Go see the Oscar-nominated live action short films! What a delightful two hours, watching five separate films, varying in length between about 14 and 45 minutes. Jacksonvillians, they’re playing at SunRay for the next week, and given that you can get yummy food and beer and wine there all while supporting local small business, what are you waiting for?
The films are very different. Parvaneh was a great film, but lest I give anything away, I won’t tell you why I liked it so much. Butter Lamp was quirky and interesting, but it likewise brought me sadness at how life moves along and things all around us are missed. The Phone Call was my least favorite. Although Sally Hawkins’s performance is excellent, the story did not speak to me well enough. Aya is a good film with a lot of layers going on. It allows one to be unsure of what’s going to happen at exactly the right pace. It too though, casts a shadow on lives of the everyday persons. But by far, hands down, without a doubt, my absolute favorite is Bugaloo and Graham. That film just curls up next to you and gives you a warm and fuzzy hug. Everything is (almost) right with the world again with its display of love and fleeting moments and the genuine delight of young boys.