What’s up with Grampa? In Ben Richardson’s short film, A Little Dead, Hailey (Eden McGuire) and her brother Kevin (Ben Richardson) are visiting their grandfather (Jack C. Hays), who’s been living alone since the passing of his wife. But something is wrong, very wrong. First, his housekeeper Rosa has not been around in a while. Second, Grampa sets a place for dinner for his deceased wife… and Rosa!!
“…housekeeper Rosa has not been around in a while…Grampa sets a place for dinner for his deceased wife… and Rosa!!”
The tension throughout A Little Dead is balanced between Grampa’s suspicious behavior along with Hailey and Kevin’s slow-burn realization that maybe something is wrong. Running at just over thirteen minutes, this interplay between Grandpa’s secret and the siblings’ realization and their safety is perfect. Again, Richardson keeps us just a little bit ahead of our protagonists, which is a good and bad thing. It all ends with a nice button — one that would make Walt Disney proud.
"…would make Walt Disney proud."
