The 2014 Academy Award-nominated Animated Short Films

[scarlettina]

A week ago Friday, varina8 and I went to see the Academy Award-nominated Short Animated Films at the Varsity Theater in the U District. At something like 110 minutes, it included not only the nominees but some noteworthy runners-up. I'm going to talk only about the nominees here.

"Get a Horse!" (trailer) is Disney's entry for this year. Animated to look

Comments

[varina8]

Mr. Hublot and Possessions would be my top picks, too. I'd probably give the edge to Possessions, which reminded me of the Japanese folk tale, The Boy Who Drew Cats

[bedii]

It also contains what may be the best--if not only--portrayal of obsessive compulsive behavior I've ever seen in an animated film.

In a single film, perhaps. If you include a series, may I point out the history of one Wile E. Coyote, who Chuck Jones described as having started out chasing the Roadrunner in a time of famine, but whose subsequent attempts were because of obsession? The ultimate example of which may be Hare-Breadth Hurry, where Bugs Bunny stands in for the Roadrunner and Wile E. never even notices. (There are those who argue that Pepe LePew is an even worse example, but I'm not going to wander into that minefield, thank you.)

[bedii]

Oh, and I believe this is the trailer for Possessions.

[scarlettina]

That's the one. Thanks, Bruce!

[garyomaha]

Thanks for your observations! Here in backwoods Omaha (no, not really...) the audience favorite, at least at the showing we attended, was Room on a Broom. However, our favorite was probably Mr. Hublot, because steampunk!, dog! (well, sort of), and OCD!

I mentioned in a private note to you what I thought of the giraffe-and-ostrich sideshow. As you made no reference to it whatsoever, I'm going to presume your opinion was somewhat the same as mine?

[scarlettina]

The giraffe-and-ostrich bumpers were slightly entertaining, if a little forced. I didn't loathe them; they were just sort of there. I went to see the nominees; the bumpers were like MCs at the Oscars--a sort of necessary annoyance. My suspicion is that they were there because research shows that unless kids are given cues, they don't distinguish between cartoons and commercials, or between one cartoon and another. Give that this program, more than other Academy Award collection, will most likely include a juvenile audience, it was probably considered necessary.

[bedii]

the bumpers were like MC's at the Oscars--a sort of necessary annoyance.

With the exception of Edna Mode. I think she should co-present the award for costuming EVERY year.

[scarlettina]

Edna Mode wasn't part of this year's presentation. Yes, I know she was part of it in the past, but not this year.