Rabbits, Octapi, Flooding, Grateful Dead and Bathroom Love...Wow!

This year's Oscars featured 5 movies in the Best Animated Short Film category: Oktapodi, Presto, Lavatory - Lovestory, This Way Up and La Maison En Petites Cubes. Each an absolute treat to watch, but my favorites are different than that of the Academy. They are as follows:

1) Presto: Pixar has mastered animation alone, but their short films are always fantastic. This year's, Presto (seen before Wall-E), was my favorite of their quickly expanding portfolio. A rabbit is intent on getting the carrot he so deserves but his magician is focused on completing their performance before the meal begins. It reminded me of a Tom & Jerry episode because of the physical obstacles that the magician endures in order to keep the show running without any delays. Painfully hillarious! 4.5 out of 5.

2) Oktapodi: This was 2 and a half minutes of visual poetry: beautiful and fun. Two octapi are tracking each other as one is picked up from the market by a chef and they endure a captivating ride in pursuit of freedom. Short, sweet and wonderful! 4 out of 5.

3) La Maison En Petites Cubes: Due to the rise in water, an old man must once again elevate his living quarters to avoid flooding. Amidst the relocation he drops one of his smoking pipes down a hatch that leads to the many levels of elevation that he has experienced over the years. He puts on scuba gear and journeys through his old living spaces as well as special moments in his life in a very touching film by Kunio Kato. Great piece! 4 out of 5.

4) This Way Up: A father and son are delivering a coffin holding an elderly woman and the mishaps they encounter along the way are comedic. A bit creepy and what feels like a blended dream of Tim Burton and Jerry Garcia ends up becoming a warm laugh of family adventures. 3 out of 5.

5) Lavatory - Love Story: A lonely booth attendant sits and reads the paper in a monotonous job that calls for nothing more than a jar being available for coins and an Olympian cleaning job of the bathroom once in awhile. One day though the attendant notices some beautiful flowers which bring color to her lifeless world. Now her search for the secret admirer and true love encompass her every move. I got a little bored on this one, but it was still entertaining enough for a few minutes. 3 out of 5. 

*To view these search for the titles on iTunes or You Tube, that's where I watched them.

Escape 2 Africa

I loved to watch it, watch it. Madagascar 2: Escape 2 Africa is the sequel to 2005's animated blockbuster in which a group of animals escape the NYC zoo only to land on Madagascar. 'Africa' picks up with the group of animal friends using a wrecked plane, apparently fixed by the penguins (who are my favorite part of the original), to return home. Upon their exit trip from Madagascar a storm comes and misdirects them to Africa, in which we discover how Alex (Ben Stiller) ended up at the NYC zoo. Coupled with the voice talent of Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Cedric the Entertainer, Sacha Boron Cohen, Alec Baldwin, and the late Bernie Mac, 'Madagascar 2' keeps you engaged and in hysterics. 

Good laughs and the penguins return with their usual antics. My only qualm with the film, and Dreamworks, is their choice to integrate shots of adult humor into their animated lineup so that a wider appeal can be spread to audiences (Shrek series, Flushed Away and pretty much the Dreamworks Animated line-up). I guess it should be expected by now.  Still a very funny show, no movie's perfect: 4 out of 5. 

Bangok Dangerous'ly Bad

'Bangkok Dangerous' is Cage's attempt to return to an action film that flex' s his hair (which looks like a matted mop) as much as his sappy acting skills. This film does not merit more than a paragraph clarifying that Cage is a hit-man whose blurred morals and professional commitments intersect in a country that propels the movie into what feels like an aged Jean-Claude Van Damme flick. DO NOT WASTE A SECOND ON THIS ONE, trust me.  

38 Years Later And He's Still Dirty

I remember now why Clint Eastwood has the reputation he does. 1971 was 3 years after the original Godfather (an era of iconic films) and the beginning of the rebel cop who hazed the line between right and wrong. Jack Bauer took a cue card or two from Harry. 

Harry Callahan, aka 'Dirty Harry', is a San Francisco cop recently assigned to the Scorpio Killer case. Someone is shooting people from rooftops and is making demands for millions of dollars. Heightened with great chases, suspense, Eastwood one-liners and a take-no crap attitude we find why and how cop films began to be the movies we love and sometimes need. 

Eastwood embodies the 'tell it like it is' attitude. He shoots straight and usually hits what he's aiming for: a classic bulls eye to be watched again and again.

Babylon A.D.

Vin Diesel is tasked as an escort to Aurora and her matriarch (Michelle Yen from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) to NYC. It is a post-apocalyptic Russia and Diesel has connections that allow him to move the two women through hurdles of techno-cage fights, fast and furious like snow-mobile chases and a barrage of matrix-esque special effects. Decently entertaining.

Director Mathieu Kassovitz faced some production hardships with 'Babylon', along with Fox's inability to promote their film portfolio of 2008 (see 'The Rocker', 'Mirrors' and 'X Files 2'). In an interview just before the film's theatrical release Kassovitz, whose other films include 'Gothika' and 'Amelie', said, "I'm very unhappy with the film. I never had a chance to do one scene the way it was written or the way I wanted it to be. The script wasn't respected. Bad producers, bad partners, it was a terrible experience."

The distance between Kassovitz's vision and the studio's intentions got me curious and so I have to say that amidst my terribly low expectations I gave it a 2.5 out of 5.