MUNCHAUSEN - ARI ASTER (2013) *

Munchausen is a beautifully crafted, genre-bending and dialogue-free short written and directed by Ari Aster. It plays like a weepy montage (found in Pixar films like Up) but has a dark, Tim Burton-like heart. This darkness is perhaps given away by the title, as most will be aware of Munchausen syndrome, in which illness is deliberately induced in oneself or another, and thus it is an uncomfortable watch from the beginning as a mother struggles with her son going off to college. This short film did not do particularly well on the festival circuit, as it obviously did not adhere to their preferences (dramas about urban teenagers or darkly comic tales of obsession) but did allow Aster to pursue his feature career, beginning with the horror Hereditary. If you like Munchausen by Ari Aster be sure to rate it and share it.