Various (director)
(studio)
18 (certificate)
(length)
26 August 2017 (released)
03 September 2017
“The Welcoming” is an atmospheric tale with a ghastly end that will no doubt cause offence somewhere. Beautifully filmed with lovely colours and silent save for the very end. 4/5
“Rotary” is a domestic tale of horror and home invasion that is nasty but not much else. 2/5
The British “Misdirection” is a cool sophisticated nicely balanced tale of two strangers meeting and making ill thought out wishes. 3/5
“For a Good Time, Call” a sleaze ball places a sex tape of his ex on the internet, who then wishes revenge on him. Brought back memories of Buffy and pre-Anya’s job of doing over rotten partners. 3/5
“Tether” is an ultra-slick sc-fi, Wi-Fi horror with extreme violence. Could be a clumsy satire on high finance and corporates. 2/5
“Kept” from Columbia is a clever film about dream capture, which brushes on a highly controversial area but thoughtful. 3/5
“Meow” is simply a good fun film that doesn’t put a paw wrong with a couple of oddball characters. 3/5
“Event Horizon” is an impressive film with good script and visuals that that deals with childhood bullying but also friendship. 3/5
“Man in the Moon” has a rural setting with mother and son at loggerheads over his obsession with electronics and gaming. Eventually it all comes together in a visually arresting thoughtful short. 3/5
“Mayflower” is a visceral sci-fi horror about an astronaut who wake up early from hyper-sleep after a hull breach, wishing he hadn’t. Good eye-popping production. 3/5
One of the most charming (sort of) and visually impressive shorts is “Vocabulary I”. An animation based on a child’s picture book with cute butterflies, revealing their darker-side. 4/5
The wondrous “Nimmer” has a man trying to save his wife from a collapsing rock, surrounded by a wild sea. A beautifully made, sensitive work with an emotional and visual punch. 4/5
“Feeding Time” is a variation on the babysitter-in-peril as a young woman is asked babysit the child of an eccentric couple. Some good comedy moments though a slightly predictable ending. 2/5
“Real Gods Require Blood” is one of the longer shorts in the programme and while it features a babysitter too, the premise is decidedly grim. In socially deprived area of Manchester drug dependent Alice is asked to look after two children. That night they have mysterious visitors, urban and supernatural leading Alice to make a choice. A tough film with a relentless grinding atmosphere of dread. 4/5
