SCREEN SIZE DOESN’T MATTER
The 2018 Oscar-nominated shorts are not only better than ever, some are better than anything GEORGE PRENTICE There are at least a dozen reasons why some people hate the Oscars, like the pomposity of the Motion Picture Academy, as well as its bloated ceremony and the disproportionate weight given to which films take home the trophies. But I’ve always looked at Hollywood’s biggest night through the original lens of why it was first conceived 90 years ago: to promote a struggling industry that has The 2018 nominees for Best Animated Short Subject include Dear Basketball, Kobe Bryant’s ode to the game he loves (top), and LOU, from Pixar animator Dave Mullins (bottom). survived the advent of theme parks, television and, most recently and most damning, streamand Beauty and the Beast. Adding to the inten- playful twists on classic fairy tales, is wickedly ing video platforms. I think the Academy is sity of Dear Basketball is its lush score, written funny and offers a look at what happens after at its best when it shares its spotlight with happily ever after. and conducted by five-time Oscar winner under-the-radar films, particularly documen*** John Williams. taries, foreign-language films and short subMost of this year’s Live Action Shorts are If it weren’t for the sheer brilliance of Dear jects. At least for me, it’s those animated and much more serious, but there is one lovely bit live-action short subjects that are, reel-for-reel, Basketball, LOU might be a shoo-in for the of fun in The Eleven O’Clock from Australian the most entertaining films every year, and I’m Oscar. LOU is the creation of Pixar animadirector Derin Seale. It weaves the story of a tor Dave Mullins, who worked on Finding thrilled to report the 2018 Oscar-nominated Nemo, Monsters, Inc. and The Incredibles. LOU psychiatrist and his delusional patient, who entries are the best yet. believes he is actually the psychiatrist. Each is an adorable monster-like character who For the past dozen years, the Academy of man insists he’s the real doctor and things emerges from a lost and found box outside of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, ShortsTV get really out of hand when a temp shows an elementary school. (His name is made up and Magnolia Pictures have sent the Oscarup to take over for the psychiatrist’s regular of the three letters missing from nominated short subjects receptionist. the lost and found sign: L, O to first-run cinemas. For OSCAR NOMINATED SHORTS Animated and live-action shorts The best of the live action shorts, and my and U). The kids at the school the past several years, I will be screened separately pick to take home the Oscar this year, is My are being terrorized by a bully have been granted me Nephew Emmett, written and directed by who has been stealing toys, so an advance look at the Opens Friday, Feb. 9 at The Flicks Kevin Wilson Jr., who is a student in the gradit’s up to LOU to scare the bully nominated shorts (thank straight and then turn him into a uate film program at New York University. My you, ShortsTV and the Nephew Emmett, an extremely jarring drama, Academy), so I can give Boise Weekly readers a warm-hearted hero. Think of LOU as “Three is based on the 1955 murder of a young black Billboards Outside Cartoonland.” sneak peek. The nominations are culled from Mississippi man lynched for whistling at a Another nominee is Revolting Rhymes, a field of 63 qualified films, and they represent from German animators Jakob Schuh and Jan white woman. some of the most compelling creative efforts Finally, the best performance in any of the Lachauer. This gem opens with a wolf, wearing in recent memory. a trench coat and fedora, walking into a coffee nominated short subject films is delivered by Among the five nominees of Animated Short Films, the top of the heap is Dear Bas- shop and approaching a young woman who is 5-year-old Maisie Sly in The Silent Child. Sly portrays Libby, who is born into a middle-class ketball, based on a love letter by NBA legend holding a book of nursery rhymes. The wolf family living in denial of her deafness. When (voiced by Dominic West) dismisses the fairy Kobe Bryant to the game that brought him a caring social worker gives Libby the gift of fame, fortune and a fundamental understand- tales as rubbish and tells the young woman communication by teaching her sign language, ing of greatness. Bryant narrates the 5-minute “real” tales, including stories about three little pigs, a little girl who wears a red hooded Libby’s family rebukes the social worker’s effort film, beautifully animated by Glen Keane, a and insists that Libby learn to read lips instead. Disney veteran who created countless beloved cape and a young lady whose skin is white as characters such as The Little Mermaid, Aladdin snow. Revolting Rhymes, based on Roald Dahl’s You’ll never forget this film. B OI S E WEEKLY.C O M
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