"French Roast", Fabrice O. Joubert
"Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty", Nicky Phelan and Darragh O'Connell
"The Lady and the Reaper (La Dama y la Muerte)"
"Logorama", Nicolas Schmerkin
"A Matter of Loaf and Death", Nick Park
Each year I look forward to the nominees for Short Film (Animated and Live Action). This year's nominees in the Animated category are a sorry, sorry group. There is not one that approaches greatness and some are as dull as watching a four-hour documentary on how to choose drapes for your living room.
"French Roast" - I confess that this one is cute, but not any more than that. It tells the simple story of a somewhat snooty gentleman, sipping coffee in a local establishment. A homeless-type wanders in and out and asks for cash but is met with a dismissive attitude. When the gentleman discovers that he has no cash on his person, everything is a bit different.
"Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty" - An elderly lady scares a young girl with a fable about an elderly lady who gets revenge on people she doesn't like. It's unfunny, of no particular note as animation, and I find it difficult to believe that it even received a nomination. Bad year for this category, I suppose.
"The Lady and the Reaper" - Easily the best in the group, which I realize isn't saying all that much. It's a product of Spain that chronicles the sometimes humorous battle between the Grim Reaper and a famous doctor. Both want possession of an elderly woman's soul. It's worth watching. Pretty hearty endorsement, huh?
"Logorama" - This is the insanely overhyped entry, I imagine, because the characters curse incessantly, something usually not found in this category. The other reason for the hype is that it pokes fun at the corporate world. That it does so without a great sense of humor renders it meaningless to me.
"A Matter of Loaf and Death" - Nick Park is back with yet another installment of his beloved Wallace and Gromit characters. I'm not sure whether this is boring or if I've finally had my fill of Wallace and Gromit. Either way, it lands with a dull thud and it's far too long. It might be time to retire these two.
A very weak vote for "The Lady and the Reaper" but "Logorama" will probably take the Oscar.
| Movie title | |
|---|---|
| Release year | 2010 |
| MPAA Rating | NR |
| Our rating | |
| Summary | The nominees for the 2009 Oscar for Short Film (Animated) is as weak a group as I've seen in many years. |
