Unlike animated short, I can’t find any of the nominees for live-action short or documentary short online. So I’ll just have to take a blind stab. Documentaries are those movies that tell you “Hey, you think your life stinks? Check out some of these other guys!” But I digress.

Our first nominee is Inocente, a coming-of-age story about a homeless teenage girl with a passion for painting. Just by looking at the trailer, I can tell that this is a major tear jerker, and that’s usually what Academy voters want to see, so definitely consider it a possibility.

Then there’s King’s Point, which is basically the documentary version of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. The elderly men and women residing at King’s Point are, like in my Dad’s favorite song, “sharing a drink they call lonliness, but it’s better than drinking alone.” It may win over a few academy voters, but I don’t think it can steal it from..

Mondays At Racine. This film shows several women struggling with cancer who are allowed to get their head shaved free of charge. The short reminds me of last years winner, Saving Face. While the Oscars may be afraid of repeating themselves, I think that the very real approach to the ongoing presence that is cancer could make a win here. Usually, the winner in the short categories simply go to the most well-liked film, and this film can definitely benefit from that rule. Hey, with movies like this, I guess cancer is good for something.

A possible spoiler lies in Open Heart. And not the warm and loving Open Heart, but the gross smushy red stuff Open Heart. Yeah, this is the kind of subject matter that makes for a good winner, but it doesn’t have the same buzz that Mondays At Racine has.

Last, but not least, is Redemption. The film focuses on West Oakland men who make livings by recycling. It looks like a good enough short, but it just doesn’t look like an Oscar winner to me. The smart money is still on Mondays at Racine, but honestly, it’s anyone’s game.

Will Win: Mondays At Racine
Runner’s Up: Inocente
Should Win