‘Once Upon a Slice in the West’ is a microshort with a punch as sharp as the tension it builds. Directed by Kyle Dunbar and Christian Tribuzio, this film drops you straight into a Western-style showdown, complete with guns, dramatic stares, and one heck of a twist. In just under a minute, it manages to create a standoff where four criminals – played by Alexandre Stoupenkov, Rebecca Callender, Christian Tribuzio, and Mark Rival – have their weapons aimed at each other, all without uttering a single word.
The brilliance of the film is in what it doesn’t say. The lack of dialogue lets the tight, suspenseful soundtrack do all the heavy lifting, and Joel Ruscinski’s cinematography is truly spectacular. Close-ups ratchet up the intensity, putting you right in the middle of the action. But here’s the kicker – it’s over something so simple, so absurd, that it’ll catch you off guard.
The tension is real, the stakes feel high, but the payoff? It’s dark, it’s funny, and it’s something you won’t see coming. Let’s just say, the humor is as sharp as the shootout, and it’s all over faster than you can blink. This micro-short is a slice of cinematic excellence – tight, clever, and with production values that make it feel grander than its miniscule runtime. Highly recommended.
