I watched all the Oscars Live Action Shorts and all I got was sad
Whenever Oscars season rolls around I can't help but compare and contrast all the nominated films in search of the themes and commonalities that connect them, when a piece of art is great enough to deserve the recognition that the Academy Awards presents you know that something beautiful must have been captured, but that being said i’m not kidding when i say literally all of these shorts are bummers. Watching them all back to back to back I found myself being overwhelmed by the weight of each story being told on screen.
The nominees this year feel gritty and powerful in the way they find their own ways of dealing with issues of loss, identity, larger powers, and self-fulfillment. Each film works together like pieces of a puzzle all weaving together to portray a larger picture. By sitting down and watching these movies all at once I felt like I was watching the Academy Awards personal playlist to grief and self-understanding.
Here is my personal ranking of the short films I watched this year as well as the standout themes I found consistent in all of them!
INVINCIBLE - 1 -
INVINCIBLE - 1 -
Invincible, Directed by Vincent René-Lortie is a short film inspired by a true story that follows a boy named Marc who is in and out of juvenile detention centers and is grappling with the responsibilities he feels to himself as well as his family. Following a turbulent turn of events, Marc’s life ends suddenly after driving a stolen car into a river, the film follows the 48 hours preceding his death.
This film pays a touching tribute to the young mind and to the feelings of immense pressure put on our youth to be true to themselves without displaying aggressive behaviors or performing acts of rebellion. Invincible provides an insight into the realities of just how blurred the line can be between good and bad behaviors, and how difficult the cycle of incarceration can be to overcome as a young adult.
And oh my GOD this movie is stunning to look at.
Every shot of the protagonist in this film is filled with heavy contemplation. Each moment has the viewer wondering what Marc thinks. How he thinks. What he wants, and how he wants the world to treat him. The most is communicated in this film in the silent moments. The feeling of isolation even in busy environments. The need for human rebellion as a way of finding yourself.
I walked away from this movie feeling every ounce of conflicting emotion you witness on screen. It has really stuck with me since the first time I watched it and I cant quite stop thinking about it. Of all the films on this nomination list this is the one I recommend the most strongly. It rides the line of thought compelling, visually stunning, and consistently gripping the whole way though.
THE WONDERFUL STORY OF HENRY SUGAR - 2 -
THE WONDERFUL STORY OF HENRY SUGAR - 2 -
Wes Anderson’s The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar is an adaption of Roald Dahl’s classic story and tells the tale of a man who dedicates his life towards the pursuit of being able to see without the use of his eyes and the great measures he go through to make his vision (ha ha) a reality. This film is bright, charming, and ridiculously engaging. With no shortage of practical effects and theatrical direction the entire short feels fastpaced, fresh, and quirky the whole way through.
Although this story is by far the lightest in tone of all the shorts I took in this year, the whole things is just basically one big contemplation of death sooooo…minus a few points there on the bummer scale.
Wes Anderson you crazy son of a bitch you’ve done it again…
KNIGHT OF FORTUNE - 3 -
KNIGHT OF FORTUNE - 3 -
Lasse Lyskjær Noer’s Knight of Fortune is a perfect encapsulation of the range of emotions that follow grieving and bereavement. The protagonist of thek film Karl is facing the loss of his wife and cannot bring himself to face her body in the morgue. He does everything he can to avoid this situation from unfolding and ends up making obscure connections in the process.
This film is moody, dark, silly, and heartwarming. The situation itself turns into something so ridiculous you cant help but laugh. Although this short is riddled with negative themes and I went into it expecting to weep, I left it with a big smile on my face and a love for my fellow man!
Watch this!!! You will not regret it.
RED, WHITE, AND BLUE - 4 -
RED, WHITE, AND BLUE - 4 -
Red, White, and Blue follows Rachel, a mother of two in Arkansas who is working to make ends meet in a small town. The film opens with her holding a positive pregnancy test and contemplating it silently. She plans a roadtrip to Illinois with her 10 year old daughter Maddie and the two set out to get the help that they need. While on the road trip Rachel and Maddie bond greatly and Rachel reflects on her pregnancy with Maddie and how quickly time has past.
The two eventually reach an abortion clinic in Illinois and it is revealed that Rachel is not the one who is pregnant, it is her daughter Maddie who was a victim of sexual assault months prior. Maddie is then able to receive the abortion and the two connect over the strength and bravery it takes to face everything Maddie has gone through.
Although the concept for this film is very touching and puts reproductive rights into a very easily understandable and open perspective I found this film to be lackluster in script and distasteful in the want for “shock value” over the last ten minutes. It makes a great point but i dont care for the way that it made it.
THE AFTER - 5 -
THE AFTER - 5 -
In my opinion, Misan Harriman’s film The After is this year's weakest nomination in this category. The film follows a ride-sharer who suffers a horrible tragedy resulting in the loss of both his wife and daughter. The culmination of this event and haunting reminders of the day he lost his family results in numbness and then an emotional breakdown.
The lead acting in this film does a great job of conveying the physical nature of going through the grieving process but the script and poor pace of the film left me confused when the credits began to roll.
To me, this film was uncomfortable to watch in all of the least compelling ways and had all the potential to be somewhat gripping but fell flat within the first five minutes. Booo tomato tomato tomato etc. etc.
Overall I was a big fan of (almost) all the nominees this year and I cant wait to fill out my Official™ Birdbath™ Oscar™ Ballot™ with my projected winner!
See you all on Oscars day! ;D