A Selection of Good Short Films!

I like short films because the time constraint forces filmmakers to cut out everything not absolutely necessary to convey their ideas. In a good short film the result of this aggressive self-censure is that concepts and emotions are boiled down to their very best. What’s left is usually a beautiful portrait of a meaningful moment, an interesting character, or wonderful the nuances of a single emotion.

The problem is that most people don’t get the pleasure of encountering short films very often. Aside from the rare collections of shorts that make it to theaters and the very well done shorts with which Pixar has developed the pleasant habit of opening their lengthier stories, short films are absent from the mainstream box office. The best place to see short films remains the film festival, which not everyone has the time, money, or interest to attend.

So at the suggestion of one interested reader I have assembled a brief list of some great short films available on DVD.

Fear(s) of the Dark/Peur(s) du noir
This is a really intriguing collection of six animated shorts that deal with various dark subjects. Though they are all quite visually interesting and entertaining, I have to say my favorite was the last short of the collection by Richard McGuire, which creates incredible suspense with very minimal imagery.

The Collected Shorts of Jan Svankmajer Vols. 1 & 2
Crazy stop motion animation at its absolute finest! Svankmajer delights in making everyday objects creep the bejeezus out of anybody curious enough to watch. My favorites are “Dimensions of Dialogue,” “Down to the Cellar,” and “Jabberwocky.”

Pixar Short Films Vol. 1
I always look forward to the short film that precedes the Pixar feature I’m about to see because they are usually entirely witty and fun. My favorites so far have been “For the Birds” and “Partly Cloudy” (which is not on this particular DVD), but I have enjoyed all of them so much it’s pretty difficult to commit to just one or two.

Paris, je t’aime
I know I already reviewed this collection but it definitely deserves mention on any top shorts list. Very well executed and emotionally engaging.

The 2008 Academy Awards Short Films Collection (not out on DVD yet)
I got to see these in theaters last year and wow—there is a reason they were nominated for awards. My favorites were “Auf der Strecke (On the Line)” and “This Way Up.”

These are just a brief introduction to a much larger world of short films, and I would encourage everybody to seek out short films in other venues like film festivals and cinematheques. Short films are an awesome way to sample different film making styles and genres!