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Ghosts of the Arctic
Capturing polar bears in their natural setting is a rare event. Because they make their home on the sea ice of the Arctic Circle, photographers must endure -30ºC temperatures, frozen terrain, and equipment failures to get a glimpse of the maritime bear — but those who do get big rewards. Filmmakers Abraham Joffe and Dom West describe the difficulties of shooting on Earth's northernmost territory and the payoff that comes along with it.
Saving Throw
There might be bars on the windows and nothing to wear but orange jumpsuits, but there's still a way be free. Dungeons & Dragons offers a way for prisoners across the US to be someone else for a moment — and leave the harsh realities of jail life behind. Two former maximum security inmates are back on the outside and using D&D to work their way back into society.
LEGO Breakfast
The cornerstone of any nutritious breakfast is — LEGOs? A morning meal fit for a minifig champion is prepared in this stop-motion short from BrickBros. Eggs and toast with jam are on the menu, all made from the finest bricks.
Dream Makers
If it's on the screen, it probably isn't real. But that doesn't mean it takes a less talented group of people to make the magic happen. Honda celebrates the creativity and work it takes to bring a dream from the brain to the screen in this short film.
Zygote
On an asteroid mining station, something has killed most of the crew and assimilated them into a terrifying beast. One low-ranking crew member is left, and the race is on to try and get off the asteroid before it's too late. Zygote is another wicked release from Neil Blomkamp's Oat's Studios.
Where Ideas Come From
Inspiration. A spark. The muse, the beginning, the idea — where does it come from? David Lynch, Chuck Close, two kids, and several others discuss inspiration, ideas, and how they get them in this entertaining short film.
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Casper Mattress
We spend about a third of our life sleeping, so the mattress you sleep on every night is incredibly important. Make sure you get the right one by trying out a Casper. This USA-made mattress is made up of multiple layers of foam, including one for support and pressure relief, and one to make sure you don't get too hot. It's all wrapped up in a durable woven cover, and shipped right to your door in a box that's easy to maneuver into even the smallest abodes. You get 100 nights to try it out, can return it for free if you're not satisfied, but if you are (and you probably will be), you can upgrade even further by grabbing some of the company's soft Supima cotton sheets and dual-layer pillows.
Presented by Casper.
Mack Weldon Vesper Polo
Inspired by the timeless look of 007, the Mack Weldon Vesper Polo brings effortless style to your wardrobe. To pull it off, the company created a lightweight knit fabric that uses micro mesh to enhance breathability and high-end, fine-thread cotton for added comfort and a smoother look. The collar keeps its shape wash after wash, the chest pocket gives you a little added on-the-go storage and the modern tailored fit pairs well with everything from shorts to sport coats. Now available in four different colors to keep your look fresh and clean at all times.
Presented by Mack Weldon.
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God: Sergengeti
The latest short from Neil Blomkamp's Oats Studios finds the Man Upstairs gleefully playing with his creations. With the help of His butler, Geoffrey, we find that if we are created in his image, He's kind of a jerk. Sharlto Copley stars in this irreverent look at Creation.
Sands of Jakku
So what happens in the Star Wars universe when the cameras aren't rolling? The first short in the animated Forces of Destiny series follows Rey and BB-8 on an adventure that didn't make it into The Force Awakens, with Daisy Ridley voicing her big screen character.
Firebase
Neill Blomkamp's experimental Oats Studios has released another NSFW short. A group of soldiers come across Vietcong fighters with terrible wounds, and helicopters and tanks start gravitating into the sky. Firebase is like Apocalypse Now meets Predator, with a seemingly alien being wreaking havoc while the Vietnam War rages around it.
Rakka
Neill Blomkamp has dropped the first film in his experimental sci-fi series Oats Studios. Starring Sigourney Weaver, the short takes place in a dystopian Texas in the not too distance future where lizard-like aliens have taken over Earth and our minds. If you like what you see, you can donate to the project and possibly help get these shorts made into feature films.
Lunar
In 1957, the USSR launched Sputnik, the first man-made object to reach orbit around the Earth. The event ignited the "Space Race" between the US and the Soviets, which ran parallel to the Cold War. In 1959, Yuri Gagarin became the first human to enter space, and it looked as if the race had been lost. But in 1961, President John F. Kennedy announced the goal of putting a man on the Moon — and the rest is history. Created from thousands of stills taken by astronauts, Lunar animates the longest journey ever undertaken in the history of mankind.
Agent 327: Operation Barbershop
Based on the Dutch comic strip Agent 327, this Blender Animation Studios short features the spy looking for a secret entrance in a barbershop leading to an evil genius and her terrifying experiments on humans. Made completely in the freeware Blender 3D modeling and animation suite, Blender Animation Studios wants to make this short into a feature-length movie. Learn more about the project and how you can help here.
Helsreach
In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war. In the Warhammer 40k universe, based on the epic tabletop game, billions of lives are fed into the thresher of conflict across the galaxy. Among the most vaunted and fanatical of combatants, the Space Marines fight for the immortal Emperor of Mankind, defending humanity from alien races and inter-dimensional beings bent on destruction. Richard Boylan captures the dark Gothic space opera perfectly in this black and white animation of the Warhammer 40k audiobook Helsreach.
Nerf John Wick
John Wich is an ex-hitman with a love for his puppy and vengeance. But replace his handguns and rifles with an arsenal of Nerf blasters, and you get the latest short from Corridor. The filmmaking crew remakes the neo-noir thriller with the latest foam-based weaponry, resulting in a parody with just as much action and none of the violence.
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Fingers of Steel
Fingerboarding is the smaller, less extreme little brother to skateboarding. Other than the small chance of stubbing a finger or breaking a nail, the sport is hardly dangerous. But in this short by Sebastian Linda, the filmmaker uses the power of cinema — some slick angles and slow-mo footage — to turn the tiny tricks into a hardcore skate film.
Star Peacefully Resolved Conflicts
Not everything has to end with a galactic rebellion, epic lightsaber duel, and killing your own dad. Sometimes you can just settle the matter with a game of chess. When Luke Skywalker defeats Darth Vader, Darth does what anyone would do if they lost control of the galaxy: Take their Death Star and go home.
Stop-Motion Yule Log
Just because Christmas is over, doesn't mean you can't enjoy a post-holiday fire. Animator PES pays homage to the WPIX tradition by adding his stop-motion mastery to the classic Yule log in the form of a soothing candy corn and pretzel fire. Although the film was originally created in 2007, this version has been lovingly remastered in crisp 4K.
Dr. Seuss: Putting Rhymes to Good Use
Kaptain Kristian isn't just a film essayist — he also has a flair for rhyme. Moving from the screen to the page, the Kaptain gives an ode to beloved author Dr. Seuss in the doctor's familiar anapestic tetrameter.
Everybody Wants to Kill Bruce 2
It still isn't easy being Bruce. In the sequel to Everybody Wants to Kill Bruce, an entire city is out to get him, either on purpose or accidentally. It took editor Pierre-Alexandre Chauvat 53 movies to get enough villains on the hunt for Bruce, and it still isn't enough to bring the action hero down.
The Camera Collector
For over 50 years, this Italian photographer has been compiling some of the most sought-after cameras out there. Not limited to just cameras, his collection is full of photography treasures, including old manuals, books and magazines. This short film not only shows off his dreamy assortment vintage finds, but also his passion and love for the art.
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Fired From Mars
Just because you made it to the Red Planet doesn't mean you can't lose your job. They paid Ted to sleep, and he didn't get fired. They had bathroom attendants. They're still collecting a check. But the guy who designs the t-shirts, hats, and buttons — the stuff that people back on Earth actually connect with — is expendable. Even on Mars, the bottom line is the ultimate decider.
Literal Bohemian Rhapsody
You've belted it out in your car. Sang along during Wayne's World. But have you ever really listened to the lyrics to "Bohemian Rhapsody"? Corridor turned the Queen classic into a shot film, resulting in a dark tale of drugs, crime, and a poor boy.
Canal Kitchen
You never knew cartoons tasted so good. In the Canal Kitchen, the ingredients go straight from film to table, using only the freshest characters picked at the peak of ripeness.
Unsatisfying
Broken yolks. Cans getting stuck in vending machines. Missed shots. We've all experienced these insanely frustrating moments. To remind you how terrible they are, Parallel Studio has compiled all of the most unsatisfying situations everyday life has to offer.
Piper
Pixar doesn't only create amazing feature films, but they're also able to tell some pretty incredible stories in a short amount of time. Take for instance their latest project Piper, the accompanying short to Finding Dory. Starring a hungry little sandpiper, the tiny hatchling braves new territory, faces a terrifying mishap, and comes out a better bird — all in under six minutes.
Thomas Burberry
To many, Burberry is mainly just luxury trench coats and a fancy plaid pattern. But the brand's origins are far more than just that. They've outfitted the first man to reach the South Pole, the 1914 expedition across Antarctica, George Mallory's 1924 attempt on Mount Everest, and military personnel during the First World War. In this sort film from Academy Award-winning director Asif Kapadia, the life of founder Thomas Burberry is reimagined to tell the 160-year history of the brand, starting with the creation of his trademark gabardine fabric.
A Stranger Things Christmas
The breakout hit from the Duff Brothers is still fresh on everyone's mind, especially after the announcement of a second season. With little known about what's to come, all we can do is speculate. Animator Leigh Lahav and writer Oren Mendez have their own ideas and imagine it plays out something like the Charles M. Schulz holiday special. In this Peanuts/Stranger Things mashup, Charlie Brown and the gang are turned into Will, Mike, Dustin, Lucas, and Eleven shortly after Will's return from the Upside Down, and the results are near perfection.
The Escape
"The Driver" is back for one last ride. Clive Owen reprises the role he last played in 2002, in BMW Films' series of short films The Hire. While the 14-year layoff inbetween jobs might have made "The Driver" a little "rusty", it certainly hasn't dulled his driving skills — or the performance of BMW's M-series of vehicles.
