Explore This Year's Academy Award Nominated Live-Action Shorts

Every year, trying to watch the movies nominated for Academy Awards gets a little bit easier, largely thanks to the proliferation of streaming and digital rental. People who live in big cities usually didn’t have too much trouble, since most films would wind up screening there, but when you live over an hour from a major metropolis, things could get much trickier. Completists still have a little bit of a struggle however, as there are always at least a few nominees that remain challenging to track down, especially among the short films. Luckily, Roadside Attractions is once again putting them into theaters in three packages: Live-Action, Animated, and Documentary. All are worth watching, but for me the best collection this year is the Live-Action Shorts.

Up first is The Singers, which documents a group of men at a dive bar who are unexpectedly united by the power of music when they begin to try and out-sing each other. It’s surprisingly moving and full of little moments of heartbreak and hope, as well as a good amount of humor, while speaking subtly to our growing male loneliness problem. ★★★★

Second, we get A Friend of Dorothy. After accidentally kicking a soccer ball onto elderly widow Dorothy’s (Miriam Margolyes) property, 17-year-old JJ (Alistair Nwachukwu) unexpectedly strikes up a friendship with her. They bond over a shared love of theater while bringing out the best in each other. This is an utterly adorable short that is nearly impossible not to love as it explores themes of homophobia, classism, and elderly isolation with a light and effective touch. ★★★★

Third entry Butcher’s Stain is my least favorite of the group, though certainly not without merit. Arab butcher Samir (Omar Sameer) is accused of removing posters of the Israeli hostages from the break room wall at the supermarket in which he works. He denies any involvement and is deeply hurt to even be accused, as it exposes the underlying racism of his Israeli boss and coworkers. He attempts to figure out who is really to blame but slowly realizes that he is stuck in a situation he cannot win. It’s not a bad message, but it rings a little hollow and self-serving. A side-plot involving a fight for visitation rights with his son feels unnecessary. It’s certainly watchable and the “twist” elicits a wry chuckle, but it’s ultimately somewhat forgettable. ★★★½

Penultimate short Two People Exchanging Saliva gets my vote as best of the bunch and ranks as one my favorite viewing experiences out of all this year’s nominees. In an alternate version of France, where slaps are used for payment and kissing is punishable by death, to help avoid engaging in the amorous activity people actively try to maintain bad breath. Young woman Malaise (Luàna Bajrami) is hired at a posh department store where she winds up befriending frequent customer Angine (Zar Amir Ebrahimi). This angers older shopgirl Pétulante (Aurélie Boquien), who once counted Angine among her best clients. As the two women grow dangerously close to each other, Pétulante’s jealousy leads her to begin contemplating drastic action. Filmmakers Natalie Musteata and Alexandre Singh fill in the details of the world incredibly well in a relatively short amount of time, even if aspects don’t make practical sense upon deeper reflection. With stunning black-and-white photography and a trio of strong performances at its core, this is a masterful look at a society in which cruelty is currency but an act of love is outlawed, and the isolating effect that attitude can have on humanity. ★★★★★

Jane Austen’s Period Drama proves an excellent choice to end the package on, lightening the mood after so much seriousness. In 1813 England, just as her suitor Mr. Dickley (Ta’imua) is about to propose, Miss Estrogenia Talbot (Julia Aks) is struck with her period. Unfortunately for her it produces a red stain on the front of her white dress, causing her beau, who has no knowledge of female anatomy, to fear her injured and rush her home. When he runs out in search of a doctor, she begins debating with her father Mr. Father Talbot (Hugo Armstrong) and sisters Labinia (Samantha Smart) and Vagianna (Nicole Alyse Nelson) over whether to explain the truth of the matter to Mr. Dickley and hope he takes it well or to feign injury. It’s a clever premise that I’m surprised I haven’t seen before and it’s played here for maximum laughs. Written and directed by Aks and Steve Pinder, the duo pack in clever gags while maintaining a clear fondness for the material they’re satirizing. I don’t think you’ll see a funnier movie of any length anywhere else in this year’s nominees. ★★★★★