The gowns, the stars and the hype of the Academy Awards -- sometimes the lower profile Oscar-nominated short films can get lost in the glamorous shuffle.
Unlike in the '30s when the category of live action and animated shorts debuted, short films are no longer shown before the main feature on cinema screens. Instead, the films -- defined as running 40 minutes or less -- have resurfaced as an iTunes and stand-alone theatrical phenomenon. In anticipation of this year's 83rd Academy Awards on Feb. 27, theaters in the U.S. and Canada will screen "The Oscar Nominated Short Films 2011." Locally, the nominees will be shown Feb. 11-17 at Atlanta's Landmark Midtown Art Cinema.
The live action film often feels a lot like a short story: set up your story quickly and end with a bang. One of the strongest pieces on "The Oscar Nominated Short Films" roster, "The Confession," does just that. The quietly heartbreaking, tense British film centers on two 9-year-old boys preparing for their first confession. But they find a hitch in this important milestone. "You're too good sometimes," the devilish, shaggy Jacob observes of his angelic buddy Sam. How Sam and Jacob manufacture a sin worth absolving and the ensuing string of disasters make this the most absorbing work on the live action bill. Its doozy of an ending will make you think long and hard about the weight of shame and guilt on a child's heart.
Other live action shorts on the program also delve into the emotional lives of children. "The Crush" is a sensationalist yarn about an 8-year-old Irish schoolboy, utterly infatuated with his pretty teacher, who ventures into dark corners, even though its finish is lighter than air. Also mixing the dark and the light, the British dramedy "Wish 143″ centers on a teenager dying of cancer whose fondest wish is for someone to love.
While the live action shorts can feature memorable performances and beautiful cinematography, it's in the short animation category that creativity is truly off the leash. These animators push the boundaries of the form but also tackle a thrilling diversity of subjects from practical matters like consumerism, to poetic matters like loss.
The wistful Australian film "The Lost Thing" takes place in a bland, gray world reminiscent of filmmaker Terry Gilliam's "Brazil." It's a classic boy-and-his-dog story, except here the "dog" is a hulking part-machine, part-crab discovered on an Aussie beach. Irresistibly cute and featuring the voices of Helena Bonham Carter and John Hurt, "The Gruffalo" is based on the storybook by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler and centers on an adorable, resourceful mouse who foils a variety of predators via a "make-believe" friend. Also featured (and familiar to audiences as a short that appeared before "Toy Story 3″) "Day & Night" is a retro-style Pixar charmer about two feuding ameboid creatures who can't see eye-to-eye about the best time of day. Also included on the program are two films that were short-listed for an Academy Award nomination but didn't make the cut: the self-explanatory "The Cow Who Wanted to Be a Hamburger" and the haunting, wordless German parable "Urs."’
So while others are debating the Best Picture chances of "True Grit" or "The Social Network," getting an early peek at the Oscar shorts could set you up for a more esoteric thrill that comes with arguing over whether a life-affirming animated travelogue "Madagascar, A Journey Diary" or a snappish satire "Let's Pollute" has the better shot at that statuette.
Film preview
"The Oscar Nominated Short Films 2011″
Feb. 11-17. One program devoted to live action shorts; another to animated shorts. $10 each. Landmark Midtown Art Cinema, 931 Monroe Drive, Atlanta. 678-495-1424, www.landmarktheatres.com
