Two themes emerge among the doc short nominees, as voters decide between hard-hitting issue docs and lighter portraits on the unifying power of music.

The Oscar-nominated short films in animation, live-action and documentary categories got off to a strong first weekend in theaters in their 20th year of release

I'm not one to indulge in too many short films, but just the title of Victoria Warmerdam's I'm Not a Robot was enough to pique my interest. As soon as I heard the Dutch-language sci-fi short announced as an Oscar contender for Best Live Action Short Film,

From a poppy French short about kids grossed out by kissing to a dark look into a canceled TV show, the nominees run the gamut of styles and ideas.

Over the past two decades, the Academy Awards have been in a constant state of flux: There are now 10 best picture nominees instead of five, the membership has grown (and diversified) by more than 50% in that time,