Tag: 2020 Oscars Spotlight

‘I Lost My Body’ is hands down one of the year’s more innovative films — Oscars spotlight review
In I Lost My Body, a hand separated from its owner after a tragic accident tries to make its way back home.

Quick review: I Lost My Body has an extremely absurd premise but thanks to some powerful storytelling, it turns out to be one of the most reflective perspectives on life I’ve ever seen — hopefully, the Academy agrees.

Where to watch I Lost My Body: Streaming on Netflix.

See the rest of Jane’s 2020 Oscar spotlight series here.

Of all of the Oscar-nominated animated films this year, none were quite as innovative or inventive as I Lost My Body. It throws away all of your preconceived notions about narrative structure and constructs a story entirely built on sensory details and how crucial the senses play a part in your life’s story. I Lost My Body is a film that’s meant to stick with you long after the end credits roll. It’s one of the finest animated offerings of 2019 and my preferred choice as the winner of the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

The film plays out like a fever dream of some sort. A hand separated from its owner after a tragic accident tries to make its way back home. During the journey, we are introduced to the body of this owner in a series of flashbacks detailing who this hand belongs to. Turns out the body belongs to a young man (Hakim Faris) who lives aimlessly through life after the untimely death of his parents. But things start to look up after a chance encounter with a kind young woman (Victoire Du Bois) who takes the time to actually acknowledge him. The film then switches back on both narratives until the two storylines line up in a satisfying and heartbreaking conclusion that might make you shed a tear or two by the end.

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The film takes full advantage of its eccentric premise by giving the separated hand a vibrant personality thanks to some impressive animation. The stakes have never been higher living in the city of Paris through the experiences of a hand dealing with hungry rats, bustling highways and towering buildings. You see the hand feel vicious rage when dealing with a pigeon but also gentleness towards a newborn, which shows you how essential body language is a powerful showcase in showing how you connect to others and the world.

At a brisk 80 minute runtime, I Lost My Body is a sensory experience that reflects on the power of touch and sound. It’s a connection of the body and soul, it’s one of a kind. It lingers with you and makes a strong case as not only the best animated film but one of the best pictures of the year.

Random thoughts ?
- I have read multiple reviews that claim one of the major critiques of the film is the contrived love story. But I very much enjoyed it. She’s not there for a throwaway love interest or treated as a manic pixie girl. She feels real and that’s important in a film that’s all about feeling your way through life.
- I hope we get to see more work soon from director Jérémy Clapin. Anyone have an idea of what his next project will be?
- Probability of winning an Oscar: Lukewarm. Believe me, I would love nothing more than this film to bring home the gold. It did have a promising start, winning the Nespresso Grand Prize at Cannes and becoming the first animated film to do so. But the Academy isn’t made up of critics like the Nespresso jury is. It didn’t even make the Golden Globes shortlist for Best Animated Feature. The Academy has a pattern of picking animated films that have a wide range of appeal, especially toward family entertainment rather than indie arthouse darlings. Maybe this is the year the Academy feels differently?
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February 8, 2020
Every Best Animated Short Film nominee, reviewed — 2020 Oscars
This year’s Oscar nominees for Best Animated Short Film offer a diverse selection of animation that share a commonality in the emotional bonds of relationships

See the rest of Jane’s 2020 Oscar spotlight series here.

Whether for their artistic style or emotional narrative, each contender for Best Animated Short provides a unique blend of creativity and heart. Here’s a quick rundown of each film and their chance of winning an Oscar.

Daughter (dir by Daria Kashcheeva)
- Studio: FAMU
- Running time: 14 minutes
- Quick Summary: A young woman and her terminally ill father reflect back on their problematic relationship.
What’s great: The film has no talking parts so the animation has to do a lot of the heavy work in portraying all the character emotions. The stop-motion animation here does this splendidly. Kashcheeva even invented a new film technology for the film. A hand-held camera movement that is able to capture intimate close-ups on the characters’ faces, capturing the pain and love between them throughout the years.

Probability of winning the Oscar: Not likely. While there is a lot to admire in Kashcheeva’s animation, innovative technology and story on a daughter-father complex relationship; the camera movement sometimes moves too fast which can look jolty in particular scenes. It is also at a disadvantage with its darker tone since other films nominated this year to tackle similar themes in lighter, uplifting narratives.

Hair Love (dir by Matthew A. Cherry)
- Studio: Sony Animation
- Running time: 6 minutes
- Quick Summary: A black father helps his toddler daughter fix her hair for a special occasion.
What’s great: You don’t have to wear your heart on your sleeve to be touched by this short film. It celebrates the beauty of natural hair, showcases a loving black family — which is an unfortunate rarity in animation — and debunks some common male gender tropes. It’s a potent film that represents a father-daughter relationship that barely gets attention in the media. Hopefully, this film inspires more stories like these.

Probability of winning the Oscar: Strong. It’s a likable and heartwarming story that has mass appeal. If there’s any drawback, it’s one of the few nominees not to utilize its animation in order to illustrate its overall story and themes. That being said, it’s hard not to root behind such an affecting short conveying a lot of timely cultural topics in less than 7 minutes.

Kitbull (dir by Rosana Sullivan)

https://youtu.be/AZS5cgybKcI
- Studio: Pixar Animation Studios
- Running time: 9 minutes
- Quick Summary: A black stray kitten and a neglected pitbull forge an unlikely friendship.
What’s great: As brutal as it is rewarding, Kitbull sheds light on animal abuse while giving viewers a timeless tale of friendship and trust. It’s a simple but powerful short that enlightens viewers that connections come in all shapes and sizes.

Probability of winning an Oscar: Strong. The Academy loves Pixar shorts. Plus, the short has been a viral sensation on Youtube (garnering 39 million views). However, its subject matter of animal welfare can be a hard sit through for some.

Sister (dir by Siqi Song)
- Studio: CalArts
- Running time: 8 minutes
- Quick Summary: A man reflects back on his childhood memories of his younger sister.
What’s great: A film whose animation greatly elevates it to a higher level of storytelling. Song’s stop-motion piece creates a personal environment as the narrator contemplates growing up with a younger sibling. Its tragic twist is a poignant reminder of the wounds left behind from China’s one-child policy.

Probability of winning an Oscar: Lukewarm. While the stop-motion is jaw-dropping, it’s one of the films that hasn’t gotten the kind of exposure as other contenders in the Animated Short category. It’s a shame as Sister is a great companion piece to the outstanding Amazon Studios documentary One Child Nation which also explores the trauma of Chinese citizens who were impacted by the policy. However, the Academy has a pattern of selecting winners that are critically and publicly seen.

Memorable (dir by Bruno Collet and Jean-François Le Corre)
- Studio: UniFrance
- Running time: 12 minutes
- Quick Summary: An aging artist begins to feel the sudden effects of dementia and starts to interpret the world from an abstract perspective.
What’s great: In my opinion, this is the only film from the selection that truly takes advantage of its medium. The stop-motion illustrates the protagonist’s shaping mind throughout the progression of his disease by blending metaphor and animation quite strongly and beautifully. It also focuses on the challenges of keeping stable relationships with others through a mind deteriorating illness. However, it concludes on an uplifting note showing even though relationships might transform throughout a lifetime, the love that they share will always stay consistent.

Probability of winning an Oscar: Lukewarm. Much like Sister it hasn’t gotten the awareness that other shorts have gotten. However, Memorable’s animation is a wonder to behold and greatly demonstrates how animation is a perfect platform for this kind of effective storytelling.

All of these animated shorts dive deeper into all sorts of diverse relationships and use different styles of animation to present their narratives. They are all emotionally satisfying in their stories. Each film takes a complex look at the bonds that hold us together or the ones that bring us apart. They are all worth a look.
February 9, 2020
'Klaus' is one festive mess of holiday cheer — Oscars spotlight review
When Smeerensburg’s new postman, Jesper, befriends toymaker Klaus, their gifts melt an age-old feud and deliver a sleigh full of holiday traditions.

Quick review: Even with its stellar hand-drawn animation, a clunky story followed by questionable morals makes Klaus a lump of coal rather than the holiday treat it so desperately wants to be.

Where to watch Klaus: Available to stream on Netflix.

See the rest of Jane’s 2020 Oscar spotlight series here.

I wanted to like this. Truly I did. I appreciate any director who really wants to showcase hand-drawn animation. Director Sergio Pablos highlights color, character design and action so much that you remember what CGI can miss and what hand-drawn animation can elevate. That’s the only positive aspect of Netflix’s new holiday film Klaus. It is a run-of-the-mill Santa origin story that offers nothing new and fails to be anything but uninspiring.

The story begins with a voiceover telling the audience that no one actually remembers where the myth of Santa comes from. That’s not the case as people clearly remember as this film is in a long line of better Santa Claus origin tales (Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, The Santa Clause). The plot is about a spoiled, self-entitled brat named Jesper (Jason Schwartzman) who is sent to the Arctic Circle by his Father who owns The Postal Service? Sure. Jesper needs to make a quota of delivering mail or else be cut off from his family’s finances. Unfortunately for him, this town has two feuding clans who have come from a long line of hating each other and don’t have time to send letters.

He finds a loophole in the form of an isolated Klaus (J.K. Simmons) who sends toys to children if they send him a letter. The two begin to forge a partnership and strangely the unlikeable postman begins to create all the traditions you love about Santa Klaus. To ask for more toys, the children seek the help of the local teacher in town, Alva (Rashida Jones in a thankless role) and begin to make their own destructive town a better place to be. This displeases both leaders of the town, Tammy Krum (Joan Cusack) and Mr. Ellingboe (Will Sasso) who then make an alliance to remove the yuletide distractions from their daily debauchery. Besides that, you get every cliche checked off in bland plotting. A throwaway love interest? Check. A dead wife to inspire your tragic backstory? You got it. A big reveal that shows what Jesper has been up to all along? You betcha.

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That wouldn’t make Klaus bad just worn out territory (Seriously, did they just watch Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town and switch some things around?). Here’s what makes it bad: All throughout the film, the moral message is that doing good for others inspires others to be good. However, the film doesn’t really separate doing good for the sake of doing good versus doing good for your own gain. The children turn the town around but only because they were promised a reward. They never actually learn anything that inspired the heart of Christmas: selfless acts of generosity.

Oddly enough, the film points this out several times and makes you believe that there would be some payoff by the film’s conclusion, but we never dive deep enough beyond the shallow writing to see a believable change in the town. To some degree, Jesper changes but by the time he does, you’re already so sick of his presence that you wish the film spent more time with the Saami tribe and little girl Márgu (the only time the film actually inspires heartfelt emotion).

This begs the question: How? How does this film get nominated for an Oscar? My bet is that the voters had this on mute in the background during the holiday season and were impressed by the visuals. I love the character designs. Big broad Klaus against thin stick Jesper is a ton of fun to watch. The villagers’ designs (if heavily borrowed from film *cough* Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town) come in many diverse shapes, sizes and colors. It’s arguably the most creative part of the film. So if you are a lover of holiday films and animation, put this on. Just make sure the sound is off.

Random thoughts ?
- The voice acting of the film is more or less good although I never got lost in any of the performances. One exception is Joan Cusack who is a blast to listen to and gets the only chuckles I had in the film.
- It’s funny, for a film that seems to want to sugarcoat you with sentiment, I thought it was odd that the film didn’t focus on Jesper and his Dad’s relationship at all.
- Probability of winning an Oscar: Not likely. The Academy rarely gives out accolades to seasonal themed films and with the holidays just recently over, I don’t see them handing out an award to a Christmas film. However, this film is very popular (93% on Rotten Tomatoes!) with critics and audiences. So maybe it’s just the cynic in me that can’t get behind this film.
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February 4, 2020
‘Toy Story 4’ is the sequel we never thought we needed but are happy to have — Oscars spotlight review

Toy Story 4 follows Woody and friends journey to save a reluctant new toy called Forky where they learn how big the world can be for a toy

Quick review: A sharply written story filled with new characters, tons of laughs and outstanding computer animation makes Toy Story 4 a joy to watch.

Where to watch Toy Story 4:

Buy or rent: Amazon Stream: DisneyPlus

See the rest of Jane’s 2020 Oscar spotlight series here.

Let’s get this out of the way. I’m not a big fan of Toy Story 3. I know that’s blasphemy for some but it’s true. The third film in the Toy Story franchise is beautifully animated and has great new characters (looking at you Ken), but it’s also unnecessarily dark and has a villain that feels just a shade or two away from Stinky Pete in Toy Story 2. However, it does succeed in having a strong conclusion to wrap up the supposed trilogy. We said goodbye to all our beloved toys as Andy leaves them in the hands of new toddler owner Bonnie. It’s a satisfying conclusion. So, what’s left to explore for Woody and the gang?

Thankfully, Toy Story 4 has a new story to tell. The film opens up back in the days of Andy on one stormy evening where Sheriff Woody (Tom Hanks) has to say goodbye to his crush Bo Peep (Annie Potts) who is being given away to a new child. Bo Peep offers Woody a chance for them to be together but due to his prior duties to Andy, he cannot bring himself to leave his child. Fast forward to the present: Woody has to handle being a toy Bonnie doesn’t even want to play with.

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He spends most of Bonnie’s play sessions in a closet while all his other friends enjoy bountiful amounts of playtime. It’s not something he’s dealt with before and in order to justify his need for her, he helps her create a new buddy out of a spork, Forky (a hilarious Tony Hale). Forky is still new to being a toy and doesn’t quite understand why he’s not allowed to be trash anymore. This proves to be a bigger challenge for Woody than previously anticipated when Forky runs away on a summer road trip. Woody, who entitles himself as Forky’s sole protector, goes after him and on the way meets some new and old friends.

If you’re wondering why I didn’t mention Buzz (Tim Allen), Jesse (Joan Cusack), or any of the other toys, that’s because they are not entirely relevant to the plot (and that’s a good thing). Toy Story 3 has so many characters and stories going on at the same time that it feels somewhat unfocused at times. Fortunately, for this film, we tend to focus mostly on Woody’s journey and figuring out where he belongs post-Andy. We’ve seen Woody deal with his insecurities of what will become of him with his time with Andy, now we get to see this come to fruition with Woody serving no meaningful existence in Bonnie’s life and having to question his purpose as a toy in general.

If that feels heavy, don’t worry: the film is very light on its feet. It breezes through with great humor, new characters and exhilarating action scenes. The ending doesn’t feel contrived but earned. It offers the potential to finally conclude the Toy Story saga. However, if Pixar does decide to continue it, Toy Story 4 is a good reminder that sequels can be enjoyable if the people making them care as much about the characters as the audience does.

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February 6, 2020
‘How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World’ is a satisfying conclusion — Oscar spotlight review
In an emotional and heartfelt send-off, How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World concludes its epic coming-of-age saga with one last final adventure

Quick review: A fulfilling finale for all its characters combined with stellar animation makes How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World a fun-filled adventure for all to enjoy.

Where to watch How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World:

Stream: Hulu

Buy or rent: Amazon

See the rest of Jane’s 2020 Oscar spotlight series here.

Trilogies are hard to get right. Most of the time sequels feel bloated and unnecessary. Studios set out to make a standalone film but if it becomes a hit, sequels are easy cash grabs almost guaranteed to make a profit — and that often leads to a drop in quality. There are exceptions, and thankfully, How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World is one of them. A trilogy that justifies its existence with an engrossing coming-of-age tale that ends its last chapter with a touching finale.

It’s crazy to think that the first How to Train Your Dragon came out 10 years ago and how much the characters have grown since. They’ve dealt with loss and grief but have also endured thanks to each other and their relationships with their dragons. We grow up and begin to take on more responsibility and friends naturally begin to grow apart. This is at the very core of the third and final film of the series. Five years have passed since the events of the second film. All things are well in the Viking village of Berk. Dragons and humans have assimilated nicely in everyday society. Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) and his dragon Toothless both lead their clans with confidence and it feels like nothing can ruin their dragon utopia.

However, a dragon hunter named Grimmel (F. Murray Abraham) has other plans. His main motivation is to make every dragon a piece of taxidermy on his wall. Grimmel acts like a generic replica of the main antagonist from the previous film. His actions don’t get more complex than hunting dragons for game. But the most engaging conflict comes in the form of a new female species of fury who catches the interest of Toothless and threatens a split between the two best friends. With Grimmel expanding his operation to Berk, the Vikings must find a new oasis for the dragons that might be found in a place called “the hidden world” which would seal the dragons off from humans permanently.

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It’s never easy to say goodbye and when The Hidden World focuses on that the film shines with heartbreaking realism. Growing up sometimes means growing apart. It’s something we never think about much as children but as we mature we see it’s unmistakably true. It’s a shame that wasn’t the main storyline in The Hidden World, which tends to tread on territory already covered in the previous movie. That doesn’t mean the feature isn’t enjoyable, just redundant.

The animation in the series has always been top-notch — especially the flying scenes. The first How to Train Your Dragon was one of the original films to take full advantage of the 3D format in theaters. The Hidden World is no different, its animation fills every space with such luscious color and spectacular dragon flying. The world of Berk has always been captivating to visit and even though this is farewell, it’s a fitting conclusion that soars high in the sky.

Random thoughts ?
- There’s no way that Dreamworks will let their only big franchise die forever. I wonder what spin-offs are in the works. I think I saw that Netflix has a new Dragons series out that looks like it’s directed toward the younger crowd. Anyone know anything about that?
- I don’t think Jay Baruchel gets enough credit for his role as Hiccup. He’s basically had to play this character at milestone ages of his life and he truly captures him from awkward teen to stoic Viking.
- Probability of winning an Oscar: Not counting on it. Poor How to Train Your Dragon. It’s been nominated for every film in its series and has no Oscars to show for it. I’m not really sure why the Academy looks over it. It definitely should have won in 2010. Who went home with the Oscar instead? Why, none other than Toy Story 3 — which we will get to. Stay tuned.
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February 5, 2020
'Missing Link' evolves from the standard animation fare — Oscars spotlight review

Missing Link tells the story of a lonely sasquatch who journeys far beyond the reaches of the world with his two companions to find a place he belongs.

Quick review: An engaging and adventurous tale, Missing Link promises a good time for everyone, even if it’s not quite as memorable as other Lakia viewings.

Where to watch Missing Link: Available to stream on Hulu.

See the rest of Jane’s 2020 Oscar spotlight series here.

It’s honestly a miracle that films like ‘Missing Link’ are still being made. Animation nowadays is over-saturated with sequels from highly profitable franchises — they’re so popular that two of the five Oscar contenders for Best Animated Feature are sequels to already beloved series (Toy Story, How to Train Your Dragon). Even if those sequels are well done (and I agree they are), it does feel that the big animation studios have decided to forfeit original storytelling for the sake of easy box office numbers.

Enter Laika Studios whose newest feature Missing Link wholeheartedly believes in making things of the past very much a part of the future. Set in the late Victorian era, a charming (if somewhat self-indulgent) explorer Sir Lionel Frost (voiced by a charismatic Hugh Jackman) sets out to prove his worth to high society by proving the existence of the sasquatch and the theory of evolution.

The sasquatch he eventually discovers in the new world of America turns out to be a friendly but bumbling creature that he decides to call Mr. Link (voiced by Zach Galifianakis). Mr. Link — he prefers the name Susan — fears he is the last of his kind and requests the help of Sir Lionel to take him to his distant cousins who live in the far reaches of the Himalayas. With the aid of the headstrong widower Adelina Fortnight (Zoe Salanda), they embark on a journey to reunite the last sasquatch with his abominable relatives while trying to evade the henchman of Lord Piggot-Dunceby (Stephen Fry) who will stop at nothing at preventing the discovery of what mankind descended from.

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It’s those complex ideas that make this buddy comedy story more than an adventurous romp. In a time where our political climate seems to want to revert to more outdated ideologies rather than progress forward, it’s great to see a family-friendly film tackle these intricate themes in a subtle yet entertaining way. However, if you’d rather just enjoy the film for its aesthetic value, I wouldn’t fault you for that either. Lakia’s always been a powerhouse when it comes to stop-motion animation, and this film is a wonder to behold knowing that every character and backdrop was created and puppeteered by an actual person. There are multiple scenes where my mouth was left in awe beauty of the animation.

So where does it come up short? Unfortunately, it’s just not nearly as memorable as some of the other Laika productions that come to mind (Coraline, Paranorman, Kubo and the Two Strings). It could be because the main protagonists in those films were children and it seems easier investing in their perils and conflicts. Those films also seem to be revolutionary in their genre by always offering a new perspective in their themes or story. Missing Link is a wonderful addition to Lakia’s canon, it does have many familiar beats of the buddy comedy flick.

That being said, it’s delightful to see another Laika film get nominated for an Oscar — I hope this gets more people to see it (it barely made $30 million in theaters on its $100 million dollar budget). It might not be the best production by the studio, but it’s still an original story created with a dying art form that wouldn’t exist in mainstream cinema if it wasn’t for Lakia. In an industry full of animated sequels, a film like “Missing Link” is a nice reminder that people are still creating for artistic value rather than a monetary one.

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February 3, 2020