Movie Review - 2015 Oscar-Nominated Shorts

2015 Oscar-Nominated Shorts *** (out of 5) (NR) I always look forward to the annual chance to see the five nominees in each category - live and animated - since most are not otherwise available here during the year. The majority of these come from other countries, making the novelty factor even greater. Those looking for extremes of comedy or searing political perspectives will find little of either, with most of this year’s candidates plying a variety of wistful, melancholy or dramatic waters. The nominees will appear at the Tivoli in two programs. The live action quintet runs close to two hours. Since the nominees in animation are much shorter, that admission includes a bonus of four more worthy shorts for a 77-minute package.

As to the Live Action lineup, none could be considered comedies. The lightest tone comes from Northern Ireland, with a childhood reminiscence, Boogaloo and Graham. The Phone Call, Parvaneh and Aya offer an intriguing assortment of personal encounters from England, Switzerland and Israel, respectively. Each tells a tale that’s both intimate and reflective of its culture and the moment. The fifth is Butter Lamp, a plotless pastiche with French photographers shooting pix of Tibetan natives before assorted backdrops. If it had a point, I missed it, thereby making it a reasonable choice for your Oscar-party prediction ballots.

Among the five Animated candidates, my hands-down favorite is Disney’s delightful Feast, which ran in theaters as the lead-in for Big Hero 6. That pairing made me long for the days when opening shorts were a moviegoing staple. Diverse art designs distinguish the others. A Single Life is a brief lyrical look at aging; The Bigger Picture shows how some are never too old for sibling rivalry, even among posh Brits; Me and My Moulton is another gentle childhood recollection; The Dam Keeper looks like an innocent fable about a town populated by animals, but turns out darker than its visuals seem to proffer. From the four non-contenders, Sweet Cocoon must have been a near-miss, with lovely artwork and humor in a tight little product. Longtime favorite Bill Plympton contributes his usual macabre brand of comedy in Footprints. Bus Story is almost equally bizarre, contrasted with the lyrical Duet that’s all about graceful movement. Both programs are worth catching, even if the 10 nominees don’t add up to a highlight year for the slate of entries. (1/30/15)