meets an old schoolmate who’s now unhoused, prompting a reckoning with a shared boarding school past seemingly both would prefer to forget. It’s another short that promises a longer, richer feature covering many of the same themes, but does a great job making its case for one. Three Beers.
483. Bleeder
In this short, an amateur boxer finds a new way to make some money with his particular set of talents- allowing people to beat the shit out of him for 30 seconds at a time for money. He tells his wife all these injuries are coming from the gym, but we soon learn there’s a shared past animating this behavior. An excellent example of introducing and examining a psychology through superb acting and smart economy of storytelling. Two Beers.
484. Celeste in the Summer
This is another short that creates an intriguing world and scenario without delving too deeply into it- leaving you asking for more. Celeste and her beau are having a perfect day in the bucolic French countryside until things start to unravel around the edges and then, increasingly, all over. Three Beers.
485. Sweetwater
Michael Keaton Douglas (as he’s credited here presumably his real full name) directs and stars in this short in which a man revisits his family home and long-shuttered museum of sorts dedicated to the memory of his mother, a beloved country western film and music star (played by Kyra Sedgwick). He’s received a package as well- a gift- which turns out to be an AI-driven hologram recreation of her, and together they go down memory lane after some initial “what the hell is happening?” reticence. Directed and acted with all the polish you’d want from these experienced vets. Two Beers.
