I’ve now seen all the Oscar nominated shorts, both live action and animated. Here’s a brief rundown on each, and which ones I liked best.
Live Action:
Joachim Back’s “The New Tenants”
This is about two gay men who have just moved into an apartment in a city ( I don’t believe it’s ever stated which one), and they are immediately plunged into one unlikely scenario after another. It’s kind of a dark comedy, and their reaction to the progressively crazy situations is hilarious. Overall, I thought this was the strongest of the live action films. All the action takes place in their apartment. I especially enjoyed the way the director opens the film. The dialogue is clever, and the storyline is so impossibly absurd that you can’t help but laugh.
Gregg Helvey’s “Kavi”
This was about a young Indian boy who is caught in slavery due to debts that his father owes. While the story is sympathetic, there is nothing that really makes this one stand out. The film does do a good job of portraying the plight of the family, and the ending shot is very cool. Otherwise, it was just kind of so-so.
Juanita Wilson’s “The Door”
This is about a Russian family who is forced to flee their home after a nuclear meltdown. I can’t remember if it says explicitly, but it is clearly meant to reflect the post-Chernobyl fallout. The father and mother agonize over the effects that it has on their small daughter. A very somber, sad story, artfully done and well acted.
Luke Doolan’s “Miracle Fish”
A young boy who is victimized by bullies, and clearly comes from a poverty stricken family, finds himself alone in the school in the middle of the day. He is subsequently plunged into a violent situation. An interesting film, and certainly a somewhat unique one. There are several nice touches. I didn’t like it as well as several of the other films, but overall it was strong.
Patrik Eklund’s “Instead of Abracadabra”
A film that contained more wit and humor than in many feature length films, this short is about a somewhat immature 20 something aspiring magician who lives at home with his parents. As he attempts to impress his beautiful neighbor next door, he goes from one mishap to the other. An especially brilliant film, and one I could watch repeatedly.
Animated:
Fabrice O. Joubert’s “French Roast”
A snobbish upper class patron of a coffee shop finds himself in a bit of a bind when he realizes that he can’t pay for his order because he’s forgotten his wallet. The ensuing results are full of levity and silliness. While this was clever, it was my least favorite of the animated shorts. It wasn’t that it was bad, but a few other “worthy contenders” not nominated were also shown, and I thought those were stronger entries.
Nicky Phelan’s “Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty”
This was a brilliant satirical take on an elderly woman’s version of the classic fairy tale. Absolutely hilarious, extremely clever concept with excellent voice acting and witty dialogue. This was a very strong entry indeed.
Javier Recio Gracia’s “Lady and the Reaper”
A roguishly handsome young doctor and the Grim Reaper go head to head when the Reaper comes to claim an old woman who longs to be reunited with her deceased husband. Sounds like kind of an odd concept, but it was engaging and hilariously funny. The doctor reminded me of Brom Bones in Disney’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.” This was a great short, very enjoyable.
Nick Park’s “Matter of Loaf and Death”
This was the longest of all the shorts, and it featured the return of beloved animated characters Wallace and Gromit. If you haven’t seen Wallace and Gromit, you are missing out. I recommend the full length film “The Curse of the Were-Rabbit” which I found hilarious. This time, they are running a bakery and someone is bumping off bakers. The over-the-top antics and Gromit’s facial expressions will have you rolling. A very strong entry and well worth a viewing.
Nicolas Schmerkin’s “Logorama”
This was actually a hyper-violent jab at corporations (and cliched action movies). It’s a world where EVERYTHING is a logo…the characters include the Pringles men, Michelin men, the Jolly Green Giant, and a maniacal Ronald McDonald. A lot of wit, and a lot of outlandish scenario’s. Overall, an interesting concept.
And there you have it. If I were to choose, I would definitely pick “The New Tenants” for the Live Action category, although “Instead of Abracadabra” was a very close second. Both had a lot of wit, both contained clever concepts, and both were vastly more enjoyable than the other three. For the Animated category, it would be a much harder choice. I enjoyed all of the animated shorts, although if I had to go with one it would probably be “Granny O’Grimm” or “Lady and the Reaper.” Hard to say though…I thought even the honorable mentions were well done.
