Awesome Short Films

Ben Harper and Sean Mullen’s short animated 3D film, Blip, has a relatively simple story: peace for two laser-toting warmongers just means twice the war for everyone else.

Inspired by Nike, Carl Erik Rinsch’s Exploit Yourself is 3D short film that blends Mirror’s Edge with Terminator; one thing’s for sure: we are SO screwed if the robots learn to Parkour.

If you liked Fallout 3’s cheeky retropocalyptic videos, Rob Moffett’s Wagglemax shorts hype similar products for nuclear wars, zombie infestations and even Gears of War players.

It’s technically about a future archaeologist who discovers the remains of Hollywood, but StopMo is in reality an homage to movie special effects artists wrapped in a sci-fi story.

Created by Guangzhou student Johann Pu, Water Brain is a gorgeous 15 minute short film remarkable not only for its surprisingly moving story, but for its Chinese take on steampunk.

We had a rabbit once. It dug holes and crapped everywhere. Red Rabbit isn’t too different, but it does show that the secrets we hide may not be as big as we think they are.

Atom.com pokes fun at this summer’s wave of movies based on 80s toons with Toy Movies; Care Bears, My Little Pony and The Smurfs all go Hollywood in a very bad way.

Equal parts horrific and heavenly, Marco Brambilla’s Civilization is installed in The Standard Hotel’s elevators; it’s composed of over 400 clips as you go from hell to heaven (and back).

Created by SVA student Jake Armstrong for his thesis, The Terrible Thing of Alpha-9 is a fantastically illustrated sci-fi short about a misunderstood (and ultimately harmless) monster.

No, it’s not from J.J. Abram’s Star Trek–it’s FedCon 2009’s opening video which depicts a “what if” battle with the USS Kelvin, Romulan fighters and a surprise guest. Thanks Luke!

Another animated short film by Supinfocom Arles students, Oceansize remixes the sci-fi/underwater plot of The Abyss, the alien black oil of The X-Files and Resident Evil’s monstrous bosses.

Created by students at Supinfocom Arles (a French computer graphics school), Machu Picchu is an expertly animated short about the hazards (and drug-like highs) of Incan airspace.

It’s no secret that eating dirt is a BMX rider’s worst nightmare, but this animated Watch the Ground short by Ludovic Habas literally brings the earth to life as a horrifying arch nemesis.

Created in only 4 weeks, Scoop Volante is a fast-paced and funny animated film about an alien and an overzealous photographer; kudos to the 4-person team for a Pixar-quality short.

And they say being a cop is hard: Café Serré is a very short animated film that shows that some police officers can get the job done without lifting a finger. Well, maybe a donut or two.

Simon and McBess’ WOOD starts off like an old-time cartoon (and stays monochrome throughout), but the delicious blend of urban graphics and animation style are clearly modern.

It’s a bit dizzying to watch, but Rodrigo Gudi√±o’s The Facts in The Case of Mister Hollow is a unique short film that lets you play detective by using a single image to tell an entire story.

We love the funky cardboard look of Aziz Kocanaoqullari’s Masquerade; set to music by Belgium band Ghinzu, it also makes a poignant statement about workplace behavior.

Like Spore but funkier (if that’s even possible), Let There Be Sound is as gorgeous as it is grotesque; still, any film that simultaneously makes us smile and squirm is worth a watch.

Based on a quote by clergyman Norman Vincent Peale, The Fly is an animated film about the power of thought, the value of patience and the need for flypaper. Thanks, Tenshi!

Curiosity killed the cat, or in this case, the robot: Luke Randall’s Reach is about a cute, waddling robot (WALL-E, anyone?) and its ill-advised battles with its tragically short power cord.

Forgotten Places breathes life into decaying buildings with slow tracking shots that are hauntingly beautiful; if you like grunge, this video is oozing with rust, grime, and even bullet holes.

Evelien Lohbeck’s Notebook is a series of reality-questioning animated shorts that are themselves encapsulated in a stop-motion short; anyone else feeling a bit M.C. Escher-ish?