2019 Oscar Nominated Animated Short Films: The Best In Animated Short Films

The Oscars are coming up on Sunday, Feb. 24th, and we tasked critic Mike McKinney with reviewing the five Oscar-nominated animated shorts. The five films run the gamut from deeply moving to absolutely hilarious. See which ones he thinks could be the front runner for an Academy Award.

Bao (2018) (USA)

A Chinese-Canadian woman is suffering from empty nest syndrome. She makes a dumpling that comes alive. Her life is full again as she raises the dumpling-like her son. This is a moving and funny story as we watch her life with her dumpling mirror her life before with her own real son. While this doesn’t quite touch the heartstrings like other Pixar films it still is fun to watch.   My Rating: Full Price

Late Afternoon (2017) (Ireland)

An elderly woman thinks about her life as a kid and transports herself to a better time. This is a beautiful and moving film about a woman reliving the best times of her life. I love the free-flowing animation of this film as she transitions from her present to her past. I just wished that the ending wasn’t as neat and tidy as it is. It feels that the filmmakers tried too hard to create a happy ending.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee

Animal Behavior (2018) (Canada)

This very funny film is from the Oscar-winning husband and wife team of David Fine and Alison Snowden. The film is about a single session of group therapy for a bunch of animals. So a dog is leading the group which includes a cat, a pig, a leech, a praying mantis, a bird. To add to the mix, an ape with anger issues joins the group with hilarious consequences. This is a very funny film with the praying mantis complaining about how since she has 1000 kids and eats her husbands, she can’t get a date. I loved this film, it’s so much fun to watch. As I was watching the film I got a real Loony Tunes feel from the film.   My Rating: Full Price

Weekends (2018) (USA)

A year in the life of a boy who goes back and forth between his mom’s house in the suburbs to his dad’s apartment in the city. The film deal s with the boy’s anxieties over his parents being split up. I loved that the father always listened to Dire Straits ‘Money for Nothing’ as he drove his son to or from the city. There isn’t any dialogue and the film has a strange quality to the animation, almost dreamlike.   My Rating: Bargain Matinee

One Small Step (2018) (USA)

This is a moving story of a girl as she grows up wishing to be an astronaut. All the while her father, a shoemaker is there to support her in the good times and the bad. I loved this film that is so sweet and touching, with a great storyline about a girl who lives her dream. I also really enjoyed the look and feel of this film and it has a great message for young women that can achieve their goals.   My Rating: I Would Pay to See it Again

Mike’s Rating System:

I Would Pay to See it Again
Full Price
Bargain Matinee
Cable
You Would Have to Pay Me to See it Again