While they don't tend to get as much love as feature-length films, short films are often just as interesting in their own ways, with the good ones always delivering so much in so little time. Originally, the medium of film as a whole only comprised short films, thanks to technological limitations 100+ years ago. Feature films grew in popularity at a certain point, overtaking shorts, but short films continue to be made to this day, and are included alongside longer movies to rate/review on film-related sites like Letterboxd.
What follows are some of Letterboxd's most favored films that aren't feature-length, and specifically those that truly put the "short" in "short film." All the following titles run for 10 minutes or less, and deliver unique, engaging experiences that won't waste any of your time. Thanks to their brevity, many are easy to find uploaded to official channels on YouTube, and are perfect to watch for anyone who has a few minutes to spare. A collection of interesting short films are ranked below, based on their average ratings from Letterboxd users.
10 'C’est la Vie' (2016)
Letterboxd Rating: 3.4/5
Ari Aster has made some strange and darkly funny shorts/features throughout his still relatively young filmmaking career, with the 2016 short C’est la Vie being the last he made before his 2018 feature film debut, Hereditary. It plays out almost identically to another short film of his called Basically (2014), but while that one sees an emotionally distant and wealthy young girl talking to the camera about her life, C’est la Vie is centered on a homeless man ranting about the worst parts of modern society.
It takes place in a particularly chaotic version of Los Angeles, with the angry commentary by its lead character getting complemented by scenes of background violence and anarchy. It's an intentionally abrasive short, but manages to be fairly digestible thanks to the runtime of just eight minutes. Those who want a barrage of Art Aster-directed chaos that lasts longer, on the other hand, might well find 2023's Beau Is Afraid worth checking out, as that one runs for almost three hours.
9 'Bambi Meets Godzilla' (1969)
Letterboxd Rating: 3.6/5
Throughout the history of the Godzilla series, the titular monster has fought plenty of interesting foes, with some of his greatest battles being criminally overlooked. However, few showdowns have been quite as novel as Bambi Meets Godzilla, which is an unofficial (obviously) short film made without the permission of Toho (the company that owns Godzilla) or Disney (the company that owns Bambi).
Still, credit should be given where it's due, because filmmaker Marv Newland predated the kind of bizarre, hilariously jarring humor that would become popular on the internet in the 21st century by decades. Bambi Meets Godzilla is only two minutes long, but still manages to feel ridiculously drawn out and intentionally anti-climactic, serving as a funny and stupid short film that's entirely a joke - it's funny because it exists. It's become a cult classic short film, and despite its crude animation/presentation, is amusingly uploaded on YouTube with a "4k remaster."
8 'The Key to Reserva' (2007)
Letterboxd Rating: 3.7/5
Everyone knows about Martin Scorsese's acclaimed feature films (many, but not all, belonging to the crime genre), and his documentary features are also quite well-regarded (though not as well-known). It's Scorsese's various short films that are least likely to get the appreciation they deserve, however, with a wide array of genres and styles covered throughout. One of his shortest and most interesting is 2007's The Key to Reserva, which functions as an Alfred Hitchcock homage and a champagne commercial simultaneously.
It begins as a mockumentary, with Scorsese finding what's allegedly an unfinished script by Hitchcock, with that then inspiring him to remake it in a way that the legendary filmmaker might've. The second half of The Key to Reserva then presents this hypothetical short film, and it has to be said that Scorsese mimics Hitchcock's style remarkably well. It's an advertisement in the end, sure, but a very well-made one made by a beloved and remarkably talented filmmaker.
7 'The Maker' (2011)
Letterboxd Rating: 3.9/5
Many acclaimed short films are also works of animation, which could explain why the Academy Awards, for example, has two short film categories: one for live-action shorts, and the other for animated shorts. The Maker is one such animated short film, and tells a fantastical story about a rabbit-like creature that, for reasons initially unknown to the viewer, is trying in vain to create something in its own image.
With its striking presentation, character design, and fantastical story, it's easy to recommend The Maker to fans of the animated/live-action films of Guillermo del Toro. This 2011 short does still feel distinct, though, and it packs a great deal into a runtime that only amounts to about five minutes long. It certainly leaves an impression, particularly with the ending that The Maker patiently builds up to, and is a great example of how a compelling story sometimes only needs minutes to be told.
6 'Pingu’s The Thing' (2012)
Letterboxd Rating: 4.0/5
It's always nice when a title tells you exactly what to expect with just a handful of words (or less), and this is definitely the case for Pingu's The Thing, which is sometimes also known by the even-better title of "Thingu." Obviously, it takes one of the scariest science fiction movies of all time - 1982's The Thing, directed by John Carpenter - and retells it using the characters and animation style of the children's program Pingu.
It's a very well-made parody of both properties, and does effectively condense the plot of The Thing into a very short runtime, as it plays out over just two minutes. It gets dark, creepy, and gruesome in places, and would likely traumatize any child who stumbled across it thinking that it was a regular episode of Pingu. But for older viewers, it should prove entertaining and very funny, especially with the running gag of Pingu being very keen to blast any sign of the alien creature with a flamethrower.
5 'Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared' (2011)
Letterboxd Rating: 4.0/5
If you were on YouTube in the early 2010s, you almost definitely had someone share Don't Hug Me I'm Scared with you, or perhaps stumbled upon it on your own. It went viral because of how meticulously made and surprisingly creepy it was, beginning like a parody of an educational children's show (think something like Sesame Street) before spiraling into chaotic, surreal, and nightmarish horror territory by the short's end.
The surprise factor it had has probably worn off after all these years, but Don't Hug Me I'm Scared can at least still be appreciated for what it does, and for how much it freaked various people out upon its release. When something appears bright, happy, and kid-friendly, but then descends into unsettling territory, it can prove all the more horrifying than a movie or short film entered into where you know the genre is "horror," and therein lies the mortifying beauty of Don't Hug Me I'm Scared.
4 'Darkness, Light, Darkness' (1989)
Letterboxd Rating: 4.0/5
Jan Švankmajer is one of those rare filmmakers who's probably better known for his short films than his feature films. He's made some great ones as far as the latter category is concerned (especially the horror/drama film about parenthood that is 2000's Little Otik), but it's his shorts that feel even more inventive and groundbreaking, more often than not. One of the best he's made - and perhaps one of the more accessible ones - was 1989's Darkness, Light, Darkness.
This one only takes about eight minutes to watch, and has a rather simple premise, focusing on various body parts in a single room that have to merge together to form a man. It's like Frankenstein if Frankenstein's Monster didn't have Dr. Frankenstein around to construct him, with Darkness, Light, Darkness being equal parts funny and unsettling. The comedy and mild horror elements work in tandem, and the simple premise here is perfectly explored over the short's brief runtime.
3 'Thin Watermelon' (2010)
Letterboxd Rating: 4.1/5
One of the shortest short films on Letterboxd (with a runtime of less than a minute) is also one of the highest-rated on the site. The short in question comes courtesy of Nathan Fielder, of Nathan For You fame, and is simply titled Thin Watermelon. The short contains just one scene: Fielder standing outside, holding a piece of watermelon that is purportedly thin. Just how thin is the watermelon? You have to watch all the way until the end to find out.
It's likely that Thin Watermelon has achieved success only because Fielder has built up a strong following, and the short film in question is absurd, stupid, and perhaps secretly brilliant. It could be seen as avant-garde, or simply something that only exists as a joke, but either way, Thin Watermelon has clearly meant something to various Letterboxd users, and stands as one of the highest-rated - and shortest - short films on the site to this day.
2 'Save Ralph' (2021)
Letterboxd Rating: 4.1/5
Save Ralph is incredibly blunt when it comes to its stance on animal testing. The central premise is that Ralph is a rabbit whose "job" is getting tested in a laboratory on a daily basis. He goes through his daily routine, talks to the camera about how he struggles with the various products/chemicals he's exposed to, and then gets thrust into the lab for another nightmarish day. It's bleak, straightforward, and certainly gets the point across.
Taika Waititi - between making the war/dramedy film Jojo Rabbit and the MCU's Thor: Love and Thunder - lends his voice to the titular character, with Ricky Gervais voicing an off-camera interviewer throughout. Save Ralph does admittedly feel simple, and those wanting any element of debate or nuance to the topic of animal testing won't get it here. But it's possible to admire the way its simple message is presented here regardless, and it manages to be a sad, frightening, and effective short film with a message.
1 'Coming Out' (2020)
Letterboxd Rating: 4.1/5
A wonderful stop-motion short film that sees the Godzilla series taking a break from the usual sci-fi, horror, and action genres, Coming Out uses figurines of iconic Godzilla monsters to tell a heartwarming and human story. It runs for just two minutes, with the story here focusing on Godzilla's child coming out as transgender, and the way that Godzilla supports this decision. That's really all there is to it, and something about the presentation and style of it all makes it surprisingly moving.
It's moving in a way that feels happy, though, rather than sad, and it's amazing how many emotional moments it can pack into such a short runtime. If it can count as a Godzilla fan film, then Coming Out is surely one of the best ever made, and it deserves its high rating on Letterboxd. There's more emotion here than many regular-length feature films manage to pack into two hours, which is certainly saying something.
