The various Academy Award categories for short films generally receive the least amount of attention. That is, unless you’re an Oscar prognosticator or have money riding on the show, in which case these nominations are a source of frustration, since very few people get to see these shorts, making the winner difficult to predict. But never fear! We have seen all the Oscar-nominated shorts, and whether you want to win your office pool or are just curious about them, we can tell you all about them.
Prison Terminal: The Last Days of Private Jack Hall
Since we incarcerate so many citizens, it makes sense that there’s a sizable elderly population in America’s prison system. Prison Terminal explores this oft-ignored aspect of our penal situation by following inmate Jack Hall as he goes through hospice care. Hall was a decorated soldier who was put away for life after murdering the man who sold drugs to his son. Now, as the end approaches, he’s been granted an unusual measure of mercy by the prison, which tries to make him as comfortable as possible. A film about common humanity that finds that commonality in a place where we might not wish to have any sympathy. My grandfather recently passed away, and I saw little difference between him and Jack Hall, even though the latter was a convicted killer. Easily the best of the nominated doc shorts.
Grade: B
Facing Fear
When he was 13, Matthew Boger was beaten by a group of Neo-Nazis for being gay. Twenty-five years later, he met one of his attackers again by chance. Tim Zaal has since reformed, and now the two work together to preach tolerance. An inspiring story, to be sure, but it’s hamstrung by a “very special episode” sensibility. The movie always makes it absolutely clear how the viewer is supposed to feel, no matter how strong the material is on its own. It’s frustrating to see what’s good about this movie and think about how it could be so much better.
Grade: C
Karama Has No Walls
Like fellow Oscar nominee The Square, this doc looks at the Arab Spring, but through the viewpoint of the comparatively lesser-examined revolution in Yemen. It’s jam-packed with visceral moments and powerful images, and it’s almost too much to take in. The movie tries to cram so much into a half hour, it feels like it would have been better served as a feature. This is a jumble of a film, jumping from one event to the next with no room to breathe.
Grade: C
The Lady in Number Six: Music Saved My Life
Alice Sommer is the world’s oldest Holocaust survivor, 110 years old and still playing the piano as much as she can. This film tells her story of survival during the war, as she was taken to the Theresienstadt concentration camp instead of a death camp because of her musical skills. The narrative is familiar to anyone who’s seen enough Holocaust stories, with the same flow from pre-war life to camp life to what happened after the war. At this point, filmmakers have to do more with the subject. They can’t just rely on the Holocaust to provide all of the emotions. It’s a loaded topic, but it doesn’t automatically imbue a story with meaning. Alice seems like a lovely woman, but a nice subject does not a good documentary make.
Grade: C
CaveDigger
Ra Paulette carves caves out of sandstone rock. This is his art, and he has to balance it with his financial needs. Often, he’ll scrap a project if the patron’s wishes conflict with his own vision for his custom-built cave. This movie has the opposite problem from Karama Has No Walls – it could have stood to be shorter. At twenty minutes, I wondered what else was left to tell, and it just kept dragging on. Still, it has some stunning photography of Paulette’s work, which is truly unique and great to look at. It’s just not enough to sustain the runtime.
