 Here's a treat – a chance to review a movie starring one of our friends at Film Gutter, and one of the regular contributors to Ginger Nuts of Horror! As well as being a fab reviewer and article writer, our very own Jonathan Butcher has starred in a short horror film by the name of Stuck. With all that said, how could I possibly pass up the chance to review it? I've always been partial to a short film, and have watched some absolute doozies here at Film Gutter, from the dark and nightmarish to the weird and surreal. Stuck certainly leans on the bizarre comedy, and by keeping it simple retains a good sense of fun. No doubt it's made on a limited budget, but the idea and the script are imaginative and this was a pretty enjoyable experience all around. Our story follows two friends and begins pretty innocuously, with one attempting to fix the sink – with a bit of builder's bum – and the other explaining his fun night on the town and taking a girl home. Unfortunately this girl made him put his member into some strange white powder, and his erection hasn't gone down for 24 hours since. When he goes to the bathroom to check out the situation, he realises just how painful and bloody his penis is, and comes out to beg his friend for help – but after an unfortunate slip the two find themselves pretty intimately intertwined... I'm sure I can leave the rest to your imagination, but with the two unable to separate themselves – and with that pesky erection still refusing to go away – there's no sign they'll be able to extricate themselves and attain their freedom. What follows is pretty absurd but also somewhat disturbing, with various attempts to get away leading to a shocking reveal and a pretty dark finale. At fifteen minutes this one doesn't stretch the premise, and the humourous elements are generally well delivered. The performances are solid, with some great deliveries – I have one absolute favourite line that I won't spoil here, but you might be able to guess it/spot it. It's decently shot, and many of the 'highlights' are presented with a slow-mo black and white look that enhances the effect each time. It's obvious the budget is tight but I don't really get a sense that it ever needed it – it's a two-hander, mostly located in one place, so there's not a huge amount you could spend it on in many ways. Stuck is perfectly entertaining without necessarily being anything special, but there were enough chuckles to make it worth the time and if you like your humour sick and twisted you might just get a kick out of this one. Even better, it's free to watch on Youtube, so what the hell are you waiting for? Check it out at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNkg9oB_Zzw RATING: 7/10. This is a movie I'd call 'light', although maybe years on Film Gutter have slightly altered my consideration of what makes a 'light' movie these days. But it's certainly one of the more entertaining entries of recent times, and it shoots by plenty quick without feeling like there's a whole lot left undone or uncovered. I'd say it's solid and tight, but both those terms might just carry an unfortunate connotation in this sense... 
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