Short & Sweet: Oscar 2014 Nominated Short Reviews (Live Action & Animated)

In a world where most media is consumed in bite sized chunks, the relevance of short films has actually become more relevant as methods of media consumption have expanded over the decade to include Youtube videos and Vines. But still tried and true are those short films released to theatres, television and film festivals around the world every year. These are the films that every year get selected by the Academy to contend for the year's Oscar for Short Film. Whether it be a live action short or an animated piece, these gems allow for almost any creative individual with an idea and the drive to make something truly spectacular. It is often the starting point for many fresh-faced (metaphorically speaking) film makers who wants to get their vision out there without the bureaucracy and slog of the mainstream film industry.

What follows are short (like their subjects) reviews of each of the contenders in both categories of short film academy awards. Some probably need more time to do them justice. But with all them being winners in their own right, you can't focus on just one. I will be giving my pick for which film I think should win, but if only because the Academy will probably disagree with me.

Live Action

Aquel No Era Yo (That Wasn't Me)

Conveying the true horrors of being a child solider and the life they lead, this spanish short is intense, powerful and heart-breaking. Performances by everyone are incredible and real, presenting the issues currently facing many countries in Africa in a moving and thought-provoking manner.

Avant Que De Tout Perde (Just Before Losing Everything)

A slice of life that for some is all too real, this french film follows a family trying to escape the abusive clutches of the father in their family unit. It's wonderfully acted and subtly shot with the story left to the viewer to piece together as the parts come to us. It becomes especially good towards the end when the tension rises further as the father; unaware of his family's plan of disappearing for a while, shows up durig their planning their exodus.

Helium

The story of a hospital janitor telling a story about the heaven like world of "Helium" to a young dying cancer patient, this inspiring story is somber but not depressing as the peace that the story brings to Alfred the young boy is bittersweet and beautiful.

Pitääkö Mun Kaikki Hoitaa? (Do I Have To Take Care Of Everything?)

A fantastic finnish flick about a family trying to get ready for a friend's wedding, this laugh a minute short makes you want more as everything that could go wrong goes wrong for this family. Even the ending of this seven minute short had me laughing my head off. A wonderfully sweet piece.

The Voorman Problem

The only short I knew about before going into the theatre to see all the shorts, Martin Freeman stars as a prison psychiatrist trying to diagnose the patient Mr. Voorman, who claims to be God. The skeptical doctor is soon faced with a series of mind boggling events and humourously tackles some big questions about the universe. Great performances by all the actors.

Oscar Pick: Pitääkö Mun Kaikki Hoitaa?

While I came to see all of the films and finally see The Voorman Problem, it was Pitääkö Mun Kaikki Hoitaa? that I enjoyed the most and was the most satisfied by. Avant Que De Tout Perde and Aquel Era No You came a very close second as the plot and cinematography of both films were incredible. While I enjoyed the The Voorman Problem, I thought it was a bit short for something that could have explored all kinds of entertaining possibilities. Helium was great short film, but not particularly amazing.



Animated

Feral

The story of a boy raised by wolfs trying to re-enter society, Feral is a stunning piece that explores some questions about how society handles those who are different. The art is what really stands out, especially if you're a fan of stark contrasts and monochrome.

Get a Horse!

Disney's submission in this year's awards, it is both a love letter to the beginnings of Mickey Mouse and a clash of old meets new. The ideas while not exactly the most original (as Day & Night by Pixar does a similar story), the plot and concept is unique enough that this adventure is a feast for the eyes and a lot of fun to watch.

Mr. Hublot

Set in a world where everything is mechanical and industrial, Mr. Hublot is about a mechanical man; who's routines are basically OCD, meeting a very lively and routine-free mechanical dog and how his life gets impacted by this new part of his life. A heart-warming and beautifully animated tale, this short is clever in it's use of an incredibly detailed setting and wonderfully developed characters.

Possessions

In Japanese mythology, there are objects that trick people to steal their souls. Unfortunately while the name of said demonic tools escapes me, the possessed possessions (sorry couldn't resist) make this anime inspired short endearing and a pleasure to watch. If you're familiar with the amazing anime short film Kakurenbo (done by the same director Shuhei Morita), then you're going to enjoy this one as well, as it has the same style with wonderful cel-shaded CG and beautiful hand-drawn backdrops.

Room on the Broom

Based on the children's book of the same name, this charming short film is about a witches journey with her cat and the new animal friends she makes along the way (that's really simplifying the plot but the reviews meant to be short). Following the Gruffalo and Gruffalo's Child short films that the BBC and ZDF have been doing for the last few years around Christmas, this family friendly film is beautifully animated and has plenty of funny nuances for everyone to enjoy.

Oscar Pick: Mr. Hublot

Animation is something I hold very dear to my heart, so picking one is very, very difficult. but ultimately Mr. Hublot takes the cake with a fantastic and clever story and a detailed and beautiful setting. Possessions comes in at a close second. Room on the Broom while a lot of fun to watch and a great short overall is bit too childish, and like the short films before it, a tad repetitive. Get a Horse! while fun and clever isn't all that original and Feral while beautiful isn't all that interesting.

All these films are worth watching if you get the chance, and be sure to watch the Oscars on February 23rd, 2014 to find out if the Academy even remotely agrees with me.

Don't be Square : A Review of Inside Llewyn Davis

Folk music wasn't always something I loved. Back in my early high school days I would have said that it was boring and wondered when on earth I could listen to some power metal to keep myself entertained. I didn't hate it like I did rap or country (I still don't like those genres, don't think I ever will), but when you're young and incredibly stupid like I probably was, you don't know any better. That of course changed a few years later as my musical tastes matured and became incredibly eclectic with my growing love of the indie music scene, and now Folk is one of my favourite genres. 

The reason why I talk about not liking Folk music is that if I had kept this opinion back in 1961, the year that Inside Llewyn Davis takes place, I wouldn't be alone and I would be part of the problem causing the anguish that Llewyn goes through in the film. What the Coen brothers have created isn't a wonderful story about an underdog overcoming adversity and becoming the next Bob Dylan, this is the journey of yet another artist who quite frankly isn't good enough to make it big. Sure the songs that Llewyn sings in movie are heart-felt and beautiful, but he should trying to make ends meet rather than be the stereotypical starving artist too proud to admit that he has basically hit rock bottom. 

All we see is a chronology and references to all the poor life decisions Llewyn has made, and his continued pride preventing him from either making the right decisions or moving on with his life. It's incredibly evident when we see Llewyn have an angry outburst when he is asked to sing a song for fun rather than get paid for it. The outburst starts when one of his host's sings his former folk duet partner's part; whom we learn committed suicide before the events of the movie. but considering his own love of music is starting to kill him on the inside despite his insistence that we should live in the moment and "not be square", we see that his pride is what is actually exhausting him both physically and emotionally.

The performances in Inside Llewyn Davis are phenomenal, with Oscar Isaac as the cynical and sullen Llewyn Davis and other big names playing the movie's motley crew of characters, all of whom are well cast and make the movie entertaining to watch and all are foil to Llewyn's melancholy. But the movie's focus is Llewyn, and I felt that despite everyone's amazing performances, they really didn't matter to Llewyn's incredibly sad life, or in the words of Carey Mulligan's character Jean someone who turns everything to shit.

It also goes without saying that the music in this movie is wonderful. In the theatre, I heard someone commenting that while they didn't like the movie itself (fun fact, this was before it started so why they were seeing it again I'm not quite sure), the soundtrack was worth listening to. In addition to the amazing performances by the actors of the movie, the musical performances are fantastic. In fact, I was presently surprised that Carey Mulligan can not only sing; she has a fantastic voice for folk songs (you chose well Marcus Mumford).

While the Coen brothers have done a great job making an incredibly smart, darkly comic and downright depressing movie, I can't help but feel a bit odd about what I'm to take away from it. As I mentioned earlier this movie doesn't have a happy ending, but it doesn't have a sad one either per say. I can't help but feel Jean  was right in that people like Llewyn never think about the future, and perhaps that is why so many artists fall into the stereotype of suffering for their art. And yet I don't know if this is what the Coens were ultimately trying to get across, or just a side effect of it. The conclusion of the movie doesn't bring much resolution and we don't know what would happen beyond the week that we witness. For Llewyn Davis, it ends as it started; playing folk songs and trying not to be square.

Verdict: 9/10