Awesome Short Films

“RED ALERT: BOY.” Riley’s parents freak out when a young man comes looking for her. Riley’s First Date is an animated short film that will be included in the DVD and Blu-ray releases of Pixar’s latest masterpiece, Inside Out.

“If the thing runs, and it’s unlikely to kill bystanders, then bring it out.” Marcus Ubungen’s short documentary features some of the cars and teams behind 24 Hours of LeMons, where absurdity and challenge trump speed and polish.

The Bureau of Imaginary Friends is urging Mr. X to retire because his creator is growing up. Writer and director Kate Tsang’s bittersweet tale is one of the best short films we’ve seen in a while.

Life is loaded with choices and diversions, each of which may lead us towards or away from our ultimate goals and dreams. Tobias Brebner’s emotional short film is a poetic exploration of one man’s quest to find the right path for him.

Two policemen in a world of anthropomorphic animals recap one of their solved cases in this charming combination of text and animation. Sheridan College student Melody Wang made the short film in Toonboom Harmony and Photoshop.

(PG-13) In a world where time travel is trivial, Richard wants to use the incredible technology to – you guessed it – get laid. He goes back to tell his younger self to learn the guitar, but he keeps screwing it up. Will he ever learn?

“It’s wild to think that as an art form, it’s completely lost to a generation.” Pretty powerful (and truthful) words from Tanja Tiziana as she sets a course to explore her handwriting talents in Ryan Couldrey’s Ink – Written by Hand.

Pete “Petey Boy” Simon created this whimsical stop-motion animation, in which his friend Tom Offer-Westort’s facial hair grows longer and longer as he makes his way through a magical book. Support Pete’s videos on Patreon.

(PG-13) The latest martial arts action film from LBP Stunts Chicago gets going right away, as a man finds himself at the mercy of his captors, and must do what he can to escape and then take revenge on the men who did him wrong.

Andrew DeYoung’s improvised short film follows the tale of a young woman who trolls the aisles of Costco, striking up conversations with customers and taking advantage of the store without buying anything so she can feel like she fits in.

A crop duster checks out an explosion in Florida’s Everglades and finds a crate filled with bottles. Inside each bottle is a strange insect. Ryan Gillis’ animated short is a kickass sci-fi mystery.

(PG-13 Language) PLGRM profiles barber Nasir Sobhani, a rehabilitated drug addict. Once a week he cuts the hair of homeless people and hears them out, alleviating some of the loneliness and shame that he’s all too familiar with.

(PG-13 Language) An screenwriter goes out of town so he can escape showbiz. But while you can take a douchebag out of Hollywood… We can’t remember the last time we wanted to punch a fictional character so badly. Great acting.

Sad Hill Productions parodies the classic Mexican standoff from The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, but with Han Solo, Boba Fett and Greedo in place of Eastwood, Van Cleef and Wallach. Place your bets as to who shoots first.

“Back then I had no dreams. I had nightmares.” Austin Peters’ short documentary is a series of interviews with people who lived during one of New York City’s worst years on record. A companion piece for A Most Violent Year.

This short concept trailer is designed to give us a taste of a sci-fi adventure in which contestants compete in dangerous hover-car races. It’s a little thin on plot at this stage, but the visuals are nice and plump. Think Wipeout: The Movie.

Variable’s dramatic take on Chios’ chaotic annual tradition, where parishioners of two Greek Orthodox churches fire rockets at each other while mass is held inside both buildings. It’s like a scene from The Dark Knight Rises.

This hilarious take on ’60s educational films teaches us the right way to ride a motorcycle with another dude. We’re thinking The Siamese Twins method is the least likely to get you into trouble. Directed by Alex Vivian and Cris Balmaceda.

(PG-13 Language) The Smoke Bomb Boys love setting off fireworks and saying f**k. James P. Gannon’s comedy short film is a wonderfully shot and refreshing twist on the coming-of-age story. Music by Diarrhea Planet.

Jimmy Loweree’s suspenseful short film packs a serious punch in just under five minutes, following the story of a mysterious woman who’s been kidnapped and sedated, and the sacrifices one man is willing to make to free her.

(PG-13 Language) Catch cold glimpses of the rugged coastline in rural Newfoundland and watch the whirling drama unfold as two discordant sets of fishermen attempt cooperation during a heavy storm, in Justin Oakey’s Flankers.

Writer and performer Daniel Koren and director Vania Heymann ponder on a feeling many of us have had when there’s a cop car behind us, as we become so self-conscious that we’re more likely to attract the attention of law enforcement.

(PG-13 language) Mascha Halberstad’s stop-motion animated short pokes fun at the overdone style of big budget Hollywood trailers, though in this case, there’s a slight mismatch between the hyperbole and the hero of the film.