I have not yet seen very many short films but I have already taken a liking to the ones that try to be funny and entertaining. Drama takes a long time to build effectively but humor can be achieved in only a few words. Our Time is Up is both meaningful and funny at the same time. It is a unique balance that makes this one of the best short films I have ever seen.
Kevin Pollack is Dr. Stern, a stuffy psychologist who strings along his patients without really breaking any ground on their problems, asking them generic psychological questions. One day his world is shaken when he gets some tragic news from his physician. This leads to some hilariously blunt encounters with his patients but also serves as therapeutic for both sides.
The set dressings are muted but not so bland as to go unnoticed. Still, the main focus here is the writing, which is top notch. A lot of care and attention was paid to the script, which has me wondering if anyone involved with the production either were psychologists or saw one at any point in their lives. The delivery by the actors is also spot on. Good actors working with a good script is surprisingly difficult to come by these days, so it’s a wonder that the stars aligned for this enjoyable short. If you like quirky, sharp writing, check this one out on YouTube.
One would typically expect a film that ultimately pits Arnold Schwarzenegger against Satan would be laughable and tacky. Fortunately, the director knew the weakness of the ultimate plot and decided to spice it up with a whole lot of Christian imagery and symbolism. There’s a lot going on in this film, and most of it is in the details.
Satan has a chance to fulfill prophecy and bring about the end times by impregnating a ‘chosen’ woman with a specific mark on her body. Satan possesses the body of a rich man whom Arnold is hired by as a bodyguard. A seeming religious kook tries to shoot said rich guy, leading Arnold to investigate and he gets caught up in saving this girl from Satan. It brings new meaning to the saying “I work for the Devil!”
It runs a tad long (though only 2 hours) but if you’re into theology and symbolism, this otherwise silly concept turns out to be pretty decent.
Arnold wins, by the way (as if you couldn’t guess), although he does so in a quasi-religiously symbolic way.
I have not yet seen very many short films but I have already taken a liking to the ones that try to be funny and entertaining. Drama takes a long time to build effectively but humor can be achieved in only a few words. Our Time is Up is both meaningful and funny at the same time. It is a unique balance that makes this one of the best short films I have ever seen.
