A young buck named Alex looks forward to his first mating season. But when Mortimer shows up to challenge Alex for his territory, their antlers become locked. Now if either of them are to have a chance this season, they're going to have to get unlocked, and fast. Much like he did with The Disposable Soma , writer/filmmaker Zeb Haradon brings another of his stories to life with the help of A.I. Only, whereas before the imagery was odd, even mind-bending, and occasionally vulgar. With The Lucky Bucks  he goes a step further, because the tale of these two deer - or at least the look of it - is haunting. Visually speaking, this short film can only be described as the acid trip from hell, as the interlocked descend into isolation and madness... well, one of them does. More cervine tragedy than cervine sex comedy, you might say. Inspired by the work of German philosopher, Arthur Schopenhauer, there is a bleakness to this story. Mortimer's more than melancholic ramblings not only refl...

When Brian (Peter Mastne) agrees to let his brother Jeremy (Rich Holton) stay with him whilst in town for work, they quickly discover it was a bad idea. Two people stuck in a small studio apartment, one very uptight and the other totally laid back, it's not long before they begin to grate on each other, and tempers flare. But is there something else behind their animosity towards each other? The first thing that springs to mind when watching Enter the Room  is the Covid lockdown. Writer/director Harry Waldman and his team have managed to recreate that sense of both isolation and being trapped that many were faced with when the world was brought to a standstill. In fact, they have made that tiny studio apartment feel very small indeed. And by clever use of colours, editing and score they dial up the intensity of the atmosphere within it, as brothers Brian and Jeremy come to blows.  From the very start everything is on a knife edge, and despite only being 15 minutes long,  ...

Jule (Marlene Fahnster), an aspiring photographer who has seemingly lost her taste for the art, is given a task by her sister. She is to go out into the city and find something to photograph, something she wouldn't want to forget. After warning us about the potentially dangerous rise of Artificial Intelligence with Turing Test , writer/director Jaschar Marktanner is now exploring the human experience through a unique lens - pardon the pun. Jule is a person who was searching for something - striving, even - but for some reason she has stopped. She has almost walled herself off from the world. What is it that she was searching for? And why has her love of photography waned? These are questions that this curious short never really answers, because it doesn't need to. The point here is the journey, and that we all need a push from time to time. Someone to help us get back up. Which is why Jule's task proves so compelling, even without those answers. Marlene Fahnster delivers a ...

During an epidemic in which people high on bath salts are turning into zombie-like creatures, eating the legs off of any unsuspecting victim, the residents of one apartment complex face their own private hell. It's not safe outside, and it's not much better inside, thanks to the world's most tyrannical landlady. Liz Topham-Myrtle (Brian Patrick Butler) lords it over her tenants, and if any should step out of line she is quick to lash out with extreme punishment. But how long can her reign of terror go on before someone decides it might just be easier to get rid of her? Have you ever watched a movie only to be left wondering what it is that you've just watched? That is the essence of Hemet, or the Landlady Don't Drink Tea . It is a gross and extreme horror comedy that seems to have something to say about our society. With memories of the pandemic, and lockdown still fairly fresh, there is something strangely familiar about this sordid escapade. You might even find yo...

A couple find themselves at a major crossroad in both their relationship and their lives. Unable to go back, and apprehensive about moving forward, they ponder what to do next, and what it will mean for both of them. The world just keeps on turning. That is the essence of this brilliantly emotional short. Maya Ahmed captures this crazy turning point in two people's lives - what could be any two people's lives - through, of all things, lunch. When you find yourself in a situation similar to that of the two leads, what else is there to do? And it allows Ahmed to convey what they are feeling. That emptiness and uncertainty is almost palpable, as these two people caught in a whirlwind, struggle with what to do.   Now you'd think, given the subject matter, a film such as this would be all doom and gloom, but it's quite the opposite. If anything, there is a surprising sense of hope to it. A light at the end of this particular tunnel. Only the central couple aren't in the ...

A developer works with the Artificial Intelligence they have created, to help it beat the Turing test and convince others that it's human. There's something oddly Blade Runner  about this intriguing short film. Turing Test  serves as both a fascinating piece of filmmaking and an almost prescient warning. Granted, this isn't the first film to try and warn us about Artificial Intelligence, but this one feels closer to home. It all begins with a simple conversation between said developer and their creation. A catch up, of sorts. Or at least that's how it appears. Yet right from the off, there is a sense that something is off. Leaving the viewer ill at ease, even if they're not entirely sure why. A state in which writer/director Jaschar Marktanner holds his audience for the duration. Marlene Fahnster and Richard Lingscheidt are fantastic in the lead roles. They - along with a clever use of sets, costume and hair & makeup - add to that sense of unease with their cold...

A group of strangers find themselves the unwitting contestants in a brand new online game show. In each round they must answer a series of trivia questions, facing extreme penalties at the hands of the show's deranged host for every wrong answer. But why have they been picked to play? What did they do to deserve a place on the internet's deadliest game show? A gore fest and a game show. Trivial  has all the hallmarks of both. It's reminiscent of the SAW movies in that way. I imagine if ol' Jigsaw had been a fan of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? , his many escapades would probably look a lot like this. As with any good game show or horror movie, this blood-soaked indie features a delightfully diverse cast of contestants, and it's hard to tell which ones will crumble under the pressure, and if any will survive to the very end. While some very good makeup effects make the situation feel all the more terrifying and real, the clips of classic game shows dispersed through...

In the year 2164, the assassination of a popular political candidate will create an opportunity for a failed comedian to seek to become the Empathy party's nominee for President of the United States, and he will choose a genetically modified, super-intelligent, opium-addicted parrot as his running mate. Be aware, this show is disturbing, and despite the presence of talking parrots, it is not written for children. The Disposable Soma  - the brainchild of writer/filmmaker Zeb Haradon - began life as a series of books. Now, by utilising a variety of A.I. tools to generate the imagery and some sound, he has adapted his tale of our depraved and drug-addled future into a streaming series. Which brings us to an interesting question regarding the use of A.I. in filmmaking - a controversial subject, to say the least - and whether it's ever ok to use it. Is it acceptable in this case because Haradon is using it to share his own original idea through a different medium? Given that he has ...

A struggling video editor takes on a seemingly lucrative job for a mysterious client, only to find out that the films they have her editing are snuff films. Haunted by what she sees, and unsure of what to do, her world soon begins to fall apart. First off, it's worth pointing out that this is not a review of the John Cena/Alison Brie action comedy. No, this is a very different Freelance . It begins as  a sort of love letter to video editors and their often unappreciated craft, in much the same way  The Fall Guy  is to stunt workers. The opening credits made using editing software is a nice touch too.  And yet, at its heart this is a real mind-fuck of a movie. One that deals with some difficult subject matter, and what makes it really scary is it feels in some way possible. Thankfully however, director John Balazs and writer Michael Gerbino's approach to all this nasty stuff was to be authentic, unflinching and hard-hitting, without being excessive. Although,  if...

Since his mother passed away, Jason (Timothy J. Cox) has been spending his Sundays visiting with his father, Ben (George R. Hildebrand). But this Sunday is different, because Ben has something he wants to discuss with Jason. Something sensitive. Understandably, after 40+ years of marriage Ben is struggling with being alone. There is a hole in his life that he is struggling to fill. And in this search for companionship he has started seeing a prostitute, only without the sex part. On the face of it Sundays with Dad  sounds almost ridiculous. A rare and potentially extreme scenario. In reality, however, this couldn't be further from the truth. Approaching the perils of growing old with compassion and respect, this charming short film has a surprisingly relatable feel. After all, loneliness is something we all face. Ben's love of The Rockford Files  also helps. You might even begin to wonder how often this type of scenario plays out in the real world -  The Rockford Fil...

Extraction, USA is a town experiencing an energy boom. Good news for some, but not for most. So when a drifter named Steph (Marlee Carpenter) wanders into the bar where pool hustling single mum, Marni (Leanne Johnson) works, and they hit it off, the idea of escaping this grimy town starts to look possible. The only question is; how far are they willing to go in order to actually do it? If Mike Yonts and Peter Matsoukas were looking to create an authentic depiction of amateur criminals, they have succeeded, more or less.  In fact, the movie has something to say about the general state of the human race, and it's hardly complimentary. Anyone who has ever had a boss or worked a shitty job will likely be able to relate. Something Derek McMahan certainly helps with, playing the slimy owner of the bar where Marni works.  And yet, rather than having that misery and hardship be the focus of the movie, they simply serve as the driving force behind Marni and Steph's criminal awakening. ...