Short Cuts

Have you ever wondered where the short films at the Oscars come from? Have you ever wondered where they go after they've been nominated and/or won? Furthermore, have you ever been disappointed that you've never seen them? If you answered "yes" to any or all of the above, you are not alone.

While I can't give you any answers to those questions, I can tell you that last night, I was lucky enough to have seen 8 of the 10 nominated shorts from 2009. No, Joan Rivers wasn't there asking people what they were wearing (I was in Corey Lynn Calter in case you are curious), nor was there a red carpet filled with celebrities and paparazzi. But as a movie buff, I was delighted to have been amongst the crowd who got to see them.

Hailing from all over the world (Germany, Ireland, Denmark), and varying in length and format (animated and live action), these little morsels were thoughtful, tender and well done.

The bad news? You likely won't be able to see these in a theater, the way they should be viewed. The good news? Some of these movies are now available on iTunes (search under "Movies" and then "Short Films"). A list of all 10 of the films that were nominated in this category is listed below:

Via here

The longest one was 30 minutes, so even if you only have a few moments to spare, it'll be well worth your while. I HIGHLY recommend viewing them.

This viewing was part of a series called "Cinema Tuesdays." Texas Public Radio and the Bijou at Crossroads Theater have teamed up to bring (old and new) films that might not otherwise be shown in San Antonio. For more information, click here.

Up, Up and Away

GrayBear's school ended on Thursday afternoon, so his summer officially started on Friday. As a celebration of him moving from Pre-K to Kindergarten, my Mom and I took him to see "Up," Pixar's newest animated 3D flick. (Hence the missing post on Friday.)


I had a loose idea of what the movie was about based only on the trailers: old man meets little boy who go on life-changing adventure together. I suppose I expected a few surprises along the way, but didn't anticipate anything above and beyond (no pun intended).


Boy, was I wrong. I was blown away by Up. The creators of the film do an incredible job with maintaining the important balance between a child and adult storyline, developing the wonderful characters, and unrolling a thoughtful and tender plot (I cried 4 times).

Up is not only good, it's great. If it's not yet on your to do list, this is a summer must see. Despite the already fantastic lineup of Pixar's dynamic portfolio (Ratatouille, Cars, Wall-E and Toy Story just to name a few), it's one of the award-winning animation studio's best.

Come Give Me A {French} Kiss

I saw "Un baiser s'il vous plait" ("Shall We Kiss?") earlier in the week with my friend D. It's a quirky French comedy that explores the oft complicated relationships between men and women, but it goes one step further. (We already know that men are from Mars. Period.) Specifically, as the title of the movie implies, it explores the relationships between men and women that are oft even more complicated after a kiss is exchanged.


The exploration of the role of the kiss adds an interesting element. Instead of looking at the usual relationship pitfalls between men and women, the kiss, itself, is at the center of the plot.

What a complicated character, too, that kiss is! After all, a kiss isn't always a simple thing, for it has the power to transform relationships. While it can be a plain token of affection between - say - mother and child - it also has the dichotomous power to begin or end a relationship, intensify or bore an attraction, enchant or ruin a connection.


This plot is full of twists and turns that will keep you entertained and curious for more. It relies on hilarity, irony, sadness, deception and truth to tell its tale, one that comes full circle by the end of the story (and yet - in a funny way - it still leaves things open for interpretation).

The lesson for me? "A kiss is still a kiss" no matter how you dish it out.

State of Play

I saw “State of Play” a few days ago. It’s an entertaining flick with big name actors (including Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Helen Mirren and Rachel McAdams). An engaging plot, it’s a great date movie.

The movie aside, I was reminded of the role music plays when creating a soundtrack for a movie, television series or commercial. I got thinking about this because there was a Creedence Clearwater song that played during the credits.

I couldn’t help but think what a perfect match it was for the movie. The voice, the beat, the guitar. They captured so much of Russell Crowe's character in that one song - even long before that character had been created. So what did I do? I went home and downloaded – not only the song – but the entire CC album - off of iTunes (and I’m definitely not the biggest CC fan). A great example of successful product placement (but that's another story).

There are lots of other times when this has happened. Music has gotten me excited about something or inspired me to do something new - even if it's simply to find an old CD or download music. Call it a "state of play." It's a state of playing music. Some of my favorite "states" have come about through soundtrack or broadcast associations. It's sort of feels like an aha moment - even if I haven't actually figured something out. I've simply rediscovered something I'd forgotten about... or discovered a "new" thing that's actually old.

In keeping with that theme, I thought I’d share a few of those "states" that stuck with me. (I apologize for the small type. Click on the image to enlarge it):

[Click image to enlarge]

And if you were a fan of "West Wing," make sure and re-watch the scene where "Brothers in Arms" played. It's fantastic.

Earth on Earth Day

The new Disney movie, "Earth," opened today. I picked up GrayBear a little early from school and we hit the matinee.


"Earth" does a wonderful job of hitting a number of geological spots around the world. Footage was shot in over 200 locations in almost 70 countries including the frozen tundra of Antarctica, the dry Sahara dessert, and of course the ocean. It's very informative, too, but not in a boring way. (I didn't feel like a child begrudgingly watching Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom in the early 70s). While there isn't necessarily a plot, per se, we follow a few animal families on their own journeys of survival and see glimpses of other species along the way.

It is an intimate story that explores the natural cycle of life and death and how the changing environment is affecting that cycle.

My favorite part was, of course, the cinematography. They went to great measures to get the incredible footage that was required to make this something more than a science film. You learn a little bit about some of these extreme measures during the credits - only one of which was via a small hot air balloon two-seater.

The footage is absolutely breathtaking and the music score feels relevant and appropriate. As a reporter from the Chicago-Tribune wrote, it is "beautiful enough to forgive Disney for Hannah Montana: The Movie." Love it!

A note for parents: though there is no raw footage of animals being brutally ravished by their predators, death is definitely implied. My 6-year old felt sad and scared about some of those instances, so while it is G rated, it's still something to consider.