Hereâs another review round-up where I highlight the films playing as part of the ‘Midnight Shorts Competition’. In my last post I highlighted some of the comedic centric short films (âFlick,â âFlexâ and âPussâ) in this 13-film slate and you can find that article here.
I want to highlight three shorts from the programme that I found had a heavy focus on atmosphere and character. Read on below for write-ups of âThe Moogai,â âSignificant Otherâ and âThe Thing That Ate The Birds.â
‘The Moogai’
Written and directed by Jon Bell, âThe Moogaiâ is a short, Aboriginal psychological horror film from Australia. Itâs about a family who believes a spirit wants to take their newborn son. The film is gorgeously shot (by Sean Ryan) and has so many creepy moments and such a good atmosphere.
From the moment where Sarah (Shari Sebbens) falls asleep and then sees a small Aboriginal girl sitting in the darkness in the corner of the room, this had my attention throughout. Thereâs a lot of psychological torment here, too, where we wonder if itâs only the mother thatâs being affected by these actions. I also wondered if this was merely a commentary on postpartum anxiety or just a story about maternal instincts kicking in to protect their child. This is also because her husband, Fergus (Meyne Wyatt), isnât experiencing what sheâs seeing. I believe some of the meaning definitely got lost on me, but itâs still so strong.
The horror feels very real at times, though, especially in one scene where the camerawork plays such a role where the mom looks in a corner because a girl tells her that the spirit is watching. The mom looks and the camera goes to an extreme height and looks down at her as she runs. Itâs the unsettling sound effects and way the camera is positioned that shows the strength of filmmaking here, as we know everything we need to without seeing the creature.
I wonât spoil anymore here, but itâs a well-directed short that has its fair share of creepy, atmospheric moments and memorable imagery. I definitely got some strong âThe Babadookâ vibes, and I donât say that just because theyâre both Australian films; theyâre both genuinely haunting.
‘Significant Other’
Written and directed by Quinn George, âSignificant Otherâ is a story about a couple who have a discussion about a red orb in their house. Abby (Autumn Hanna) is in a hallway flicking the light on and off, transfixed to the ceiling where the light is. Her boyfriend Paul (Matt Micucci) gets out of their shared room and wonders what sheâs doing. She says thereâs a red orb there; but itâs one that he cannot see.
Itâs a short that you canât say much about without spoiling it all, as thereâs some interesting imagery with the orb, but thereâs not much of a disagreement between them as the synopsis suggests. Abby can see it and Paul canât, and thatâs really the disagreement. I think my favourite aspect of the short was the main music theme by Jake Staley as itâs just generally atmospheric and creepy.
Visually, too, the short is interesting because of the red hues it gives off, but story-wise it leaves a lot to be desired as it doesnât answer much about what the purpose of the red orb. Thereâs surely atmosphere to it, but not enough substance comes out of this short as they stare at the ceiling.
‘The Thing That Ate the Birds’
Sophie Mair and Dan Chitsamâs âThe Thing That Ate the Birdsâ follows Abel (Eoin Slattery), a Head Gamekeeper who discovers the thing that has been eating his grouse. When he shoots first instead of asking questions, it creates a ripple effect that brings the violence back home with him and to his relationship with his wife, Grace (Rebecca Palmer).
Set on the North Yorkshire Moors, one of the strongest components of âThe Thing That Ate the Birdsâ is how lovely the settings are and great the cinematography, by James Oldham, complements it. Itâs beautiful to look at, both in the day where we can see everything and at night when itâs more tense. As well, certain FX (by Simon Carr) or editing (by James Taggart) look great, especially when Grace accidentally steps on a piece of glass. Iâm not sure if this is faux glass but it definitely looks like she steps on it, and if thereâs a disguised edit before she steps down, itâs seamless. The way they illuminate certain scenes, too, is memorable.
The aspect of the film with Grace and Abelâs crumbling relationship is interesting. As Abelâs doing his job, Grace is on the phone with a friend saying, âHeâs never going to change.â The true reason of why their relationship and that specific context remains unspoken; but we can feel the tension in every chop of vegetables and the dialogue. Thereâs enough here with their dynamic and the mystery of the horror that this could be a strong story at feature length. I enjoy it when something like this can stand on its own but also leaves you wanting more with another rendition of the story.
This film has strong effects and some neat use of gore, when itâs used outdoors and indoors, as well, and thereâs some imagery here that is very memorable. The horror very much lives in dread as Abel stalks around the scenes with his shotgun drawn. As well, I wonât spoil what exactly has been eating the birds, but the thing looks cool and I enjoy the tongue-in-cheek aspect that this character is indeed named The Thing That Ate the Birds (and is played by James Swanton).
