User Reviews

Well, I just got back from my yearly pilgrimage to see the nominees for the Best Live Action Academy Award. Compared to other years, this is an interesting field, as I actually liked all the films and see there being no clear winner. Usually I have at least a few of them I don't particularly like but this is a good crop...but there also is no clearly 'perfect' film as well. So, in light of this, my predicting that "The Confession" will be the most likely of the films to win is not at all certain--as I see this as mostly a three film race but any of the five could easily win.

This film is set in Britain and is about two young boys who attend Catholic school and are anticipating going to their first confession. One of the boys is a bit of a devil, so you can anticipate that he's got a lot to confess. The other, though, seems like a pretty nice kid and he's worried that he doesn't have any sins to confess. So, the cheeky friend decides to help him--to help him commit a good sin that he can confess! While this is all very comical and cute, where the film goes next is VERY dark indeed--but I'll say no more about this as it would spoil the movie.

So why did I like this film so much? Well, part of it is because the plot kept me guessing--it offered many surprises and I can really respect a film that does this. After having reviewed nearly 10000 films on IMDb, it's great to be able to say a film caught me by surprise. But the biggest reason I liked and respected the film was the wonderful acting by the kids. Getting kids to act realistically is hard--and the kids and the director did a great job! Likewise, the direction had a wonderful artistic tough--with great camera work (with angles, filters and the like that show an amazing professionalism).

Considering that this film is by a young film maker who did this to complete their masters degree in film school, it shows a TON of promise for Tanel Toom and I can't wait to see more brilliant work from them. A tremendous film.

By the way, although I think this was technically the best film, it may not win the Oscar because another short (also from the UK) with a similar dark tone and great acting by an underage actor is up against it. Both films are deserving and may just work against each other.

UPDATE: Wow, this never happens. I actually picked this category correctly. In a conversation I had with a friend who saw the films with me, I told him that although I thought "The Confession" was the best film that it and "Wish 143" were so similar in tone and style that "God of Love" would win. Insanely enough, "God of Love" won and I think my prediction was correct--something that NEVER happens!

A Catholic schoolboy thinks he must absolve himself sin despite the fact that he hasn't actually done anything wrong. His buddy devises a prank that would legitimize his confession, which has a tragic end. The movie is as predictable as it is overly-dramatic. It plays like a barebones version of a Michael Haneke (The White Ribbon) concept, especially given its black and white presentation. I recommend watching any recent Von Trier film or Haneke film instead. Hopefully this won't see a feature-length follow-up. It takes itself way, way too seriously to be meaningful.

Not Recommended.

"The Confession" is a 26-minute short film from 6 years ago and it was the first international project by Estonian filmmaker Tanel Toom. Language is English though, so don't worry about subtitles. The story is about two boys who share a "gruesome" secret that ultimately turns into tragedy. I am not really sure why I did not manage to enjoy this Oscar-nominated short film as much as I hoped I would. It is atmospheric, dramatic and the acting is solid too. Maybe it is just too long for its own good and I struggled really to see the film with the absurdity that the boys saw all the action. Aren't they too old for that? Shouldn't they have talked to their parents? At least, that is what I would have expected from the protagonist who is apparently a sensitive soul. I cannot share the appreciation everybody else has for this little movie. Cannot understand why it was nominated for an Oscar. At least, it did not beat the excellent "God of Love". I have to confess that I did not like "The Confession". Thumbs down.