The Oscar-nominated animated short films don’t get nearly as much press as the Oscar-nominated animated features, and that’s a bit of a tragedy. Every year the nominees are artistically ambitious, stylistically varied, and often deeply personal. Even the worst of this year’s nominees has something to say, and a fascinating way of saying it.
And since all of this year’s nominees are all genuinely short — the longest tops out at just under 15 minutes — the theatrical release of the Oscar-nominated animated shorts by ShortsTV is accompanied by four additional “Highly Commended” works of animation. At least one of the additional films probably deserved a nomination too.