The Academy Awards are airing live on March 12, and for the first time, I have set out to break down every nominee in every category in order to assess, as accurately as I can, who and what has the best chance of winning. Today I will be discussing the nominees for Best Animated Short!
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse
“The unlikely friendship of a boy, a mole, a fox and a horse traveling together in the boy’s search for home.”
A hodgepodge of fortune cookie slips and inspirational sayings isn’t a terrible way to shape a story, but it’s far from ideal. Granted, this is based on a children’s book, and that’s pretty much exactly what I would expect from a straight adaptation. The animation, on the other hand, is flawless and imperfectly perfect, and it’s always nice to hear the comforting voices of Tom Hollander, Idris Elba and Gabriel Byrne.
The Flying Sailor
“The Flying Sailor is based on the Halifax explosion of 1917 when two ships collided in the Halifax Harbour causing the largest accidental explosion in history. Among the tragic stories of the disaster is the remarkable account of a sailor who, blown skyward from the deck of a British cargo steamer, flew 4km before landing completely unharmed, but naked except for his boots.”
I’m not sure how convincing this is as a contemplation of life, the universe and everything, but The Flying Sailor is so gorgeously animated and well-structured that a nomination seemed inevitable. The fact that it’s based on a true story is only more impressive, and its poetic nature is even more potent when put into a real-world existential perspective.
