With four days of frenetic film viewing drawing rapidly to a close Sunday evening, I couldn't have guessed upon entering Monona Terrace to see short.times.six that it would be one of my favorite screenings of the weekend.
The warning signs were there, though. I have attended many festival screenings in the semi-circular auditorium that is the home of Michael Feldman's "Whad'Ya Know?" and have never previously seen it filled to capacity. That was the case on Sunday night, though, with every seat I could see in the room occupied, with more than a few filmgoers sporting eye patches. More on that later, though.
This series featured six Wisconsin-made shorts, all of which took flights of fancy and/or played for laughs in the best way short films can. Most of these shorts weren't so short, though, three of them clocking in over the fifteen minute mark. That was no problem, though, as each was more than capable of entertaining me (and the rest of the crowd given the volume of laughs and cheers) through the entire screening.
A few thoughts on each film in the order of their screening follows.
Meaningful Touches by Sarah Steel One of the shorter entries in the series, this film took a humorous approach to suspense as a man overcomes his hesitations about visiting a niche health clinic for the first time. Set in 2057, he is required to fill out a form asking him numerous questions about his grooming habits and skin condition in advance of receiving treatment. This short warmed the audience in Monona Terrace up nicely, drawing some laughs and a big round of applause at its end.