by James Rosario and Edwin Arnaudin
Edwin Arnaudin: Last year aside, Animation is pretty consistently the best of the three Oscar Nominated Short Film programs, but this year’s selections feel especially strong. Sure, two of them have oddly abrupt endings and another’s inevitable but still awkward needle drop inspired an audible groan from me, but otherwise it’s a delightful bunch. Did you have a similar experience?
James Rosario: I did. As it is every year, I like some more than others (much, much more than others, as it would be), but overall, it’s a good group. The eclectic animation styles on display are imaginative and even innovative in some cases.
For example, “Our Uniform” tells its story across a sprawling and richly textured set of fabrics to help accentuate its point about the power of choice. And while that may not be as compelling as some of the other films, the approach stands out, especially when weighed against all the overused Disney/Pixar-styled animation we’re bombarded with all year.
I know story matters, but which films stuck out to you most from a purely visual standpoint?
Edwin: Is it too much of a cheat to say “All of them”?
“Our Uniform“ tops the list in terms of imagination and innovation. I don’t think I’ve ever seen buttons, pockets, and hems used to such memorable cinematic ends. And no wonder it’s only six minutes long — it must have taken at least six months to make!
But my two least favorite ones — “War is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko” and “Letter to a Pig” — may also be the most technologically advanced. Each appears to use digital video as its base (plus a little motion-capture in “War Is Over!”’s case), then some level of rotoscope for distinctly fascinating results that elevate so-so narratives in both cases.
Then there’s “Pachyderme,” which feels like a storybook come to life. But my favorite of the lot, “Ninety-Five Senses,” has a bit of an unfair advantage: a different animator or team handles each of the five senses, resulting in an enthralling range of imagery that nevertheless proves complementary.
James: I’ve had a hefty fascination with rotoscoping ever since discovering the work of Ralph Bakshi at an inappropriately young age, so “War is Over!” and “Letter to a Pig” easily grabbed me from an artistic standpoint. But neither managed to fully hold my attention, story-wise. In fact, I actively disliked the naivette found in “War is Over!.” It was almost insulting.
Edwin: I was mostly with “War is Over!”’s tale of enemy WWI soldiers using a carrier pigeon to transport chess moves back and forth…until John Lennon’s song starts playing mid-battle (groan). Things go downhill pretty quickly from there, bottoming out with an ending that I agree is insulting and, frankly, implausible.
James: “Ninety-Five Senses” is the clear winner for me. Its range of art is fantastic, and the abrupt left turn the story takes is like a sad punch in the face. I let out an audible “damn” when that revelation dropped. It also doesn’t hurt that Tim Blake Nelson lends his voice to this melancholy story. His unique approach and mannerisms shined all the way through the screen.
Edwin: It rules on all levels, and I’m with you on that reveal’s gut-punch impact. Nelson’s voice sounded familiar but I honestly couldn’t place it in the moment. Seeing his name in the credits was a fun surprise, but even more stunning is the revelation that it’s directed by Jerusha and Jared Hess — the team behind Napoleon Dynamite! Wouldn’t it be something if they won an Oscar the same year as their breakout film’s 20th anniversary?
James: I know it doesn’t count, but since the screening program includes two films that weren’t actually nominated, I feel obliged to mention “Wild Summon.” Now this is one hell of an animated short! It’s nearly grotesque and alien in its presentation (like something from a hellish outer dimension that resembles ours but is somehow…off), but so lifelike and disturbing that I quickly became enthralled by it. In what world is this film not the frontrunner for the Oscar?
Edwin: “Wild Summon” is indeed a stunner. I got some minor Mad God vibes from it, as if stop-motion legend Phil Tippett had started tinkering with cutting-edge computer animation. And I agree its stunning artistry and brilliant sci-fi-ish personification of the plight of modern salmon warrants a nomination, but at least audiences will see it here.
Its fellow “Highly Commended” inclusion, “I’m Hip,” could also easily have made the cut. But its quick, silly music video of a clueless Heathcliff-esque feline inflicting chaos with his “cool” ways also makes for a fine palate cleanser following some pretty heavy subject matter. Did any of the other stories move you on a narrative level?
James: If I’m sticking strictly to the nominees, not nearly as much as “Ninety-Five Senses.” While “Pachyderme” certainly packed a punch of its own, I don’t think it would have been as effective without the “storybook” animation you mentioned. That’s not to say its narrative isn’t worthwhile, but the contrasting nature of its subject matter with the half-remembered dream artistic approach elevates it further than it would have otherwise gone.
I have good things to say about all the nominees, but for some, style definitely outweighed substance. And that’s not the worst thing in the world; it’s just extra special when the two line up.
Edwin: Agreed. At least they’re all truly shorts — none of this 39.99 minute mumbo jumbo. “Pig” is the longest at 17 minutes and the rest fairly zip by, mostly landing in the 11-13 minute zone. Even “Wild Summons” is only 14 minutes and it packs the wallop of an hour-long lecture without a hint of dryness.
Sounds like we both hope “Senses” takes the prize, but as long as it’s not “War is Over!”, I’m OK with any of them winning. The highs heavily outweigh the lows for me and I give this year’s program an A-minus.
James: “Senses” all the way, hands down. I think it’s a good program overall, and audiences will really enjoy what it has to offer. There’s plenty of variety, and whatever heavy-handed nonsense there might be is kept to a minimum. It gets a B-plus from my camp.
Originally published by ASHEVILLE MOVIES.
James is a writer, record collector, wrestling nerd, and tabletop gamer living with his family in Asheville, North Carolina. He is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association, the North Carolina Film Critics Association, and contributes to The Daily Orca, Razorcake Magazine, Mountain Xpress, and Asheville Movies.