WE’RE GONNA KEEP THIS BRIEF
Oscar-Nominated Animated and Live-Action Shorts
Review by Justin Bowler
Links are provided for some of the shorts that are online!
ANIMATED SHORTS
French Roast
A business man at a fancy Parisian café discovers that he has lost his wallet. The upside… This is a funny and unpredictable short film. Ahh… those funny French. The downside is… it has a less than stellar ending. Good, but not great.
Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty
A grandmother tells her own version of the Sleeping Beauty story. The upside…This is VERY FUNNY and irreverent. Geared for Adults, but children will absolutely enjoy it. I hope it wins. The Downside… it’s up against Wallace & Gromit.
On YouTube.
The Lady and the Reaper
A woman who is ready to die is unwillingly brought back to life. This is very family-oriented except for the subject matter. Funny, but the laughs are geared mostly to kids, which makes it a bit of an oxymoron. The upside… Antonio Banderas is a producer on it. The downside, it’s an oxymoron.
Logorama
A police pursuit wreaks havoc in an unusual city. The upside… this short film is exceptionally clever and Ronald McDonald plays a vulgar mass murdering “Natural Born Killers”-type character that EVERYONE can appreciate. The downside is… this short is more of a series of references rather than a good story.
A Matter of Loaf and Death
Wallace & Gromit must discover the identity of a serial killer. The upside… It’s awesome as usual. The downside is… well, let’s face it, there is no downside.
LIVE-ACTION
The Door
One man tries to make sense of the Chernobyl tragedy. The upside.. it’s a true story and it’s the perfect type of subject matter for an Oscar: international tragedy, impoverished community, and an adorable child. The downside is… I’ve never felt more like I wanted to kill myself inside of 17 minutes. Jesus, it’s depressing.
Instead of Abracabra
A magician attempts to impress his new neighbor. The upside… This is an exceptionally endearing, funny, and heartfelt film. It’s everything that you want a short film to be. I really hope it wins. The down side… it’s not your typical Oscar type; no tragedy, no third world country, no children.
Kavi
A boy must choose between a difficult life and an uncertain future. The upside… It’s well made AND in a third world country AND a tragedy AND the MAIN CHARACTER IS A CHILD! Then they up the ante and go all in by making it a film that raises awareness about a cause… modern day slavery. Yes, that’s right SLAVERY! And the filmmaker… A young white guy from USC. (The academy will feel good about awarding a “Cause Awareness” film, but they give it to “one of their own”… you know, a rich white guy. It’s perfect. The down side… really? How could I NOT look like a total A-hole if I wrote something bad about this film. It would only come off as jealousy.
Miracle Fish
An eight-year old has an unexpectedly memorable birthday. The upside… it’s a really well made film and there is a child. The downside… I felt like I’d been sucker punched in the crotch when the film takes a VERY dark turn.
The New Tenants
Two men move into an apartment with a disturbing history. The upside… This is a very funny black comedy and Vincent D’onofrio is in it. The downside… first time director and no children, the tragedy isn’t really a tragedy (since it’s so funny), and it takes place in the US.
