It's practically impossible for me to sit here and list the top ten short films from 2006. Not only are there thousands of shorts to sift through, but the majority of them are not available online. So, how does Erik go about putting together a list of the best short films from 2006? Will he randomly spew out names and titles for films you'll never be able to see unless you just happen to show up at a specific festival on a specific day at a specific time?

Of course not. What I've actually done is comb through all the previous Eat My Shorts and chosen my ten favorite short films that I've written about this year. Most (if not all) of them are not from 2006, but they are available online and all of them are wonderful, fantastic and definitely deserve your attention. This has been an amazing year for short films, and I like to think (in my own bizarre fantasy world) that Eat My Shorts truly helped spread the word -- that it helped bring more attention to an art form that desperately needs to be back in front of a mass audience. Oh, and thanks to you for being a part of the revolution. Viva la Shorts!

The idea and feelings behind Christmas change drastically at a few key points throughout your life. Of course, there's the first realization that Santa does not actually exist, and instead your mom and dad are buying the presents -- at the same time, trying to convince you it is instead some big fat man from the North Pole who's sliding down the chimney with a bag full of stuff from the local mall. Some kids just connect the dots as they begin to get older, others find out from "smarter kids" and, well, people like me find out after they get up to go to the bathroom at midnight.

Once the cat is out of the bag, you go through a brief period of time where, instead of harassing Santa through poorly-written letters, you harass your poor parents. A lot of the magic is now gone, and it becomes simply about the gifts. However, once you're old enough to start working, a new kind of pressure emerges -- the kind that quietly whispers in your ear: "Hey kid, you should start getting presents for other people now." Once that happens, Christmas, as you know it, is officially over ...

Not long ago, we told you about a neat little contest that Delta Airlines was hosting as part of a collaboration with Gen Art. The concept: Gen Art would invite filmmakers to submit their short films and, along with Delta, the two would choose five finalists -- all of which would be available to watch on select Delta flights, as well as online. Whichever short collects the highest rating (both in the air and on the computer) will receive a sweeet prize package that includes $10,000 in cash, a trip for two to the Sundance Film Festival (where they'll be invited to attend a celebratory party and watch as their short film is screened at said party), a pair of two round-trip international tickets for any Delta flight and a $2500 Gen Art membership. (I'm not sure what in the world you get for $2500 over at Gen Art, but I'd expect a ton of invites to some really cool parties, on top of a slew of free liquor and lots of ass-kissing.)

Personally, I love the idea that short films will have a chance to find a new audience (one that's not so tapped in to the festival scene) at 35,000 feet. Sure, folks who read this site probably watch shorts regularly, but people like my parents (who fly Delta all the time because my sister-in-law is a flight attendant with them) don't go to festivals and they don't do a ton of surfing online, save for the occasional shopping spree and stupid email forwards. (I told you mom, I don't open those stupid things -- they're a waste of my time. Stop sending them to me.) Needless to say, this will be a fabulous way for a filmmaker to get their short film in front of a mass audience, the kind that looks to Entertainment Tonight and Access Hollywood when trying to decide which movie to watch over the weekend. That's not necessarily a bad thing but ... let's carry on, shall we?

It's not like my parents intended to screw me up religiously, that's just how it went down. Growing up, things were just confusing -- my father was Jewish and my mother converted, which meant her side of the family was Catholic. My father's previous wife was also Catholic, and so my two half-brothers and half-sister decided to live their life according to Jesus. Me? I went to my cousin's Bar Mitzvah when I was, like, six and was totally mesmerized by the fact that a kid could have this huge party dedicated only to him. Thus, I decided to be Jewish -- not knowing anything about the years of Hebrew School I'd have to take on -- strictly for the Bar Mitzvah party. Funnily enough, when I finally did have my Bar Mitzvah, I didn't even know enough people to have a party, so my parents took me on a trip to California -- a place I had always dreamed about traveling to (because, to a kid from New York City, California is on the other side of the world -- so exotic, sunny and full of big Hollywood stars).

Even while I was in training for my Bar Mitzvah, for some reason my parents still wanted me to believe in Santa and open up presents under the Christmas tree. Of course, while I was still in Hebrew School, they'd be gracious enough to hide a menorah in the corner so that I wouldn't forget what the Jews were doing in December. Following the Bar Mitzvah, the menorah was gone, we stopped going to Synagogue, the Christmas trees got bigger and my little sister -- who was three when I officially became a man in the eyes of the Jewish religion -- decided all of this was way too f**ked up for her, and so she became a Buddhist. Still with me? Though my family weren't traditional Jews (in the sense that we actually celebrated the Jewish holidays), our household was forever filled with Jewish humor. One of my earliest memories of my parents was watching them screen Annie Hall over and over again, as my father would shout at me, "Don't worry Erik, one day you'll get this movie." My father also insisted on taking me to see Jackie Mason on Broadway a few times, we traveled to the Catskills, Seinfeld was constantly quoted around the living room and, till this day, there isn't a table that exists in any restaurant where my mother won't feel a draft. (I promise, we're getting to the short films -- just keep reading ... )

Since my review of Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny will be arriving on Cinematical shortly, I decided to dedicate this edition of Eat My Shorts to Jack Black and Kyle Gass -- otherwise known as Tenacious D. I guess you can call it a tribute ... but more on that later. Most films are nothing without their music (score, soundtrack, whatever), and that goes triple for a flick like Pick of Destiny. Fans of The "D" will be happy to see the film overflowing with impromptu songs and jam sessions -- all of which are included on the pic's soundtrack, now available in stores and online.

But how important is music to a short film? Well the simple (and obvious) answer is that it's very important. Music sets the tone, exposes a mood and helps move the story along. Try this: Imagine some of your favorite films without music, and see if they still stand out. In my opinion, music is right up there with story, character and acting -- a crucial element in filmmaking. Then there are some flicks that are all about the music (Pick of Destiny, Rocky Horror Picture Show), some of which are adapted from actual musicals like Chicago, Grease and Rent. Others begin as films, at some point find their way to the stage and then arrive back in theaters -- The Producers and Hairspray are two of the more recent examples.

Today we'll be taking a look at a few short films I found online that use music (in different ways) to carry the story. As per usual, I'm always looking for content, so please feel free to send me all links, comments and suggestions to shorts AT cinematical DOT com. This shorts column will be picking up steam in the next few weeks, and I will definitely need your help ... for I am but one man. Let's go watch some shorts ...

Seeing as you'll be reading my review of Evil Aliens later this week, I figured why not stretch out the intergalactic theme and include it within this week's Eat My Shorts. I mean, who doesn't like to watch a film about aliens? They're weird, foreign and mysterious creatures that, depending upon who you ask, may or may not exist in real life. Personally, I am of the opinion that aliens are out there somewhere, waiting for just the right time to come down to earth and start their own professional ping-pong league. Heck, there's a lot of money to be made in ping-pong and I'm sure those little dudes are up there paying attention.

Life is more fun when you're a believer. If anything, one can use an alien's presence to explain missing homework, a clogged toilet or why next weekend will not be a good time for the in-laws to pay a visit. All kidding aside, we adore our aliens and love watching them up on the big screen accompanied by millions of dollars in special effects. However, aliens also play a big role in the world of short films as well. Be it animated or live-action, I'm consistently amazed by the quality of alien-related shorts online and available to watch right now ... for free.

This week, all of the following films have something do with aliens and were found rather quickly by typing in a few keywords and surfing the net. As always, if you'd like to see a particular short film featured on a future edition of Eat My Shorts, feel free to send all links, tips and suggestions to shorts AT cinematical DOT com. In the meantime, let's go watch some shorts ...

This week on Eat My Shorts, we're going to do a little something different. Instead of coming up with a theme and finding a few short films that relate to it, I figured we would talk more about the vast resources available online for people interested in creating their own shorts.

While I'm definitely no expert, I've been involved in the making of a few short films and I'd like to offer this as my first piece of advice: Don't waste money on stupid things. Budget isn't everything. Lighting is a nice touch, but it's nowhere near as important as, say, your story and cast. Another key aspect in filmmaking is coverage. As defined by Wikipedia: "Camera coverage, in filmmaking, is the amount of film footage shot and different camera setups used in filming a scene. When editing, the more coverage shot means that there is more footage the editor can work with in assembling the final cut." Trust me on this one folks -- coverage is everything. Shoot the crap out of your film. In the end, while your day may be longer, you will be that much happier once you hit the editing room.

As always, feel free to keep sending me your shorts ... so long as I can watch them online. When it comes to a short film, any exposure is good exposure, and I'm always looking for something to watch. Please send all links, tips and suggestions to shorts AT cinematical DOT com. Okay, let's go talk some shorts ...

Because I think it's important for everyone to gain at least a little exposure, this week we're focusing solely on short films created by student filmmakers. Yes, we're spanning the globe in search of some quality student-related content. (Okay, we're not exactly spanning the globe, just sort of hopping around a bit with stops in the UK, Canada and the United States.)

I enjoy watching student films because there's a ton of passion, creativity and energy put into each one. With not much time and a very small budget to work with, these kids must learn to perfect, in my opinion, the most important aspect of a film: Its story.

The following short films all feature students utilizing whatever they have in front of them to create a compelling story. And they certainly succeed. As always, if you know of any fun little short films available to watch online, feel free to send all links, tips and suggestions to shorts AT cinematical DOT com. Now, let's go watch some shorts ...

It's hard enough to create a compelling story in under ten minutes -- imagine trying to scare someone in that time, too. With a feature, filmmakers have plenty of time to create a scenario, build tension and slowly freak you the hell out. But a short filmmaker has only a fraction of the time to do the exact same thing. Trust me, it's hard -- I've been there.

If you'll allow me a moment of self promotion: Last year, along with a few friends, I helped shoot a short film for a fantastic little film festival called the New York City Midnight Run. We came up with this idea to write a story about a guy whose obsessive compulsive disorder is suddenly brought to life in the form of a weird, lanky sort of fellow. The story was easy, it was the execution that proved difficult. How do you creep someone out in just three minutes? Going in, I thought it was impossible. Oh, and did I mention we had to have it done in 24 hours? See, it's a 24-hour film festival. Talk about a rush -- the four of us could barely walk by the time we finished. But we did finish -- and I imagine we succeeded as the film placed fourth out of sixty teams. If a 24-hour film festival heads your way, I strongly recommend it to any and all aspiring filmmakers out there. It truly tests your limits as an artist and forces you to produce in a very short amount of time. End moment of self promotion.

In my opinion, the following films are the best we've featured yet on Eat My Shorts. They thrill. They chill. All five of them are definitely worth your time. Once again, if there's a short you love and it's available to watch online, feel free to send it on over to shorts at Cinematical dot com. Speak up! I'm loving your suggestions so far. Now, are you ready to be scared? (Don't worry, I'm not going to show you a picture of me in my underwear. Unless, well ... nevermind). Let's go watch some shorts ...

Holy gosh, we made it to week two! First off, I want to thank all of you for embracing Eat My Shorts, welcoming this brand new Cinematical feature into your home and onto your computer with open arms. For those of you who missed last week's inaugural edition, Eat My Shorts is a new weekly feature dedicated entirely to short films. Did you know there were thousands of wonderfully entertaining shorts available online for free? Yes, it's true! And each week, I'm going to span the internet in search of a few fun films to bring back here and show you.

Oh, but you get to play too. See, there's only so much content I can cover in one week's time. Thus, I'm going to need your help in tracking down some of these hidden gems. Last week, a ton of you wrote in with tips and suggestions, a few of which I'm using today. So, thanks! You're awesome. I love you. Blah blah blah. But let's keep going. Should you come across a neat film that would be perfect for Eat My Shorts, feel free to send all tips, suggestions and comments (ie: "Mr. Davis, you're the greatest guy in the history of the human race!") to shorts@cinematical.com. Please use the email. That's why it's there. For comments related to this particular edition, well, there's a little comment button towards the bottom of each post. See it? Wave to it. Make it feel special. Trust me, it loves the attention.

After going all weird and experimental last week, I figured, for this edition, we would lighten things up a bit -- ya know, have a little fun. And what's more fun than love? And sex? And all that other stuff? The following short films all focus on the different phases of a relationship. Early, awkward beginning? Check. Horrific ending? Check. You, alone and with a copy of the Sears underwear catalog. Priceless. Let's go watch some shorts ...