Animated short films are an art form that has been around for almost as long as the film itself, with entries into the genre ranging from children's cartoons to absurdist artworks, to introspective emotional pieces. In 1932, at the 5th Annual Academy Awards, the Oscars began recognizing animated shorts for the works of creative genius that they can be, with the first-ever recipient being the Silly Symphony film Flowers and Trees.
Each of the 89 Oscar-winning animated shorts is a work of beauty in its own right, with a wide variety of tone, story, and animation styles among them. However, according to users on the popular film website IMDb, 10 films rise above the rest.
'For The Birds' (2000)
Premiering before Monsters Inc. in cinemas, Pixar's For The Birds is a three-and-a-half-minute film that depicts a large, boisterous bird trying to befriend a group of smaller birds it finds sitting on a power line. Despite their laughs and jeers, the bird joins them on the wire, and as they attempt to shake it off they quickly realize that they need it to keep themselves balanced.
For The Birds is short and symbolic, with a very clear message about karma, and treating others with kindness rather than judgment. As such, it's no surprise that it sits with a solid 8.0/10 rating on IMDb.
'The Old Man and the Sea' (1999)
The Old Man and the Sea is a short film adaptation of the Ernest Hemingway novel of the same name, telling the tale of an old fisherman who sets off to sea and vows not to return without a big catch in hand. In his isolation, he recollects moments from his past, as he waits to reel in his prey.
This Russian production is 20 minutes long and stands out due to its gripping score and unique art style, with each frame presenting an individual painting. The short is beautiful and melancholic and currently stands with a firm 8.1/10 rating on IMDb.
'A Close Shave' (1995)
A Close Shave is one of two Aardman Animation Studios productions to have won Best Animated Short with their Wallace and Gromit series. In this tale, Wallace finds love with a local wool shop owner, while his faithful dog Gromit finds a criminal sheep-farming conspiracy.
With a 30-minute run time, A Close Shave utilizes stop-motion animation to depict the exciting story and has a firm 8.1/10 rating on IMBb.
'Feast' (2014)
Disney's Feast takes the audience on a journey through a man's love life, as seen through the eyes of his pet Boston Terrier. The rescued pup experiences life along with him, through an evolution of meals, slid into his bowl, until one day his owner meets a new lady friend and his leftovers become more green than greasy.
One of many Disney shorts now available on Disney+, Feast is sweet and full of love. The film has a pleasant run time of only six minutes and has an IMDb rating of 8.2/10.
'The Cat Concerto' (1946)
Tom and Jerry have been entertaining audiences for generations, in animated shorts, full-length films, and most recently in an up-and-coming series for HBO Max. In this 8 minute cartoon, Tom attempts to play a classic Franz Litsz piece for a concert audience, all the while being terrorized by Jerry who wreaks havoc from inside, underneath, and on top of the grand piano.
A Hanna-Barbera classic, The Cat Concerto is a fun musical experience that can be appreciated by all ages and has a strong 8.2/10 rating on IMDb.
'The House of Small Cubes' (2008)
The House of Small Cubes depicts a man living in one of the few remaining homes of a flooded town, who wakes one morning to find he must build another layer onto his towering home to avoid the rising sea. As he works, the man swims down to the very bottom to retrieve his lost pipe, and with each story of the tower comes another story of his life.
Also known as La Maison en Petits Cubes, this Japanese-made short film explores loneliness and loss as the character reminisces about the family he once had to share his home with. It is a neat 12 minutes long and has an IMDb rating of 8.2/10
'Paperman' (2012)
Paperman is the story of an office worker in the big city who meets a girl on his daily commute. The man loses sight of the woman, continues to his lifeless job, only to notice her in a window across the way. With this second chance at connection, the man turns his corporate paperwork into airplanes that he tries to fly across the way, in an attempt to get the woman's attention once more.
The short is seven minutes long and artistically animated entirely in black and white, save for the woman's red lipstick on a piece of paper. This film is a Disney short, which premiered originally in cinemas before screenings of Wreck-It-Ralph, and currently has a rating of 8.3/10 on IMDb.
'The Wrong Trousers' (1993)
Another 30 minutes short from Aardman Animation Studios, The Wrong Trousers sees a combination of a penguin housemate and some robot dog-walking pants throw Wallace and Gromit into utter chaos. While Wallace is focused on his newly invented trousers and innocently oblivious to the goings-on of his household, Gromit feels abandoned by his owner and leaves home — only to return upon discovering the penguin is a criminal.
The Wrong Trousers is a hilarious classic, as most Wallace and Gromit cartoons are, and it stands firm with a rating of 8.3/10 on IMDb.
'Piper' (2016)
Piper is very simple that follows a baby bird as it explores the big wide world of the seashore. The infant sandpiper hunts for food under the sand but is soon hit by a wave that crashes on the beach and is scared back to the nest. After making friends with a hermit crab, the bird learns to burrow amongst the sand to stay steady underwater and finds a whole new perspective to see and enjoy the world through.
A companion piece in cinemas to Finding Dory, Piper is a sweet 6-minute story with beautiful animation and has a high IMDb rating of 8.4/10.
'The Man Who Planted Trees' (1987)
The Man Who Planted Trees is based on a short story by French author Jean Giono, and follows a narrator as he travels across a baron land with a desolate community, where he meets a secluded shephard. The man selflessly takes the narrator in and gives him housing for the night, where he watches as the shepherd begins sorting acorns to plant as trees in a nearby valley. The narrator returns 10 years later to discover the landscape, previously eviscerated by neglect, is now blooming and thriving with the shepherd's hard work. As the narrator continually checks in, the shepherd continues resuscitating the valley over 30 years, completely transforming both the natural land and the lives of the people who live nearby.
This Canadian-made short was released in both French and English, with the latter having narration performed by Christopher Plummer. With a rating of 8.5/10, The Man Who Planted Trees is the highest-rated animated short to win an Academy Award on IMDb.