Oscar Nominated Shorts

Marie and I drove down for this year's Oscar Nominated Shorts at the DFT. As per usual it was packed. Probably sold out. Parking was a bitch and we were surrounded by bitches. Why is it that some people laugh at fucking everything? It's like these people only get out the house once a damn year. I can't imagine what they'd do if they saw a truly hysterical film. Would they actually die? Would they piss their pants? It's just like when we go to the Redford and people are laughing out loud at some Hannah Barberra cartoon that they show before the film. Really? Porky Pig cracks you up that much? Elmer Fudd's speech impediment is still funny as an adult?

Anyway, this year was different because the DFT only showed the nominees, where as normally they show the nominees plus a few other films, too. Runners up and whatnot. So tonight's endeavor wasn't as butt-numbingly long as it normally is. The five animated shorts ran about an hour total, half hour intermission, and then about an hour and three quarters for the five live action shorts. It all flowed really well.

The animated shorts were A Morning Stroll (UK), Dimanche/Sunday (Canada), The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore (USA), La Luna (USA) and Wild Life (Canada). Marie and I both liked Wild Life the best. It had hands down some of the most incredible scenes in it. I think A Morning Stroll was probably our runner up. I'll give my prediction to Wild Life. La Luna was a Pixar film and just a little too soppy. Good, but ehhh. Same for The Fantastic Flying Books...it was too sentimental, even though it was a good little flick no less.

The live shorts were Pentecost (Ireland), Raju (Germany/India), The Shore (N. Ireland), Time Freak (USA), and Tuba Atlantic (Norway). For me, Pentecost stole the show. It was pretty fucking funny. I think maybe so because I grew up in the UK so I could relate to the premise a little bit better, but still, it got a great response from the audience. Raju was the runner up for me, but certainly wouldn't surprise me if it won the Oscar. In fact, I'll bet it does. It was really well done. I liked the Shore, too. Again, very well done. Funny and touching. It had an actress from Intermission (great flick) and the HBO series ROME. It starred Ciaran Hinds from Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and ROME. Time Freak was alright. Funny premise, but it seemed more like a student film than an Oscar winner. Tuba Atlantic was kinda crap. It was alright, but not very compelling.

All in all an enjoyable evening.