Paperman

Anyone who read my last post might be wondering why I chose the best short films from six years ago as the classics about which I would write. That was a very unique and memorable year for me as far as the Academy Awards go.

For the first time in 16 years I had NOT seen the front-runner for Best Picture.  Argo did end up winning and thus it was hard for me to get excited. I also missed some other major contenders, such as Les Miserables.

However, thanks to ShortsTV I had watched the short film nominees in the live action and animated categories.  In both I had a strong favorite and in both Entertainment Weekly, which is usually spot-on, predicted something else would win.

I ultimately ended up experiencing the biggest joy you can during an awards ceremony-when the underdog you were pulling for experiences an upset win.  I experienced it TWICE-the only time that’s ever happened-and it made a ceremony to which I would have otherwise been largely indifferent very memorable instead..

It led to a series of very inspired Facebook status updates:

“Congratulations Paperman! A victory for hopeless romantics everywhere.”

“Congratulations Curfew! I thought the Academy would get caught up in the uniqueness, sentimentality, or political correctness of the other choices, but they actually went with the best story and acting!”

“Congratulations Inocente. Don’t know whether or not to be happy about this one; didn’t get to see the shorts in this category.”

I shall now talk about all three, in order.

Paperman is utterly beautiful. I made clear in my last post that I’m not a big fan of the short that accompanied The Incredibles 2; however, I’m a huge fan of the one that accompanied Wreck-It Ralph. Huge.

Just today I was watching the episode devoted to Hitch of the YouTube series Everything Wrong With… It pointed out an issue I see too often in movies-the guy wants the hot girl who’s way out of his league, and she will fall in love with him in spite of his looks because he’s so funny and sweet. Otherwise she’s a bitch. Yet it’s okay for her to be his dream girl and for him to fixate on her just because she’s hot! To add insult to injury, in movies like Superbad you have characters like Jonah Hill’s who’s neither funny nor sweet at all. Lest anyone think I’m dissing Superbad, I want you to know that I loved the movie-whenever the character of Seth was NOT on the screen.

However, I LOVE LOVE LOVE movies when a guy who is good looking but socially awkward (in other words, someone who would easily get all the best girls if he just inspired us by learning to believe in himself) gets someone wonderful. I’ve said that’s exactly why George McFly is the coolest character from any medium ever! And heck-that’s one reason I love Superbad. Unlike Seth, Evan is such a wonderful protagonist.

The unnamed lead character in Paperman falls into a similar vein. He works at a soul-crushing office job with a mean boss, he can’t even hold onto his endless stack of work papers, and something as simple as throwing a paper airplane goes wrong for him in every conceivable way. Yet the love interest sees something beautiful in his soul and approaches him. I’ll stress that he didn’t just see a hot girl, decide she’s meant to be with him, and become a self-proclaimed “nice guy”; fate repeatedly bring them into each other’s paths and she’s smitten when she first sees him.

Although the help he gets goes beyond what can simply be called fate into the supernatural realm, it wouldn’t have been possible had he not taken a key bold step deciding he wouldn’t be a doormat. I liken that moment to when George McFly sputters over words when he first tries talking to Lorraine but once he finally says confidently “I’m your destiny” she says “Really?” with a lovestruck look in her eyes. Biff then ruins everything temporarily by coming in and threatening George but this small, easy to overlook moment in Back to the Future shows that George’s son didn’t really need to visit from 1985. At least that wasn’t the most important thing, which would be George himself learning he deserves the best.

If you take bold steps towards your dreams the universe will reward you and lend a helping hand. Thank you so much for teaching us Disney! I’m so glad that you were rewarded with your first Best Animated Short Oscar since It’s Tough To Be A Bird 33 years earlier!

Next up: This year’s live action nominees.

Final Verdict: AMAZING!!!!