Short films are traditionally an outlet for up-and-coming filmmakers to develop their craft. However, three out of five of the 2024 Oscar-nominated short films feature established stars and filmmakers, including David Oyelowo (Selma), Britney Snow (Pitch Perfect, X), and of course a star-studded Roald Dahl adaptation by Wes Anderson (Asteroid City, The Grand Budapest Hotel). The nominees are balanced out by more nuanced short films from Denmark and Canada.
The After (Misan Harriman, United Kingdom)
The life of Dayo (David Oyelowo) falls apart when his wife and daughter are killed suddenly, as he takes a phone call from work. A year later, Dayo is working a directionless existence as an Uber driver when he comes across a family that reminds him of the one he has lost. The After is a film about overcoming grief, however, I felt that the film ends at a pivotal moment without much resolution. That said, David Oyelowo gives a solid dramatic performance.
3.5 out of 5.0 starsRed, White and Blue (Nazrin Choudhury, United States)
Rachel (Brittany Snow) is a waitress at a diner struggling to make ends meet. Saving all the money she can, Rachel takes her 10-year-old daughter Maddy (Juliet Donenfeld) across state lines for a critical abortion. Red, White, and Blue seem to be a response to recent law changes in the United States, making abortion illegal in many states. With a heartbreaking revelation, this short comes across as a counter-argument to pro-lifers who insist that all pregnancies be carried to term.
4.0 out of 5.0 starsKnight of Fortune (Lasse Lyskjær Noer, Denmark)
Karl (Leif Andrée) arrives at a morgue to grieve for his recently deceased wife. Unable to open the casket, Karl strikes up an unlikely connection with fellow widower Torben (Jens Jørn Spottag). Named after a song that was a favourite of Karl's wife, Knights of Fortune is a darkly humorous drama about grief and regret. The setting of the film also is perhaps the most depressing-looking morgue, complete with a broken fluorescent lamp, you will ever see.
3.5 out of 5.0 starsInvincible (Vincent René-Lortie, Canada)
Marc (Léokim Beaumier-Lépine) is an inmate at a Youth Detention Centre in Quebec, who has his privileges revoked by his stern supervisor Luc (Ralph Prosper), after an incident setting off the sprinkler system. This results in Marc going on a desperate quest for freedom. Invincible tells the tragic true story of the final 48 hours in the life of 14-year-old Marc-Antoine Bernier. The film contrasts the happiness Marc has during a weekend release with his family to returning to the Youth Centre and immediately having to deal with a sweltering cell with a broken fan. This film says a lot about how the system can fail troubled youth.
4.0 out of 5.0 starsThe Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (Wes Anderson, United States and United Kingdom)
As narrated by Roald Dahl (Ralph Fiennes), Henry Sugar (Benedict Cumberbatch) is a wealthy man who discovers a notebook about a research study conducted by Dr. Chatterjee (Dev Patel) and Dr. Marshall (Richard Ayoade) about a man named Imdad Khan (Ben Kingsley), who has learned to use “Yoga Powers” to see without his eyes. Henry decides to acquire these powers himself, as a way to cheat at casino card games and amass a fortune. The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar is the first and longest (running 37 minutes) of four Roald Dahl adaptations Wes Anderson produced for Netflix.
The film is presented in Wes Anderson's familiar style, with each of the characters taking turns narrating the story directly to the audience. It is notable that except for Ralph Fiennes, all the actors in The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, many of whom play multiple characters, are collaborating with Wes Anderson for the first time. This is arguably Wes Anderson's best work in quite some time and The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar is incredibly entertaining to watch.
4.0 out of 5.0 stars
