{"id":17753,"date":"2019-02-07T15:41:01","date_gmt":"2019-02-07T23:41:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/?p=17753"},"modified":"2019-02-07T15:41:01","modified_gmt":"2019-02-07T23:41:01","slug":"oscar-nominated-short-films-2019-animation-will-entertain-all","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cinemastance.com\/?p=17753","title":{"rendered":"OSCAR NOMINATED SHORT FILMS 2019: ANIMATION Will Entertain All"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This program opens in San Diego at the Ken Cinema on Friday, February 8th.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In addition to the Live Action Shorts package, Landmark\nTheatres has also compiled the Oscar Nominated Short Films 2019: Animation<\/em>\nfor audiences to enjoy. This year features another strong grouping of\nimpressive, funny and moving titles. In fact, there’s something here that\nshould appeal to everyone. Admittedly though, for this particular reviewer,\nthere is one standout that really makes an impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The debut short is Bao<\/em> (USA),\nan effort from Pixar that chronicles a Toronto,\nCanada woman\nsuffering from empty nest syndrome. While making some dumplings, she’s surprised\nto witness one of them come to life. A series of skits follow in which the lead\nbegins to raise the pastry like a child. She even becomes overprotective as it\ngrows up at an advanced rate and begins to act out. It’s sharply animated and\ncomically mirrors the relationship between mother and son, although the story\ndoes become overly sentimental by its close.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Late Afternoon<\/em> (Ireland)\nis very different, both in its subject matter as well as in its approach.  In fact, much of it takes place inside the\nhead of an elderly woman quietly seated in an armchair. While company around\nthe senior packs things up, the lead sits back sipping tea. The items and\npeople around begin tripping memories, with the woman at different ages flying\nand passing through a series of significant events. The concept of traveling\nthrough one’s own mind, leaping and transforming between experiences and people\nis beautifully interpreted and backed to a lovely score. The movie also hits\nthe right emotional beat at its close, making an impact without overplaying its\nhand. This is a quietly powerful short. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What follows is this reviewer’s personal favorite. Animal\nBehaviour<\/em> (Canada)\nis a entertaining and very, very funny animated film about a group\npsychotherapy session that both pokes fun at and eventually compliments the\nprofession. The group is headed by a dog, with patients that include a pig,\nbird, leech, cat and praying mantis. When an ape arrives as a new member and\nrefuses to admit he may have anger management issues, the pooch tries to get him\nto open up, leading to a tense and vocal meeting. The animation is distinctive,\nthe character designs are appealing, their problems are amusing and the\ndialogue is sharp and witty (the bird’s disturbing confession is hysterical).\nIt’s an absolute knock-out and despite being the second longest short in the group,\nflies by at a rapid pace (which comes at no surprise, since the animators won the\nAcademy Award for in 1994 for Best Animated Short with the stellar Bob’s\nBirthday<\/em>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Weekends<\/em> (USA)\nis an interesting and unique piece based on the filmmaker’s experiences as a\nyoung child spending time with both of his divorced parents. It follows the\nchild as he lives with his single mom at her suburban home and with his father\nin a downtown Toronto apartment. As\nthe adults find new partners and the boy’s anxieties grow, viewers experience\nthe boy’s surreal nightmares. This short has a very striking look and manages\nto do a lot of interesting things visually to help show all of the conflicting\nemotions and fears running through the protagonist’s head. It’s another\nfascinating entry in the program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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One Small Step<\/em> (USA)\nis the closest in tone and content to the first entry in the program. In fact,\nPixar are given a special thanks by the animator. Truthfully, it looks very\nsimilar to the animation studio’s output and could easily be confused for one\nof their efforts. This tale involves a young girl who yearns to be an\nastronaut, much to the encouragement of her father. As she grows up and\nhardships arise she begins to doubt herself, but an action taken by her father alters\nthe lead’s perspective. Like Bao<\/em>, it is exceptionally animated and is a\nsweet little short, but at times tugs at the heartstrings a little too\nobviously for its own good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While I definitely have my favorites, all of the titles\nfeatured here are very good and will entertain young and old alike. And is if\nthat isn’t outstanding enough, the presentation includes two bonus shorts, the\npirate-themed Wishing Box<\/em>, as well as another title, Tweet Tweet<\/em>.\nOnce again, the Oscar Nominated Short Films 2019: Animation<\/em> is a\nspectacular collection that should entertain all. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since Animal Behaviour<\/em> hails from Canada, here are but a few (of many) classic shorts that the country has also been responsible for. They might provide a nice warm up for this program. The animated shorts are as follows: Bob’s Birthday<\/em> (1993), The Cat Came Back<\/em> (1988), The Sweater<\/em> (1980) and Charade<\/em> (1983).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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