I'm not sure what it is about them that appeals to me so much. An acute case of ADD? It's possible. But more than anything, I think shorts are to feature-length films what poetry is to the novel. And everyone knows how much I love poetry (though admittedly, it's not for everyone, and arguably, it's for very few). When poetry works, it's because it manages to accomplish a lot with so little. Every word must be carefully chosen, every syllable must pack a punch. Poetry and shorts are for masters of economy.
So of course, I happily anticipate when the Oscars roll around, because it's the perfect opportunity to watch "good" shorts. A number of theaters in Berkeley showed the nominees, back to back.
It's been a while since Scooby, Marcus and I saw the nominees, but I feel like some of them have stuck with me much more than a lot of feature films I've seen recently. While none of the movies are on YouTube, all of them are available on iTunes, so anyone can see them for $1.99 a pop.
And now, in order from least enjoyable to most....the 2008 Oscar-nominated shorts:
At Night
At Night is a Danish film about three young women in a cancer ward just before New Year's Eve. The movie employs what my father calls "the old cancer trick" in order to squeeze a few tears out of the audience. It didn't really work for me though, primarily because the movie didn't effectively develop its characters. With such a limited amount of time, a short must rely on telling scenes to show character motives or flaws or desires. Instead we get hit over the head with what the characters represent, which is essentially stereotypes: the hardened (and somewhat unlikable) one; the strong silent type; the girl with a heart of gold. I didn't buy a minute of it. And I think the fact that I didn't get choked up at all (and I cry at EVERYthing) speaks volumes.
The Substitute
This Italian film revolves around an oddball substitute teacher and the bizarre things he requests that the teen-aged students in his class do for good grades (impersonate an ass-kisser or various animals, read a diary). Things get particularly interesting about halfway through when the principal arrives to see what all the commotion is about.
This film had me alternating between laughter and incredulity as the sub appeared to be completely off his rocker, but overall it was wholly enjoyable. The fact that this falls so close to the bottom of the list is a testament to the high caliber of the shorts.
Mozart of Pickpockets
This little ditty tells the story of two idiotic ne'er-do-well thieves who can't seem to do anything (read: steal) right. Their luck changes however when a mute boy, apparently an orphan, appears with no intention of leaving their sides. The comedy in this short, unlike the Substitute, had a very light touch. Although the film verges on preciousness, the comical stupidity of the pickpockets rescues it. I was a bit surprised that this won the Oscar, but I can say that it is easily worth the $1.99 to view it.
Tonto Woman
This film employs one of Tarantino's favorite techniques of starting at the end, where we see a wounded man confessing his sins to a priest. We are then whisked back in time to see how exactly this man reached his current state. The story revolves around the character's relationship with a woman whose face is tattooed, the result of being held captive by Indians for 11 years. After her wealthy husband rescues her, he keeps her secluded at a small house in the desert to live out her years alone. When the husband finds out someone has been visiting his wife, things get a bit complicated.
From what I've read, most people find the premise too weird to be enjoyable. But in addition to being a sucker for westerns, I found the story enthralling. The way the story unfolds, the landscape and the amazing cinematography (reminiscent of another Oscar favorite, No Country for Old Men) make this strange tale truly beautiful.
Tanghi Argentini
Man falls in love with woman in internet chat room and lies about being a tango expert; man sets date to meet said woman in two weeks time; man must convince coworker to give him a crash course in tango.
The opportunities for comedy are somewhat predictable: the two middle-aged men dancing together, funny tango-related exchanges at the office, one man telling the other to "move like a panther." But the timing of the comedy, as well as the (seeming) earnestness of the student make the movie completely beguiling, especially after the ending, which moves from comedic to heart-warming.
"Chin up! Move like a panther!"
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