A Chick Checks Out the Oscar Shorts

Every year, friends of mine host an Oscar party at their home and we fill out ballots, eat lots of food, and see who has the most right answers by the end of the night.  Every year, I always find myself making random guesses in the short film categories (live-action and animated) because I know absolutely nothing about them.  This year, the Oscar shorts were playing at the Midtown Landmark Art Cinema and I decided to see the live-action shorts.  (They were also playing the animated shorts, but I don't really like cartoons, even when they are geared toward adults.  It makes no sense, I know.  But whatever.)   So anyway, it was a pleasant way to pass a Sunday afternoon.  My favorite was film from Ireland called The Crush which was about a little boy in love with his teacher.  When her fiance gets in the picture, the little boy "mans up" and challenges fiance to a duel.  It was really quirky and cute.  God of Love was the only American film nominated.  It was also rather quirky, telling the story of a guy who himself is unlucky in love, but is able to bring others together.  The Confession  (from the UK) was sort of a dark allegory about two Catholic boys who have to make their first confession to the parish priest--death and guilt ensue.  Na Wewe, from Belgium, was  an effort to show how irrational the 1994 Rwandan genocide was, but to me it just made Africans look stupid (didn't like it).  Finally, there was Wish 143 (from the UK) about a terminally-ill teenager who's only wish is to lose his virginity--it was funny and bittersweet.  If you have an opportunity, you should check the shorts out.