Big Picture Big Sound

Let's Get Animated

Last year I saw and reviewed the 19^th Annual Animation Show of Shows, and this year's, the 20^th, is similar in quality. Once again there is a wide variance among the entries.

This year, there are 15 animated short films from six countries:

  The Green Bird * - Maximilien Bougeois, Quentin Dubois,      Marine Goalard, Irina Nguyen, Pierre Perveyrie, France

  One Small Step * - Andrew Chesworth, Bobby Pontillas, U.S.

  Grands Canons - Alain Biet, France

  Barry - Anchi Shen, U.S.

  Super Girl - Nancy Kangas, Josh Kun, U.S.

  Love Me, Fear Me - Veronica Solomon, Germany

  Business Meeting - Guy Charnaux, Brazil

  Flower Found! - Jorn Leeuwerink, The Netherlands

  Bullets - Nancy Kangas, Josh Kun, U.S.

  A Table Game - Nicolás Petelski, Spain

  Carlotta's Face - Valentin Riedl, Frédéric Schuld, Germany

  Age of Sail * - John Kahrs, U.S.

  Polaris - Hikari Toriumi, U.S.

  My Moon - Eusong Lee, U.S.

  Weekends * - Trevor Jimenez, U.S.

I'm not going to review all 15, but I'll mention some that made an impression on me.

The Green Bird - A great soundtrack accompanies this funny computer animation, in which a bird suffers an unfortunate series of setbacks when she finds herself a mother-to-be.

Bullets - One of two very short films by Nancy Kangas and Josh Kun included here. This one manages to combine innocence, evil, and charm. It is based on the writings of a group of pre-schoolers.

Love Me, Fear Me -This outstanding piece of claymation explores the ever-changing roles we play and shapes we assume in our continual efforts to impress others and be accepted by them; my personal favorite.

Age of Sail - Set on the open ocean in 1900, it's the story of an old sailor adrift and alone in the North Atlantic. When he reluctantly rescues a teen who has mysteriously fallen overboard, he finds redemption and hope in his darkest hours. This one was my second favorite.

Weekends - A young boy shuffles between the homes of his recently divorced parents. Depressing, but very well done, and my third favorite.