A Spirit Box Comes to Life in the New Horror Short “The Mystic Museum” Presented by Nerdist and Directed by Andrew Bowser
“Enter a world where paranormal meets paralegal. A haunted, skeptical paralegal and the owner of a local curiosities shop come together to communicate with the dead in Mystic Museum starring The Magicians’ Olivia Taylor Dudley and Orphan Black’s Kristian Bruun.”
The characters in The Mystic Museum are very likable and interact well with one another. The overall vibe is quirky but stylized to match the real life Bearded Lady’s Mystic Museum in Burbank, where the short was filmed. For eleven minutes and some change, the exposition of the plot was exposed swiftly and naturally.
There were dashes of both dry and cheeky humor, the later dominating most of the run time. The ghost imaging was a unique representation, and not the usual translucent specter.
The set up of the short plays like it is a pilot episode of a new series, which would be great if there was in fact going to be a series. Sadly, however, it seems there isn’t. As a result, the short just ends on a trailing resolution. It’s disappointing as well, because the concept of a reluctant spiritual paralegal is so fun.
The look of the shop was dark and moody and, whether it was intentional or not, it was well received. Everybody had shadows on their faces throughout, despite their helpful and friendly personas. That contrast helped uncover some of the comedy behind the occult community, and how they don’t all take themselves too seriously. It’s also a treat to gaze around the shop and pinpoint oddities of all sorts.
Not relying on gags or scares, this spooky short is an entertaining watch for fans of ghosts and the weirder things in life.
Follow Us!