Varied Celluloid since its inception has had a hand extended to the independent film community and we would like to continue that relationship! During the midst of our Halloween Horrors celebration we were sent a couple of independent short films to share, but they were buried under the massive work that those reviews ended up taking. Better late than never though, so I’d like to take some time and point out two very interesting (and free) shorts for you today!

First up we have “No One Gets Hurt” from director Scott Staven who is located just outside of Vancouver B.C. His short film details a kidnapping that goes awry. A crime thriller that is rather absorbing straight from the jump, it is definitely worth spending some time with. You can watch the film via the official website located here and it really is a beautifully shot little independent. The short shows a lot of promise on the part of Staven, who lists his favorite film as Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance. You’re always in good company when you are siding with Chan Wook-Park! If you’re interested, you can find more from the director at the home page of the website.

The second short we are going to talk about today is decidedly less bleak in its tone and atmosphere, but equally as engaging!

Guillotine Guys comes from director James Ricardo, who also wrote the short, and he is best known for his previous directorial effort Opie Gets Laid which I posted about here on Varied Celluloid back in the day when it first hit DVD. Ricardo is a Californian native and has an affinity for comedy, which Guillotine Guys thoroughly displays. A fun and imaginative short, Ricardo takes a bizarre concept and short run-time but turns it into something that is both humorous and ultimately dramatic. At a very short run time, there’s really no reason you shouldn’t check it out. So head on over to the YouTube page and give it a shot!