2020 OSCAR NOMINATED SHORT FILMS - ANIMATION
Only the first 5 were actual nominees, the next 4 were "highly commended".
HAIR LOVE
Recommended. Lovely, the cat making faces is the best, the story of family love when one member is seriously ill is touching. Two animation styles: different for the foreground and for the background.
DCERA (DAUGHTER)
Watchable. Fascinating animation-wise: dolls with faces made of wrinkled paper, wearing clothes sewn from scraps, all places are made of miniature models. But there are no words in the story and I couldn't work out what it was about. Something depressing for sure.
SISTER
Recommended. The woolly dolls look pretty ordinary but the story of a life that never came into being moved me deeply. It's emotional and political - about the Chinese one child policy. Powerful, I rooted for it in the Oscar race.
MEMORABLE
Recommended. Clay dolls covered with impastos. The man's face resembles Vincent van Gogh's which explains the technique. But the highlight is towards the end when the man's wife becomes transparent - you only see some strokes of colourful paint on the outline of her silhouette. The story's touching because it deals with losing memory and vividly shows what it's like to be unable even to recognize yourself in the mirror.
KITBULL
Watchable. Nothing new animation-wise. The animals demonstrate how humans treat them and how affectionate dogs and cats can be.
HENRIETTA BULKOWSKI
Recommended. The tale of the constructor is engaging, there's actual action and touching moments too.
THE BIRD AND THE WHALE
Watchable. The story's depressing, colours grim, only the orangish hues of the sky are attractive.
HORS PISTE
Recommended. The tale is ironic, comical even, without words but perfectly comprehensible. Nothing new in terms of animation but fun to follow the story of two rescuers and one wounded person whose stretches are used as a bridge over a ravine and who experiences many more adventures with or without the rescue team.
MAESTRO
Recommended. The best of the nine shorts. Live animals animated into concert-like behaviour. With a classical soundtrack. A masterpiece.
GORDON & PADDY
Recommended. Animation in pleasant, warm colours, even at night the shades of gray are warm. The animals are lovely, have big, cuddly bodies and cute, thin legs. The story's simple, perfect for young children and filled with the love of family and people - in the shape of animals - in general. I hope for a sequel. In Polish cinemas, it's available dubbed in Polish only. There's an early mid-credit.
The only downside, apart from dubbing, to watching it at the cinema is that you may end up surrounded by many noisy children like I was.
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