The student news site of Marquette University

Marquette Wire

The student news site of Marquette University

Marquette Wire

The student news site of Marquette University

Marquette Wire

Hitting the Marq: Best Animated Short nominees

This Oscar season, we’ve been plagued with many burning questions. Will the extra Best Picture noms make a difference? Which ex will win Best Director: Cameron or Bigelow? Was Quentin Tarantino dropped as a child or born that crazy?

But, here at Marquee, we’re going to let other people answer those questions. We’re here to look at the category you really care about: which cartoon is going to win Best Animated Short?

It’s a vital question. The Best Animated Short category has been won by classic ’toons like “The Cat Concerto” (the original “Keyboard Cat” video), “Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day” (aka ‘Piglet’s Worst Day Ever’), and “Geri’s Game” (the Pixar short with the schizophrenic chess guy).

So, without further ado, the nominees for Best Animated Short:

French Roast — Fabrice Joubert

This French film tells the simple yet clever story of a Parisian businessman in a coffee shop who discovers too late he’s forgotten to bring his wallet. To give himself time to figure out what to do while waiting on his check, he keeps ordering more coffee — which leaves him in a bit of trouble at the end of the night.

Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty — Nicky Phelan and Darragh O’Connell

An Irish dark comedy, “Granny O’Grimm” depicts an elderly woman who terrifies her granddaughter with a twisted variation of Sleeping Beauty. The story is interesting, but there’s not much payoff — the plot is nothing more than Granny telling a story.

The Lady and the Reaper (La dama y la muerte) — Javier Recio Garcia

This Spanish short is about a battle between Death and an arrogant doctor for the life of an old woman. It begins as a simple tug-of-war for the woman’s soul, but eventually devolves into a chase scene reminiscent of Scooby-Doo cartoons, characters popping in and out of file cabinets and running up and down staircases. It’s a cute film with a hilarious ending, but it might be too gimmicky to win.

Marquee Pick: Logorama — Nicholas Schmerkin

This French short depicts a stylized version of Los Angeles completely made up of logos. Populated by characters like Michelin Man-cops and AIM-icon pedestrians, the story begins when dangerous criminal Ronald McDonald embarks on a crime spree, but ends with the apocalyptic destruction of the city. The film serves as a critique of our over-marketed world, depicting logos as inescapable and destructive.

Probable Academy Pick: A Matter of Loaf and Death — Nick Park

The first Wallace and Gromit short since 1995, this murder-mystery pits the British duo against a woman intent on killing bakers, who targets Wallace after he and Gromit open a “Dough to Door” delivery service. “Loaf and Death” would earn Park his fifth Oscar if it wins — and Park has never failed to win Best Animated Short.

Story continues below advertisement
Leave a Comment
More to Discover

Comments (0)

All Marquette Wire Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *