Magnolia Pictures and ShortsHD will release “The Oscar Nominated Short Films 2012” this weekend at Harkins Valley Art.
Three programs will afford audiences an opportunity to watch the nominated shorts in the animation, live action and documentary categories prior to Feb. 26's 84th Annual Academy Awards. As some of the shorts nominated in the documentary category were not made available for review, the following is a rundown of each short featured in the animated and live action programs.
Animated (80 minutes)
“Sunday/Dimanche” tells the story of a young boy whose Sunday routine consists of hearing a train clatter through the village, his father sleeping through church and a visit from not only his grandmother but also a bunch of animals. Though not horrible, this short comes off as not only a little pedestrian but also childish, failing to capture one's imagination or interest.
Reportedly inspired by Hurricane Katrina, Buster Keaton and “The Wizard of Oz,” “The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore” is an allegory about the curative powers of story. One of the two shorts featuring completely computer animation, it is also one of the best, allowing one's imagination to soar without a single spoken word.
“La Luna,” from Pixar, is an fable about a young boy who is taken to work for the first time by his father and grandfather who play a part in the beauty of the moon. This short film is a bit too precious – even for Pixar – but it also leaves you feeling warm and fantastically fulfilled, which is a large accomplishment for such a small format.
In “A Morning Stroll,” a chicken's walks through New York City are met with unusual outcomes of varying degrees depending on the decade. Though weird and seemingly nonsensical, one cannot deny the fact that this short film is easily the most fun of all those featured in this program, thanks not only to its sense of humor but also its unique use of different animation techniques.
“Wild Life” is set during 1909 in Calgary as an Englishman moves to the Canadian frontier but is singularly unsuited to it. While the animation is interesting to look at, writers/directors Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby's dialogue-heavy tale fails to make any sense whatsoever, surpassing bad straight into incredibly annoying.
Live Action (110 minutes)
In “Pentecost,” Scott Graham plays Damian, a young boy who is forced to serve as an altar boy at an important mass in his local parish and faces the difficult choice between conforming to the status quo or serving an extended ban from his life’s passion – football. Though short and sweet, this entry's ending comes from out of nowhere, robbing the viewer of a satisfying story.
“Raju” tells the story of the moral dilemma faced by couples wishing to adopt via the story of a man and woman whose child disappears hours after having been adopted. An emotionally rich experience, this short is one of the category's best and the only entry that will leave you deep in thought long after having left the movie theater.
In “The Shore,” Ciaran Hinds plays Jim Mahon, a man who, after 25 years in exile, returns to Ireland to show his American daughter (Kerry Condon) his Belfast roots only to be pulled back into the secrets of his past. The inclusion of the terrifically talented Hinds makes this short feel like a full-length feature. It, too, is an emotionally rich experience.
“Time Freak” stars Michael Nathanson as a neurotic inventor who creates a time machine only to get caught up traveling around yesterday. Though this short seems completely out of place, it is a welcomed distraction from the otherwise serious entries in this category. It is rather entertaining, which seems to have been filmmaker Andrew Bowler's only goal.
In “Tuba Atlantic,” Edvard Hægstad plays Oskar, a 70-year-old man who learns that he is going to die in 6 days. Now ready to forgive his brother for a disagreement years ago, he sets into motion a plan to send a message to him on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. Thanks to its smart sense of humor and a character about whom you genuinely care, this short is the best of the bunch.
“The Oscar-Nominated Short Films 2012” opens Friday exclusively at Harkins Valley Art. Visit FirstLook.com for specific showtimes.
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