DIFF 2012 Review - Late Night Shorts - ONCE IT STARTED IT COULD NOT END OTHERWISE, LIFE AND FREAKY TIMES OF UNCLE LUKE and THE HICCUP

Still from AT THE FORMAL

Javi here with another recap of a shorts block from this year's Dallas International Film Festival. The shorts this time around are the Late Night Shorts. Formerly the Midnight Shorts, according to senior programmer Sarah Harris, this block of films is meant to highlight films that are darker in nature, but not necessarily horror. I think that about describes these films. They are all very surreal, dark, and in some cases even funny. As I did for the animated shorts, I will list my top three films of the block.

ONCE IT STARTED IT COULD NOT END OTHERWISE

Directed by: Kelly Sears

This is one of my favorite things I have seen during the whole festival. I have to admit that one of the first things that came to mind when I saw this was the great soundtrack. It is some dark sounding tones that sound much like most of the drone metal I listen to such as early Earth, Nadja, and  Sunn 0))). Coupled with the very surreal nightmare of a school where not everything is what it seems, you have one of the most unsettling 7 minutes you will see this side of any horror movie out there. Look for an interview with director Kelly Sears later next week.

LIFE AND FREAKY TIMES OF UNCLE LUKE

Directed by: Jillian Mayer

This was such a big surprise. I honestly have very little knowledge about 2 Live Crew. But this was one of the more awkward experiences I've had watching a movie. Everything about this movie is crude, from the dialogue, to the aesthetics of the film but it works so well. The short goes from being a "rags to riches" story to something more akin to LA JETEE/12 MONKEYS if that movie had the color palette of a 3-year old's coloring book.

                                       

THE HICCUP

Directed by: Matt Smukler

You know how they say that a friend will bail you out of jail, but a best friend will be right there in jail saying "Wasn't that a great night?" This is what I thought of THE HICCUP first starts showing two good friend fighting while trying to get to the airport after an undisclosed incident. Adding to their troubles a radiator overheating stalls them in front of an old lady's house what follows has pretty much scarred me for a while even if it was pretty hilarious.. To talk about this movie further would be spoiling it, but I hope that people check out if they can. 

So these were my favorites, but I wanted to mention the other ones that played during the block. CHORES, ZERGUT, AT THE FORMAL, MEANING OF ROBOTS and PLUTO DECLARATION were all fine films. Check out their descriptions here.

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