Oscar Noms: Animated Shorts ****

Magnolia Films has done us a great service again this year in compiling all of the Oscar nominated shorts into a couple of feature-length films. The five nominated animated shorts, plus a few "highly recommended" give us a delightful look at the state of animation around the world. My personal favorite is "This Way Up," a comedic look at undertaking from the UK. Pre-Oscar buzz says "Presto," a clever backstage and on-stage look at a magician and his bunny from Pixar, will win the prize. Also worth a look are "Lavatory-Lovestory" from Russia, "Oktapodi" from France, and the atmospheric if not gripping "La Maison en Petits Cubes" from Japan.