Leonardo DiCaprio, Jack Nicholson, and Matt Damon in The Departed (2006)

THE GIST OF THE LIST: A list of short films both new and old that feature twisty plots, thrilling scenarios, surprising revelations, and (at times) frightening horrors. Many of these small narratives would fit quite well in such programming as ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS or THE TWILIGHT ZONE. In addition, many of these short films can be seen for free on YouTube or Vimeo.

Even more short films: [link]http://vimeo.com/channels/1076863[/link]

[copy and paste the link into your web browser to watch]

[LISTED IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER]

OTHER LISTS:

CAMMANDO (MEN-ON-A-MISSION) THRILLERS (http://www.imdb.com/list/ls031779885/) CON THRILLERS (http://www.imdb.com/list/ls031520686/) COURTROOM THRILLERS (http://www.imdb.com/list/ls014985888/) CULT EUROPEAN SUPERHERO MOVIES (http://www.imdb.com/list/ls074252947/) DARK COMEDIES WITH PESKY CORPSES, BOTCHED KIDNAPPINGS, MURDEROUS BLUNDERS & ACCIDENTAL DEATHS (http://www.imdb.com/list/ls003668695/) DEALS WITH THE DEVIL (http://www.imdb.com/list/ls002007187/) DINNER PARTIES FROM HELL (http://www.imdb.com/list/ls063344562/) DON'T PERFORM THE AUTOPSY! I'M NOT DEAD! (http://www.imdb.com/list/ls031059177/) GOTHIC HORROR (http://www.imdb.com/list/ls031200023/) HEIST THRILLERS (http://www.imdb.com/list/ls031010855/) HEROIC BLOODSHED + BULLET BALLET + GUN-FU (http://www.imdb.com/list/ls063667349/) HOLLYWOOD GIALLO (+ ITS OTHERS) (http://www.imdb.com/list/ls063236792/) INNOCENT FUGITIVE ON-THE-RUN THRILLERS (http://www.imdb.com/list/ls006955726/) ITALIAN GIALLO (+ ITS OTHERS) (http://www.imdb.com/list/ls074834158/) LOCKED ROOM MYSTERIES + IMPOSSIBLE CRIMES (http://www.imdb.com/list/ls031010484/) LO-FI SCI-FI (http://www.imdb.com/list/ls073982883/) ONE ROOM THRILLERS (http://www.imdb.com/list/ls031571733/) PARALLEL UNIVERSES, ALTERNATE REALITIES, FEVERISH DREAMS (http://www.imdb.com/list/ls076833454/) POLICE PROCEDURALS (http://www.imdb.com/list/ls031151041/)  PRISON ESCAPE THRILLERS (http://www.imdb.com/list/ls031571377/)  RURAL-COUNTRY THRILLERS (http://www.imdb.com/list/ls031295370/) THEOLOGICAL FILMS (http://www.imdb.com/list/ls056261985/) THRILLING SHORT FILMS (http://www.imdb.com/list/ls058804583/) THRILLING TV EPISODES (http://www.imdb.com/list/ls071721331/) THRILLING TV MOVIES (http://www.imdb.com/list/ls074866460/) UNKNOWN + UNAVAILABLE THRILLERS (http://www.imdb.com/list/ls003717937/) VANISHED PERSON THRILLERS (http://www.imdb.com/list/ls006979137/)

Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tom Hardy, Elliot Page, Ken Watanabe, and Dileep Rao in Inception (2010)

All the short films I've watch in order of best to worst.

They are not ranked perfectly as IMDb is super clunky. I love all these movies. I don't enjoy crazy post-modernistic movies without plot. I enjoy: clever fast plot, good acting, snappy dialogue, steady camera work, well developed theme.

I will explain why these movies got their rank. I explain it from a short film writer perspective as I know a bad plot when I see it.

I tried to find the best possible high quality link to all these movies. All links are official uploads except for the Pixar and Marvel movie links.

Erinn Hayes and Brian Dietzen in One-Minute Time Machine (2014)

All films featured in 2012 Stony Brook Film Festival, both in and out of competition. Includes features, shorts, and documentaries. July 19-28 2012.

David Strathairn, Mike Bacarella, Edoardo Ballerini, David Darlow, Mario Di Donato, Richard Ganoung, Sam Witwer, Lee Ernst, Alessandro Mario, Tom Bruno, David Crane, Darren Fulsher, Scott Annala, Dan Cotrone, Danny Feltman, Arturo De La Mesa, and Paul Bertling in No God, No Master (2012)

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