And now, you get to see what I thought about this year’s Oscar-nominated Animated Shorts, with one extra.
The Three Sisters (Dir. Konstantin Bronzit) - Once upon a time, there were three sisters who lived in three houses, packed together on their own tiny island. They rent out one of their houses after they lose all their money in a fight with seagulls. Enter a gruff sailor, whom one of the sisters likes … as do the others. That’s basically it, but it’s still good fun. It’s pretty charming as we see the sisters’ lives brighten with the sailor around (he finds their money!). It’s got some great gags, often punctuated by the sailor’s “heh!” (his only “dialogue,” provided by Bronzit himself). Its sound design is unusually appealing, while its final twist is cleverly amusing. It’s one of my choices for the award.
Forevergreen (Dir. Nathan Engelhardt and Jeremy Spears) - An orphaned bear cub is adopted by a living tree. The tree raises the cub on seeds and love. The cub is led astray by potato chips and garbage and accidentally starts a forest fire. The tree makes the ultimate sacrifice. It’s got a unique wood-carving CGI style, though apparently there’s some practical animation in there (I couldn’t tell where). Its characters are likable, even when the cub goes through his potato chip phase. Some might find it a bit heavy-handed, especially with it closing on a certain Biblical quote, but it’s still a sweet story.
The Girl Who Cried Pearls (Dir. Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski) - An old man (Colm Feore) tells his granddaughter about his days as a poor orphan in Montreal. Back then, he lived next to a family consisting of an old man, his evil wife, and his daughter from his first marriage, the titular girl. He sold her tears to a crooked pawnbroker, who told him to fetch some more, even if it meant making her cry himself.
It’s artistically exquisite, from the elaborate sets to the super-smooth stop-motion characters. Its engaging story has us question the fantastical narrative with a late twist. But the twist mostly flew past me, while others might purposefully ignore it. The narrator says he made the girl smile with a box of chocolates; the emotionless puppets in the flashbacks don’t let us see it for ourselves. That’s the only thing that took me out of the short. It’s still a minor quibble in this unforgettable short.
At this point, the program warned its audience that the following nominees weren’t family friendly.
Butterfly (Dir. Florence Miailhe) - A short biopic of French swimmer Alfred Nakache. He competed in the 1936 Berlin Olympics, ostracized as an Algerian Jew, banned from competing after the Nazis took over France, and ultimately sent to Auschwitz with his wife and daughter. He made it out - his family didn’t - and competed in the 1948 London Olympics. His memories, visualized by stunning glass paintings, literally flow by as he swims in the ocean. They tell a powerful narrative; one highlight being when his teammates walked off with him after his ban (what humanity). It’s enough to get one interested in a full-length biopic, even if it would lack this one’s artistry. This is the current critical favorite for the award, and you’ll understand why once you see it for yourself (which you can on YouTube via the Jewish Film Institute).
Retirement Plan (Dir. John Kelly) - Ray (Domhnall Gleeson), an old man, narrates about everything he wants to do when he retires. And everything he’d like to do. And everything he’d like to persuade himself that he’d like. Once he realizes what that entails. And, just for fun, what he’d like to do when he’s dead. It’s the most simplistic short in the lineup, both artistically and lengthily (seven minutes). And yet, it’s the most relatable. Ray’s monologue will have one reflecting on the state of their lives, especially if they’re anywhere close to his presumed age. Him planning to haunt an old school enemy prevents this from ending on a downer. This is my other choice for the award.
And, unlike last year, there was one runner-up in the program. This one was family friendly.
Eiru (Dir. Giovanna Ferrari) - This offering from Cartoon Saloon played in some theaters with Little Amelie (not mine, unfortunately). In it, Eiru, a young Viking girl, wants to be the biggest, baddest of them all. But her already giant kinsmen agree that she’s not there yet. When their well dries up, Eiru is small enough to go down there and investigate. She and two other kids from neighboring tribes find magic down there. It's got some splendid art direction, likable characters (even Eiru's boorish kinsmen), and some good points in its nine minutes. A few things might make the most sense if you share Cartoon Saloon's affinity for Irish mythology. As with Butterfly, it's enough to get one interested in a feature expansion. But right now, I'm interested in seeing it again. The sooner the better.
Maybe I’ll get to another nominee before Sunday. Maybe not. But that’s all for now.
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