Short on time? Day job grinding you down? Trying to find two minutes to take a pee break? I know the feeling.

Crazy work weeks make for very little time to dose myself with the dark stuff. Some of my favorite things when life gets hectic are short, compacted horror stories and films. Six words stories? Cool. I’m down. Short films that are under twenty minutes to watch? Even better.

I’ve collected a few recent finds to share with you today, and yes, I’m keeping my blather brief.

Short Horror Films

The Smiling Man

You might’ve seen the other Smiling Man video in circulation — you know, the one about that guy who was walking home one night to discover someone following him? This is a little different: a young girl is at home watching television when she meets a strange man.

Mama

The full-length feature film by Guillermo del Toro scared the bejeesus out of me, and this is the short that inspired him to make it.

Alma

Pixar gets creepy. Creepy with dolls. You know, when I was a little girl, I could have sworn my doll’s eyes used to watch me, too.

I heard it too

Houses and noises and unsettling things that sound just. Like. Mummy.

Rake

A group of friends on a camping trip experience VERY BAD THINGS in the desert.

Do you have a favourite mini horror film? Let me know in the comments.