2023 Oscar Nominated Short Films - Animated Film (2023)
SHOULD I SEE IT?
YES
Always a great presentation and fantastic trip to the movies, you have to look fast because the short films are only in theaters for a few weeks, prior to the Oscars.
Oscar pools and Oscar party contests can be won and lost with the Short Film categories. Experiencing these nominees achieves both a better chance at victory and the opportunity to see some terrific and original films.
NO
Casual movie watchers tend to watch high profile, big name star movies and convincing people to watch short films is a challenge. No matter how good these films are, a large number of people are not going to care much.
You are not a fan of a wide range of genres and themes. You never know what you are going to get with these short film presentations and that mix of styles can throw people off.
OUR REVIEW
Every year, the ballot busters for Oscar pools and Oscar parties often prove to be the short film categories. Collating the short film nominees since 2006, ShortsTV and ShortsHD produce some of the most unpredictable and entertaining moviegoing experiences of the year. Short films celebrate the creativity that lies within the artists and creators; they are a fertile ground of new voices, challenging perspectives, and innovative presentation. I love uncovering these films and stories each year.
Now playing in theaters, and scheduled to play on VOD the week before the 95th Oscars, the Short Film packages continue to prove wildly popular with audiences. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the box office numbers for the Oscar nominated short film presentations grew year-to-year and these films matter to those genuinely curious about the potential next wave of storytellers and filmmakers emerging around the world.
And so, without any further ado, let's dive into this year’s nominees for Best Animated Short Film.
THE BOY, THE MOLE, THE FOX, AND THE HORSE | 25 MINUTES
Directed by: Peter Baynton, Charlie Mackesy
★★★
Adapted from Charlie Mackesy’s beautiful and inspirational book, Apple TV+’s The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, and the Horse is a film which offers beautiful visuals, a hushed, calming tone, and, at times, a viewing experience that feels twice or three-times as long as its actual running time.
That isn’t to say I did not appreciate the adaptation by Mackesy and co-director Peter Baynton. If you allow the cadence of the piece to wash over you, the film has an almost hypnotic effect. I was calm. At peace. But, honestly, the film moves at such a measured pace, elements feel almost inert. This is considered the runaway favorite in the category this year and the hopeful and optimistic, relatively plotless story about a boy encounters the titular animals and each learn from one another is hard not to like.
Yet, the book made a richer and more profound connection to me than the film ever came close to achieving. Perhaps I’m in isolation on this take, but The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, and the Horse is something nice you can likely appreciate. Unlike the book, you may just seem to forget the film as soon as the film fades to black.
THE FLYING SAILOR | 7 MINUTES
Directed by: Amanda Forbis, Wendy Tilby
★★★
Writer/directors Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby land their third nomination in this category with The Flying Sailor, a true story told in a fantastical, dreamlike, mixed-media presentation.
Inspired by the Halifax Explosion of 1917, a sailor is launched into the air when two warships collide and burst into flames. The impact of the blast strips him of his clothing and while in flight, the film slows down and the sailor sees his life’s moments flash before his eyes in a dreamy set of memories and remembrances.
Simulating the impact and then the survival of the explosion, The Flying Sailor turns from slow and measured to intense and dramatic, but ultimately proves to be more of a singular idea that never fully comes together as a complete and richly realized story.
ICE MERCHANTS | 14 MINUTES
Directed by: João Gonzalez
★★★★
There is a beautiful simplicity to João Gonzalez’s striking and melancholy Ice Merchants. Lacking dialogue, with a plaintive, moving score he composed, Gonzalez tells the story of a father and young son who live in a home, secured and anchored to the side of a mountain, miles above the town below. Each day, the father and son parachute down to the town to sell ice to the residents. Then, they return with water to freeze for the next morning and repeat their work again and again.
Sketched in vivid blues and reds, Ice Merchants creates a sense of wonder and curiosity. Eventually, we learn more about the family and the story shifts in its final minutes when the temperature increases and the anticipated block of ice is nothing more than a bucket of water. As their home begins creaking and shifting away from the mountain, their fragile existence becomes an increasingly perilous one.
Clockwise (L-R): The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, and the Horse, The Flying Sailor, Ice Merchants, An Ostrich Told Me the World is Fake and I Think I Believe It, My Year of Dicks.
MY YEAR OF DICKS | 25 Minutes
Directed by: Sara Gunnarsdóttir
★★★★
Yeah, the title means what you think it means.
My Year of Dicks is a rather wonderful film about a 15-year-old girl, Pam (Brie Tilton), determined to lose her virginity over the course of one calendar year. Reflecting on her experiences, Sara Gunnarsdóttir’s episodic five-chapter film takes us through a series of awkward, embarrassing, and confusing encounters which not only may not accomplish her goal, but also teaches her more about herself, her friends, and those around her.
Adapted from the memoir of novelist Pamela Ribon, the film offers five distinctive visual experiences, veering from fantastical, imaginative animation techniques to more conventional storytelling. Obviously skewing more adult than most of the films which typically land nominations in this category, My Year of Dicks may be provocative in name and subject matter. Yet, the film has a ton of heart and a clumsy emotional longing that reflects those confusing teenage years when people are trying to figure out who they are, who they like, and what all of these stirred up, wild emotions truly mean.
Though it seems a tad unfocused and haphazard here and there, My Year of Dicks is quite endearing and as honest and pure as anything you will find in this category.
AN OSTRICH TOLD ME THE WORLD IS FAKE AND I THINK I BELIEVE IT | 11 Minutes
Directed by: Lachlan Pendragon
★★★★
A clever stop-motion animated film from Australia, which landed writer/director Lachlan Pendragon a Student Academy Award in September 2022. Pendragon is hoping to land a second Oscar for his film and An Ostrich Told Me the World is Fake and I Think I Believe It could sneak in and surprise with a win.
At 11 minutes, the film zips along with an engrossing little office tale about Neil (Pendragon), who sells toasters as a telemarketer, only to begin to recognize that things around him may not be what it seems. Working late one night, he seemingly finds his suspicions confirmed by an ostrich, who appears in the company elevator.
Nearly all of the film is framed as a film within a film, as we can see the story play out on a monitor in real time. Behind the film we are watching, a frenzied, hyperkinetic visual occurs with real-life human hands setting up sets, moving these claymation characters into place, and essentially creating the film as we watch it. There is no conceit to this, which uniquely plays into Neil’s questioning of his surroundings.
Blending humor, science-fiction, and a pretty great conclusion, this just might pull something of an upset.
OVERALL THOUGHTS:
Everyone is predicting The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, and the Horse to win the Oscar. It is a safe, kind, quiet film that will warm a lot of voters hearts. However, it is not nearly the best film in the category. If I had a vote, My Year of Dicks might be my choice - a messy, honest, and carefree look at the fumbles of teenage life. While Apple TV+ may see that boy, mole, fox, and horse in the winner’s circle, something tells me that if voters decide that My Year of Dicks is perhaps too salacious a pick, then Australia’s Ostrich might break a few Oscar pools and sneak away with a win.
CAST & CREW
Directors:
• The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, and the Horse - Peter Baynton, Charlie Mackesy
• The Flying Sailor - Amanda Forbis, Wendy Tilby
• Ice Merchants - João Gonzalez
• My Year of Dicks - Sara Gunnarsdóttir
• An Ostrich Told Me the World is Fake and I Think I Believe It - Lachlan Pendragon
Release Date: February 17, 2023
ShortsTV/Shorts International