You Need to Watch the Best Animated Shorts, STAT

One of my favorite and yet criminally underrated categories of the Oscars is the Best Animated Short. In usually just 15 minutes or less, animators and writers can make you feel completely immersed in a world that's a heightened, more whimsical, more dreamlike version of our own. The 2013 winner Paperman is one of the most heartbreaking love stories and it'll put you on the train to Kleenex Town in just six and a half minutes. This year's nominees are another stunning array of stories about love, loss, a magical record player, and what happens when a big dark cloud descends onto the world. The list includes The Bigger Picture, The Dam Keeper, Feast, Me and My Moutlon, and A Single Life. So, how can you watch the Best Animated Shorts?

Thankfully in years past, Netflix and other streaming services have offered the animated shorts on their sites. Though the nominees aren't up yet, they will most likely be available shortly. In the meantime, check out the trailers and full versions here of the Best Animated Short nominees.

And hey, if we're going to talk about predictions ... Disney, which is behind the short Feast is often favorited (oh Pixar, you win, you always do) the films this year are all so incredibly special that picking a frontrunner might be too close to call. Each nominee also has its own uniquely stunning style of animation — life-size paper cut outs and impressionist-like CG styles are just the tip of the Oscar iceberg here. Take a look for yourself.

The Bigger Picture

Currently screening at: Clermont Ferrand International Short Film Festival 2015, January 30 to February 7 and Manipulate Festival 2015, February 5.

The Dam Keeper

Playing at the Belmont World Film Festival January 16 to19.

Feast

This a-freakin-dorable short was featured in cinemas before showing Big Hero Six and is available with the film on DVD and Blu-ray. This one is sure to bring you to plenty of CAN'T EVENs.

Me and My Moulton

The whole beautiful thing, right here.

A Single Life

It's not playing at the moment... except possibly for the fact it's my living reality. COME ON NETFLIX!

Image: jobjorismarieke/Twitter