Rick and Ruby: two buddies confront pop culture stereotypes in gory fashion
Scott Woodburn, “Rick and Ruby” (2019) Playing like an episode in a never-ending road-movie series across America, “Rick and Ruby” is a buddy mini-movie packing comedy,…
Science Fiction Films
The Collector: a moving story of outsiders in a post-apocalyptic police state dystopia
Ihsanul Huq, “The Collector” (2021) A very moving story thanks to its lead actor Frank Collison, this short film revolves around a choice his character is…
Australian and New Zealand Films
Mongrel: minimally styled film posing the question of what makes a human or a monster
Nik Kacevski, “Mongrel” (2021) A very minimalist little film, featuring just two actors, “Mongrel” poses the universal question of what makes someone human or less than…
In Captivity: freedom versus slave comfort and security in a future dystopian hell
Michael Koerbel, “In Captivity” (2011) Superficially in the style of a “Truman Show” situation comedy, this short film is an amusing riff on what a future…
Together Forever: maudlin romance tragedy becomes a tale of murderous greed and a revenge vendetta
Rebecca C Scott, “Together Forever” (2022) A well-made film, driven almost entirely by its characters’ dialogue, turns what could have been a maudlin romance tragedy into…
An appealing heroine stuck in an unoriginal plot in “Alita: Battle Angel”
Robert Rodriguez, “Alita: Battle Angel” (2019) Based on Japanese manga artist Yukito Kishiro’s cyberpunk “Battle Angel Alita” series, this film works as both an origin story…
Italian and Italian-language Films
The Recycling Man: a peep at a future police-state dystopia and its manipulation of vulnerable citizens
Carlo Ballauri, “The Recycling Man” (2020) A very surprising little short, “The Recycling Man” takes place in a future dystopian police state in which children are…
Afro Algorithms: a film on hidden biases in technologies shoots itself in the foot
Anatola Araba Pabst, “Afro Algorithms” (2022) Here comes a very well-made 3D animated short that urges viewers to consider carefully how technologies like Artificial Intelligence and…
The Guardian’s Tale: fairy-tale conventions upturned in clever sci-fi fantasy short
Gordy Higgins, Ryan Zujic, Christoffer Klungerbo, “The Guardian’s Tale” (2012) Told as a delightful fairy tale in the style of “Beauty and the Beast”, this animated…
A dip into the multiverse with “Parallel Man: Infinite Pursuit”
Jeffrey Morris, “Parallel Man: Infinite Pursuit” (2014) Based on a comic book series of the same name, the animated short “Parallel Man” takes place in a…