Also opening today is The Oscar Nominated Live Action Short Films for 2014. Just as with the animated shorts (featured here), the five nominees are collected in this program. It’s more of a mixed bag, with subject matter veering all the way from comedy to heavy drama. From a personal perspective, the Animated Short Films is a stronger series. In this category, the results are all over the place, with some of the films missing the mark. Regardless, it’s a rare opportunity to see short form works and support independent filmmakers – interested parties should definitely check it out. This program is running for a limited, two week engagement at the Ken Cinema. The following is a rundown of the films featured.
Helium (Denmark) follows a hospital janitor who befriends a terminally ill boy fascinated with aircraft. Over several meetings, the worker begins spinning a wild tale to comfort the fearful, bedridden child. This effort is well acted and impressively filmed, featuring some great visual effects as viewers travel into the fantasy balloon/airship world described by the hospital employee. However, while the film is sweet and earnest, it never quite connects on an emotional level. In the end, the sentiment comes across as maudlin and forced.
The Voorman Problem (UK) is a zippy little short about a psychiatrist (Martin Freeman) sent to a prison to interview a convict (Tom Hollander) that claims to be a god. The psychiatrist soon discovers that his subject makes a convincing case. It doesn’t feel like this short takes full advantage of the concept that it sets up and ends just when it starts to introduce some interesting ideas. Still, the performances are excellent and there are some witty jokes (mostly centered around the country of Belgium) that entertain.
Just Before Losing Everything (France) makes the strongest impact among the dramatic fare being shown in the program. It follows a mother and her family one morning as they begin to enact a life-altering plan. The film takes its time and builds tension by slowly revealing information as to what is happening and why the characters are making such desperate choices. By doing this, it engages quickly and builds momentum effectively before ending with a tense climactic sequence. The performances are excellent (particularly from the anxious mother) and the subject matter is unique. One never knows how these things will play out, but this title would be seem to be the favorite to take the Oscar.
That Wasn’t Me (Spain) is the most harrowing and horrifying film of the bunch. It seems as if the filmmakers went down a checklist of gruesome events to incorporate into their 25 minute piece. It’s a brutal war film that features guerrilla soldiers, impoverished youth, a rape scene and an emotional finale featuring a character making amends for their actions. Technically, it’s incredibly well made with some well choreographed action. Yet, as presented, the whole endeavor feels calculated and obvious in its manipulations – due to the brief running time, it’s difficult to get invested in all of the characters, and the quick shift from brutality to forgiveness at the end appears strained and artificial.
Do I Have to Take Care of Everything? (Finland) ends things on a decidedly upbeat note. In a mere seven minutes, it’s a simple and direct satire of our chaotic and hectic lives. The story follows a family frantically struggling to get to a wedding on time. From the moment they wake up, things rapidly begin to fall apart. Despite the bickering between the characters, there a warmth that manages to shine through in the performances. It’s one of the most engaging shorts in the entire program. Academy voters would be wise to take a second look at this effort.
As mentioned, there is a remarkably wide variety of films and subject matter on display in this program. While some of the titles are flawed, overall it is an interesting showcase. If you’re curious, it may be worth checking out.