90th Oscars Live Action Short Films - Discussion
The Oscars. I know them. You know them. We all know them in some sort of capacity. For the longest of times, this was the way to recognize the best filmmaking has had to offer, but in recent times they have been criticized as overtly racist and afraid of change in the film world. With an old guard of voters making the decisions on winners, it's easy to understand why some films that seem like shoo-ins don't make the cut. Today, I want to take some time to look at a category most people don't really pay much attention to. That category, as can be seen by the title, is that of short films. The Oscars actually have two categories related to short films, live action and animated. Unfortunately, I did not have the time to see the animated films, but I did take the time to look at the live action stories. So today, I will not be reviewing each of these, I simply will be having a short discussion about each film and in the end, making a prediction as to what wins the Oscar. Let's get started with the first film: DeKalb Elementary.
DeKalb Elementary
Having arguably the second simplest premise of the group, DeKalb Elementary tackles the tale of Steven Hall (Bo Mitchell) and Lakisha (Shinelle Azoroh), a front desk attendant. Simply put, Steven has had enough and decides to bring a weapon to the front office and threatens the people there. In the process, he meets Lakisha who is a compassionate woman who just wants the situation to be solved. For me, this movie felt like an excellent piece for the current climate. Lakisha doesn't see the boy as someone who is out to kill, he is just lost. You can tell right away that Steven is just sad, he doesn't want to hurt anymore. The quiet understanding between the two that helps to relax Steven is powerful. Bo Mitchell for me is the standout, as he shows the pain and sadness of a broken young man.
The Eleven O'Clock
Here we have our lone comedic entry into this years grouping of nominees! In my viewing, this was the fourth of the five films, all of which up until this point were pulse poundingly heartbreaking. Here we have two main characters, Terry Philips (Josh Lawson) and Nathan Klein (Damon Herriman). Essentially the story is that a psychiatrist has a new patient with a serious mental delusion: being a psychiatrist. What comes is a bit predictable, but absolutely hysterical. Both of these actors are on top of their game in the comedic department, and up until the very end, it is utterly believable that either of them is the doctor. For me, this was a fun little short that does more than expected.
My Nephew Emmett
For me, My Nephew Emmett was a bit of an oddity. Focusing on the murder of Emmett Till (Joshua Wright) in 1955, we see the events from the eyes of J.W. Milam (Dane Rhoades). For those of you who know, there are a few interviews that have been done involving this incident. For me though, this piece just felt a bit generic. Sure the conflict between African Americans and White Americans in the middle of the 20th century is a widely known and widely used target for film, and the way it manages to succinctly connect to the video interview from J.W. is beautiful, I just didn't really enjoy the overall story. It felt empty and just a means to get to the point that is that interview.
The Silent Child
The Silent Child manages to do something that these other films really don't do: evoke emotion out of the viewer. Focusing on Rachel Shenton's Joanne and Maisie Sly's Libby, this short film tells the story of Libby's struggle with being deaf. Her family believes that Libby's best chance at living a normal life is through speech therapy, but Joanne insists that she is more comfortable with sign language. As the two of them develop a bond through sign language, the gap between Joanne and Libby's parents grows larger. The end result of this film is gutwrenching and hurts more than any of these other short films. What also makes this stand out is that the actress who plays Libby is actually deaf, and with this performance, she most certainly made herself known in the spectrum for future performances.
Watu Wote/All of Us
The final film of the nominees, Watu Wote/All of Us tackles another real event. Jua (Adelyne Wairimu) is a young woman who boards a chartered bus to visit a relative and feels out of place among a group of Muslim passengers. When the bus is stopped by Al-Shabaab, she is forced to face reality: she is a Christian against a Muslim terrorist organization. Truth be told, Watu Wote feels a bit too storybook in my opinion. Jua goes through an arc that shows her becoming more respectful of the Muslim people, and surviving a horrifying incident and making it to her family. Do not misunderstand, the incident itself is terrifying, I just feel this film wrapped it up a bit too pretty.
Prediction
If you noticed anything from the discussions I had about each film, you noticed that I had the most love for The Silent Child. In my opinion, this film stood out the most and had the most emotional punch behind it. If I were to predict which of these shorts would win the Oscar, The Silent Child would definitely be it. But, the Academy often finds ways to subvert expectations and go with choices that don't always fit with what the viewing public believes. In the case of this happening, I could see DeKalb Elementary or Watu Wote/All of Us stealing the Oscar simply because they fit more with today's climate. I hope you all enjoy the Oscars, and if you're feeling fancy try to make some predictions! I'll talk to you all soon.
