shorts! volume 1

Rating:
Summary: Highly entertaining and good variety of short films
Review: This DVD is one of the better collection of short films I have run across. There were a couple of shorts I didn't care for, but for most of the 2.5 hours I found myself laughing, moved, or weeping. In one comedy, a child's stickman drawing comes to life and causes big trouble ("What's Wrong with This Picture?"); in another, a bunch of people start a support group for each other because they have *never* been abducted by aliens, and feel left out ("Non-Abductees Anonymous"). On the dramatic side, there's a touching story centered around 9/11 ("Tenth"), and a foreign short that reveals how our inner voices are quick to judge others on first impressions, often with devastating consequences ("The Chinese Wall").

If you want to watch something different than the standard Hollywood formulas, this DVD is definitely worth the time. It's a wonderful collection. In addition, unlike many of the indepedent DVDs, it has high-quality Dolby 5.1 sound encoding and filmmake commentaries on every short.

Rating:
Summary: a diverse and intelligent selection of short films
Review: This is definitely one of the better collections of shorts from different filmmakers that I've seen yet--and many of these films improve with multiple viewings. The subject matters range from parent-child relationships (John and Mia--a fantastic film) to insomnia (Fish Never Sleep--I've watched this like eight times). There are several films here that merit sharing them with others--anyone who enjoys the potential of this medium will find new favorites among its contents. The World of Interiors is a simply wonderful hand-drawn animation concerning the difficulties of getting out of the house--another that I've watched several times. Dad's Dead is one of the most innovative shorts I've ever seen--combining live action, animation, and some remarkable compositing of the two forms--it also tells a sinister story that sticks with you. The Chinese Wall is wonderfully written, acted, and directed--and beautifully shot. Being an indy filmmaker myself, this collection is a great example of separating the wheat from the chaff and I'm proud to have it in my collection. The optional director's commentaries are well done and informative, highlighting already fascinating works.
Highly recommended to both film enthusiasts and filmmakers!