A true highlight from Day 3 of the 2025 El Dorado Film Festival was Short Film Block #2, yet another curated collection of shorts created by inspired filmmakers from near and far. Block #2 featured an exceptional group of short films that explored a wide range of themes through various interesting genres. It was the strongest top-to-bottom block of the festival.

Here are a few impressions out of the films included in the block…

Director Sam Henderson’s astonishing “Ado” is an intensely affecting short film that uses incredibly heavy subject matter to speak to the infinite value of school teachers. As a husband to a teacher of nearly thirty years, Henderson’s film is profoundly effective and necessary. He and his co-writer Ryan Romine tell a sobering story about a middle school drama teacher named Mrs. Hopkins (Jenifer Lewis) who has her class interrupted in the most unimaginable way. It’s equal parts moving and terrifying with Henderson handling his material with seriousness and sensitivity. And while his direction is superb, the film wouldn’t be what it is without the sensational central performance from Lewis. She will leave you speechless.

VERDICT – 4.5 STARS

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The straightforward title “Em and Selma Go Griffin Hunting” pretty much sums up the story nicely. Yet to no surprise, there is a lot more going on under the surface of writer-director Alex Thompson’s thematically rich and visually captivating experience. The story is set in the 1930s but has a dark fantasy element that Thompson shrewdly uses to press his film’s deep-running themes. Selma (Pollyanna McIntosh) accompanies her daughter Em (Milly Shapiro) on a hunt to kill a dangerous griffin as part of some warped rite of passage. But Em’s reluctance puts her at odds with her mother and in danger of incurring the creature’s wrath. The film is shot in stunning black-and-white and features spectacular visual effects, all of which Thompson skillfully uses to amplify his film’s overall meaning.

VERDICT – 4.5/5

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In 1893 Cornwall, a fisherman’s wife named Betty (Beatie Edney) shocks the medical world by being the first person to cure someone of Consumption (aka Tuberculosis). A determined doctor and relative Gregory (Ali Cook, who also writes and directs) is sent to her village to investigate and potentially disprove the claims. But rather than receiving a logical medical explanation, Gregory is told a fantastical tale from Betty that’s too preposterous for him to believe. That’s a general introduction to “The Pearl Comb”, a brilliantly conceived and crafted short film that surprises at every turn. The film is strengthened by top-to-bottom stellar performances, not to mention terrific costume and production design. But it’s Cook’s audacious vision that makes “The Pearl Comb” an engaging and immersive delight.

VERDICT – 4.5/5

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Pulling inspiration in Ivan Turgenev’s 1850 Russian short story, director Sam Davis finds hope, humanity, and communion in his warm-hearted Oscar-nominated short film “The Singers”. It’s set late at night in a remote dive bar where a number of blue-collar, world-weary men bare their souls to fellow drinkers. The film features a small yet colorful batch of characters including a broke construction worker who continues to hound the other patrons for some beer money. Tired of his begging, the bartender offers him $100 and a beer if he can out-sing an elderly regular. Before long nearly everyone joins in which takes the film in a whole new smile-inducing direction. “The Singers” is currently streaming on Netflix and it shouldn’t be missed.

VERDICT – 4.5/5

One of the El Dorado Film Festival’s highlights is its strong support of short films from around the world. And this year’s lineup may be their best yet. Short Film Block #1 offered festivalgoers a curated collection of eight short films that spanned different genres and showcased several fresh and exciting voices. It made for a great kick-off the second full day of the festival.

Here are a few impressions out of the eight films included in the block…

An imaginative and unexpectedly tender story lies of the heart of “Patina”, a subtle blend of life-affirming drama and time-hopping science-fiction from writer-director Jake Hull. Charles John Wilson plays 12-year-old Jackson who begrudgingly joins his father at a nursing home to visit his grandpa on his 84th birthday. It’s there that Jackson has a surprise encounter with a “giant” elderly woman named Patina (Casey Camp-Horinek) who’s looking for her lost pocket watch. Jackson ends up finding her cherished heirloom which transports him back in time where he meets someone who will forever change his life. “Patina” offers a moving examination of memories and the connections we make through them.

VERDICT- 3.5/5

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“Fireflies in the Dusk” is an offbeat time-travelling culture clash comedy that seems custom-made for a feature film adaptation. Writer-director Jonathan Hammond transports us back in time to the Victorian Era where Charlotte (Emily Gross) is being pushed by her mother Edith (Amy Yasbeck) to marry the stiffly proper Cecil (Hale Appleman). But her heart belongs to another – a goofball from our modern day named Zach (Nick Ballard). The two exchange love letters through a magic, time traveling desk drawer. But when a desperate Charlotte crosses over through time, the story takes some wild turns. The story doesn’t always make sense and it milks some jokes dry. But the chaos keeps you glued to the screen, even as the whole thing threatens to fly off the rails.

VERDICT – 3/5

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Jonah Haber’s “We Were” is an emotionally rich meditation on the trajectory of life and love as seen through the reflections of a brokenhearted man named David (Kevin Romano). We peer back to the tender affection that 10-year-old David shared with a young girl named Janelle (Vivienne Cvetkovski). We then see him in high school with his first true love, Amy (Amanda Thamage). And then we visit his adult years with his girlfriend Mia (Jessa Richer). But when David and Mia’s relationship falls apart, all he’s left with are the echoes of bittersweet memories that hearken back to some of the best and worst times in his life. Haber examines it all through an evocative lens and with the kind of emotional honesty that should speak to anyone’s heart.

VERDICT – 4.5 STARS

This year the El Dorado Film Festival once again showcased the Top 5 finalists from last Fall’s Louisiana Film Prize. The ever impressive Louisiana Film Prize is a Shreveport-based short film competition and festival that was founded in 2012. As it routinely does, this year’s block included an exciting array of voices belonging to some truly intriguing filmmakers from across the country.

Here are a few impressions from this year’s block…

Alexander Jeffery directs, writes, edits, and produces “The Old Man at the Bar”, a thoughtful and transporting short that subtly hearkens back to the timeless filmmaking of old. Sumptuously shot with a striking eye for detail, Jeffrey ushers us into a Paris bar where two servers (Abby Tozer and Noah Silver) are closing for the night. But before they can, in walks an older American gentleman (Stan Brown) who takes a seat at a table and orders a bottle of wine. From there we simply observe as the three share an encounter that challenges one of them to re-examine their heart. It’s elegantly crafted by Jeffery and driven by three terrific performances, none better than the superb Tozer who conveys the very essence of her character yet leaves so much to our imagination. She’s a crucial part of what makes this gem shine.

VERDICT – 5/5

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Rachael Hudson’s “Girl Dad” is an endearing short film that has the kind of lingering impact that will stick with fathers of all makes and models. Hudson’s evocative direction brings writer and star Ty Hudson’s deeply affecting story to life. He plays a father named Anthony who we observe playing with his daughter Emily during various phases of her life. It starts when Emily is 5-years-old and continues until she’s in her early teens. During each stop on their timeline we’re fed morsels of information about their relationship. And while their connection is undeniably heartwarming, it’s Hudson’s deeper interests that give the movie an emotional punch that you won’t soon get over.

VERDICT – 4.5/5

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The very premise of writer-director Michael Cusumano’s “Last Minute” should resonate with any of us parents with good and/or bad memories of those late-night homework sessions in the pre-internet days. The exhaustion, the frustrations, the verbal sparring. But also the laughs, the connections, and the bonding that we may not have fully appreciated in the moment. Set in 1989, Cusumano’s story follows a single mom, Jackie (a wonderful Charity Schubert) and her 12-year-old son, Jason (Espyn Doughty) rushing to complete a science project that he forgot to mention until the night before it was due. Anyone old enough to remember 1989 will love the details scattered throughout. But it’s the colorful and authentic mother/son relationship at its core that gives the film its heartbeat.

VERDICT – 4/5

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The confounding healthcare industry gets some much-deserved scrutiny in writer-director John F. Beach’s surprising and insightful genre-bender “M.R.I. (or, Michael Returns Indefinitely”). Beach also stars in the film, playing a man named Michael who faces a series of unexplainable peculiarities while visiting his doctor for a scheduled M.R.I. exam. This bonkers blend of suspense, science-fiction, and black comedy wildly finds much of its inspiration in Beach’s own personal experiences. It’s all bound together by a clever script and some keen craftsmanship, highlighted by impressive visuals and striking sound design. Meanwhile its message isn’t spoon-fed to us, yet it hits like a hammer (as it should).

VERDICT – 4/5

One of this year’s surprise early releases (at least for me) is “Pressure”, a historical war film from director Anthony Maras that recently dropped its first trailer. The feature is based on playwright David Haig’s 2014 stage production that was inspired by the true events leading up to the D-Day invasion. An intriguing cast led by Brendan Fraser, Andrew Scott, Kerry Condon, Damian Lewis, and Chris Messina anchor what looks to be a riveting true story.

Mere hours before he is set to order the launch of the largest seaborn invasion in history, Dwight D. Eisenhower (Fraser) meets with James Stagg (Scott), a meteorologist with the Royal Air Force, to discuss weather conditions for the D-Day attack. Stagg warns that a launch during the impending storms could be catastrophic. But others warn that a delay could result in losing the element of surprise. From the trailer we witness tensions rising as the stakes only get higher.

“Pressure” launches into theaters on May 29th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.

Lionsgate is bringing “Greenland 2: Migration” to home video this March. Ric Roman Waugh returns to direct this white-knuckle sequel to the 2020 surprise hit “Greenland”, a survival disaster thriller that balanced apocalyptic high-stakes thrills with humanity-driven domestic drama. “Migration” also brings back Gerard Butler as a husband and father desperate to keep his family safe as he looks for a new home amid a global cataclysm. Morena Baccarin and Roman Griffin Davis also star. Read my full review of the film [HERE].

“Greenland 2: Migration” will be available on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on March 31st courtesy of Lionsgate. See below for a full synopsis of the film as well as release information including a list of special features.

About the Film:

Year: 2026

Runtime: 124 Minutes

Director: Ric Roman Waugh

Screenwriters: Mitchell LaFortune, Chris Sparling

Cast: Gerard Butler, Morena Baccarin, Roman Griffin Davis, Amber Rose Revah, Gordon Alexander, Peter Polycarpou, William Abadie, Nelia Valery Da Costa, Tommie Earl Jenkins, Trond Fausa Aurvag

Rating: PG-13 for some strong violence, bloody images, and action

In the aftermath of a comet strike that devastates most of the Earth, “Greenland 2: Migration” follows devoted family man John Garrity (Gerard Butler) and his wife and son (Morena Baccarin, Roman Griffin Davis) after they’re forced to leave the safety of their bunker in Greenland to search for a new home in a shattered world. John leads the family on a dangerous journey, guided by his burning hope in a rumored safe haven. It’s a journey against the odds that will test the family’s deepest sense of love, sacrifice, and instinct to survive.

Special Features:

• Rebuilding: Ric Roman Waugh
• Pushing Forward: Gerard Butler
• Heart and Soul: Morena Baccarin
• What We Leave Behind: Roman Griffin Davis
• Theatrical Trailer

It’s hard to believe we’re getting another Mummy movie. To be clear, this isn’t a part to the Brendan Fraser action-adventure franchise that’s rumored to be getting a sequel. Nor is it connected in any way to the 2017 film that was meant to jump-start Universal’s since cancelled Dark Universe. Instead, 2026’s film is entirely its own thing. Titled “Lee Cronin’s The Mummy” (to clearly differentiate itself, I’m sure), this is intended to be a new supernatural reimagining. And here’s the surprise – it looks quite good.

Cronin writes and directs this wild-looking feature which just released its first trailer. It’s story involves a devastated couple (Jack Reynor and Laia Costa) whose daughter went missing eight years earlier. One day they’re shocked by the news that their little girl has been found, but not in her normal state. Instead she was discovered in a 3,000 year old Egyptian sarcophagus wrapped as a mummy. The sheer horror that follows is equal parts gnarly and terrifying. Cronin doesn’t look to be pulling his punches which makes this a horror film brimming with potential.

“Lee Cronin’s The Mummy” arrives in theaters on April 17th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.