Oscar Nominated Short Films 2014: Live Action

Live action shorts, by definition, are more grounded than animated shorts, which create whole new worlds with strokes of a pen without regard for the heavy realities of the meat world. This year the nominated live action shorts include two very gritty and suspenseful entries, but there are three which manage, each in its own way, to slip the bonds of literal reality.

The more real ones:

"Aquel no era yo" ("That Wasn't Me")  ****
The most searing and brutal entry, from Spain, deals close-up with the horror of child soldiers in Africa. My pick for the Academy award.

"Avant que de tout perdre" ("Just Before Losing Everything")  ****
The French entry depicts a mother and her children in crisis in a film that in the midst of everyday life and work slowly reveals their circumstance and the source of their fears. I found it powerful.

And on the more fanciful side:

"Helium"  **
The janitor at a children's hospital strikes up a friendship with a young patient, relating a tale about the magical world of Helium. A bit cloying for my taste. From Denmark.

"The Voorman Problem"  ***
A doctor is called in to talk some sense into a prisoner who insists he is God, with, as they say, unforeseen consequences. Illuminated by the performance of Martin Freeman (the Hobbit). From the U.K.

"Pitääkö mun kaikki hoitaa?" ("Do I Have to Take Care of Everything?")  ***
A city couple with two young children oversleep and must rush around like crazy to make it to the wedding in time. Hilarious and surprising. From Finland.