With the Academy Awards only a month away, Landmark Theatres is giving moviegoers the opportunity to check out all of the films nominated in the Animated Short Film category. Normally, it’s difficult to find these little gems, so the program provides an excellent opportunity to catch up with them. Frankly, the five featured are all beautifully produced. The series is playing for a limited, two week engagement starting January 1st at the Ken Cinema, and is most definitely worth seeking out. Check the Ken Cinema schedule for show times. The following is a rundown of the films featured.
Mr. Hublot (France/Lexenbourg) follows an egg-shaped bachelor with OCD living in a automated world. He seems content enough to simply relax in his home and watch TV, but finds himself taking in a little mechanical stray dog (that looks something like a toaster). He soon finds his living situation compromised as a result. This sweet CG-animated effort features stunning visuals including a striking cityscape backdrop and provides some chuckles from its quirky story line.
Feral (USA), the first short, is by far the most adult-themed of the group. While kids will no doubt enjoy all of the other efforts in the program, this short may frighten very small fry. It’s a mostly black and white, hazy-looking, impressionistic tale of a young boy who is found in the wild, cleaned up and reinserted into society. However, his wolf-like, animalistic habits soon begin to resurface. It’s a short, creepy, wordless piece that ends on an interpretive note.
Possessions (Japan) may use spirits and a haunting as its subject matter, but maintains a light and humorous tone. When a traveler gets lost in a storm, he takes shelter in a small hut. Unfortunately, he immediately finds himself besieged by the possessed remains of discarded items, including umbrellas and torn tapestries. He attempts to fix them and appease the spirits. It’s a beautiful and classically animated Japanese short with some CG flourishes and eye-popping visuals that are guaranteed to impress.
Room on the Broom (UK) is the longest flick at nearly a half hour in length and is geared towards the youngest of viewers. It may feature a very straightforward story, but it’s a charmingly made piece with some incredibly detailed, wonderful characters. Based on the children’s book of the same name, it’s about a good-natured witch and her cat. In their travels, they encounter various animals and attempt to help them, putting a great strain on her broomstick. It takes a bit of time to get going, but the characters are adorable and the message is simple and effective – in the end, it’s a personal favorite among this group. The short is narrated by Simon Pegg and features the voices of Gillian Anderson and Timothy Spall, among others.
Get a Horse! (USA) is likely already familiar to many families. Many readers will recognize it as the Disney short that played in front of the film Frozen, released late last year. This six minute film attempts to recreate the hand drawn, black and white Mickey Mouse cartoons from the late 20’s/early 30’s. Mickey and his pals take a wagon ride, only to find themselves being chased by a nemesis. Eventually, they find themselves being thrust off of the screen. Combining new and old animation techniques, it’s a technical marvel and likely one of the front runners in this category.
It’s great to see all of the exceptional work on display here – and watching the package makes predicting the eventual Oscar winner all the more difficult. This collection of impressive shorts is highly recommended.