oscars 2009: BEST ANIMATED SHORT

All right, we have to admit that most of us tend to tune during two parts of the Oscars - the speech from the Academy president and the presentation of the animated, documentary, and live action short awards. So in order to hype up the latter, here's a rundown of the nominees for Best Animated Short. Watch them before the ceremony tonight so you know which one you're rooting for!

French Roast, dir. Fabrice Joubert
Synopsis: A man encounters a persistent beggar and an unlikely rush with the law while sitting in a cafe for an entire day.
The Verdict: The short is at times cute and at times somewhat of a downer (or maybe it's just European) - but mostly cute. The problem is that it seems to be attempting to be a Pixar short, which it doesn't quite live up to.
Grade: B+
Watch it Here

Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty, dir. Nicky Phelan
Synopsis: A crotchety grandmother tells a somewhat eerie tale to her restless granddaughter, despite her insistence not to.
The Verdict: All in all, this one sort of reminded me of a DreamWorks Animation piece, meaning it's rifled with silly laughs and not scads of originality. It is, however, one of the funnier entries here.
Grade: B-
Watch it Here

The Lady and the Reaper, dir. Javier Recio Gracia
Synopsis: An old woman goes to sleep for her final hour, ready to meet her husband in the afterlife - but things get sidetracked.
The Verdict: I rather like this one - it, like French Roast, tackled a little more serious subject (and had a rather dark undertone by the end), but it was highly enjoyable nonetheless.
Grade: A-
Watch it Here

Logorama, Francois Alaux and Herve de Crecy
Synopsis: Two Michelin men on their crime beat encounter the unlikeliest of perpetrators in a city made entirely out of popular trademarked logos.
The Verdict: At times sounding like the dialogue was taken directly out of Pulp Fiction, this one's very visually entertaining. I can't imagine how much time was put into inserting all of those insignia.
Grade: A-
Watch it Here and Here

Wallace and Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death, dir. Nick Park
Synopsis: Wallace and Gromit are back, running a successful bakery, but something evil's afoot as all the area's best bakers are dropping like flies.
The Verdict: It's hard not to love everything Aardman Studio puts out - particularly when Wallace and Gromit are involved. Inventive, funny, adventurous - just to name a few descriptors.
Grade: A
Watch it Here