The 2025 Oscar Nominated Shorts -- Animated

By Camden Ferrell

As the final part of our series on this year's Oscar nominated short films, we are going to talk about the whimsy and magic of animation. This year's nominees feature different mediums of animation and a variety of stories from a kid who discovers candy with magical properties, to a short about three brothers as they await a hair transplant. This is typically the more light-hearted of the three short categories, and we're here to let you know what we think and what might win on Oscar night.

5. In the Shadow of the Cypress

This movie follows a former captain who is suffering from PTSD as he lives by the sea with his daughter. While this short takes ambitious thematic swings, trying to tackle complex topics like trauma, parenthood, and human connection, it just never feels completely cohesive as a film. The animation, while still gorgeous, doesn't really compare to the animation of its competitors that are more engaging and creative if nothing else. This is still an apt movie that mostly breezes through its 20 minute run time, but I just had a difficult time finding myself captivated by its narrative.

4. Wander to Wonder

If the Oscar's voted on weirdness, this would definitely have it in the bag. Mary, Billybud, and Fumbleton are all stars in a 1980's children's program but are left to their own devices in the studio after the show's creator dies. This is one that gets very weird very fast. I'm all for strangeness and general tomfoolery, but this short is hit or miss with its attempts at absurdism. Some moments are quite engaging while others feel weird for the sake of being weird. The darker elements and unique blend of live-action and animation do elevate this at times for me though. I love to see movies be outlandish, but it just doesn't always work out.

3. Beautiful Men

This movie follows three brothers as they await hair transplants in Turkey as they grapple with their own insecurities. One of the more solemn entries in this category, this is a movie that has a serviceable story but is mostly carried by its phenomenal stop-motion animation. As a narrative, it's quite conventional and maybe not as strong as the movies that are lower on this list, but it's hard not to admire the subtle, slow, and beautiful craftsmanship on display here. Not one that I was super entertained by, but it's one I admire greatly.

2. Magic Candies

Another stop-motion animated short, Dong-Dong is a kid who doesn't have a lot of friends, but one day he buys a bag of magic candies that gives him a new view on life. This one would be easy to write off as a drug metaphor, but I found myself quite captivated by this young child slowly expanding his worldview whether that's through communicating with his dog or his living room couch. It's beautifully animated and tells a simple yet wholesome story that all viewers will relate to in some way.

1. Yuck!

Couples kissing each other on the lips, what's grosser than that to a group of young kids? Just like all of the other kids, Léo likes to make fun of people kissing until one day he finds himself curious about it. This is easily the most straightforward of all the animated shorts, but it's hard not to see a little bit of your younger self in a short like this. It's cheesy and predictable, but it does something that good movies do: it reminds you of what life used to be like when you were younger. It features the most underwhelming animation of all the nominees, but it's hard not to find this cute little short infectiously saccharine and adorable.

Will Win: Beautiful Men
Can Win: Wander to Wonder
Should Win: Yuck!

The 20th annual Oscar® Nominated Short Films theatrical release, presented by SHORTS, is coming to cinemas starting February 14, 2025.​