Magic candies and midlife crises: A look at this year's Oscar-nominated animated shorts
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Let's start with the animated shorts. Keep in mind that animated does not always mean 'for children.' In fact, at least two of these films are too graphic for kids. Leave them at home.
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A still from "Yuck!"
ShortsTV
'Yuck!'
Loïc Espuche's short lives up to its title. A bunch of voyeuristic little kids roam around a beach resort watching people make out. They find the act disgusting, but that doesn't stop them from watching lovers play tonsil hockey. The nosy pests know when folks are about to kiss because the participants' lips glow a painfully bright fuchsia color and obnoxious music starts playing. This affliction happens to an old married couple, horny teenagers, and even two closeted male soccer players who, of course, don't get to complete their kiss.
Meanwhile, a boy named Léo realizes that, when he stares at one of the girls in their kiss-haters group, his lips start lighting up as well. He tries to hide this telltale sign, only to discover that the object of his affection is glowing up as well. Then the proceedings get weird.
This short is supposed to be charming, but all I could ask myself was, 'How old ARE these kids?' They looked about 9. They should have called this one 'Death to Smoochy,' but forget what I think! Its simplicity makes it my pick to win the Oscar. (In French, with subtitles) (★★)
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A still from "In the Shadow of the Cypress."
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'In the Shadow of the Cypress'
If the Academy favors symbolism over simplicity, this silent Iranian short by Hossein Molayemi and Shirin Sohani might win instead. Instead of the proverbial elephant in the room, a father and daughter must deal with a literal whale on the beach. The father suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of a terrifying boat accident. The effects have finally taken their toll on his daughter, whose attempt to leave is thwarted by a beached whale. As the two try to help, the father's condition gets worse.
Though the film ultimately becomes repetitious, it does a credible job of evoking what it feels like to have a PTSD attack. (I speak from experience.) The animation is intense and often harrowing as it jumps between the terror of the father and the helplessness his daughter feels. (★★★)
'Magic Candies'
A lonely Japanese kid named Dong-Dong goes to a store to find marbles, but ends up buying sweets that look like marbles. The proprietor tells him they are 'magic candies,' which are also known by their adult name: 'mind-altering drugs.' Just kidding! However, Dong-Dong does hallucinate whenever he eats one. Side effects include a hilarious chat with the living-room sofa ('Please tell your Dad to stop farting on me!,' the couch pleads), a conversation with his dog, and a moment of unspoken understanding between father and son.
There's also a bittersweet interaction with Dong-Dong's grandmother, who yells at him from The Great Beyond, and a peaceful moment of communing with nature. Director Daisuke Nishio's colors are as loud as Dong Dong's nana, and the animation is bouncy and cheerful. This short is the most fun and my favorite of the five. (In Japanese, with subtitles) (★★★)
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A still from "Wander to Wonder."
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'Wander to Wonder'
I cop to admiring the sheer visual grotesquerie of Nina Gantz's English-language short. But this tale of a children's show that goes horribly awry is so unpleasant I'm surprised the prudes at the Academy nominated it. When Uncle Gilly, the creator and host of the titular show suddenly dies, his three animated characters continue to make warped videotaped programs for an audience that probably isn't watching. Meanwhile, Uncle Gilly decomposes behind them as they starve (the gigantic flies that buzz through much of the short are a nice, garish touch). One member of the trio performs Hamlet soliloquys while exposing himself.
And that's the tame part of this short! Alas, none of it made a lick of sense to me and just felt weird for weird's sake. If that's your cup of tea, drink up. (★★)
A still from "Beautiful Men."
ShortsTV
'Beautiful Men'
Another short featuring a trio. This one's about three balding, middle-aged Dutch brothers: Steven, Bart, and Koen, who travel to Istanbul in 2021 to get hair transplants. Unfortunately, Steven accidentally books only one transplant and struggles to break the bad news to his siblings.
Director Nicolas Keppens gives his characters a litany of midlife crisis-inducing issues besides their hairlines. The title is clearly a snarky one. These guys are realistically pudgy and wrinkled. Koen wears Elton John-style glasses and can't do two push-ups. Bart, who is worried about a lump in his testicles, spends 75 percent of this short full-frontal nude. And Steven's hair loss is probably due to worrying. The relationship between Bart and the other two is also fraught with unspoken grudges.
As a middle-aged guy with brothers, this one kind of spoke to me. I enjoyed how it took a sledgehammer to male vanity. Like last year's
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Odie Henderson is the Boston Globe's film critic.
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