Big Picture Big Sound

Quality Everywhere, But The Confession Is Your Winner

The Confession, Tanel Toom

Wish 143, Ian Barnes

Na Wewe, Ivan Goldschmidt

The Crush, Michael Creagh

God Of Love, Luke Matheny

As bad as the nominees for Short Film (Animation) are this year, that's how good the nominees for Short Film (Live Action) are.

"The Confession" Right out of the gate, this dramatic, suspenseful, psychological thriller bursts into your skull. It has enough twists and turns packed into its 26 minutes, to make most filmmakers seem incompetent by comparison. Tight as a drum. Outstanding.

Wish 143 A young British lad is dying of cancer. When a grant-your-wish type organization shows up and tells him he can have whatever he wants, he gives the only answer that makes sense: He wants to lose his virginity. At times sad, touching, funny, and poignant, it does a beautiful job of conveying many moments that ring incredibly true.

"Na Wewe" From the very first frame we are thrust into a war-torn zone being contested between the Hutus and the Tutsis. A bus carrying about ten people is stopped at a roadblock and threatened by a group of young boys with guns hell-bent on executing their perceived enemies. Downright scary and what feels like a realistic look into the mindset of the people involved in this craziness.

"The Crush" An adorably cute young student has a crush on his teacher and he is convinced that they will someday marry. It all takes an absolutely right turn when the young boy shows just how far he is willing to go to make his point. Works well except for the climactic scene, which doesn't ring quite true.

"God Of Love" A young and not particularly attractive singer has a crush on the female in the band. Unfortunately, she has eyes for another guy in the band. Something supernatural intervenes, giving him a chance to win her heart, but the results are not exactly what he is hoping for. At times clever, it never quite takes off, but it's still a pretty good watch.