2023 Oscar-Nominated Live-Action Shorts
Edwin Arnaudin: The Oscar-nominated Live-Action shorts occasionally have some commonalities between them, be it child endangerment or racial relations. But like this year's batch, most feature a Gump-approved proverbial box of chocolates that cover an array of tones and styles. Which of the latest finalists most appeal to your sensibilities?
James Rosario: I’m usually not very high on the Live-Action offerings, but this year I absolutely loved Alice Rohrwacher’s “Le Pupille.” It’s adorable, subversive, experimental, hilarious, thought-provoking, and so many other things I respond to when seeing a film. If you spun me around three times, sat me in front of a screen and told me I was about to see a long lost Ingmar Bergman short from 1982, I would believe you without hesitation. All that and it was produced by Alfonso Cuarón for Disney. How weird is that?
Curious what your thoughts are on this curious little film.
Edwin: I'm not nearly as smitten with it as you are. It's well-made and sprinkled with memorable moments, but is a bit too meandering and plot-free for my taste. I wouldn't mind having a slice of that cake, though...
Give me "An Irish Goodbye" instead. The story of two brothers carrying out the items on their recently deceased mother's bucket list had me laughing early and often. It may also be Ireland's lone chance to win an Oscar this year, seeing as fellow nominees Banshees of Inisherin and The Quiet Girl are likely to go home unrewarded.
James: "An Irish Goodbye" is certainly funny and well-intended, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that it was more a proof of concept project than a fully realized story. But, with that said, I would likely enjoy the hell out of a feature length version, provided it was able to maintain the same warmth and charm as the short.
One film I’m on the fence about is “Ivalu,” about a young girl in Greenland searching for her missing sister. Its scenery is breathtaking, and I enjoyed the supernatural elements, but its resolution is harsh and somewhat predictable. Once again, if “Ivalu'' were spread out over a feature length with more twists and turns (maybe in the vein of Winter’s Bone), I could see it being something really special.
How did you fare with this one?
Edwin: It's by far my least favorite of the five. As you note, the cinematography is stunning and the representation of the indigenous people (whose language is beautiful to the ear) is important. But once the revelation hits, it feels cheap and manipulative.
I'm much more fond of "Night Ride" and "The Red Suitcase," both nicely contained works under 15 minutes that feel like short stories rather than novellas. Each has its issues — the trans harassment aboard the accidentally hijacked Norwegian tram in "Ride" is somewhat forced, and the young Iranian woman's terror after arriving at the Luxembourg airport in "Suitcase" is somewhat thinly justified — but both work for me overall.
How about you?
James: The issues you mentioned are indeed present, but none of them tank either film for me. “Ride” is certainly well-meaning, but the central conflict (the trans harassment you mentioned) is straight out of an ‘80s movie. (I half-expected someone to pull out a switchblade.) But, the story’s sweet and funny resolution brings it right back on track for me.
“The Red Suitcase” does an excellent job of communicating the fear young Ariane feels over what awaits her at the airport, and an even better job of conveying the bravery it takes to escape it. The final sequence of events that leads to her unknown future might be a bit far-fetched, but as a story about women taking their lives into their own hands, it works well enough.
Edwin: I just wanted a few more details about Ariane's predicament rather than merely her overall fear of it, but then the revelations might not have been as effective. Regardless, I'll take a flawed, very good short over the slap to the face known as "Ivalu," which lowers what might have been a B-plus program to a still solid B.
James: I agree with your B rating. The ups and downs make for some interesting contrasts between films, but they also put the group as a whole right at the “just above average” level.
Grade: B. Not rated, but with adult themes and language. Now playing at the Fine Arts Theatre and Grail Moviehouse.
