EUREKA! (2019)

EUREKA! (2019)

Tagline: None.

(Sci-Fi, Humor, Honey Bear) [Short]

Note – There was no MPAA rating for this film, but it would likely have been a PG-13 or possibly R for language. This film is 20 minutes long. 

Now I represent some people…well they're not people, they're more like energy clusters from a dimension of pure harmony, but it’s just easier to call them people. 

This one is about energy clusters from a dimension of pure harmony that project a false layer of dream on top of your dream to insert a variety of ideas. In the short, they are responsible for all of humanity's great innovations. If people don’t do anything with the idea, they intervene as Chloe is about to find out. 

First off, the acting in this is stellar. There are quite a few stars in this and probably the most well know is Karen Gillian (GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3) who stars as Chloe. She gets the most lines in this and just crushes it playing a sort of lazy uninspired model that gets paid in carrots. Yes, you read that right. She is also witty and inquisitive which just adds to the layers of fun in this. One thing about sci-fi shorts is that especially on the DUST platform is that they are overwhelmingly depressing downers. So finding one that ends with something hopeful is always welcome, but finding one that is funny is extremely rare. This one is on the exception list. I loved Chloe's pushbacks against these “energy clusters”. It’s even funnier that they don’t always come up with the best ideas. 

Acting wise Karan Soni (GHOSTBUSTERS) plays Chloe’s photographer Glenn. Jon Bass is pretty solid in this as Jon is one of the personifications of the energy clusters. Jillian Bell (GOOSEBUMPS) is hit-and-miss for me, but I liked her quite a bit in this as Chloe’s sister Hailey. We also get a brief scene where David Dastmalchian (THE SUICIDE SQUAD) shows up as an obsessed Tom & Jerry fan and he and Chloe get into it about that. 

When it comes to oddities the film points out that you can go without sleep for 11 days. That’s true, but it’s the record. It’s not advised to go even 24 hours without sleep. There is also a really cool scene involving a bear-shaped container of honey. The 

Director Laura Moss takes a minimalist approach to this one and there are a few effects used for this film regarding CGI which does happen in sci-fi short films, but it’s becoming more and more rare. Moss is known for short films but has a new film out this year that looks like a freaking nightmarish horror flick. Like I want nothing to do with that thing, but this one is a gem. It does start out in a nightmarish way but quickly snaps into a humorous blast. There is a bit of a backstory for Hailey also which I thought was a nice choice because it gives the story a vehicle for Chloe to show compassion even if Hailey really can’t reciprocate. 

If anything I do wish this film had at least one decent poster. It looks like they just kinda just made a great little short and didn’t bother asking anyone to put a poster out there for it. I get that this is a 20-minute film, but come on. If they did make a poster, they made it difficult to find. Even REGULATION has a poster and it’s only 11 minutes long. 

This one is really fun and pretty solid. 5 out of 7.

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