The Oscar Shorts 2017!
While there’s a decent chance that the 2017 Academy Awards will turn out to be a three-hour celebration of La La Land, there’s nonetheless plenty of other interesting work highlighted by the ceremony. This year, I finally gave in to the nagging cinephile in the back of my head and sought out the Oscar-nominated narrative shorts (five animated and five live-action) so that I’d actually have some frame of reference when the winners in those categories are announced. I’m glad I did so; the nominated short films are all worthwhile in their own way, and I don’t think I’d be especially disappointed with any of them winning. However, some were slightly better than the others, so I figured I’d give bite-size reviews of each, name my favorites, and predict the most likely winner of both categories.
Let’s start with the Animated Films:
Borrowed Time is gorgeously animated and rich with atmosphere. It’s more than a little jarring, in a good way, since it’s animated with the detail and texture of major Disney features despite being much more dark and somber. On the narrative side, it felt kind of slight, but the visuals alone spoke volumes and were overflowing with pain and regret. It didn’t totally click with me, but it’s still pretty awe-inspiring nonetheless.
Pearl is a charming father-daughter story about (and set to) music. It isn’t quite as masterful in its storytelling as some of the other nominees, but it still sweeps you up in a wonderful cross-generational journey that it’s impossible not to have a good time with. Style-wise, it’s got tons of personality; the animation reminded me of the purposely retro-ish graphics of Strafe, only with much less in the way of guts and gore. Plus, you can watch it in VR!
Blind Vaysha, which tells the story of a girl whose left eye can only see the past and whose right eye can only see the future, is a delightfully weird one. It’s animated in a digital faux-woodcut style that’s absolutely striking, and it’s surprisingly philosophical for such a short film. As much as I enjoyed it, though, it doesn’t really have much in the way of an ending. It introduces a few conflicts and stops without resolving any of them, which was a bummer.
Piper is the only film in either category I’d seen before, as it played before the theatrical run of Finding Dory. Just as it was then, the short is delightful and sweet, with the added bonus of the usual Pixar-gorgeous animation. I’d love to show this to a CG animator in the 90s; the water looks so good it’d blow their mind. Also, there’s some really terrific bird-chirps-as-dialogue sound design at work here, courtesy of frequent David Fincher collaborator Ren Klyce.
Pear Cider and Cigarettes is the most narratively rich of the five films, though it has the advantage of being the longest. It’s an autobiographical short by artist Robert Valley (of Gorillaz fame) that tells the story of a strange and often difficult friendship. Its animation is unique and stunning, and its story is mature in its handling of the funny and the tragic. It pushes the boundaries of animated storytelling in a way the others just don’t.
Which was my favorite?
I liked them all, but in the end Pear Cider and Cigarettes was the best.
Who do I think will win?
Either Pear Cider and Cigarettes or Borrowed Time. Probably Pear Cider, though.
On to the Live Action nominees!
Sing was a smart little film with an interesting moral quandary at its core and a couple of great child performances to give it plenty of heart. It’s not going to shake cinema up in a huge way or anything, but it’s a refreshingly simple story of childhood friendship that’s well put together and endlessly charming. As the main adult in the cast, Zsófia Szamosi adds some unpredictability and subtle tyranny to what could otherwise be a straightforward narrative.
Silent Nights is the story of the prejudice a Ghanaian refugee encounters after moving to Denmark. It does often feel like it’s trying to be a Serious Film About Racism, but in a way that’s earnest rather than pretentious. It helps a great deal that the two leads, Prince Yaw Appiah as the refugee and Malene Beltoft as the Danish woman who falls in love with him, are both fantastic. The plot gets a bit too melodramatic by the end, but it’s still very enjoyable.
Timecode, a film from Spain, won the Palme D’Or for short films at Cannes this year, which surprised me a little as it’s a comedy that’s sort of slight in the story department. Nonetheless, it’s a lot of fun, and uses security footage to create some sublime visual comedy. The film does a great job at examining and amplifying the little human connections that help you get through a long day at a soul-crushing job. It ends on a terrific punchline, too.
Ennemis Intérieurs takes place, for the most part, in one room. The vast majority of dialogue is between two characters. Despite these limitations, it’s a thrilling film to watch. It’s dialogue-heavy, yes, but it’s so well written that it becomes impossible not to hang onto every word. Even beyond all those great qualities, it oozes relevance; the film is a rich exploration of anti-Muslim prejudice that, sadly, will probably still be timely for a long time coming.
La Femme et le TGV is a fun romp of a film about an old widow who falls in love with a pen pal and, despite her bitterness at the modern world, begins to regain a passion for life. Jane Birkin is terrific as the widow, and makes her a delight to be around despite her sourness. The film’s writing is intelligent in its economy, and quirky without ever becoming obnoxious. Though it doesn’t get too narratively adventurous, it has a few fun surprises in store.
Which was my favorite?
As in the animated category, all were good, but Ennemis Intérieurs was far and away the best.
Which do I think will win?
Ennemis Intérieurs, and it’ll deserve it, too. If by some chance it doesn’t win, probably Sing.
