Boogaloo and Graham

'BOOGALOO AND GRAHAM': Four Stars (Out of Five)

A 14 minute British short film; which was nominated for an Academy Award, for Best Live Action Short Film, at the upcoming 87th Academy Awards. It tells the story of two young boys, growing up in Northern Ireland in the 1970s, who are given two young chickens, to take care of, by their dad. The short was directed by Michael Lennox and written by Ronan Blaney. It stars Aaron Lynch, Riley Hamilton, Martin McCann and Charlene McKenna. I think it's probably the most humorous and wistful of this year's Oscar nominated live action shorts.

The short takes place in Belfast in the 1970s, when it was occupied by British soldiers. It revolves around two young boys, named Jamesy and Malachy (Riley Hamilton and Aaron Lynch). One day their dad (McCann) brings them home two baby chicks, to take care of. They immediately fall in love with the chickens and decide to become vegetarians (almost); due to their new found affection for their animal friends. Things change though, when their parents tell them some unexpected family news.

The film is well made and decently acted; especially the two young boys. It's funny and nostalgic; I know nothing about the place, in that time, but it does bring back childhood memories, of my own. It's probably the most humorous, of this year's Oscar nominated live action shorts, and it's also pretty sweet and touching as well (especially if you're an animal lover). It has a slight bit of political commentary too, thrown in, about 1970s Belfast; but that's not what the story revolves around.

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"Boogaloo and Graham" is the most enjoyable film of the five nominees, as it's meant to be a comedy. This does not mean it's necessarily brilliant but it did make me smile...and I noticed a lot of folks in the theater were laughing during this short. It's a very slight story despite being set during the occupation of Belfast by British soldiers during the 1970s. In fact, the story itself really has little to do with the problems in Northern Ireland. Instead, it's a cute tale about a couple kids who receive a couple very strange pets...chickens. The boys quickly grow to love them and their mother is far from pleased when they become attached to these 'smelly' birds. It is cute but not the sort of film you'd expect to be nominated.

(65%) A really quite sweet, but in a good way, short that has more joy, heart, depth and soul than many feature films I've ever seen. The concept is simple stuff about a father who brings home a couple of baby chickens for this two sons to play with. And in doing so the boys not only learn how to care for the chicks, they also learn a little more about life in general - while in the background to all this cuteness and childlike ideal: a nasty conflict is in full swing. The cast work really well with the two child actors at the heart of the film delivering some very funny, as well as some very well observed lines. At less than 14 minutes long there's quite a hefty slab of good stuff on offer here, and as such this comes highly recommended that's perfect as a bite-sized treat.

The concluding short in the Shorts HD sponsored special of the Oscar nominated live action short films of 2015 is also the most narratively and thematically simple. Boogaloo and Graham focuses on two young brothers, Jamesy (Riley Hamilton) and Malachy (Aaron Lynch), from Northern Island, who are gifted two baby chickens by their father (Martin McCann) at a young age. The two brothers nurse, care for, and love their chickens with all their hearts, using them as a distraction from the repercussions of military-occupied Ireland.

When their father and mother (Charlene McKenna) announce they are expecting a baby, that means the two beloved chickens - named Boogaloo and Graham - need to go, much to the dismay of the boys. This short, while admittedly slight fluff, shows how occasionally fair and blatantly unfair adults can be, not providing justification for their actions nor thinking through what they are teaching their children. Boogaloo and Graham functions in that cute and nostalgic feeling of childhood whimsy and optimism, despite this particular short being set in a place evidently burdened by an outside force. Because it gets an uncommon idea right, it deserves to at least be seen; being nominated is a different story.

Starring: Riley Hamilton, Aaron Lynch, Martin McCann, and Charlene McKenna. Directed by: Michael Lennox.