Horror Fuel
☰ Browse the Crypt
Category

Short Films

51 stories

Spoiler-Free Short Film Reviews: MOTHER TONGUE, JANELLE’S BABY, and IHRUQAX (A Night of Horror International Film Festival)

Mother Tongue (Australia, 2023) Jade (Amelia Foxton, who wrote the screenplay) and Alex (Chiara Gizzi) want to have a baby together, and Alex desperately wants to have it herself rather than adopting, but the couple has run out of almost all options. Almost all, because director Glen Fraser’s Mother Tongue being a horror comedy, the couple can always turn to the dark arts as a last resort. For their journey into the diabolical, they seek the assistance of Brian (Stephen Hunter), who seems to be on the flighty side but proves that he is indeed an occult practitioner. In another classic horror-comedy case of “Be careful what you wish for,” the trio finds itself in quite a gruesome mess. Foxton’s screenplay is rich with both dramatic and comedic looks at parenting and expectations surrounding pregnancy and its difficulties, and delivers the goods in the occult department, too. Foxton and Gizzi are terrific in their portrayals of the frustrated couple, and

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Oct 10, 2023

Spoiler-Free Short-Film Review: FCK’N NUTS (Fantastic Fest)

In writer/director Sam Fox’s short film Fck’n Nuts, teenager Dan (Vincent Stalba) is crazy in love with Sandy (Maddie Nichols), so much so that he doesn’t heed her initial advice about not meeting her parents (Michele Rossi and William E. Harris). Viewers already have a pretty good idea about the parents being odd thanks to some of their dialogue and Sandy’s remarks, but once Dan steps inside the family’s home, things go absolutely insane. I had a strong feeling that things were going to be bonkers when I saw that auteur Joe Badon (The Wheel of Heaven; The God Inside My Ear; Sister Tempest) was a coproducer on this horror comedy, and my assumption was correct. Fox crafts a fun, surreal short that blends a nostalgic feel with absurd comedy, and there’s a set piece boasting great-looking practical gore effects sure to bring on the heaves for some viewers. You can check out the short’s trailer at https://vimeo.com/845566547/b39329d86e. Fck’n Nuts

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Sep 28, 2023

Spoiler-Free Short Film Reviews: STOP DEAD, MERGER, THE DAM, and RIDE, BABY, RIDE (A Night of Horror International Film Festival)

Australia’s A Night of Horror International Film Festival has a bounty of fear-fare shorts from around the globe on tap. Here is a look at four of the selections that run less than 10 minutes each. Stop Dead (United Kingdom, 2023) Director Emily Greenwood, working from a screenplay by David Scullion, has crafted a highly atmospheric short that sets up an intriguing premise worthy of a feature-length treatment. Police officers Samantha Hall (Sarah Soetaert) and partner Nick Thompson (David Ricardo-Pearce) are stuck on a country road at nighttime because of a flat tire. A young woman (Priya Blackburn) suddenly appears, refusing to heed Hall’s order to stop, telling the officers that if you stop, you die. This supernatural shocker boasts solid production values, good performances, taut direction, and some fast-paced editing that helps the world building and ratchets up the suspense. Merger (United Kingdom, 2022) Working late in a dark office is rarely a good thing to do, but in

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Sep 25, 2023

Focusing on SLASH Filmfestival 2023’s Short Films

The 14th edition of Austria’s superb SLASH Filmfestival is underway! From September 21 through October 1, this renowned fest screens a selection of incredible short films from around the globe along with its fine feature films. From the terrifying to the hilarious, the SLASH Filmfestival shorts programs are a highlight of the fest. Following is the official press announcement. For more information including a full listing of films scheduled, visit https://slashfilmfestival.com/en/. The programs Five carefully curated programs and various shorts before features bring a total of 48 short films from all corners of the world to Vienna. With over 34 World, International, European or Austrian premieres, the 14th edition of SLASH Filmfestival has its largest short-film lineup ever and sees the festival take new initiatives to celebrate the short form in its own right. In addition to program mainstays Fantastic Shorts Competition Chapters 1 and 2, SLASH is delighted to bring back “My First SLASH” to continue guiding young viewers

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Sep 21, 2023

Spoiler-Free Shorts Reviews: PAREIDOLIA and RAIN, RAIN, GO AWAY (Pigeon Shrine FrightFest)

PAREIDOLIA (2023) Director Aaron Truss’s shock short Pareidolia — a word meaning the phenomenon of our minds attempting to make meaningful images out of patterns or objects when one does not exist, such as seeing a cloud in the shape of a sheep — is a fantastic work boasting top-notch production values, a cast featuring some familiar genre-film favorites, and an intriguing story that is ripe for being made into a full-length feature. Lecturer Sinead Chambers (genre legend Diane Franklin of Amityville II: The Possession [1982], Waking Nightmare [2023], and about 50 other acting credits) has begun experiencing pareidolia in increasingly disturbing ways, which she discusses with her friend Jean Clark (Carolyn Pickles of The Yellow Wallpaper [1989]), while priest Father Cavanagh (Graham Cole) makes a shocking discovery at a mortuary involving a very peculiar demise. Aaron Truss, working from a screenplay by Aiden Truss, invests Pareidolia with an eldritch atmosphere, a fast-paced approach, and a gripping dash of mystery.

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Sep 4, 2023

Short Film Review: Bus Stop (2023)

In the middle of nowhere, a man, Holden by name (Joshua Shea), waits for seemingly an eternity for his bus to arrive as he tries to cope with the problems life has thrown his way. Suddenly he is joined by a mysterious woman (Poppie Boyes) who seems to have materialized out of the aether… a woman who fluctuates between playful and threateningly serious with shocking ease. To make matters worse, our hero sees a pale man in a gold suit (Mike Kelson) hovering in the darkness, as well as a pointing woman (Olivia Post) just beyond the bus stop, though his companion seems not to notice. What is the true meaning behind the mysterious goings-on at the shadow-surrounded bus stop, and how will these mysteries effect Holden? Written & Directed by Zora Cielle Anri (based on an idea from producer Ivan Veselov), Bus Stop is presented not unlike a one act play; we have one, nearly expressionistic locale (the fluorescent

Continue reading →
DanXIII
Jul 30, 2023

A Bride Makes A Run For It In New Exclusive Clip From ‘Til Death Do Us Part’

Just ahead of its August release, we’ve got a new exclusive clip from the horror-thriller ‘Til Death Do Us Part from the creator of the Final Destination franchise. The new clip titled “Run Sweetheart Run” sees the bride trying to escape. Til Death Do Us Part is a fresh and frightening, genre-bending ride led by Cam Gigandet (Twilight, Never Backdown), Jason Patric (The Lost Boys, Speed 2: Cruise Control), Natalie Burn (Black Adam, The Enforcer), and Orlando Jones (The Time Machine, Drumline). Directed by Emmy® Award Winner Timothy Woodward Jr., the film explores the grim reality that not every love story ends in a happily ever after. “After running away on her wedding day, a bride-to-be must fight for survival against her former fiancé and his seven deadly groomsmen. In the ultimate horror showdown, the groomsmen soon discover she has no intention of returning to the life she left behind.” Featuring a marriage of violence and blood-soaked action, Til Death

Continue reading →
Kelli Marchman McNeely
Jul 21, 2023

Watch It Here: Violence Spreads In The Short Horror Film ‘Amygdala’

Today we have a treat. We have the award-winning short horror film Amygdala to share with you following its award-winning festival run. Filmed in Denmark by writer-director Kenneth Lykkehus, Amygdala, is named after the part of the brain that processes emotions, especially fear, anger, and pleasure. It stars Emma Katrine Sjøberg and Pernille Svendsen and features a cameo by Kim Sønderholm, In the film, after an inadequately tested drug has been brought to the market, evidence emerges of a disastrous side-effect that makes people aggressive. Two teenage girls, home alone, unaware of the disaster, are trying to survive an intruder who only has one thought on his mind: To get into the house! Watch the fifteen-minute-long film, which features English subtitles, below.

Continue reading →
Kelli Marchman McNeely
Jun 27, 2023

Have A Seat & Watch The Short Film Everyone’s Talking About, ‘The Chair’

Writer-director Curry Barker’s award-winning short horror film, The Chair, is taking the horror world by storm, and rightfully so. So, of course, we have to share it. . The Chair centers on “Reese (Anthony Pavone), who brings home an antique chair, and a series of horrific events follow, leading him to question if it is a malevolent spirit possessing the chair or the darkness inside his own mind.” Haley Schwartz gives a fantastic, eerie performance in the short film that also stars Jonnathon Cripple and David Alan Graf. The brilliant 24-minute-long film is a fantastic, twisted, dark tale that we would love to see adapted for a feature film. It serves as a metaphor for the suffering of people with illnesses such as Alzheimer’s, which in reality, is absolutely terrifying. Currently, The Chair has had over 835,000 views. Who knew that a chair could cause such horrors?

Continue reading →
Kelli Marchman McNeely
Jun 16, 2023

Short Film Review: Canary (2023)

A group of pals; Ignacio (Matthew Mitchell Espinosa), Nev (Andrew Hayden Kang), Enoch (Thaddeus Newman), and George (Kiyoshi Shishido) by name, head out for a ‘lil R&R at a remote cabin located deep within the wicked woods. Along for the ride is George’s cousin Albert (Barron Leung), a meek fella who unfortunately becomes the victim of severe, alcohol-fueled abuse by those mentioned up yonder when George exits the scene to find some help. Why the need for assistance you may ask? Well, seems the world outside the cabin walls seems to be the subject of some sort of invasion by creatures unknown, and now ol’ Al is faced with a big-ass die-lemma; end his torment by either puttin’ a murder on those bullies, or face whatever in the fuck is lurking outside… One thing you can say about Canary’s director Taka Tsubota; he’s got a good eye (two of them most likely) for making a film look like a million

Continue reading →
DanXIII
Jun 14, 2023

More from Short Films

Spoiler-Free Short Film Reviews: MOTHER TONGUE, JANELLE’S BABY, and IHRUQAX (A Night of Horror International Film Festival)

Mother Tongue (Australia, 2023) Jade (Amelia Foxton, who wrote the screenplay) and Alex (Chiara Gizzi) want to have a baby together, and Alex desperately wants to have it herself rather than adopting, but the couple has run out of almost all options. Almost all, because director Glen Fraser’s Mother Tongue being a horror comedy, the couple can always turn to the dark arts as a last resort. For their journey into the diabolical, they seek the assistance of Brian (Stephen Hunter), who seems to be on the flighty side but proves that he is indeed an occult practitioner. In another classic horror-comedy case of “Be careful what you wish for,” the trio finds itself in quite a gruesome mess. Foxton’s screenplay is rich with both dramatic and comedic looks at parenting and expectations surrounding pregnancy and its difficulties, and delivers the goods in the occult department, too. Foxton and Gizzi are terrific in their portrayals of the frustrated couple, and

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Oct 10, 2023

Spoiler-Free Short-Film Review: FCK’N NUTS (Fantastic Fest)

In writer/director Sam Fox’s short film Fck’n Nuts, teenager Dan (Vincent Stalba) is crazy in love with Sandy (Maddie Nichols), so much so that he doesn’t heed her initial advice about not meeting her parents (Michele Rossi and William E. Harris). Viewers already have a pretty good idea about the parents being odd thanks to some of their dialogue and Sandy’s remarks, but once Dan steps inside the family’s home, things go absolutely insane. I had a strong feeling that things were going to be bonkers when I saw that auteur Joe Badon (The Wheel of Heaven; The God Inside My Ear; Sister Tempest) was a coproducer on this horror comedy, and my assumption was correct. Fox crafts a fun, surreal short that blends a nostalgic feel with absurd comedy, and there’s a set piece boasting great-looking practical gore effects sure to bring on the heaves for some viewers. You can check out the short’s trailer at https://vimeo.com/845566547/b39329d86e. Fck’n Nuts

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Sep 28, 2023

Spoiler-Free Short Film Reviews: STOP DEAD, MERGER, THE DAM, and RIDE, BABY, RIDE (A Night of Horror International Film Festival)

Australia’s A Night of Horror International Film Festival has a bounty of fear-fare shorts from around the globe on tap. Here is a look at four of the selections that run less than 10 minutes each. Stop Dead (United Kingdom, 2023) Director Emily Greenwood, working from a screenplay by David Scullion, has crafted a highly atmospheric short that sets up an intriguing premise worthy of a feature-length treatment. Police officers Samantha Hall (Sarah Soetaert) and partner Nick Thompson (David Ricardo-Pearce) are stuck on a country road at nighttime because of a flat tire. A young woman (Priya Blackburn) suddenly appears, refusing to heed Hall’s order to stop, telling the officers that if you stop, you die. This supernatural shocker boasts solid production values, good performances, taut direction, and some fast-paced editing that helps the world building and ratchets up the suspense. Merger (United Kingdom, 2022) Working late in a dark office is rarely a good thing to do, but in

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Sep 25, 2023

Focusing on SLASH Filmfestival 2023’s Short Films

The 14th edition of Austria’s superb SLASH Filmfestival is underway! From September 21 through October 1, this renowned fest screens a selection of incredible short films from around the globe along with its fine feature films. From the terrifying to the hilarious, the SLASH Filmfestival shorts programs are a highlight of the fest. Following is the official press announcement. For more information including a full listing of films scheduled, visit https://slashfilmfestival.com/en/. The programs Five carefully curated programs and various shorts before features bring a total of 48 short films from all corners of the world to Vienna. With over 34 World, International, European or Austrian premieres, the 14th edition of SLASH Filmfestival has its largest short-film lineup ever and sees the festival take new initiatives to celebrate the short form in its own right. In addition to program mainstays Fantastic Shorts Competition Chapters 1 and 2, SLASH is delighted to bring back “My First SLASH” to continue guiding young viewers

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Sep 21, 2023

Spoiler-Free Shorts Reviews: PAREIDOLIA and RAIN, RAIN, GO AWAY (Pigeon Shrine FrightFest)

PAREIDOLIA (2023) Director Aaron Truss’s shock short Pareidolia — a word meaning the phenomenon of our minds attempting to make meaningful images out of patterns or objects when one does not exist, such as seeing a cloud in the shape of a sheep — is a fantastic work boasting top-notch production values, a cast featuring some familiar genre-film favorites, and an intriguing story that is ripe for being made into a full-length feature. Lecturer Sinead Chambers (genre legend Diane Franklin of Amityville II: The Possession [1982], Waking Nightmare [2023], and about 50 other acting credits) has begun experiencing pareidolia in increasingly disturbing ways, which she discusses with her friend Jean Clark (Carolyn Pickles of The Yellow Wallpaper [1989]), while priest Father Cavanagh (Graham Cole) makes a shocking discovery at a mortuary involving a very peculiar demise. Aaron Truss, working from a screenplay by Aiden Truss, invests Pareidolia with an eldritch atmosphere, a fast-paced approach, and a gripping dash of mystery.

Continue reading →
Joseph Perry
Sep 4, 2023

Short Film Review: Bus Stop (2023)

In the middle of nowhere, a man, Holden by name (Joshua Shea), waits for seemingly an eternity for his bus to arrive as he tries to cope with the problems life has thrown his way. Suddenly he is joined by a mysterious woman (Poppie Boyes) who seems to have materialized out of the aether… a woman who fluctuates between playful and threateningly serious with shocking ease. To make matters worse, our hero sees a pale man in a gold suit (Mike Kelson) hovering in the darkness, as well as a pointing woman (Olivia Post) just beyond the bus stop, though his companion seems not to notice. What is the true meaning behind the mysterious goings-on at the shadow-surrounded bus stop, and how will these mysteries effect Holden? Written & Directed by Zora Cielle Anri (based on an idea from producer Ivan Veselov), Bus Stop is presented not unlike a one act play; we have one, nearly expressionistic locale (the fluorescent

Continue reading →
DanXIII
Jul 30, 2023

A Bride Makes A Run For It In New Exclusive Clip From ‘Til Death Do Us Part’

Just ahead of its August release, we’ve got a new exclusive clip from the horror-thriller ‘Til Death Do Us Part from the creator of the Final Destination franchise. The new clip titled “Run Sweetheart Run” sees the bride trying to escape. Til Death Do Us Part is a fresh and frightening, genre-bending ride led by Cam Gigandet (Twilight, Never Backdown), Jason Patric (The Lost Boys, Speed 2: Cruise Control), Natalie Burn (Black Adam, The Enforcer), and Orlando Jones (The Time Machine, Drumline). Directed by Emmy® Award Winner Timothy Woodward Jr., the film explores the grim reality that not every love story ends in a happily ever after. “After running away on her wedding day, a bride-to-be must fight for survival against her former fiancé and his seven deadly groomsmen. In the ultimate horror showdown, the groomsmen soon discover she has no intention of returning to the life she left behind.” Featuring a marriage of violence and blood-soaked action, Til Death

Continue reading →
Kelli Marchman McNeely
Jul 21, 2023

Watch It Here: Violence Spreads In The Short Horror Film ‘Amygdala’

Today we have a treat. We have the award-winning short horror film Amygdala to share with you following its award-winning festival run. Filmed in Denmark by writer-director Kenneth Lykkehus, Amygdala, is named after the part of the brain that processes emotions, especially fear, anger, and pleasure. It stars Emma Katrine Sjøberg and Pernille Svendsen and features a cameo by Kim Sønderholm, In the film, after an inadequately tested drug has been brought to the market, evidence emerges of a disastrous side-effect that makes people aggressive. Two teenage girls, home alone, unaware of the disaster, are trying to survive an intruder who only has one thought on his mind: To get into the house! Watch the fifteen-minute-long film, which features English subtitles, below.

Continue reading →
Kelli Marchman McNeely
Jun 27, 2023

Have A Seat & Watch The Short Film Everyone’s Talking About, ‘The Chair’

Writer-director Curry Barker’s award-winning short horror film, The Chair, is taking the horror world by storm, and rightfully so. So, of course, we have to share it. . The Chair centers on “Reese (Anthony Pavone), who brings home an antique chair, and a series of horrific events follow, leading him to question if it is a malevolent spirit possessing the chair or the darkness inside his own mind.” Haley Schwartz gives a fantastic, eerie performance in the short film that also stars Jonnathon Cripple and David Alan Graf. The brilliant 24-minute-long film is a fantastic, twisted, dark tale that we would love to see adapted for a feature film. It serves as a metaphor for the suffering of people with illnesses such as Alzheimer’s, which in reality, is absolutely terrifying. Currently, The Chair has had over 835,000 views. Who knew that a chair could cause such horrors?

Continue reading →
Kelli Marchman McNeely
Jun 16, 2023

Short Film Review: Canary (2023)

A group of pals; Ignacio (Matthew Mitchell Espinosa), Nev (Andrew Hayden Kang), Enoch (Thaddeus Newman), and George (Kiyoshi Shishido) by name, head out for a ‘lil R&R at a remote cabin located deep within the wicked woods. Along for the ride is George’s cousin Albert (Barron Leung), a meek fella who unfortunately becomes the victim of severe, alcohol-fueled abuse by those mentioned up yonder when George exits the scene to find some help. Why the need for assistance you may ask? Well, seems the world outside the cabin walls seems to be the subject of some sort of invasion by creatures unknown, and now ol’ Al is faced with a big-ass die-lemma; end his torment by either puttin’ a murder on those bullies, or face whatever in the fuck is lurking outside… One thing you can say about Canary’s director Taka Tsubota; he’s got a good eye (two of them most likely) for making a film look like a million

Continue reading →
DanXIII
Jun 14, 2023
Next →