Oscar Nominated Shorts (2004)

If you ever watch the Academy Awards and wonder why all the fuss over a film that runs for less than 30 minutes, here's your chance to find out. Once again Apollo Cinema has put together a compilation that contains some of this years nominated films in both the Animated and Live-Action Short categories. This collection is making its way across the country and this is the best chance (and maybe the only opportunity) to check them out.

Overall rating - 4

The Red Jacket (Die Rote Jake)
Live Action Nominee
(Country: Germany (subtitled), Nominated: Florian Baxmeyer, 18 min)

In Germany, a grieving father throws away a reminder of his lost son - his favorite red jacket. The jacket is marked for shipment to refugee children in Sarajevo. We follow a series of tragic events as the jacket passes through several hands and miraculously finds its way back to Germany.

Movie Chick Cherryl - "A very sad film, but still leaves us with hope."

Harvie Krumpet
Winner - Best Animated Short
(Country: Australia, Nominated: Adam Elliot, 22 min)

Harvie Krumpet has a hard life but manages to find little joys in simple things like interesting "fakts" (he's not the brightest of the bunch and being home-schooled by an insane woman doesn't help). His quirky twitches and compulsive need to touch often get him into trouble, but every setback (from a fractured skull to cancer) leads Harvie to a new opportunity to look on the bright side.

MCC - "Clever film - the high quantity of tragedy is mixed with charm and a touch of sick humor to make a film that's amusing and sad at the same time. It deserves to be a winner."

Torzija (A Torsion)
Live Action Nominee
(Country: Slovenia (subtitled), Nominated: Stefan Arsenijevic, 14.5 min)

Members of a Sarajevo choir are trying to leave for Paris, but their departure is delayed at a checkpoint near a farm. One of the cows goes into labor and it's going to be a difficult birth unless the singers can provide some comfort, a little music to drown out the shelling, and maybe a guy with medical training.

MCC - "A calf is born (very messily), the choir sings, and all is right with the world - at least for a brief period of time. This is a different kind of war story, but that doesn't make it any less moving."

Nibbles
Animated Nominee
(Country: Canada, Nominated: Chris Hinton, 4.5 min)

A father and son head for the woods to go fishing, but stop at every possible place on the way to get a bite to eat or more fuel for their car.

MCC - "The crude animation has that kindergarten-drawn quality which can work if the story is interesting, but can't overcome an idea that's lacking in depth."

Squash
Live Action Nominee
(Country: France (subtitled), Nominated: Lionel Bailliu, 27 min)

Alexandre meets his boss Charles on the squash court for some not-so-friendly competition. Charles has no problem playing vicious mind-games to psyche out his opponent; then he goes over the top when he ups the stakes and puts Alexandre's job on the line. These guys are way too serious (somebody should tell Alexandre there's no crying in squash) and something as minor as a sprained ankle or shot to the head is not going to deter them from victory.

MCC - "Mixing business with terror. There's an overdose of testosterone in this very French film, but it's certainly entertaining watching them do battle."

Perpetual Motion
2003 Student Academy Award Winner for Animation
Special Bonus Film in Select Cities
(Director: Kimberly Miner, 1.5 min)

Interesting theory that combines two "universal truths" - cats always land on their feet and jelly toast always lands jelly side down... especially on white carpet.

MCC - "Silly, clever, and a crowd favorite even with the short run-time."