A Review of The Oscar Nominated Short Films
As much as I think that the Oscars can be kind of a joke, I still have a lot of fun predicting what’s going to happen and watching the increasingly long show of mutual masturbation of the entire film industry that happens towards the end of February.
This year, though, I’m kind of at a loss: I’ve seen exactly ONE of the Oscar movies (Benjamin Button). This means that my predictions have been pretty lame. I haven’t even been able to put any up on my site! What would I say? “Benjamin Button has this one…and this one…..and maybe this one? And Heath Ledger.”
Luckily, things are sort of aligning towards the end of Oscar season for me to actually see some of this stuff. The night before the Oscars, AMC is showing all five of the films in a marathon of emoting.
And a few days ago the Academy saw fit to put all of the shorts together so that we peons could watch them. Normally, I get to see a couple at festivals. But one of my festivals was canceled (for me, anyway), so I didn’t get to see as many as I usually do. Or did I?
Shorts are always a lot of fun. Sometimes they can pack just as much of an emotional wallop as a full-length feature. Sometimes, even more. And, as long as they don’t get too artsy with the animation, the animated shorts can be hilarious.
So, let’s get into those shorts, huh?
(There may be some spoilers here, so watch out. Consider this your warning.)
LIVE ACTION SHORTS
AUF DER STRECKE (ON THE LINE, GERMANY)–The longest of the shorts and it actually doesn’t manage to wear out its welcome. At half an hour I’m usually squirming, but this allegorical short is much better than I expected.
A security guard at a department store is falling in love with one of the girls in the book department. He watches her all the time. One night he gets on the train that they share on their way home and she surprises him by getting on with another man. She and the man are very loving until he says something stupid, she yells and they split up. Soon enough, a gang of teenagers starts picking on the new man and he doesn’t seem to be defending himself very well. Instead of helping, our “hero” gets off the train, ignoring the violence that was beginning. The next day, he finds out that the object of his affection’s brother was killed on the train.
And then he inadvertently uses this to get closer to her.
What’s it all about? Well, German guilt, of course! The Germans who stood by and did nothing as Nazis killed millions of Jews are just as guilty as the murderers themselves. And if you think that I’m just reading things into it, take in that look at the end. You know it to be true.
A very good short that doesn’t belabor its point. Consider it the first of two Holocaust shorts that could win this year.
NEW BOY (IRELAND)–Another short about a corrupt government taking over a country…but this one shows some hope.
An African boy is doing his best to enjoy his first day of school. But it’s hard when no one will accept you and one of the kids keeps calling you Live Aid and asking if you know it’s Christmas. It’s also hard when you keep remembering how things were back home with your dad teaching you along with all of your friends.
A fun little short (with some not so fun parts) that shows how children can overcome their differences no matter what. What’s wrong with adults?
SPIELZEUGLAND (TOYLAND, GERMANY)–A single mother in early Nazi Germany tells her little boy that his Jewish friend and his family are going away to Toyland. You should be careful what you tell your kids because they might just become determined to see it for themselves. When the little boy goes missing, she has to convince some Nazi soldiers that her boy is not Jewish so that they will help her.
I pretty much knew how this was going to end, but that didn’t really matter. It was still a very affecting short and will probably win the Oscar since they love the Holocaust at the Academy.
GRISEN (THE PIG, DENMARK)–A man checks into the hospital to have his colon looked at. The room is bare except for a terrible painting of a pig. Why is it so comforting? Why does he care so much about it when a Muslim family moves into the bed next to him and makes them take the pig down? And why does he call his lawyer daughter in to start a case about it?
A fairly long short (maybe a bit too long) about religious tolerance that goes both ways. Should we give up comforts for someone else’s beliefs? Or should they calm down and let us have our comforts? Important questions brought up in a pretty funny way.
And the pig is pretty damn comforting. Kinda like Ralph at Aquarena Springs.
MANON ON THE ASPHALT (FRANCE)–Beyond the obvious Manon Of The Spring reference of the title (and the fact that Manon’s friend is named Jeane), there doesn’t seem to be any other tie to the Claude Berri films from 1986. Of course, I haven’t seen those movies yet (hangs head in shame), but I really don’t think there’s a connection. (There is, however, an awesome jazz cover of Dylan’s “You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go” by Madeleine Peyroux.)
This short is about a young woman named Manon who leaves her apartment on her bike only to be mowed down by a car. The rest of the film is her thoughts about what will happen now that she has died. She goes through all of the reactions of her friends and what they will have to do. She mentally wills them her things and basically tells them to not be sad.
This was my personal favorite of the five, but I don’t think it has a chance…mostly because it’s not about the Holocaust. But also because, even though it’s about death, it’s very hopeful. (And we all know that the Oscars tend to not be particularly hopeful.) It’s a beautiful short that shows not only the tragedy of young death, but that Manon was well loved and had a pretty amazing life, even if it didn’t seem amazing in life. It made me want to call everyone I’ve ever loved and tell them how I feel.
But, of course, I didn’t. Because I was about to see some more shorts.
ANIMATED SHORTS
LAVATORY – LOVESTORY (RUSSIA)–A toilet attendant is surprised when her tip jar is suddenly filled with flowers. Where did they come from? Who left them here? How the hell did they get away without her seeing them?!
A very funny short done in simple line drawings that shows us that everyone needs love. Even toilet attendants. (This is a pretty foreign concept for me. Are Russian restrooms really like this? Pay a real human to get in? Not only that, but a human of the opposite sex? Very strange.)
OKTAPODI (FRANCE)–Two octopi in love. What happens when one of them is chosen for sushi? Well, the other has to go save her…uh…him…whatever. At two minutes there was barely enough time to really get to know anything. It was in and out so quickly that I almost forgot that I saw it. Very funny, though. Not so sure that it’s an Oscar short.
LE MAISON EN PETITS CUBES (JAPAN)–Um…really? Japan? And the title is French? I guess they’ve come a long way, baby.
An old man lives at the top of a tall house. He has to build a new story every few years because the tide keeps rising and filling up the lower levels. When he drops his pipe into the hatch that leads to the story below, he has to dive down to get it. That’s when the memories come back to him. As he goes deeper and deeper into his past, he remembers more and more about how happy his life has been and how much of his family has left him.
Like Manon Of The Asphalt, it’s a beautiful short about the memory of life. This life was much longer and just as deeply felt. Not the best here, but certainly very good.
THIS WAY UP (ENGLAND)–Two undertakers (a father and son) have to get a c
asket from point A to point B. But everything gets in their way and they have to journey to Hell and back to get the deceased to her final resting place.
Really funny and some great animation. And I KNOW I’ve seen it before! I just don’t know where! Any help here?
PRESTO (UNITED STATES)–I’ve reviewed this one before, but DAMN, is it hilarious! This is the third time I’ve seen it and it’s still funny as hell. The Pixar boys have done it again…and again…and again. This one will likely win just because it’s Pixar. But Le Maison may give it a run for its money. We’ll see.
Since the animated shorts were SO short (only about 45 minutes total), the Academy saw fit to regale us with five of their “Commended Films.”
VARMINTS (England)–A super-cute creature lives in an idyllic world full of trees, grass and beautiful nature. Suddenly, everything changes and nature is gone, replaced by big, ugly, dark buildings and concrete. But our hero saves a piece of nature. Will it be enough?
A bit heavy handed (ok, a LOT heavy handed), but it was my vote for the winner of the Oscar. Too bad it’s not actually nominated.
JOHN AND KAREN (ENGLAND)–A couple try to make it work. But this couple is different. They are a penguin and a polar bear. Will it work? John hopes so. And, deep down, so does Karen. Funny stuff if only because it’s a penguin and a polar bear. (“You catch marvelous…little…fish.”)
And, again, I’ve seen this one. But I don’t know where. Dammit.
GOPHER BROKE (UNITED STATE)–This was my least favorite of all of the shorts. Not that it was particularly bad. It just wasn’t nearly as entertaining as the rest of them.
A gopher tries to get dinner by setting traps for trucks on a farmer’s market road. Every time he scores, though, other animals come out of the woodworks to steal his booty.
This one just tries a little too hard to be like a Road Runner/Coyote cartoon. Unfortunately, the lead character just isn’t charming like the Coyote is. The funniest part of this is when he finally scores a HUGE amount of vegetables and they show him dancing in slow motion amongst falling tomatoes. Other than that, it can be skipped and nothing will be missed. Luckily, it was very short.
SKHIZEIN (FRANCE)–A man is beside himself after almost being hit by a meteorite. Literally…beside himself. He is exactly 91 cm away from where he should be. When he sits on a chair, he looks as if he is hanging in mid-air with the chair 91 cm behind him.
Like most French comedy, this starts off really funny and ends up being about some sort of life problem. Are we missing the point of life? Are we so close, yet so far away?
(Sucks on cigarette.) So like life.
HOT DOG (UNITED STATE)–Again, I’ve seen this one, but I’m not sure where. Probably The Animation Show since it’s a Plymptoon. (That’s probably where I saw ALL of these, actually.) I’ve loved Bill Plympton for a long time, but I can’t say this is one of his better ones. Really funny and really short, but not his best.
A small, clumsy dog really wants to be a firedog. He gets his chance to prove himself when a fire breaks out nearby. But, of course, chaos ensues. Really weird, Plympton-esque chaos.
