Hunting Bears

I came across this film online and felt compelled to rate and leave a user review after watching.

The film centres around two brothers; Kenny and Andy. Kenny has Alzheimer's and is in need of 24/7 care due to his condition. This is all left to Andy due to no help from the state and no other family members to help support. Due to the stress and pressure such a role can take on a carer, Andy often visits a childhood spot in the woods with Kenny to escape it all. However on this occasion something is not quite right, with Andy often on edge and angry at the situation he finds himself in.

The performances from the lead actors are superb. A lovely gem of a film for those that enjoy dark dramas with heavy themes.

I just watched Jason Ruddy's short film Hunting Bears, and wow, it really hit me. It's about two brothers: Kenny, who has Alzheimer's, and Andy, who's taking care of him. The story feels so real and heartbreaking, especially seeing how much Andy is struggling to balance love and frustration. You can tell he cares deeply, but the weight of it all is so heavy.

The setting really stuck with me too. Most of the film takes place in this snowy, quiet forest, and it's almost like the environment reflects their emotions-lonely, beautiful, and overwhelming all at once. The music adds another layer, making some scenes feel almost magical but in a bittersweet way.

Nathaniel Parker and Joel Beckett, who play the brothers, are incredible. Their performances felt so honest, especially in the smaller moments. There's one scene where they're just sitting together, and you can feel everything - love, sadness, and even a little hope - all without saying much.

If you've ever cared for someone or seen a loved one change because of illness, this film will stay with you. It's only 10 minutes long, but it packs so much emotion. It reminded me how complicated relationships can be, especially when life throws something as tough as Alzheimer's into the mix. Definitely worth a watch.

Jason Ruddy solidly crafts suspense in this short that will surprise you and lead you to reflect on societal standards and pressures regarding caretaking.

HUNTING BEARS is meaningful storytelling wrapped in (and upending) genre conventions. Worth the watch.

This was a really nicely paced, well directed short film which tackles important themes when it comes to taboo subjects. For a low budget short, this film had really high production values, with great cinematography, incredible acting talent and a emotion, professional score. As a film lover and someone that appreciates short form film, Hunting Bears is one of the stand out ones I've seen. It stayed with me for several days, as all good films should, and since I have watched it another two times, picking up on little things I missed the first time round. Parker and Beckett are on top form, a duo who I think work well together and should be on screen more often. All in all, worth ten minutes of your time.

I got to see this short at a short film festival in June and it was one that didn't leave me for days. It tackles several important themes, and ones that most filmmakers would shy away from incase of not handling them right. Hunting Bears delivers an emotional story that packs a few punches. It is not scared to show the reality of the subject matter - which some may not appreciate. But because of this rawness and honesty, we are left with a film that is controversial for those that don't understand it. It's beautifully shot and well put together. I was blown away by the performances, and this being a debut film, I really was surprised how good it was. Worth 10 minutes of your time if you're able to catch it.