ARROW Short Films (2024) Feat. Bad Acid & Meat Friend

Having built themselves as a name in curated features and impressive physical media releases, ARROW also have a premium streaming platform that is representative of what their brand is known for. An excellent thing they do is showcase short films from exciting new talents, many of which have previously played at genre festivals, and this review is dedicated to a few new additions to the streamer.

Set in the mean streets of New York, The Anatomy Maestro sees Cooper (Ed Malone) enjoying the grisliness of a horror film before leaving home with murderous intent. He begins stalking Zoe (Addie Guidry), seemingly unaware of the oncoming danger as she dances through the streets listening to music on her headphones. Cooper’s malicious plan is stopped courtesy of a taser Zoe carries, which allows the young woman to reveal her hidden intentions.

As the tale unfolds on scuzzy New York streets, writer/director Drew Maxwell Weiss draws inspiration from works such as The Driller Killer and Maniac. The unfolding tale grows more fascinating as it subverts the typical slasher idea for revenge of the surgical variety, although the execution feels underwhelming.

For anybody still not ready to deal with pandemic-set art, ARM is one you may want to pass on. This short by director Jill Worsely follows Katharine (Katharine Markwick), who finds herself alone and miserable during lockdown. The circumstances have accentuated her feelings of loneliness, missing her ex while trying to pass the time as the days blend together.

She makes an impulse purchase of a boyfriend pillow, to replicate the feeling of being cuddled, but matters grow strange as it becomes clear something is wrong with the pillow. Worsely offers a dangerous yet humorous spin on this innocuous item, with the situation being played rather well. Key to it all is Markwick’s great performance, capturing the loneliness which grows into bafflement and then determination, all of which makes for an effective short.

Set within a pastel-coloured room adored with posters of muscle-bound men and women with massively frizzy hairstyles, Bad Acid sees self-obsessed aerobics fanatic Sheila (Kate Hollowell) getting ready for another day. After she accidentally ingests some toxic hair gel, she is transported on a vibrant trip related to her aerobics videos. Co-writer/director Sam Fox crafts a spirited ‘80s homage, complete with a synth score, which becomes an increasing nightmare. It is a terrific showcase for Fox’s directorial style, although it feels like there is little else to this 6-minute short that unfortunately wears thin.

Ryan Irving takes the reins at writer, director, and voicing the viewpoint through which Bark unfolds through. With a title like that, is the narrator a dog? No, it is a tree. This fun idea brings alive a day in the park through a lonely perspective, with the voiceover capturing the tree’s wish to feel included, to the utter horror at witnessing an axe-murderer’s pursuit of two women. Not every comedic addition works, particularly with the voiceover gags, although it is an idea that is fun to witness as it captures the spirit of Mystery Science Theatre 3000 for this slasher scenario.

Co-writer/director Ben S. Hyland’s short, Bleep, follows a couple (Rebecca Shorrocks and Paul F. Taylor) that are awoken by a constant bleeping sound. Their sleep deprived search brings out issues in their marriage which results in an argument, before taking quite the fun turn into unexpected territory. The effective utilisation of the scenario makes for an entertaining watch, and instils hope for whatever Hyland does in the future.

Directed by Alex Baro-Cayetano, Keith sees a young girl (Mia Hemerling) in bed while hearing her parents shouting. She is initially startled when her book reading is interrupted by a monster under her bed named Keith (Bear Winter-Perreau), yet that does not stop a friendship forming between the pair. Depicted is a nice subversion on the idea of a monster lurking beneath the bed, playing on the idea of who the real boogeyman is while offering reassurance. At only three-minutes long, this is a short that is over far too quickly yet holds much interest in what is depicted.

Across this selection of shorts, the most interesting one is Izzy Lee’s wonderfully batshit Meat Friend. As it opens with a retro-style sitcom opening, young Billie (Marnie McKendry) finds her attempt at making burgers by microwaving raw hamburger meat results in it coming alive in the form of Meat Friend (Steve Johanson). Referring to Billie as ‘children,’ he gives inappropriate lessons which makes the child grow aggressive to the point that the behaviour scares her mother. With a wicked sense of humour that brings to mind Too Many Cooks, this short becomes unhinged in the most exceptional ways.

The last short is Terrible Things, an Irish post-apocalyptic tale from Ciarán Hickey. As the devastation lies masked in fog, wandering through this landscape is a masked figure (Claire J. Loy) in search of anything that may be of use. Her loneliness becomes apparent as she starts having a one-sided conversation with a corpse, which leads her to acknowledge the lingering strands of her own humanity.

Central to this 10-minute short is a monologue delivered by Loy, who knocks it out of the park with capturing the sheer pain that she has endured through surviving. While grieving over what was lost in this world, she does not even have photographs to remember the happier times as all she carries are memories, dreams, and pain over the loss. The nature of this apocalyptic scenario becomes clearer as the short moves on, hinting at the terrors lurking in this uninhabitable world as part of this quietly haunting tale.

James’s Archive – Arrow Shorts Showcase

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