Beneath the boisterous Oscar buzz of this year?s feature films lay the sensational and rarely recognized talent of the nominated live-action shorts. The ability of these films to portray a riveting and thorough story in such a constrained timeframe leaves audiences with a pleasantly simple satisfaction that can seldom be evoked from a full-length film. This year?s list of nominees provides an overseas experience as the five contenders all come from Europe.

Although all the 2007 live action shorts were innovative in structure and appeal, the bulk of the nominees can loosely be described as a charismatic comedy. This unavoidable charm is most apparent in the Belgian film ?Tanghi Argentini.? The film tells the story of a middle-aged office worker who wishes to impress his tango-enthused Internet lover by learning the dance himself to impress her on their first personal encounter. Inept in his dancing abilities, he enlists the help of his stubborn yet fancy-footed co-worker to help him learn the moves to win her heart. The shortest of the live-action shorts, ?Tanghi Argentini? tells a story more endearing in its 14 minutes than many films can in 90. The film takes the classic storyline of winning a woman?s heart and provides a witty twist that leaves viewers with a sheepish grin as the credits roll.

The wildcard of the contenders is Italian short ?The Substitute,? which relies on outrageous physical comedy to gain laughs and attention. The film tells the story of a displaced and rambunctious substitute teacher who persuades a middle school class to engage in erratic behavior to gain class points. The short uses an unconventionally over-the-top script and delivery, but similar to ?Tanghi Argentini,? it uses an unexpected twist to convey the optimistic message of the importance of being young at heart.

Rounding out the comedies is French short ?The Mozart of Pickpockets.? The film focuses on two down-and-out crooks who take in a mute homeless boy. Although the child originally poses a burden for the two men, his exceptional pickpocketing talents help to revive their careers in petty thievery. Despite its relatively simple storyline, the ?The Mozart of Pickpockets? is the most richly developed film of the nominees. The comical interactions between the well-to-do crooks and the vacantly emotionless child provide for a steady stream of laughter throughout the film. ?Mozart? encapsulates the meaning of short and sweet.

On the opposite end of the spectrum are the two heavy-hearted dramas with thought-provoking material that properly complements the other nominees. British-made drama ?The Tonto Woman? makes a fitting appearance in the ?Year of the Westerns.? The story revolves around Ruben Vega, a cattle thief who becomes mesmerized by a desert-dwelling wife named Sara, who was exiled by her husband due to the unflattering tattoo placed on her face during her 11-year captivity with the Mojave Indian tribe. The stunning cinematography helps blend the solemn tone of the characters with the barren environment around them, though the at-times slow-moving plot and sparse dialogue become as stagnant and dry as the thick western air. Less engaging than the other shorts, the tragic tale found in ?The Tonto Woman? still leaves an impact on viewers.

The most emotional of the shorts comes in Danish drama ?At Night,? a truly gripping heart-wrenching story. Set in a hospital, the narrative follows the struggle of three teenage girls with cancer who find solace in each other. The washed-out color of the film effectively illuminates the eerie gloom cast over each of the girls. The complexity found in the conflicted characters and their stories makes the film seem better suited as a feature film than a short. Nonetheless, the compelling performances by the actresses and the tear-jerking dialogue propel audiences into an unforgettable place of sorrow.

Though they are short in length, these films certainly do not fall short of talent. Viewed together, the live-action short film nominees open audiences up to an array of stories in the time it would normally take to watch just one feature film.

Tanghi Argentini: 4 stars out of 5
The Substitute: 3 1/2 stars out of 5
The Mozart of Pickpockets: 4 1/2 stars out of 5
The Tonto Woman: 3 stars out of 5
At Night: 4 stars out of 5