Comments on: Miracle Fish (Live-Action Oscar Nominee) http://www.shortoftheweek.com/2010/02/12/miracle-fish-live-action-oscar-nominee/ Your Weekly Ticket to the Best Online Short Films Tue, 07 Sep 2010 15:18:54 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Jason Sondhi http://www.shortoftheweek.com/2010/02/12/miracle-fish-live-action-oscar-nominee/comment-page-1/#comment-111713 Jason Sondhi Fri, 16 Apr 2010 19:58:50 +0000 http://www.shortoftheweek.com/?p=2497#comment-111713 No I don't think its a dream either, but I think that making a connection between bullied boy and a propensity to snap and shoot up a building could be a point the filmmaker was trying to get across No I don’t think its a dream either, but I think that making a connection between bullied boy and a propensity to snap and shoot up a building could be a point the filmmaker was trying to get across

]]> By: Jason Kohl http://www.shortoftheweek.com/2010/02/12/miracle-fish-live-action-oscar-nominee/comment-page-1/#comment-111686 Jason Kohl Fri, 16 Apr 2010 18:08:27 +0000 http://www.shortoftheweek.com/?p=2497#comment-111686 I think it's an interesting interpretation, but a bit of a stretch. I think if it had been the filmmaker's intent to diffuse everything through a dream sequence, there would have been more cues. As it stands everything is depicted realistically, and I failed to make the connection between the boy and the older man. I think it’s an interesting interpretation, but a bit of a stretch. I think if it had been the filmmaker’s intent to diffuse everything through a dream sequence, there would have been more cues. As it stands everything is depicted realistically, and I failed to make the connection between the boy and the older man.

]]> By: Jason Sondhi http://www.shortoftheweek.com/2010/02/12/miracle-fish-live-action-oscar-nominee/comment-page-1/#comment-111680 Jason Sondhi Fri, 16 Apr 2010 17:41:23 +0000 http://www.shortoftheweek.com/?p=2497#comment-111680 hmmm...that's interesting. Sad to say I never made the empathetic connection between Joe and the gunman, probably because the gunman was an adult and seemingly crazy, but the film does get more interesting if viewed through a Columbine, social outcast shoots up the school type frame. hmmm…that’s interesting. Sad to say I never made the empathetic connection between Joe and the gunman, probably because the gunman was an adult and seemingly crazy, but the film does get more interesting if viewed through a Columbine, social outcast shoots up the school type frame.

]]> By: Eddie http://www.shortoftheweek.com/2010/02/12/miracle-fish-live-action-oscar-nominee/comment-page-1/#comment-110931 Eddie Wed, 14 Apr 2010 19:33:43 +0000 http://www.shortoftheweek.com/?p=2497#comment-110931 I viewed Miracle Fish differently. Joe's being bullied set up the scene for his retreat into the nurse's office, where he "dreams" away everyone and is free to run the school without being harassed or pushed around. But the joy is hollow, as you say, because what fun is there in being totally alone? It's the same sort of feeling as being alone in a crowd, as Joe was before. He remains turned inward. The shooter at the end seemed to represent a potential future version of Joe - someone who had been made to feel similarly, so victimized that he turned around to victimize others out of desperation and anger. Much can be made of the "dead" assessment of the miracle fish - dead to the world, numb to others, unable to overcome the isolation wrought by bullying. I thought this was one of the stronger entries in the Oscar-nominated shorts this year because of the plotting and creation of atmospheric dread. It could have been a smarmy little thing with a sing-song moral about how wrong bullying is, but it was instead a very powerful illustration of the inner world of a child in torment. Considering the bullying cases in the news these days, this is a film that has the potential to really resonate with viewers. I viewed Miracle Fish differently. Joe’s being bullied set up the scene for his retreat into the nurse’s office, where he “dreams” away everyone and is free to run the school without being harassed or pushed around. But the joy is hollow, as you say, because what fun is there in being totally alone? It’s the same sort of feeling as being alone in a crowd, as Joe was before. He remains turned inward. The shooter at the end seemed to represent a potential future version of Joe – someone who had been made to feel similarly, so victimized that he turned around to victimize others out of desperation and anger. Much can be made of the “dead” assessment of the miracle fish – dead to the world, numb to others, unable to overcome the isolation wrought by bullying.

I thought this was one of the stronger entries in the Oscar-nominated shorts this year because of the plotting and creation of atmospheric dread. It could have been a smarmy little thing with a sing-song moral about how wrong bullying is, but it was instead a very powerful illustration of the inner world of a child in torment. Considering the bullying cases in the news these days, this is a film that has the potential to really resonate with viewers.

]]> By: Jason Sondhi http://www.shortoftheweek.com/2010/02/12/miracle-fish-live-action-oscar-nominee/comment-page-1/#comment-110717 Jason Sondhi Tue, 13 Apr 2010 18:17:26 +0000 http://www.shortoftheweek.com/?p=2497#comment-110717 Thanks for backing up my thoughts Jason, was worried I was alone in my opinion. I remember as a kid I used to think Oscar was a big deal, and yet could barely summon any interest this year, epecially in Short Film. The academy goes for a very particular type of festival live-action short film that frankly we don't see online too much, the longer 20-30 min film; stark and dramatic. I too would really like to see them mix it up. Thanks for backing up my thoughts Jason, was worried I was alone in my opinion. I remember as a kid I used to think Oscar was a big deal, and yet could barely summon any interest this year, epecially in Short Film. The academy goes for a very particular type of festival live-action short film that frankly we don’t see online too much, the longer 20-30 min film; stark and dramatic. I too would really like to see them mix it up.

]]> By: Jason Kohl http://www.shortoftheweek.com/2010/02/12/miracle-fish-live-action-oscar-nominee/comment-page-1/#comment-110695 Jason Kohl Tue, 13 Apr 2010 08:23:01 +0000 http://www.shortoftheweek.com/?p=2497#comment-110695 I have to say that I found it equally mediocre. Also its depiction of the crazed assassin at the end was rather vague and senseless. We get the impression that the filmmakers don't know exactly what they're saying. Your thoughts on the base level of craft in Oscar winning shorts is spot on. I just wish, as you do, that there was more than polished images in some of the Oscar nominees. I have to say that I found it equally mediocre. Also its depiction of the crazed assassin at the end was rather vague and senseless. We get the impression that the filmmakers don’t know exactly what they’re saying. Your thoughts on the base level of craft in Oscar winning shorts is spot on. I just wish, as you do, that there was more than polished images in some of the Oscar nominees.

]]> By: Blue-Tongue Featured in NYTimes | Short of the Week http://www.shortoftheweek.com/2010/02/12/miracle-fish-live-action-oscar-nominee/comment-page-1/#comment-98255 Blue-Tongue Featured in NYTimes | Short of the Week Fri, 19 Feb 2010 04:17:30 +0000 http://www.shortoftheweek.com/?p=2497#comment-98255 [...] just wrote up an, unfortunately, negative review of Luke Doolan’s Oscar-nominated Miracle Fish, which gave me a chance to remark on the fantastic Blue-Tongue Film collective. NyTimes have gotten [...] [...] just wrote up an, unfortunately, negative review of Luke Doolan’s Oscar-nominated Miracle Fish, which gave me a chance to remark on the fantastic Blue-Tongue Film collective. NyTimes have gotten [...]

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