It's that time of year again! All eyes are on the mother of all awards shows- the Academy Awards. Since I love animation of all kinds, I figured the natural thing to do would be to do short reviews and predictions of the animated shorts and movies nominated this year. Let's do it!
ACADEMY AWARD FOR BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM- 2013
1. PAPERMAN (★★★★★) Paperman played in theaters before Disney's Wreck-It Ralph back in November 2012. Personally, I loved it as much as I loved Wreck-It Ralph itself. The story of a young man in New York City usi ng nothing but paper planes to get the attention of a pretty girl is just magical. Everything about this short works perfectly, the pacing, music and animation. Speaking of animation- this is the first time Disney has employed a new animation technology hat blends CGI models and classic hand-drawn animation seamlessly. The effect is smooth and flawless and reminds us of good old 2D animation.
2. ADAM AND DOG (★★★★1/2) Adam and Dog is a new vision of the story of Adam and the Garden of Eden. When Adam meets Dog, they form a quick friendship that lasts beyond Adam and Eve's banishment from the Garden. The animation is breathtaking even though it's hand drawn, with character designs reminiscent of high quality anime. The only thing lacking in this is the story, which isn't too robust.
3. FRESH GUACAMOLE (★★★1/2) Fresh Guacamole is less than two minutes long, but pulls you in with it's whimsy and sheer imagination. This crazy twist on making guacamole using nothing but household items (think Christmas lights, grenades and baseballs) made me think "What on Earth-?" more than once. The animation is claymation and looks really good. But the winner in this short is the concept itself.
4. HEAD OVER HEELS (★★★1/2) I liked Head Over Heels, but not that much. The story is about an elderly couple who, let's say, don't see eye to eye. As a student of English Literature, I TOTALLY got the symbolism in this short, which was genius. Using a simple "upside down" concept to portray opposing points of view was really inspired and unique. However, it didn't move me as emotionally as the creators intended it to, nor did I find the characters endearing in any way.
5. MAGGIE SIMPSON IN THE LONGEST DAYCARE (★★★★) I think it's great that The Simpsons are getting recognition at the Oscars in some way, shape or form. This short, which played in theaters before Ice Age 4, features toddler Maggie Simpson stuck in daycare, and trying to stop an "evil" kid from killing a caterpillar. Loaded with wit, emotion and innovation, the short is one of the best Simpsons pieces ever. I was afraid that a short centering on such an iconic character might detract from the story, but it works a million times better. We see Maggie Simpson as never before and kind of fall in love with her all over again. The animation is brilliant, even better than standard TV quality, and the tenderness and sentiment of the short shine through.
PREDICTIONS: I say Paperman should win, not just because it's innovative, but simply because it's the best. The perfect combination of story, music, characters and staging make it an instant classic. My NEXT pick is Adam and Dog, which also has beautiful animation and tells a good (albeit slight) story. It still manages to pack in ample emotion which Oscar judges are nuts over. The other three are nearly as good, but don't quite match up to the charm of Paperman or the grandeur of Adam and Dog.
Short note: You've probably realized that ALL five of the above shorts have one thing in common- they're all silent. A testimony to the power of sheer visuals and storytelling, which only animation can do.
Purely on the basis of sheer storytelling and animation, my top pick is Paperman, followed closely by Adam and Dog.
We'll find out who takes home the coveted trophy on Sunday, February 24!