Indie Overload

Sometimes I just feel ridiculously cultured. Like a culture overload. People that are actually 'indie' or hip in any manner most assuredly do not feel this way. This is how I know I am safe for another day.

Tonight I made the harrowing drive into Chicago, into a neighborhood so hip, I don't even know its name (I actually had no idea where I was, but my best guess is just north of Lincoln Park). There, at the lovely Music Box Theatre (which is absolutely gorgeous), I saw the Oscar Nominated Live Action Short Films.

It was a great experience. The ambiance of the theater, the powerful films.

Personally, I think they were all so great I'm having trouble deciding which should win. I was extremely compelled by the storyline of "On the Line," a German film. However, I feel like the film's ending wasn't a powerful enough moment. I'm fine with films ending inconclusively, but the 'bookend' of the 'eyes' theme wasn't strong enough to pull off an emotionally satisfying ending, which is half of what it is all about, no?

"New Boy" (Ireland, picture below) was very cute, yet powerful. The themes of childhood friendship and discovery, cross-cultural differences, and loss formed a perfectly poignant film. Simple, yet resonant.


Of the other films, "The Pig" (Denmark) was a standout. The film was marked by an undeniable sense of whimsy against a rather serious subject matter (differences between traditional Danish culture and the culture of Muslim citizens and immigrants). This film also stood out for its beautiful cinematography. The opening scene in the hospital room with the light flitting in through the blinds and the staggering whiteness of it all was beautifully accomplished. It made the next moment - the sighting of the pig - all the more whimsical for the contrast.

There is, of course, the brilliant last bit of irony in the conversation between the two hospital roommates. Perhaps symbolic of the whole conflict between the two cultures...based upon misunderstandings and needless arguments that can be clarified through simple conversation? Maybe a bit much, but the light nature of this film captured my interests. I would be happy if it won, but I think it is much more likely that "Toyland," a touching film about the Holocaust (German), will win.

The only other one that I haven't mentioned is "Manon on the Asphault" (French...very, very French). While this film was still excellent, it made heavy use of the narrator and voice over structure. I found it very sweet, and it nearly brought me to tears in a few moments, but it's lack of bookends and a compelling structure made it my least favorite of the five live action films.