Spaghetti
Charissa Kroeger
2025, 10 mins.
A wee film that’s after my own heart
Having sat in the dark since 2001 with likely—now—a couple of million other people, Kroeger’s ode to the perils of our fellow audience members seems like a post-COVID breath of fresh air.
You know: the latecomers momentarily ruining the view, all sorts of “buy now” snacks (especially sound-destroying popcorn), unwanted (frequently undeserved) oohs and ahs delivering a chorus of narrative neophytes’ cantus unfirmus…
Yet, without the audience and inevitable shared experiences, the cinema would have died in its second reel decades ago.
So, do take a peek and just hope you don’t, inadvertently, see yourself in the pews! JWR
Baa-Baa
Teresa Juksaar
2025, 15 mins.
Definitely got his goat
Alas, people do mean well. Imagine moving into to your new city digs, starting to unpack and being gifted an adult goat (convincingly bleated by Kuusi and Kolla), from well-meaning animal lovers several continents away.
Welcome to the world of Toomas (played with stoic fun by Kaspar Veberg) and his family who, despite love at first poop in the hall, realize their new charge will have to be relocated or they will face sudden eviction.
Films like this don’t come along too often—a viewing is highly recommended before giving Amazon et al carte blanche to just leave any items on your doorstep! JWR
After What Happened in the Library
Syra McCarthy
2025, 15 mins.
“Drag is for everyone”
“Drag is for everyone”
No better timing than now for this recreation of a Drag Story Hour “interuptus” as Kyle Casy Chu’s (as the lovely Akita YaHeart) standard storytelling in full costume was pathetically intruded upon by a covey of those who only think they know what is offensive to the vast majority (look no further than their mirrors if they want to see sick, despicable human beings).
Sadly, happily, it’s a great and oh so necessary year for positive stories about Drag Queens (cross-reference below) as so much of America (North and South) feels comfortable recoiling about those different from many, even as they cannot see that what binds them together is systemic bigotry and an appalling lack of education. “Savvy” political demagogues get this, readily switching their base from less-government conservatives to easily malleable blue collar workers that can be convinced of almost anything that comes out of their Dear Leader’s yap.
As dangerous and frustrating as all of this may sound, it’s artists like Chu and directors like McCarthy that, having the courage to tell and share their stories, may well turn the tide from misunderstanding through lies to acceptance and joy with all of us on the planet through undeniable truth. JWR