A selection of darkly humorous genre shorts that match Chad & Nate’s sensibilities perfectly.

In Old Ranchos (2025): Directed by Matthew Lucas, who co-wrote the story with Patrick Flynn, this is the story of an old west lawman (Krymis J. Fernando) on the run who meets a seductive siren (Natalia Berger) who offers him a chance to fix his past. This is absolutely gorgeous, and that short description will not prepare you for the film you’ll watch, one that combines what feels like the Italian West with horror, multiple realities, and a shocking ending that, although you’ll see coming, is the perfect payoff. Wow — one of the best shorts I’ve seen in some time.

Olga’s Eyes (2023): Olga (Viviane de Muynck) is a vampire who loves music but is trying to settle into her old age, and with that comes a dislike of killing. Her daughter, Simone, thinks that she can still help people, so she places her in an old folks’ home where she can assist those close to death in crossing over to the other side. Directed and written by Sarah Carlot Jaberthis, this film, shot in black and white and nearly silent save for its soundtrack, offers a loving look at the vampire genre while illustrating that age catches up with all of us, even those who claim they will remain young forever.

Baby Blues — Going Dark (2025): James P. Gleason directs and writes this short, in which Barney (Tyler Poelle) needs a tooth out and turns to a substitute dentist, Dr. Carroway (Shanti Lowry) and her assistant Penny (Aliya Victoriya). Having a tooth pulled is bad enough, but what happens when the power goes out? How about no anesthesia? Maybe going to the dentist isn’t a big deal for those who have experienced BDSM, but there’s no pain like tooth pain. Those shots in the gumline hurt now, and I haven’t been to the dentist in months. This short may frighten you more than any other horror film this year, depending on how you feel about your molars.

Boiling Point (2025): Doug is having the worst day of his life. Guy Time is on their way to a boy band competition. A car crash brings them together, and nothing will be the same again. Directed and written by Nathan Declan Gallagher, this film boasts incredible character work, as nearly everyone in it has a fully formed personality, and the production seems way more informed and intelligently written than many full-length films. This was quite the start to my movie fest watching at GenreBlast!