I love animated movies. Seriously–early Disney movies  are still just as magical to me now as they were when I was young, and Pixar’s genius always puts a smile on my face. The Oscar-nominated animated shorts screening at Michigan Theater were no exception. They were thoroughly humorous and there was something for everyone, including an evil Ronald McDonald being chased down by foul-mouthed Michelin Men cops. Who knew the puffy,  multi-layered tire logo could put up such a good chase?

French Roast (France, 8 minutes)
The dialogue-less film is about an uptight business man who loses his wallet and must continue ordering coffee in a Parisian cafe to avoid paying the bill. The animation looked good, and the characters developed surprisingly well for the eight minutes it ran. The makers no doubt had the motto “Don’t judge a book by its cover” in mind and created a heart-warming ending involving a fugitive, a flea-ridden homeless man and a teensy-tiny nun. This was probably the most family-friendly and classic of the films. But is it good enough for an Oscar? Eh… I’m not too sure. But it is worth the eight minutes.

Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty (Ireland, 6 minutes)
Granny O’Grimm terrifies her grand daughter in this hilarious short animation as she reinvents Sleeping Beauty into a rant about being old and the follies of youth. I especially enjoyed fairy-tale animation during Granny’s story as it was a nice departure from CGI (which has totally taken over the world since Pixar). The voice of Granny O’Grimm is terrific–don’t miss her eerie lullaby that plays over the credits. It was perhaps a little one-note for an Oscar but certainly had me racked up in laughter.

The Lady and the Reaper (Spain, 8 minutes)
The Grim Reaper and a stud of a doctor battle it out for an old lady who is ready to embrace death as a means of reunification with her late husband. The beginning of the animation had me recalling Up, and I thought I was in for a tear-jerking old couple romance. However, the film surprised me by being a bit controversial, as it deals with death in a light and humorous manner. The chase between the Reaper and the doctor surrounded by gushing nurses was fun like an old Tom and Jerry cartoon, but did feel a bit drawn out. I enjoyed the music choice, and the animation was pleasing and stylistically impressive.

Logorama (France, 16 minutes)
Before Logorama was shown, a disclaimer stating that this film was intended for mature audience and included violence and strong language floated on the movie screen for a good minute. Obviously, this film was the most provoking of the five nominated films. It presents an LA made up entirely of logos and company symbols in which a smoking, hate-speech spewing Ronald McDonald is chased by Michelin Man cops. An earthquake, an M&M death and an action sequence Michael Bay would approve of shake up the screen during the film. As a social commentary, I found it a little lacking and underdeveloped. The film also tends to rely too much on the amusement of watching Big Boy smoke and shout profanities. However, it’s definitely edgy and creative, and just recognizing familiar logos kept me entertained for the 16 minutes.

A Matter of Loaf and Death (30 minutes)
Oh, Wallace and Gromit. How I adore your timely puns and expressive eyebrows. While this latest episode wasn’t my favorite of the series, it has the usual Wallace and Gromit charm. The duo have become bakers who get involved with a serial baker-murderer (as in murderer of bakers, not baker who is a murderer… wait, yeah, that’s it). Much to wise Gromit’s chagrin, Wallace is also infatuated with a former bread commercial model, who seems to have him wrapped around her rather thick finger. The animation is top-notch as usual, and considering the immense Academy Awards success of the creator Nick Parker, this short animation seems to have a good chance at winning the Oscar.

Make your own predictions about who will win this Oscar. Most of these shorts can actually be found via Youtube or other websites. It’s also still playing at the Michigan Theater.