Oscar Nominated Live Action Shorts (2012)

Time Freak, one of 5 Oscar-nominated Live Action Shorts

One of the few reliable pleasures of Oscar season is the collection of 15 animated, live action and documentary shorts films that get nominated every year. Thanks to ShortsHD and Magnolia Pictures, we’ve been able to see the animated and live action shorts in theaters since 2006 and last year they successfully added the documentary shorts program as well. The shorts return once again this year with all three programs launching in New York on Friday, February 10th. Los Angeles will get to see the live action and animated shorts on the 10th also, but the documentary shorts will turn up a week later. From there, the programs will make their way across the US and Canada hitting over 200 theaters along the way. Check ShortsHD for locations. The films will also be made available for purchase on iTunes worldwide beginning February 21st.

First up for review is the live action short program which runs 110 minutes and spans the globe from India, to the United States and Norway with two trips to Ireland in between. While none of the shorts are a knockout punch on their own, they range from good to very good and they include an interesting mix of tones from the socially conscious to the nostalgic to the outright amusing. Here’s my rundown of all five films with some thoughts at the end about which one will take home the Oscar.

Click here for reviews of the documentary shorts, click here for reviews of the animated shorts or read on for the live action shorts…

Time Freak An inventor working on a time machine finds that traveling back to ancient Rome is impossible when he can’t even get yesterday right. It’s sort of a wry commentary on perfectionism and the power to achieve it and the short format is perfect for getting it across. Easily the most satisfying of the films in terms of narrative beginning-middle-end coherence and payoff. More smile-inducing than laugh out loud hilarious, but definitely a winner.

Pentacost After causing an accident during Mass, an alter boy is banned by his disappointed parents from being able to watch his beloved Liverpool play football in the European cup finals. However, when it turns out his replacement is un-baptized and cannot participate in the bishop’s Sunday mass, our hero is called back into service and given one last chance at redemption. Will he deliver on his responsibilities or will his obsession with football turn out to be his undoing? This is a funny and fond look at growing up Catholic. The best bit is the priest’s inspirational pre-Mass pep talk, a speech that would not sound out of place prior to a football match.

The Shore Ciaran Hinds stars as an Irishman who returns to Belfast after 25 years in America with the hope of healing old wounds opened during The Troubles. Though political peace has been achieved in Ireland, individual and interpersonal conflicts remain to be smoothed over. Writer/director Terry George (Hotel Rwanda) has been involved with a number of films (The Boxer, In the Name of the Father) that focus on Ireland’s problems, but here he’s working in a more lighthearted tone, one befitting the peace and reconciliation the country has achieved. The sense of the past coming to a head is almost overwhelming until the film takes a pleasantly unexpected turn. Overall, a lovely, unassuming and gentle film that wonderfully captures the Irish spirit as well the beautiful Irish countryside.

Tuba Atlantic With the help of his perky death angel, a dying Norwegian man attempts to contact his estranged brother across the Atlantic by way of a strange invention the two siblings tinkered with as little boys. This one has some nice moments but they’re marred by a certain flavor of dark Scandinavian quirkiness that once seemed fresh (think Roy Andersson), but now seems kind of tired. It didn’t really work for me, but it’s certainly distinctive and should appeal strongly to certain sensibilities.

Raju A German couple travels to Calcutta India to adopt an orphan boy. When the boy disappears, it’s unclear whether he’s simply another statistic amid an epidemic of missing children or whether there is something more sinister at work. Blunt but effective, this is one of those serious shorts that relies almost entirely on its message for its power. Personally, these kind aren’t my cup of tea, but your results may vary. It’s certainly the most “important” of the nominees.

Oscar Prediction: Of the last five live action shorts to win the Oscar, four were funny and the fifth was about the Holocaust. Raju isn’t wrenching enough to warrant consideration on dramatic terms while The Shore and Tuba Atlantic probably aren’t enough of one or the other. That leaves Pentacost and Time Freak. Pentacost’s pleasures might be too specific to a certain niche so I’m going to go with the more generally appealing humor of Time Freak for the win.

Click here for reviews of the documentary shorts
Click here for reviews of the animated shorts

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