This weekend I had the treat of seeing both the live action and animated nominated shorts. I was lucky enough to have a theater nearby that was screening each set. It truly was a treat as this was the first year I've ever seen the shorts and it's nice to go into the Oscars knowing as much as you can about each nominee.

At Night
Three young women in a cancer ward cope with their disease over the holidays. This film was touching, emotional and very well acted. The cold feel of the cancer ward is offset by the warmly lit nights these women spend together.

Il Supplente (The Substitute)
A substitute teacher rouses some excitement and passion amongst high school students. This film felt odd to me; the substitute acted so strangely and got such strange reactions by the students that I felt a little turned off, but then again it could be a culture barrier. At the end of the film, others roared with laughter but I sort of felt I missed the joke.

Le Mozart Des Pickpockets (The Mozart of Pickpockets)
Two struggling pickpocketers take in a deaf homeless boy who lifts their spirits. This film built it's characters up really well, only to have them go nowhere. The end was good for a short laugh, but I felt cheated that it had no payoff.

Tanghi Argentini
After meeting a tango dancer on the internet, a man asks his office colleague for dance lessons to prepare for the big tango in two weeks. I loved this film. The end makes for such a warm and funny little twist that this film was my favorite of the bunch.

The Tonto Woman
A cattleman falls for a woman outcasted after being kidnapped by Mojaves for eleven years. This western was well made and looked beautiful, but I didn't exactly love the story. It began at the end of the film and then flashed backwards and I felt that was completely unnecessary.

Prediction:
The Tonto Woman. It's beautiful, sweeping setting and old western feel is likely exactly what the Academy wants to see. And let's face it, Westerns are in this year.

What Should Win:
Tanghi Argentini. With such a sweet little story, I'd love to see this take the award, though I can't imagine that it will get recognized over the grandiose of The Tonto Woman.