A Reel Review: The Oscar Nominated Animated Short Films

Animated Short Films have to play by the same rules as their Live-Action counterparts, where they have 40 minutes or less to tell their story. But with animation, the style allows filmmakers to create and explore without limits. With little time to work with but with imagination the only real boundary, the Animated Short Films are usually one of the most exciting categories to see every year. This year’s Oscar nominees have a wide range of animation styles from around the world, and almost all have recurring themes of family. Here are the Reel Reviews for this year’s nominees.

ANIMAL BEHAVIOR (Canada)

In a world populated by talking animals, a group therapy session led by a dog and including an ape, a cat, a praying mantis, a leech, and a bird…work through their issues. 

This zany romp is a laugh a minute, and brilliantly capitalizes on the traits of each animal by turning their elemental characteristics into issues that they have to work out in a group setting. It’s not much of a story and instead a series of jokes, and it does feel like a small part of something bigger…but it sure is fun to watch. 

ONE SMALL STEP (USA/China)

A single father helps her daughter achieve her life-long dream of becoming an astronaut. 

This tearjerker follows the steps of the appropriately-named Luna trying to find her way to the Moon. Presented without a word of dialogue but with a ton of emotion, this is a father-daughter story with a lot of heart as Luna goes through more than one setback in her journey not only to the Moon, but from childhood to adulthood. There’s bittersweetness at work as real-life intrudes on her dreams, and that gives it a lot of emotional weight. As joyful as the film is, there are not a lot of surprises, and we’ve certainly seen this story play out before. 

LATE AFTERNOON (Ireland)

An elderly woman has her lost memories triggered through the simplest things. 

A play on the bitterness of old age and Alzheimer’s, LATE AFTERNOON is another tearjerker that works on how the smallest detail can trigger a wave of memories. Presented in a 2D, water-colored style, the simplicity of LATE AFTERNOON is part of its charm, and it’s short running time is used well as we get an entire life story in just 10 minutes. 

WEEKENDS (USA)

A young boy bounces in-between his divorced parents; living with mom during the week and dad on the weekends. 

Less of a story and more about atmosphere, WEEKENDS takes us through the young boy’s life as he bonds with his father and tries to make sense of the situation. With no dialogue and beautiful 2D animation, the story unfolds in subtle ways, and the situation is made more and more complex when the divorced parents begin dating others. Divorce can be traumatic for a kid, and WEEKENDS sums it up with a lot of heart. 

BAO (USA)

A Chinese mother has one of her dumplings come to life, and she cares for it as one of her children. 

This tearjerker (yes, another one), which is the annual nominee from animation legends Pixar, ran in front of INCREDIBLES 2 last year, and may have confused audiences with its touch of weirdness; after all, it’s not every day we see a dumpling coming to life and growing into a stubborn teenager. But BAO has a lot going for it; the animation is stunning as always, it has a lot of heart, and by the end we realize that much of the film is a metaphor for generational gaps and how it can divide a mother and son. Another film presented with no dialogue, BAO is a joy from start to finish, and uses its short time wisely. 

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Read Reel Speak’s review on the Oscar Nominated Live-Action Films HERE

The Oscars will be awarded February 24^th.