Welcome to The Short List! Each month, I treat you to a collection of short films. Hopefully this list will inspire you to check out some of these gems…
Mildred 4 a Million (Theaters)
It’s great to see The Jeffersons alumna Marla Gibbs acting at 93 years of age. Gibbs still has it, giving a charming performance as Mildred, a chatty older woman who is attempting to connect with her great granddaughter. How so? Get millions of followers on TikTok, of course! Writer/director Kim Peeler Callaway navigates the challenges of aging and feeling disconnected through this charming little story. There are some interesting ideas when it comes to the quick advancement of technology and media. Gibbs does such a great job of building empathy and connection with her audience, as does the fun supporting cast around her. Watching a driven older woman having fun with new social media certainly makes an impact. The finale of this short will certainly leave you shaken a bit with how accurate and authentic the whole scenario turns out to be.
Strange Beasts(Vimeo)
Would you ever work in a place where you would be encountering lions? It seems like a potentially terrifying situation, and Strange Beasts certainly proves that it is. Bacchus Marsh Lion Safari is an infamous place in Australia that was open from 1970 until 1985 — it put the lives of every employee and visitor at risk. Many had confrontations with the lions, and in this short film, we hear from Ron Prendergast, who went toe-to-toe with one such lion. The film’s approach is fascinating, featuring a variety of animation styles that help Prendergast tell his story to the fullest. He is a great storyteller and with the airtime, he brings plenty of perspective to the unpredictable and dangerous occurrences at Bacchus Marsh. There is a haunting feel to the film, as its story is played out and the narration brings a specific tone to the proceedings too. Prendergast puts the ownership of the performance into his story and leaves the audience shaken and fearful from what they have endured.
The Crossing Over Express(YouTube)
The drive for closure is such a strong force in human nature. Desperation can be an even stronger element that can cause us to do things we would not normally do. The Crossing Over Express has an interesting concept, with people being able to go inside a shipping container and have their loved one appear under a blanket for a few minutes. Luke Barnett co-wrote and co-directed this short film (with Tanner Thomason) while delivering an affecting performance that pulls the audience deep inside this strange circumstance. The film offers poignant emotion as we see our protagonist, Hank, have that moment with his loved one and what that does to him emotionally. Dot-Marie Jones (a talented character actor) also makes a lasting impression as a doctor who raises the dead in this traveling truck. You will have a lot to process in the end, and you’ll struggle with who you would want to see… and what you would want to say.
Xie Xie, Ollie (Vimeo)
Have you tried to rediscover the culture of your people? Maybe it is learning the language of your family and ancestors… just to be told (directly or indirectly) that you are not good at it. You might attempt to enjoy cultural elements only to find out that it provides you no joy. James Michael Chiang does an amazing job of crafting a small-scale and condensed perspective of a biracial man exploring his Chinese heritage and culture in Xie Xie, Ollie. The cinematography is sharp, and the framing of every shot is intentional and memorable. The music has plenty of emotion and weight injected into it, and the visual storytelling (especially the final shot) says so much without uttering a single word. There are fantastic themes, and Oliver Chiang does a great job with an understated and affecting performance to anchors this little journey.
The Tiger Who Came to Tea (VOD)
Don’t we love when a film can whisk us back to our childhood and strike our imagination anew? The Tiger Who Came to Tea is a sweet, endearing, and charming animated tale of a young girl and her mother having quite the fascinating tea party one afternoon. David Oyelowo delivers a satisfying and inspired voice performance as the titular tiger who joins for tea one afternoon. Even Benedict Cumberbatch makes an appearance and instantly brings some weight. The film features a beautiful and sensitive visual styling, as it presents the mundanity of a neighbor that is disrupted by a perfectly designed tiger. The narrative is simple, but it strikes a chord with your inner child. It is a family story about a mother and daughter who have a bit of magic and fantasy in their lives. The tiger is a wonderfully fun character with a great personality, and he makes for a fun addition to the tea party.
You can read more from Shane Conto, and follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd