Oscar Nominated Short Films (Rhoades)

Oscar Shorts Give Advance Preview

Reviewed by Shirrel Rhoades

Every year – like many of you – I enter into an Oscar Pool, casting my bet on which films, actors and the like will win the golden statuette. And I have to admit I do pretty well. After all, I am a film critic.

Not that I place bets based on what I like or dislike. I understand the fickle and capricious nature of the members of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences – those folks who chose the Oscar winners – and so I vote based on such factors as whose year is it to win? What movies won last year? Who’s hot and who’s not?

But doing well is a far cry from actually winning the Pool. I always get tripped up by those obscure categories such as Best Soundman on a Short Animated Drama Based on an Original Screenplay by the Producer’s Brother-in-Law … or something like that.

Okay, I’m exaggerating. The ones that usually get me are those short films that I’ve never seen. How can anyone bet accurately on a bunch of short films that I’ve never had the opportunity to view?

Well, if you share my frustrations, I’ll see you at the Tropic Cinema. This week the Tropic is playing a series of Oscar Shorts.

Brought to you by Magnolia Films, the “2009 Nominated Oscar Shorts” includes 88 minutes of animation and 94 minutes of live action.

The shortest film in the collection is a 3-minute French animated film called “Oktapodi,” directed by Julien Bocabeille. The longest is a 30-minute German/Swiss live-action film titled “Auf Der Strecke” (“On the Line”), directed by Reto Caffi.

There are 5 animated films in all. In addition to “Oktapodi,” they include “Lavatory – Lovestory” (Russia), “Pieces of Love, Vol. 1” (Japan), “This Way Up” (UK), and Pixar’s Presto (USA), as well as a bonus selection of highly acclaimed recent animated shorts

Also there are 5 live action entries. In addition to “Auf Der Strecke,” you’ll find “New Boy” (Ireland), “Toyland” (Germany), “The Pig” (Denmark) and “Manon on the Asphalt” (France).
This year I plan to sweep the Oscars. At least in terms of picking the short film winners.

srhoades@aol.com
[from Solares Hill]