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2023 Animated Short Oscar Analysis

2023 was not the greatest year for animated short films and the Academy’s slate sadly reflected on that. The best movie did not win and one phenomenal Disney flick wasn’t even nominated, which was frustrating to witness. This slate consists of movies that are are all independent and dealing with very serious and dark subject matter, which made for a monotonous viewing experience as a whole.

My Ranking of the Nominees:

5. Letter to a Pig

This film is all about the collective trauma, which is a concept that I personally thoroughly reject, so it was impossible for me to relate with this movie whatsoever. The plot is illogical and just plain wrong. The timing of it was also especially problematic given what’s going on in the Middle East right now. The animation is memorably artistic and surreal. The score is also very strong. It’s an audio-visual delight, but one that was doomed from the start due to that problematic premise. Thus, it gets the last spot on this list.

4. Our Uniform

This movie is all about the director’s use of hijab and what that means for women. Similarly to the above entry, the animation is the main reason to see this flick. The embroidery was used as a visual style and it looked splendid. The narration is also solid. But the main problem here is the lack of conviction or audacity. The director failed to properly condemn the hijab and what it stands for. Even worse is the disclaimer at the beginning that made the entire project feel too safe and lame.

3. Pachyderme

Pachyderme is a short that starts off with a nostalgic tone, but ends with a haunting, disturbing feel that signaled something much darker happening beneath its gorgeously animated landscapes and interiors. It’s a story about child abuse and incest, so needless to say, it deals with an extremely dark subject matter. The animation contrasted that with a warm aesthetic that really appealed to me, but overall the overwhelming narration and an overly depressing ending made this movie very limited in its appeal.

2. War Is Over!

War Is Over! is one of those movies that lack subtlety. The final sequence really tarnished its reputation by stating out the metaphor that was obvious much before that. The song was also used awkwardly. With that being said, the remainder of the movie is actually quite moving, charming and endearing. The animation is sweet, the characters are likable and their friendship was quite touching. The movie is so good at first that its ending was a big letdown. It did not deserve to win an Oscar.

1. Ninety-Five Senses

This movie is an ode to the body’s five senses delivered by a man with little time left to enjoy them. It’s a story that throughout its thirteen minutes changes from lighthearted, heartwarming and positive to utterly devastating and heartbreaking. It’s, thus, an all-encompassing movie that depicts life in all of its facets. Ninety-Five Senses is also gorgeously animated, wonderfully narrated and featuring a rare for the time story about the human experience that is both realistic and inspiring. It really should have won this year.

Films That Should Have Been Nominated:

Once Upon a Studio – Once Upon a Studio was snubbed this year, which really hurts as this Disney flick honors their past, but in a delightfully warm and inspirational way. We get to see so many characters from their films, even the lesser-known ones. It was a treat for us Disney fans and it’s such a shame that it wasn’t recognized by the Academy.

Eeva – Eeva is a dark and unforgiving movie, which makes it an acquired taste, but it works because the animation is so artistic and its exploration of grief quite potent. This is another very dark movie, but it’s slightly better and more effective than the other movies nominated this year, so it really should have been the part of the slate.

Pete – This short film is about the travails of a young trans boy who was born female, but just wants to play on the boys baseball team in school. This is a surprisingly apolitical movie given the current climate of trans activism, which was refreshing to witness. It’s a simple, but heartwarming flick worthy of your attention.