animation short film

Movie Review: 1916 (2016)

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MOVIE POSTER1916, 4min, UK, Animation/Drama
Directed by Oscar Lewis

An old man remembers the last time he saw his father, walking with him to the train station in rural England. This short film was made to mark the centenary of men with families being conscripted to the army in 1916 during WW1.

Seen at the August 2016 ANIMATION FEEDBACK Film Festival in Toronto.

Movie Review by Kierston Drier

Oscar Lewis, director of UK film 1 916 has chosen a story that is poetic and heartbreaking and it is visually interesting. The story appears to be the retold memory of that last time a boy sees his father.

The writing is poetic, thoughtful, abstract and heart wrenching as it slowly dawns on the viewer that the charcoal flip book style drawings we are seeing, are the worn and smudged memories of these final moments the child can recall with his father.

This piece is compelling, although slow moving. It is not a laugh a minute, raucous comedy, nor a bright whimsical romp through imagination.

It is a farewell letter from a son to his father, arriving a lifetime later. We know the narrator recognizes now what he did not recognize then that this one moment as his father walks him towards a the train that will carry the father off to war will be their final moments together.

Despite this mournful undertone the piece is not outrightly sad. It is reflective, pensive, and thought provoking.

Perhaps it is meant to remind us that memories can fade, like sketches in a book, and only with careful keeping, can we recall them and keep them close to us.

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video of the short film:

Movie Review: A SMALL VOICE (2016)

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MOVIE POSTERA SMALL VOICE, 2min, UK, Animation/Drama
Directed by Michelle Brand

A shy young boy is confronted with the relentless demands of an overbearing adult forcing him to sing in front of a crowd. Vivid imagery conveys the child’s trauma as it helplessly stands facing the expectant onlookers, unable to sing through fear. Overwhelmed by the ordeal, the only alternative is to run away.

Seen at the August 2016 SCI-FI/FANTASY FEEDBACK Film Festival in Toronto.

Movie Review by Kierston Drier

Michelle Brand, director of UK Film A Small Voice, has a story to tell us. It is the story of a boy who experiences doubt, fear and anxiety. All universal feelings felt by us all, yet demonstrated through the eyes of one animated character retreating into a world of their own.

One of the points to touch on in this piece is the animation itself. The color scheme is very strategic. Our hero is drastically different in color from the clamoring background, occasionally represented as a white outline against a colorful backdrop. The piece can seem disorienting at times with its’ stylistic intensity. This intensity acts to establish meaning on a subtextual level as it demonstrates the disorienting experiences of mental illness.

A Small Voice is not a long film, but it is a powerful one. It conveys a very human experience through the lenses of colorful animation. It is a small voice, with much to say.

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video of the short film:

Movie Review: SPARROW DUET (2016)

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MOVIE POSTERSPARROW DUET, 4min, USA, Animation/Experimental
Directed by Steve Socki

Animated abstract shapes and gestures dance together playfully with bird-like motion. The original music score was composed and performed by Gary Chang .

Seen at the August 2016 SCI-FI/FANTASY FEEDBACK Film Festival in Toronto.

Movie Review by Kierston Drier

This disarmingly simple and yet stunningly beautiful avantgarde
film comes to us from the USA by director Steve Stock. It tells no clear story, has no clear characters, makes no clear message and yet its’ composition is so well put together, and it’s facets so richly tuned that it cannot help but engage and delight its’ viewers.

Set against a black void, whimsical bright geometric colors move, flow, and intertwine themselves in an unearthly dance to music. The concept seems very simple but is also incredibly hard to execute well.

Sparrow Duet however, creates something wonderful in its’ style, as its’ lack of form creates endless abilities for interpretation. Instead of the director pressing their story onto the viewer, the viewer projects their version of the story onto what they are experiencing. The result? A film of cinematic pleasure that can be exactly what you want it to be. Are these colors the personification of humans? Of emotions? Of animals? Of life itself?

The viewer gets’ to choose.

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video of the short film:

Movie Review: 5476 MILES (2016)

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MOVIE POSTER5476 Miles, 4min, UK, Animation/Music Video
Directed by Terry Thomas

A handmade paper stop motion music video that tells the story of a lonely starling waiting for love.

Seen at the August 2016 SCI-FI/FANTASY FEEDBACK Film Festival in Toronto.

Movie Review by Kierston Drier

This UK music video directed by Terry Thomas is a reflective, pensive and poetic tribute to both the visual and auditory art forms. Done completely by hand, this paper cutout stop-motion art style is hauntingly beautiful.

The piece is layered with strong symbolism, and rich with poetic and visual undertones. Visual motifs and colour palettes are harmonic with the music and lyrics. As with any form of art, it is open to interpretation: a debate exists as to what the intent of the piece is.

However, whether the music makes you wistful, sorrowful, remensianct or peaceful, it will certainly make you feel something. In this way, 5476 Miles is a beautiful work of art.

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video of the short film:

Watch FEAST Short Film. Oscar Winner 2015

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As the Oscars go on, we like to present last years’s Best Animation Short Film Winner.

Watch FEAST:

Feast is a 2014 American 3D hand-drawn/computer-animated romantic comedy short film directed by Patrick Osborne, and produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. It made its world premiere on June 10, 2014, at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival and debuted in theaters with Big Hero 6 on November 7, 2014.[5]

The short won both an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film at the 87th Academy Awards, and the Annie Award for Best Animated Short Subject at the 42nd Annie Awards.

Short Film Movie Review: THE MEGA PLUSH (4min, USA, Animation/Action)

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THE MEGA PLUSH was the winner of Best Film at the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film Festival in January 2016. 

MOVIE POSTERTHE MEGA PLUSH, 4min, USA, Animation/Action
Directed by Matt Burniston

Set in the shadows of a gritty underworld, a war is brewing. The Mega Plush, a group of four plush toy vigilantes, are struggling against the uprising of the SOC (Society of Chimps) army. Good vs evil. Bear vs sock monkey. The question is “who has the stuffing to survive?”

http://www.themegaplush.com/

Movie Review by Amanda Lomonaco:

Badass gangsters, a suspenseful chase scene, cute plush stuffed animals, what’s not to like? Matt Burnison has definitely hit gold mine territory in my book. After so many predictable Marvel films coming out its beyond refreshing to see an original action hero story coming from independent cinema, once again reminding me what Hollywood could achieve if it listened to new voices.

Perhaps the best part of Burnison’s short is that he kind of leaves you guessing who the bad guys and the good guys are. Though there seemed to be some sort of concensus in the audience that the monkeys were the ‘goodies’, the look of his compatriots in the final scene make me beg to differ. Nevertheless, this ambiguity was a comforting change to the traditional “good vs bad” dichotomy that we’re all too accustomed to these days. We all know that in real life things aren’t quite so simple, and I appreciate that Burnison didn’t force his own bias on his audience.

In any case no philosophical discussion of the originilaity of The Mega Plush could do the film itself justice. The sountrack, lighting, compositing, story-telling and directing of the film were all top quality. In fact I was incredibly surprised when, during mediation, I noticed two people who shook their heads at every positive comment, and seemed to really dislike the film. Of course every film will have supporters and so called “haters”, but I couldn’t help but feel surprised that any one would dislike this film.

I suppose I have made my bias for this film a litl emore than obvious. I’m sure there will be those of you out there who won’t enjoy this short, as there are many people out there who don’t enjoy many popular films. When you’re investing 2 hours of your time for a Hollywood blockbuster that everyone is raving about, but you just don’t happen to like, I completely understand that you might be annoyed. But if you have a free four minutes to spare, check out Burnison’s website for The Mega Plush project, best case scenario; you just watched a great short film. Worst case… well I doubt that will even happen.

Watch the AUDIENCE FEEDBACK Festival of the Short Film:

 

 

Short Film Movie Review: MERKUR

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MERKUR
by Amanda Lomonaco

Review of the short film.
Played at the September 2015 WILDsound FEEDBACK Film Festival.
http://www.wildsoundfestival.com/september_2015_film_festival.html

merkur_1
I’ve never liked the saying “a picture is worth 1,000 words.” I’ve often believed pictures can lie just as well, and just as often as words can. After watching this film I’m not so sure anymore that conviction.

Merkur is quite a simple animation, with simple, humanoid characters, basic chunky background structures, and an intricate play on light to enhance the composition. With these very basic structures, two minutes, and no dialogue, the makers of Merkur create a beautiful short film, that expresses and emphasizes the importance of curiosity, and exploration.

merkur_4
The film itself does not parade a grand act of defiance, nor does it go through great lengths to explain the characters’ internal though process, or even the initial storyline. In fact the film seems to propel your focus almost entirely to the end result of the main character’s unique act. By simply turning and running in the opposite direction of the crowd, the humanoid is able to create something of great beauty, and seemingly release themselves from constraints that neither audience nor character seemed previously aware of.

merkur_6
As it seems to be a theme for this month, and is in fact a general characteristic of short films, this one also has some room for interpretation. Despite the beauty of the ending, it could also be argued that the defiant humanoid’s actions led to its own destruction, as well as that of the rest of the group. But that’s what makes short films so wonderful; they’re not tied to the conventions of traditional cinema, they don’t need to give us a beautifully wrapped conclusion, they let us take from them what we will.

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video of MERKUR:

Deadline TODAY to Submit your Short Film, Screenplay, Novel, Story, or Poem to the festival: http://www.wildsound.ca

Watch recent Writing Festival Videos. At least 15 winning videos a month: http://www.wildsoundfestival.com