92nd Academy Awards: A Review

With regards to the 92nd Academy Awards, I can take a certain satisfaction that I was 20 out of 24. Since publishing my last predictions I had changed my mind on a few categories.

First, the list of winners, with asterisks on where I missed.

BEST PICTURE: Parasite *
BEST ACTOR: Joaquin Phoenix (Joker)
BEST ACTRESS: Renee Zellweger (Judy)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Brad Pitt (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Laura Dern (Marriage Story)
BEST DIRECTOR: Bong Joon-ho (Parasite) *
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE: Toy Story 4
BEST ANIMATED SHORT: Hair Love
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: Jojo Rabbit
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Parasite
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: 1917
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE: American Factory *
BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT: Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You're a Girl)
BEST LIVE-ACTION SHORT FILM: The Neighbors' Window
BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM: Parasite (South Korea)
BEST FILM EDITING: Ford v Ferrari
BEST SOUND EDITING: Ford v Ferrari *
BEST SOUND MIXING: 1917
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN: Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE: Joker
BEST ORIGINAL SONG: (I'm Gonna) Love Me Again (Rocketman)
BEST MAKEUP & HAIRSTYLING: Bombshell
BEST COSTUME DESIGN: Little Women
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS: 1917

I had 1917 winning Best Picture, Director and Sound Editing. I also had originally thought Judy would win Makeup and Hairstyling but switched to Bombshell. Try as I might, I could not get Documentary Feature right. It really was an open category, where I thought Honeyland would get it.

For those interested in tallies of films with multiple winners, here they are:

Parasite: 4
1917: 3
Ford v Ferrari: 2
Joker: 2
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood: 2

All other Best Picture nominees won one, meaning only one film was completely shut out.

No wonder Martin Scorsese looked as if was dropping off during Eminem's performance. The Irishman's fall was not unexpected but still disappointing. One simply wonders why the film failed so spectacularly after earning raves. My own theory is that other, "hipper" films stole The Irishman's thunder.

With regards to the winners there weren't any big surprises. Actually, I'd say there were no surprises. Sure, Film Twitter is elated about Parasite, and it is a good film. Maybe not my choice but not one that causes such anxiety as did Green Book last year. Every winner was if not predicted months ago at least well within the conversation.

My theory revolving around Best Film Editing/Best Picture continues to hold. I maintain that the eventual Best Picture winner is nominated but does not win Film Editing and that the film that wins Film Editing loses Best Picture. Parasite was nominated for Film Editing but lost to a fellow Best Picture nominee, Ford v Ferrari. As such, Parasite was really the odds-on favorite, since Irishman was dead on arrival, 1917 and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood were not nominated and Jojo Rabbit, Ford v Ferrari and Joker had no chance in winning Best Picture. We should have seen it from the get-go.

The only win that I actively disliked was Best Original Song. Even after hearing Cynthia Erivo perform Stand Up from Harriet (giving her a standing ovation), they still went with the bouncy, peppy and inconsequential (I'm Gonna) Love Me Again from Rocketman. Subconsciously or not (I'm thinking not), Elton John sowed the seeds to his victory by pointing out he and his longtime writing partner Bernie Taupin had never won anything as a team. The Academy members, already enthralled by John's big Oscar bashes, voted for him regardless. I note that John did not get a standing ovation for (I'm Gonna) Love Me Again, but unlike Taron Egerton, Elton John had it in the bag.

At least Into the Unknown went unknown despite having it sung in a multitude of languages. I'm sure that five minutes after performing it, no one could actually remember Into the Unknown in any language, even whichever language former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg claims to speak fluently.

Come to think of it, I doubt anyone will be able to sing (I'm Gonna) Love Me Again without having to look it up. I still can sing Call Me By Your Name's Mystery of Love and Stand Up, as well as listen to them over and over. I can't even remember Remember Me.

We DID get to hear Eminem perform Lose Yourself seventeen years after winning Best Original Song. It should be noted that Billie Eilish, who performed Yesterday as part of the In Memoriam section of the broadcast, was a year old if that when Lose Yourself hit the airwaves, perhaps explaining her puzzled look at his performance. The loudness of Lose Yourself, punctuated by silences due to the necessary censoring of the lyrics, does not explain Marty's forty winks.

As has been pointed out, the many people happily rapping along to Lose Yourself can be simultaneously woke and not troubled by Mr. Mathers' past homophobic lyrics while being all pearl-clutching when it comes to Kevin Hart.

As for the show itself, again the Academy struggles with that kind of editing. It went well over its allotted time, and as expected there was the usual politicking going on. Unlike my fellow reviewers Christian Toto or Jacob Smith (Society Reviews), I'm not outraged or angry or even irritated by such things.

I'm just...puzzled by it all.

Brad Pitt's acceptance speech started out with an appraisal of the recent impeachment. Fine, he can speak on such things if he wishes. I would not think the Academy Awards is the best venue for such things, given he's accepting an award for having exceptional abs at age 56...I mean, for his performance in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. I'm just puzzled as to whom he is actually speaking to.

He must be aware millions of people watch the Academy Awards, so he is not just preaching to the choir. Does he genuinely think his fellow Missourians are going to now vote for Bernie Sanders or any Democrat based on his lofty pronouncements?

Does Pitt genuinely picture some MAGA-hat wearing overweight white male, washing down his Oxycontin with Budweiser and who stumbled onto the Academy Awards confused as to why there was no football game on, calling out to his barefoot and pregnant wife in his best Defender of True & Pure Conservatism Rick Wilson imitating the "credulous rube" voice, "Well, Ma Kettle, that there pretty boy from Fight Club is just so upset about John Bolton not witnessin' in the Senate trial, so we ought to now get Trump out and bring Socialism to this here U.S. of A."?

Is that really in the back of Pitt's mind? I just want to know what the end objective is for Pitt, or Josh Gad throwing in climate change denial and healthcare advocacy while introducing Into the Unknown. What truly is their goal for all this? That they do such things during what is ostensibly an awards presentation for film and not a Democratic Party rally just strikes me as odd.

Granted, not Joaquin Phoenix/Renee Zellwegger-level odd, but odd nonetheless.

Why does he or Mark Ruffalo or anyone else paid far more than those "credulous rubes" feel obligated to lecture them on everything and anything? Best Documentary Feature cowinner Julia Reichert quoted Karl Marx while hobnobbing with people who get $78,000 cruises as part of their Oscar gift bags.

Is it me or is there just a slight disconnect?

However, who would have thought talking about cow insemination and the evils of milk drinking would trump The Communist Manifesto? Joaquin Phoenix is a fine actor and passionate animal rights activist. All well and good, don't begrudge him his views. Yet, in his four minute speech not once did he thank or even mention anyone from Joker.

Instead, his speech for winning an award for playing a murderous psychopath was on how awful humans were for not hearing the cries of cows for taking their calves and their milk.

In his world, we are all evil for drinking milk. Louis Pasteur should be dug up and beheaded.

For some reason, I'm reminded of Timothy Treadwell, the subject of Grizzly Man. Both Treadwell and Phoenix almost romanticized animals to where they applied human emotions to non-humans. Treadwell thought of the bears as almost his friends...until one ate him and his girlfriend. I have no way of looking into a cow's soul, but I don't think cows are all that upset over Man taking their milk from their utters.

Joaquin Phoenix is free to believe as he wishes. He's free to live his life free of all animal products if he wishes. He can even take up his time and the times of his colleagues to tell us how mad the cows are. He, however, is not free to dictate how my life or anyone else's life should be. If I wish to drink milk or eat steak, Joaquin Phoenix, no matter how well-intentioned, has no say in the matter and should have no say in the matter.

Such speeches don't win hearts and minds. They harden them, and end up making the speaker sound a bit bonkers.

Renee Zellweger decided Phoenix was a hard act to follow, so she ended up sounding more bonkers without resorting to cow insemination. To her credit, at least she mentioned Judy Garland, but what exactly was she saying? It was a list of people, but once she thanked her whole family she started sounding a bit loopy, as if she didn't know where to go after listing her "heroes" and just started rambling.

Who else thought name-dropping Dolores Huerta, Bob Dylan, Harriet Tubman and Martin Scorsese with Judy Garland somehow "unite us"?  "We agree on our teachers, and we agree on our courageous men and women in uniform who serve..." she went on and on. What exactly Fred Rogers and Judy Garland share in terms of heroics with my favorite teacher, Mrs. Hearn, I can't begin to guess.

Well, that's it for the 92nd Academy Awards. The winners save Original Song were once I thought were if not worthy at least good choices. The political nature of the show really does not bother me. It does puzzle me.

As for myself, I'll be washing down a triple-meat cheeseburger with an extra large mocha frappe, extra whipped cream, in honor of Joaquin Phoenix's courageous and powerful advocacy for bovine beauties.

Elsie, we hardly knew you...

92nd Academy Awards Predictions

This year's Academy Awards have been the most wide-open race I've seen in a while, at least with regards to Best Picture. I think there have been at least four "locks" to win: first The Irishman, then Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, followed by 1917 and now Parasite. Their rises and falls show how fluid the race has been.

One aspect though that surprises me is The Irishman's tumultuous fall. Going in with 10 nominations, The Irishman has all but collapsed into irrelevance. It hasn't picked up any major awards since flopping at the Golden Globes, and it looks like there is no sign of it coming back to life. All the other Best Picture nominees are all but assured at least one win, and there have been occasions where Best Picture nominees have been frozen out. This, however, is something I did not expect: a massive failure for one of cinema's greatest auteurs.

How to explain The Irishman's astonishing fall? I'm sure my one-sided nemesis Jacob Airey will suggest if not flat-out state it is punishment for Martin Scorsese saying that his beloved Marvel Cinematic Universe is not "real cinema". That's not just a remarkably childish and narcissistic take, though not surprising for someone as childish and narcissistic as Airey, but a thoroughly uniformed one. The Academy members are not "voting against" Scorsese or to punish him for his "blasphemy". They may dislike or not care for The Irishman. They may just favor other films more than The Irishman. However, to think that the Academy, of all organizations, is filled with squeeing fanboys who cried when a talking tree disintegrated is just so moronic.

There is still that pesky question though. How did The Irishman fall so far and so fast? My own theory is that it just didn't catch on with voters in the same way Once Upon a Time in Hollywood or 1917 or Parasite did. For better or worse, this year the voters went for "the new big thing" versus something that will, I think, stand the test of time longer than those films. By no means are any of the most likely contenders bad films (all I think will make my Top Ten List). It's just a matter of poor timing: Marty's meditation on guilt and regret just wasn't as big as the fantasy of thwarting Charles Manson, a "one-shot" take on World War One or an allegory on capitalism.

Apart from Best Picture, pretty much all the major awards are locked in. It would take an Olivia Colman like upset to overtake the four acting categories, and even that win was not as unexpected as many still think. It is theoretically possible that at least one of the acting locks falls, but by now highly unlikely.

I expect there won't be any surprises, but right now there really is no way of saying Film X is the prohibitive front-runner. Until that last envelope is opened, there is simply no way of saying which of the four films with the best chance will emerge triumphant.

With that brief overview, let's move on to my predictions. These are not the ones I want to win, just the ones I think will, with some thoughts on my reasoning. Predicted winners in bold.

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

1917 
Avengers: Endgame
The Irishman
The Lion King
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Despite Airey's assertion that Avengers: Endgame truly is a turning point in cinema history, this is its sole nomination. Curiously, it's the sole nomination for The Lion King, and frankly I'm not convinced that it should be there. Part of me wants The Irishman to win here just to stick it to the fanboys, but so far it seems the ravages of war are going to take it. To be honest, I didn't notice the visual effects in the film, and with that being the case then 1917 does deserve the win.

BEST FILM EDITING

Ford v Ferrari 
The Irishman
Jojo Rabbit
Joker 
Parasite

In the past ten years only once has the Best Picture winner not been nominated for Film Editing. This year all five Film Editing nominees are Best Picture nominees. This would seem to doom the chances of both Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and 1917 for Best Picture, especially the latter since the whole point of it was to look as if it were shot in one take. 1917 can take comfort that the only Best Picture winner not nominated in Film Editing was also a one-shot-type film, Birdman. The Irishman's collapse has sadly extended to Thelma Schoonmaker's brilliant work on the film. Currently, the odds look to be that Ford v Ferrari takes it for its Le Mans race. If it's any comfort to The Irishman, it's that the Best Film Editing winner has not gone on to win Best Picture 8 out of 10 times this past decade.

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

The Irishman
Joker
Jojo Rabbit
Little Women
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

This year there is no royalty among the nominees. The Academy has a weakness for royal garb in this category. The Academy also has a hard time with contemporary times costuming, which is why The Irishman, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and by extension Joker look unlikely. Granted, they are not truly "contemporary", but they are set within people's current lifespans. While Jojo Rabbit is making a last-minute surge here, I think the Civil War threads from Little Women will be the ones rewarded. Despite its six nominations, the most for any Little Women adaptation, I think this may be its only win.

BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING

1917
Bombshell
Joker
Judy
Maleficent: Mistress of Evil

I would have gone with Maleficent: Mistress of Evil due to Angelina Jolie's cheeks alone, but jokes aside there seems to be a real momentum here for Judy's recreation of one of our most talented and mercurial performers. Bombshell seems to be the most likely to challenge it, but I'm thinking the winner may say, "Ju-DY! Ju-DY! Ju-DY!"

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

1917
The Irishman
Joker
The Lighthouse
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

When you think "cinematography", you think "most visually impressive". That would be 1917. Even those who disliked the film, or like me do not think it is "one of/the greatest war film ever made" admire the look of 1917. I won't say it has it in the bag, but I really don't see any of the others mounting a serious challenge.

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

1917
The Irishman
Jojo Rabbit
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Parasite

There's been another last-minute rally for Parasite, mostly due to the contrasts between the homes of the wealthy Parks and the poverty-row Kims. It may end up taking the Oscar, which I think would be a mild surprise, but I think Quentin Tarantino's recreation of 1960's Hollywood will eke out a win.

BEST SOUND MIXING

1917
Ad Astra
Ford v Ferrari
Joker
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

This really is a fight between the war sounds of 1917 and the racing sounds of Ford v Ferrari. Again, I hate pinning myself down but I think the war will impress voters more than the race. It's a pity that Ad Astra, which I didn't care for, was not nominated for Cinematography.

BEST SOUND EDITING

1917
Ford v Ferrari
Joker
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Same as Sound Mixing, though again Ford v Ferrari is the only film I see that could beat it.

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

I Can't Let You Throw Yourself Away: Toy Story 4
(I'm Gonna) Love Me Again: Rocketman
I'm Standing With You: Breakthrough
Into the Unknown: Frozen II
Stand Up: Harriet

What a fall Frozen II has had. Frozen had Let It Go, an anthem if ever there was one. Now, who really is singing Into the Unknown? I figure they thought, "Just let Adele Dazeem BELT OUT a song as monstrously loud as possible and we'll have another hit".  However, I think it's a terrible song from a terrible movie and apart from the actual phrase "Into the Unknown", I cannot remember one thing about it.

The race is between two songs: Diane Warren's eleventh nominated song I'm Standing With You and Elton John's sole contribution to his jukebox musical biopic (I'm Gonna) Love Me Again...as if he had ever stopped loving himself.

I think Taron Egerton may be bitter about not getting a Best Actor nomination despite campaigning openly for it via a charm offensive that ended up failing. I say this because he isn't performing the song, odd given he performed it in Rocketman's closing credits.

In my view, once the public hears Cynthia Erivo perform Stand Up, they will ask why the bouncy, inconsequential (I'm Gonna) Love Me Again won. I'd love for Stand Up to surprise as I think it's the best of the nominees, and Warren may herself surprise with I'm Standing With You given how often she's lost. It would be a real surprise to see a "Christian" film be an Oscar winner, but right now the temptation to give Sir Elton and Bernie Taupin a joint award seems too much to resist. (I'm Gonna) Love Me Again winning will be one of the few things to cause me to vent some rage.

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

1917
Joker
Little Women
Marriage Story
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

I was convinced Little Women was going to take Best Original Score, and I think it's a beautiful score. However, while there was some momentum for 1917 it looks like it has not only shifted on to Joker, but it's gotten stronger. History will be made if Joker wins: it will be the first time a woman has won Best Original Score (or third if you count Rachel Portman and Anne Dudley, who won Best Original Musical or Comedy Score for Emma and The Fully Monty respectively when the category was briefly split between 1996 and 2000). It will also mean that 1917's Thomas Newman will have lost 15 times, beating out Diane Warren's unfortunate track record.

BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM

Daughter
Hair Love
Kitbull
Memorable
Sister

All are well-crafted animated shorts, though the popularity of Memorable escapes me. With that said, I think the emotional and visual appeal of Hair Love will be too strong to deny it the Oscar.

BEST LIVE-ACTION SHORT FILM

Brotherhood
Nefta Football Club
The Neighbors' Window
Saria
A Sister

Again, with the possible exception of Saria I think any of these would be worthy choices. Nefta Football Club seems the most likely surprise winner and would be the first Arabic winner in this category. However, The Neighbors' Window has two advantages. One: it is also quite good. Two: it is the only English-language nominee. In the past ten years, an English-language Live-Action Short Film nominee has won 7 out of 10 times.

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT

In the Absence
Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You're A Girl)
Life Overtakes Me
St. Louis Superman
Walk Run Cha-Cha

Again, I think all of the nominees are worthy save for St. Louis Superman, which felt incomplete to me. Last year, the optimistic Period. End of Sentence won, and I point out it is "optimistic" because all the other nominees last year were almost unbearably depressing. I think the Academy will go that route again and select an optimistic, joyful nominee. While I loved Walk Run Cha-Cha, the powerful, beautiful and hopeful Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You're a Girl) will be the winner.

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

American Factory
The Cave
The Edge of Democracy
For Sama
Honeyland

I think The Cave and For Sama, good as they are, will cancel each other out due to both being about the Syrian Revolution. My mind goes to Honeyland, which is also curiously nominated for International Film. There's no way Honeyland will win in that category, and I don't think it's a way of "rewarding" it by winning somewhere else, but I'm thinking that in a surprisingly strong category Honeyland will win.

BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM (formerly Best Foreign-Language Film)

Corpus Christi (Poland)
Honeyland (North Macedonia)
Les Miserables (France)
Pain and Glory (Spain)
Parasite (South Korea)

Last year, many predicted (or wished) that the Mexican film Roma would be the first foreign-language film to win Best Picture. If it had, it would also be the first film to win both Foreign-Language and Best Picture. That is the trouble with nominating one movie in both categories: inevitably winning Foreign-Language (now International Feature) cuts it from winning Best Picture. Many again hope (and wish) that the South Korean film Parasite break on through and wins both. At least in this category, I think Parasite has it locked up since no other film has really mounted a challenge to it.

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
I Lost My Body
Klaus
Missing Link
Toy Story 4

Again, lo how Frozen II has fallen. Frozen was one of the surest wins when it was nominated. Now, its cash-grab/sequel was, yes, "frozen" out, a surprising rejection. What makes this race surprisingly competitive is that all the indicators have given us a variety of winners. Various organizations that normally signal which way this category goes has selected Missing Link, Klaus and Toy Story 4. I don't see a surprise win for How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World or I Lost My Body. I'm not convinced Klaus can gain that much support and I think it's a weak Missing Link. It really is an open race. As much, however, as I may have been underwhelmed by it, I think they're going to go for a safe choice and give Woody's last roundup a fond farewell.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

1917
Knives Out
Marriage Story
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Parasite

To see just how fluid this season has been, the odds have shifted from Knives Out to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood to 1917 and now Parasite. Another category where I simply cannot find a definitive certain winner. I can say that I don't think there was much of a screenplay for 1917 and I don't see any support for Marriage Story. Knives Out has faded on its sole nomination, so it's really a fight between a Hollywood story and a Korean story. Either could win, but it looks like the Academy will find some Seoul.

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

The Irishman
Joker
Jojo Rabbit
Little Women
The Two Popes

Things have gone wildly awry for some films. The Irishman's momentum has fallen flat and Greta Gerwig looks likely to lose in both Original and Adapted Screenplay in separate years. She was the front-runner for some time, until for reasons I cannot fathom the Hitler camp comedy came roaring to life. I simply do not understand the hold Jojo Rabbit has over Film Twitter as this unimpeachable work of brilliance. However, I have to acknowledge reality and with deepest regret, have to concede it looks like this is where it has the strongest chance to win anywhere.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Kathy Bates: Richard Jewell
Laura Dern: Marriage Story
Scarlett Johansson: Jojo Rabbit
Florence Pugh: Little Women
Margot Robbie: Bombshell

I know many people are upset that Jennifer Lopez was not nominated for Hustlers. Personally, I don't get why so many think J-Lo taking her clothes off is some kind of acting miracle. Wasn't her Super Bowl performance essentially the same as her performance in the film? In the same way, I don't get the passion, the fervor for Laura Dern's performance in Marriage Story. I found it cartoonish bordering on parody, but somehow people have convinced themselves that it is something of majesty. I would have chosen Pugh's turn in Little Women, though to be honest I think the film made it a leading role. Again, however, I have to vow to reality and recognize Dern will win.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Tom Hanks: A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Anthony Hopkins: The Two Popes
Al Pacino: The Irishman
Joe Pesci: The Irishman
Brad Pitt: Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

It is a sad thing that Pacino and Pesci will cancel each other out. Nine times out of ten when two actors from the same film get nominated in the same category they end up losing. It is a sad thing because both Pacino and especially Pesci in my view gave better performances than the ultra-cool Pitt. He, however, has never faltered on his path to the win, and he will win.

BEST LEADING ACTRESS

Cynthia Erivo: Harriet
Scarlett Johansson: Marriage Story
Saoirse Ronan: Little Women
Charlize Theron: Bombshell
Renee Zellweger: Judy

Best Leading Actress is the one place where we have racial/ethnic diversity among the nominees. If not for Cynthia Erivo's performance as Underground Railroad conductor Harriet Tubman, we would have heard again about #OscarsSoWhite. I think of all the performances Erivo's was if not the best then close to it. I also note that Saoirse Ronan has been nominated four times and is only twenty-five years old. If that does not speak to the breath of her talent, what does? It's a curious thing that it is Best Actress, not Best Actor, that has a majority of nominations for playing real people: Erivo, Theron as Megyn Kelly and Zellweger as Judy Garland. Normally it is the men who are rewarded for playing real-life figures. In this category, Zellweger has never lost her lead. Not one of the nominees has come close to challenging her, and her win is essentially assured.

BEST LEADING ACTOR

Antonio Banderas: Pain and Glory
Leonardo DiCaprio: Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Adam Driver: Marriage Story
Joaquin Phoenix: Joker
Jonathan Pryce: The Two Popes

Normally, an actor in a biopic who has his first nomination after a respected career would be a front-runner, but Jonathan Pryce will have to be satisfied with just the nomination. Banderas (who may or may not qualify as "diversity") is not going to win. As a side note, I know many upset that Taron Egerton was not nominated for Rocketman, but I'll be frank: I don't think his performance was worthy of a nomination. I said flatly that it was too soon to say Egerton had it in the bag and was the inevitable winner, but Film Twitter did not listen. I still think he's bitter about it. He worked the rooms furiously to keep his Oscar hopes alive as he saw himself fading to the triumvirate of DiCaprio, Driver and Phoenix. It did not help.

That triumvirate has the best odds, but DiCaprio already used his "he's overdue" card for The Revenant, which is a shame given Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is a better performance. Driver is fantastic in a film I was not crazy about, but again Phoenix's turn as Arthur Fleck is too powerful to ignore.

BEST DIRECTOR

Sam Mendes: 1917
Martin Scorsese: The Irishman
Todd Phillips: Joker
Quentin Tarantino: Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Bong Joon-ho: Parasite

Again, the pendulum has been spinning all around: briefly Scorsese, then Tarantino, then Mendes, and currently Bong. Surprisingly, Philips' nomination is the only one never to take, and moreover one that Film Twitter despises. It really is open for anyone save Phillips and Scorsese, who are pretty much done. I don't think there was any directing in 1917 in terms of acting performances and much more in Parasite, and while I would not be surprised if Bong won I'm thinking Mendes may squeak out a victory.

BEST PICTURE

1917
Ford v Ferrari
The Irishman
Joker
Jojo Rabbit
Little Women
Marriage Story
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Parasite

This really is the hardest category to say what will win. Personally, I would love for Ford v Ferrari to win if only to shock us all. I feel terrible for The Irishman because it is a great film that will be ignored. Joker is too divisive to win and I think passionately disliked by a large enough group to keep it from winning. I think the same goes for Jojo Rabbit. Little Women and Marriage Story have no chance. As much as Parasite is passionately loved by Film Twitter, the language barrier again crops up. Can the Academy embrace a foreign-language film considering how resistant it has been to adopting it. That really leaves two: the film industry centered Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and the war epic 1917. Somehow, people may talk themselves into thinking 1917 is indeed an epic, something "for the ages". With that, I think the Academy will ultimate pick 1917 for Best Picture of 2019.

Again, I am not betting on most of these vague guesses. We won't find out until tomorrow, where I hope for some surprises.

2019 Documentary Short Film Oscar Nominees: The Reviews

The five nominees for the 2019 Documentary Shorts Oscar nominees go from a brisk 20 minutes to an equally breezy 40 minutes. One, In the Absence, is in a foreign language (Korean). Another documentary, Life Overtakes Me, is in a mixture of English, Swedish, Ukrainian and Arabic. As from last time a quick review of the nominees in order of presentation followed by conclusions. We run through two dark subjects, one purely bright subject and two that border dark and light. 

They were presented in the following order:

Life Overtakes Me: 37 minutes

Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You're a Girl): 40 minutes

In the Absence: 29 minutes

Walk Run Cha-Cha: 20 minutes

St. Louis Superman: 28 minutes

Nominee One: Life Overtakes Me 

The Netflix documentary Life Overtakes Me focuses on three refugee children. They are 7-year-old Dariah (also called Dasha), 12-year-old Karen (who despite the name is a boy) and 10-year-old Leyla. They and their families have fled from violence and dangers in the former Soviet bloc and Iraq/Syria. They now are in Sweden, attempting to start life there. However, each of these children is essentially in a state of living death. They are or were afflicted with a curious illness called Resignation Syndrome; essentially, they fall into a coma-like state. They are alive and yet not alive.

The stress and trauma of their young lives have overwhelmed them up to the point of death. All that they've endured, along with the terror of being denied asylum, has caused them to be essentially paralyzed. We see in interviews and the film how their parents struggle with this most strange and mysterious illness. In voiceovers, we hear from medical experts who have treated this illness. Over time, we see that Dariah does recover from Resignation Syndrome. She slowly emerges from her slumber when news of her family's asylum petition being granted seeps into her mind. However, while Karen continues his living death, Leyla's older sister, once active too, starts showing signs of Resignation Syndrome.

Life Overtakes Me is shocking and extremely sad. The temptation is there to dismiss Resignation Syndrome as some kind of gimmick the child or parents are making up to avoid deportation. However, Life Overtakes Me shows that rather than some kind of fraud, it is a terrible situation for all involved. It is young children, fearful and having lived through or heard the terrible traumas of their parents' lives becoming literally paralyzed by and with fear. The film is very quiet, with a stillness that counters the beautiful Nordic scenery with the children's paralysis. "It is all fear. the fear is in our bodies," one of the parents observes. This is an important film on a distressing subject that we should know more about.

DECISION: B+

Nominee Two: Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You're a Girl)

Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You're a Girl) is about a privately funded school for young Afghan girls that also teaches them how to skateboard. The Skateistan School in Kabul does what the Afghan government and general Afghan society can or will not: give girls a full education. These girls learn more than just to read, write and do arithmetic. They also learn to value themselves and see that there are no real limits to what they can achieve. In four "lessons": Learning to Stand, Pushing Off, Tik Tak or How to Control the Board and Skating the Ramp, these girls can look towards a world where they have a chance.

At first the idea of teaching skateboarding as part of any child's education, boy or girl, sounds oddball. Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone elegantly and beautifully makes the case that this is not just literal and metaphorical child's play. They are also taught important life lessons: to face fear, to take charge, to not let a highly patriarchal society define them as individuals. We do see that perhaps the opposition to girls' education and having real gender equality in Afghanistan is really more based on perceived cultural and societal norms than genuine opposition. It's more a "think what the neighbors will think" when in reality the neighbors may think exactly what you think.

The girls are truly courageous and optimistic; seeing them take those steps to metaphorically and sometimes literally fly on their boards is rich and inspiring. You are equally inspired by not just their strength and courage but by that of their teachers. The social outreach director, who searches for girls to enter the school, tells of when the Taliban ruled. She went out hurriedly without a head-covering. In anger, a Taliban member slapped her. She, in turn, slapped him back! Far from being intimidated, she and her young charges, some absolutely adorable, are chipping away for their place in the Sun. "Teacher, none of us can read or write," one student chirps in, almost amused at the concept. "You'll learn," the teacher replies kindly but firmly.

The teachers and girls at the Skateistan School are real heroines. They are leaders of a quiet yet slow revolution, fighting for a room of one's own. Currently, "female empowerment" in the West is seen as performing virtual stripteases at the Super Bowl Halftime Show or changing the gender of a fictional character from male to female. Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You're a Girl) shows what real female empowerment looks like.

DECISION: A+

Nominee Three: In the Absence

In the Absence is a brutal and shocking portrait of mass government ineptness and needless loss of life. On April 15, 2014, the South Korean ferry Sewol issues a distress call as the ship started to tilt into the sea; in the archival footage and audio recordings we see and hear, the government is the one that seems adrift. The severity and real nature of the crisis do not register with government leaders and especially the South Korean Navy. The Sewol's sinking tilt shifts to total capsizing, drowning over two hundred people, the majority of them schoolchildren. In the Absence plays audio recordings where we hear officials more concerned with filming the Sewol than actually rescuing the doomed passengers. Adding to the horror and outrage is footage from Patrol Boat 123, the only Navy patrol boat to arrive during the crisis. We see the captain literally abandoning ship while footage shows the teens ordered to remain where they are at. In the Absence also covers the aftermath, a series of desperate efforts to save face for the President Park Geun-hey administration where she is both clueless and deceived. The parents demand for action eventually brings President Park down and the Sewol up. However, the devastation is still overwhelming in this maelstrom of misery.

In the Absence is a horror film. One is shocked by its calm retelling of its story. We see the Sewol already askew and know that this is not going to end well. The true impact of the horror spools over the viewer slowly, and one can't help reacting in shock and anger at the archival footage. We see a student's video filmed inside, where one comments that those who don't obey messages about staying calm and where they are at are the ones that survive. Then we see footage of the captain being rescued, leaving his passengers to their grisly fate. The audio recordings from various government officials, apparently more interested in making sure they saw what was happening versus doing anything about it, stuns us in disbelief.

The film is remarkably calm, almost remote in its presentation of this tragedy. We get some interviews from the parents of the dead students, which lends some impact. However, In the Absence suggests President Park fell from power over the Sewol catastrophe when I figure it was part of an overall series of events that brought her down. On the whole, In the Absence is an important and vital story of an unspeakable, horrifying and worse, avoidable tragedy that destroyed so many lives.

DECISION: B+

Nominee Number Four: Walk Run Cha-Cha

The shortest of our nominees, Walk Run Cha-Cha is a remarkably small yet beautiful tale of true love. Vietnamese refugees Paul and Millie Cao tell their story of how they first met and fell in love while dancing to Western music. This embrace of the West was something frowned upon long before the Communist took over the nation. Paul managed to flee with his parents, but Millie could not at the same time. Eventually, Paul managed to begin writing to Millie and bring her to America. They agree to start anew, and their love ripened in their new home. Now, they continue to express their deep and abiding love through the art of the dance. With instruction from a couple of Ukrainian dance teachers, they continue their danse d'amour, culminating to a gentle, beautiful dance to one of their favorite songs, We've Only Just Begun.

Walk Run Cha-Cha works its magic on you slowly, building its tale of love beautifully. We start by seeing a group of older Asians cutting a little rug in unison, wondering why we were brought to this curious dance studio. Slowly, surely, we too fall in love with Paul and Millie as we both hear their story and see them interact. They are truly one of the most loving couples I have ever seen: their easy, gentle rapport and ability to laugh even as Paul bungles his dance steps show them to be deeply in love. 

I admit to shedding a couple of tears as they perform a very cinematic dance to their love theme of We've Only Just Begun (though it should be noted it was a cover and not The Carpenters version despite Millie saying earlier at a family and friends' dinner she knew all their songs). Their dance is elegant and beautiful and moving. They may never be on Dancing with the Stars, but they are stars in each other's eyes. This story seems unreal, and if it were made into a feature film (which I think it should), it might not be believed. That makes it more astonishing and beautiful.

Walk Run Cha-Cha is not really about this old couple learning the quickstep. It's really about love, that most beautiful, enchanting and mysterious of dances. We've Only Just Begun may be their closing number, but perhaps a more fitting song would be Dance Me to the End of Love.

DECISION: A-

Nominee Number Five: St. Louis Superman

The political is the personal for former Missouri State Representative Bruce Franks in St. Louis Superman. The documentary short chronicles his life and specifically a major piece of legislation he successfully pushed for. It is to declare youth violence a public health epidemic. Representative Franks is a heavily tattooed rapper who spurred on by the death of Michael Brown into political activism. He wins a seat in the Missouri legislature where he pushes for his legislation. This is a tough challenge given he was surrounded by white Republicans. Remembering his own brother Christopher Harris' murder via gun violence when Chris was just nine, Representative Franks continues reaching out to bring more African American participation while doing a rap battle with someone who accuses him of selling out to the system. Representative Franks is ultimately successful on his last try, proudly standing with the Governor as the legislation is signed into law. He also stands proudly with his son King as a park and statue is dedicated to Christopher Harris' memory.

St. Louis Superman tells an interesting story. However, for me, it felt incomplete. We never saw Representative Franks work with the legislators. How did he win the opposition over to his side? We see one instance where he is with those who disagree with him but it's all rather friendly. It's a puzzle to understand how, despite what should be strong opposition to his proposed legislation, he managed to achieve his goals. Moreover, I wasn't impressed with his rap battle with Bone. To be fair, my only knowledge of rap battles comes from 8 Mile, so perhaps I shouldn't be so harsh. It is again a most fascinating story of an activist who works into the system, but there was something that felt left off. It does not prove that Representative Franks is a superman.

DECISION: B-

CONCLUSIONS

First, I will start with my rankings.

Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You're a Girl)

Walk Run Cha-Cha

In the Absence

Life Overtakes Me

St. Louis Superman

Unlike last year, the Best Documentary Short Film nominees are not a collection of misery with only one having any sense of hope. Instead, four of the films: Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone, Walk Run Cha-Cha and to a point St. Louis Superman and Life Overtakes Me, have not just hope but joy. In the Absence is the only one that does not lend itself to optimism, but the story itself is not an optimistic one. Each of them is an exception film, well-crafted and I think worthy of recognition.

I believe Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You're a Girl) will win. Like last year's winner, Period. End of Sentence, it has a strong sense of hope and strength in its story. I think that if there were an upset, it would be with Walk Run Cha-Cha, and if any producer worth his or her salt was wise, buy up the film rights.

2019 Live Action Short Film Oscar Nominees: The Reviews

The 2019 Live Action Short Film Oscar nominees run from 16 minutes to 23 minutes. One nominee, Brotherhood, was already reviewed in a previous review of a set of short films. Only one of the nominees, The Neighbors' Window, is in English.

As last time, first a review of the films themselves followed by an overview.

A Sister (Une Soeur) 

(16 minutes, in French)

An emergency services operator (Veerle Baetens) receives what first sounds like a wrong call until she realizes the caller, Alie (Selma Alaoui) has been kidnapped but was able to call under the guise of calling her "sister" by her abductor, Dary (Guillaume Duhesme). As the operator attempts to track Alie's location to send for a rescue, Alie continues her attempts to not let Dary know.

A Sister in its short running time is tense and gripping, a credit to writer/director Delphine Girard. She flows from the emergency services call center to the travelling car without impeding said flow. She also draws excellent performances from her cast. Baetens maintains her composure as the crisis escalates, while Alaoui makes Alie's growing fear and panic one that is barely controlled. Duhesme had the smallest role as Dary, so it's hard to say how good or bad he was. A Sister also did look a bit dark to follow, but in its short running time it is a well-crafted, straightforward story that does keep you on the metaphorical edge of your seat.

DECISION: B+

Brotherhood (25 minutes, in Arabic)

Brotherhood was previously reviewed.

DECISION: A-

The Neighbor's Window (20 minutes, in English)

New York City husband and wife Allie (Maria Dizzia) and Jacob (Greg Keller) have two kids and a third on the way. They're living their routine lives in a bit of a rut until they happen to accidentally spy on their neighbors across the way. They are a hot, young couple who seem to be living it up: endless sex and parties for our Millennials versus our Gen X couple who have grown stale. Both of them are guilty of taking peeks every so often at the cooler neighbors, but as time progresses only Allie seems to notice that things are not as they appear to be. In the end, she finds that her life, routine, plain and placid as it may be, perhaps is as worthy of envy, something that can go both ways.

The Neighbors' Window is an exceptionally well-acted film from everyone, in particular from Dizzia and Keller as our somewhat frumpy but essentially decent and ordinary people. They both gave beautiful, moving performances and most importantly making Allie and Jacob relatable, realistic people. Dizzia is a wonder as Allie, her frustrations of life evolving into a true appreciation of the blessings her life is. Keller too is exceptional as Jacob, a bit clueless but a well-rounded, average guy doing the best he knows how. As much as The Neighbors' Window draws open inspiration from Rear Window, the film was inspired by true events, and it's a credit to writer/director Marshall Curry that he managed to make Allie and Jacob surprisingly not creepy in their voyeurism.

Actually, he managed to make things almost amusing. Early on, an envious Jacob remarks that the neighbor (Juliana Canfield) was "flexible". Almost as a retort Allie replied that the guy was "hot too". "I didn't say hot. I said flexible," Jacob replies in a mixture of innocence and defensiveness. Curry, a documentarian who made both one of my favorite documentaries (If A Tree Falls) and one of my least favorite documentaries (A Night at the Garden) ventures into narrative film in an exceptional debut.

In its brief running time, The Neighbors' Window tells a deeper, richer story than many a feature length film. It even manages a nice musical montage with Nobody Else Will Be There by the band The National. Deeply moving if perhaps predictable in the 'twist', I'm not ashamed I shed a tear or two.

DECISION: A+

Saria (23 minutes, in Spanish)

Based on a true story, Saria is about young orphans in Guatemala's Virgen de Asuncion Home. Saria (Estefania Tellez) has devised a plan to escape and travel to the United States. While she wants her best friend Ximena (Gabriela Ramirez) to go with her, Ximena wants to pursue "Green Shirt", a young boy on the male side of the orphanage. "Green Shirt", real name Appo (Jorge Avila), reciprocates Ximena's feelings, and eventually he wins Saria over too to flee the hellish Guatemalan home that makes Dickens Oliver Twist look like the Ritz. Things culminate on March 7, 2017 when the girls lead a mass protest/riot that does allow hundreds of the residents to escape. Captured the next day, other girls start a fire to force the evil female guard to open the door while Saria and Ximena dream about another attempt. We learn that 41 girls died in that fire, that it was nine minutes before the doors were opened as they burned alive, and that no one has been convicted for the murders of children.

Saria is to my mind more a docudrama and advocacy film than a straightforward narrative film, even if based on a true story. It is a story that must and should be told, but at times writer/director Bryan Buckley seems to go overboard. The film ends with the on-screen text, "Their cries for freedom will not be silenced," and you wonder if perhaps in this horrifying case, less would be more. To his credit we do have some of that: while not overtly stated it is pretty obvious that Saria is at one point raped, but Saria has other problems. Some of the translations aren't accurate (as I speak Spanish, sometimes the subtitles didn't match what was actually said) and as the girls were scrubbing the floor I did start hearing It's a Hard-Knock Life playing in my head. Saria is at times a hard film to see, but while the story is an important one something about it seemed a bit off.

DECISION: B-

Nefta Football Club (17 minutes, in Arabic)

Tunisian tween Mohammed (Eltayef Dhaoui) and his younger brother Abdallah (Mohamed Ali Ayari) come upon a strange creature: a donkey wearing headphones. The donkey, who wandered in from neighboring Algeria, is also carrying a particular powder in its bags. Mohammed quickly realizes what said powder is, but Abdallah is oblivious to it, believing Mohammed's story that it is "laundry detergent" and puzzled over why Mohammed wants it so badly. Unbeknownst to them, bumbling drug traffickers Salim (Lyes Salem) and Ali (Hichem Mesbah) are in search of their literal 'drug mule'. Owing to Ali's misunderstanding of "Hadel" for "Adele", he put the wrong music on for the mule, which was trained to go to a specific spot with Adele's music but now is wandering in confusion. Mohammed sees the "laundry detergent" as a way to make a fortune, but when he can't find it, he knows Abdallah had a hand in its disappearance. He finds to his horror that Abdallah has used his own child wisdom to use the "detergent" to settle a much more important issue: the boundaries of a football (i.e. soccer) field.

Nefta Football Club is the only straight comedy of the nominees, a delightful story that is simultaneously sweet and amusing. You can't help but be charmed by Abdallah's innocence, whether it's when he's rocking out to some didgeridoo or explaining what the "detergent" is really for to an astonished Mohammed. We even get to see the humorous side of drug running via the inept Ali and the sensible Salim, a curious double-act in the Abbott & Costello mode. Whether it's Ali's worry that he'll miss the soccer match or explaining how he could get "Adele" and "Hadel" confused they are the amusing equal to Mohammed and Ali.

Writer/director Yves Piat crafted such a strong and hilarious story that a donkey wearing headphones is perhaps the most sensible creature around. Charming, sweet and amusing, Nefta Football Club is a sheer treat.

DECISION: A-

Conclusions

The five nominated Live Action Short Films are all quite good, with Saria being the weakest of the bunch. They delve into some serious subjects: the impact of terrorism, crime, death, but most manage to do so without being heavy-handed. After seeing Brotherhood, I thought it had the strongest chance to win when I saw the nominations, but now I think that it has serious competition. This is as especially strong slate of nominees in that all have a good shot to win.

As I look at them, I really think it will come down to two: The Neighbors' Window and Nefta Football Club. While the latter was a comedy, the former had funny moments. Moreover, it managed to keep the shift from light to sad without bungling that transition. Finally, I think The Neighbors' Window has an advantage due to it being the only English-language nominee.

In the past ten years, an English-language Live Action Short Film has won 7 out of 10 times. Out of the three foreign-language Live Action Short Film winners, two were in Danish and one in Hungarian. As such, no non-European language Live Action Short Film has won this decade, and I don't think any non-English or non-European language short film has. Should Nefta Football Club do so, it would be the first Arabic film to do so.

I would be thrilled if Nefta Football Club won and it has a very strong chance, but for now I think it will be The Neighbors' Window that will give four-time Oscar nominee Marshall Curry his first win.

My rankings:

The Neighbors' Window
Nefta Football Club
Brotherhood
A Sister
Saria

2019 Animated Short Film Oscar Nominees: The Reviews (Review #1345)

The 2019 Animated Short Film Oscar nominees range from a mere 7 minutes to 15 minutes. Here are my reviews of all five nominated animated short films in order of presentation.

I will review the short film first, then give a general overview and end with my rankings.

Hair Love: 7 minutes

The shortest of our nominees, Hair Love is about a little girl who asks her father to arrange her hair. This proves daunting to terrifying for her father, but after a false start and with a little help from a YouTube video, he manages to make his daughter look beautiful before a most important visit.

I absolutely fell in love with Hair Love. I am not ashamed to admit that I shed a few tears at this very moving story, which is essentially a silent film save for the YouTube video narrated by Issa Rae. There were a few twists and turns that didn't surprise but did move me emotionally. The little girl is absolutely adorable and the animation conveyed so much with so little. Hair Love is also a fine example of representation done right, a scenario that is both uniquely African-American and universal. It is a massive credit to show a strong, united black family, one that can have some gentle fun at a father's initial ineptness with female hair but whose love for his daughter comes through. Brief but rich in storytelling, Hair Love gives me the same feel that I got from Paperman, which went on to win Best Animated Short.

DECISION: A+

Dcera (Daughter): 15 minutes

The longest of our nominees, Daughter is a Czech animated film, also silent, that tells of the complex relationship between a father and his daughter told in flashbacks and present day. She longs as a little girl for his comfort, but he stumbles through it. When she gets older, he attempts to be more outgoing with her but she is too sullen to respond to his efforts. As he now lays dying, both are set free.

The animation is Daughter is quite rich and detailed in this stop-motion animation short. It is well-crafted but for me, despite its running time felt a bit rushed. I found it inventive but perhaps a bit too sad. Granted, I know what they were going for and was moved by this story of parents and children attempting to connect. To be fair there is something of a happy ending but perhaps the somber nature of Daughter made it a bit too hard for me. Still, the animation is worthy of recognition.

DECISION: B+

Sister: 8 minutes

The first of two Animated Short Film nominees that has dialogue in voiceover, the Chinese-language Sister is the memories of a young man and his annoying sister. Born in 1991, the sister causes him all sorts of issues large and small. Still, despite this there is a bond between them. Or there would be, if she had actually been born. However, as she in reality was aborted, most likely due to China's one-child policy and the fact that she was a female.

If there is a drawback to Sister, it is the ambiguity of the abortion (and I say this as someone openly pro-life). The film ends with a dedication to all those babies the State forced their mothers to abort, but because some people may not be aware that the Chinese Communist government had such a draconian One-Child Policy, some viewers may be put off by the story. It might be good to see the recent Amazon documentary One Child Nation, which covers this subject. Even if you support abortion, I think there can be agreement that the State forcing abortions on unwilling families is a horror. As for the animation itself, it is effective and almost cute, particularly when the sister grows to a massive size as an infant, reflecting how many older siblings look on the newborns taking so much attention. Sister is sad, especially since there is no hope due to Sister not being alive. However, Sister is also well-animated in its stop-motion work.

DECISION: B+

Memorable: 12 minutes

Memorable, in French, is the only nominated Animated Short Film that has actual dialogue. Here, this story is that of painter Louis, clearly suffering from dementia or Alzheimer's Disease. Reflecting an artistic style not unlike that of Vincent van Gogh, Louis starts having major struggles with objects. He does not know how to operate a cell phone because as he puts it, "It's 1965". He attempts suicide but confuses a hairdryer with a gun. His fish die because he forgot to feed them and puts on an album cover thinking it was the album itself. Louis' children think their mother Michelle is exaggerating his illness, but as they dance one last time, it's clear he does not recognize his metaphorically incomplete wife.

Memorable can best be described as an animated Amour, only perhaps not as depressing and without euthanasia. The stop-motion animation is like the others highly effective though not as beautiful as the others I saw. For me though, I felt a bit removed from Memorable, and it did not hit me emotionally as the others did. Yes, the animation was good and like the others, worthy of recognition, but something about it left me cold. Curiously enough, so did Amour.

DECISION: C+

Kitbull: 9 minutes

Kitbull is about the most unlikely of friends: a street kitten and a pit bull. The kitten makes a home in a junkyard where she spots a dog put outside. She is wary of him, but soon they build up something of a friendship by playing with a bottle cap. Later, on a dark and stormy night, she sees the dog has been heavily injured, clearly forced to participate in dog fighting. He helps her when she gets caught up in some trash, but she in fear ends up attacking him. Regretful for her fearful reaction, she helps him escape. The next day, they come upon a friendly woman who with her husband take both in to start new lives together.

At first, I was wondering why Kitbull had been nominated. The traditional animation, while very pleasant, didn't seem to help a story that seemed to be going nowhere. It wasn't until we saw that far from being the violently aggressive dog of reputation that in reality the pit bull was quite gentle and kind that I began to be moved to Kitbull. I soon saw that Kitbull was playing with ideas about friendship, kindness and the importance of true love. I was emotionally hit by Kitbull, and while I did not cry I did respond to it.

DECISION: B+

The special screening for the 2019 Animated Short Film Oscar nominees included four shorts not nominated: Henrietta Bulkowski (the longest at 16 minutes), The Bird & The Whale (6 minutes), Hors Piste (5 minutes) and Maestro (2 minutes). Quick thoughts on them:

Henrietta Bulkowski: a woman with a hunchback attempts to build an airplane in a junkyard even after a disabled guard finds her. He first tries to stop Henrietta but then ends up helping her in her quest to see what she could not see due to her hunchback, and she finds that said hunchback has its own surprise.

For better or worse I recognized the voices, and I was not charmed or impressed by either the story or the animation. I actually found it a bit creepy.

DECISION: C-

The Bird & The Whale: a small whale searching for his family finds a bird in a cage, lost after a shipwreck. They build a friendship until a storm comes upon them, and while the bird dies she gives the whale a new life and the family he so needed.

I thought well of the score, a duet between the whale (cello) and the bird (flute). Even though it has a hopeful ending, I still found it sad. Still, the animation was quite beautiful.

DECISION: B-

Hors Piste: a pair of intrepid mountain rescuers show that they are more incompetent than intrepid. The poor injured mountain climber can only suffer indignity upon indignity as our bumbling pair, who at times are oblivious to the person they are attempting to rescue.

Hors Piste is the only laugh-out-loud animated short film, nominated or not. It's an amusing story not meant to be taken seriously, particularly when owing to their own idiocy our intrepid mountain rescuers end up in outer space! It's all meant to be amusing, almost endearing. It has an almost 1980's vibe with the music and style.

For better or worse though, seeing Hors Piste come shortly after the helicopter crash that killed NBA superstar Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna as well as John, Kerri and Alyssa Altobelli, Sarah and Payton Chester, Christina Mauser and pilot Ara Zobayan does put a slight damper on the hijinks. That, however, is not the film's fault.

DECISION: B+

Maestro: a surprise forest concert takes place with a squirrel conducting a nightingale, turtles and porcupines in a brief opera performance.

The animation is downright beautiful. It's clever and quick and amusing all at once.

DECISION: A-

CONCLUSIONS

Of the five nominated Animated Short Film there really isn't a bad one in the bunch in terms of animation. Each film is beautifully drawn, though only two (Hair Love and Kitbull) are in traditional animation. The others are all stop-motion. Surprisingly, all of them had a theme of sorts: family. All but Kitbull were exactly about family relationships: between fathers and daughters (Hair Love and Daughter), between siblings natural and adopted (Sister and Kitbull) and between husbands and wives (Memorable). Granted, Kitbull was not exactly about families per se, but it was close enough.

Surprisingly too, three of the nominated shorts were rather sad with little to no sense of hope. Hair Love and Kitbull, the only traditional animated shorts, were the only ones to end on anything close to an optimistic, hopeful ending. The others weren't bad but they were about death both real (Daughter and Sister) or eventual (Memorable).

With the exception of Memorable, which I think could have been replaced by any of the non-nominated shorts shown save Henrietta Bukowski, I thought well of the nominees and think any of them would be worthy. However, out of all the nominated ones, there is only one that I thought was the clear standout.

I predict Hair Love will win Best Animated Short Film.

Here are my rankings in order from Best to Worst (the non-nominated ones in parenthesis):

Hair Love
(Maestro)
Kitbull
(Hors Piste)
Daughter
Sister
(The Bird & The Whale)
Memorable 
(Henrietta Bukowski)