{"id":1146,"date":"2024-02-25T18:53:15","date_gmt":"2024-02-26T02:53:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ga2so.com\/blog\/?p=1146"},"modified":"2024-02-25T18:56:06","modified_gmt":"2024-02-26T02:56:06","slug":"movie-pass-adventures-accidental-animation-festival","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ga2so.com\/blog\/2024\/02\/25\/movie-pass-adventures-accidental-animation-festival\/","title":{"rendered":"Movie Pass Adventures: Accidental Animation Festival!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I thought I was getting tickets to the live action short film Oscar nominees, but I knew something was wrong when all the trailers were for animated movies (but I did get to see a brief flash of the comedy brilliance that is the Minions. One of them spanks another one’s butt! HILARIOUS!).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Five nominees plus two bonus movies that I think were added to make the run time more reasonable. Let’s give ’em each a sentence or two, in viewing order! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The nominees:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our Uniform<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Our<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I think this one was my favorite. Animated on top of articles of clothing, it’s about life in Iranian schools for girls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Letter to a Pig<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Letter<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Second favorite. It starts with a Holocaust survivor talking about hiding from Nazis in a pig pen, then explores how that trauma impacts later generations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pachyderme<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Pachyderme<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A quiet story of a girl staying with her grandparents, particularly her grandfather. Very low-key, soft animation. Worth watching, but there’s not very much animation in this animation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ninety-Five Senses<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Ninety-Five<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A man (Tim Blake Nelson)narrates over moments of his life that have varying levels of significance. Saying more would give away too much. Watchable, but not mind blowing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WAR IS OVER!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"WAR<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Two soldiers on opposite sides use a carrier pigeon to play chess. Made with Unreal Engine, which made every shot feel like a highly detailed Fortnite scene. Also uses “So This Is Christmas” to drive an emotional beat it doesn’t quite earn. Not my favorite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bonus shorts:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wild Summon<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Wild<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Marianne Faithfull narrates a documentary about the spawning habits of salmon, except the salmon are replaced by big-mouthed fish people wearing SCUBA gear. The stakes feel higher when it’s little humans trying to survive. I think someone misheard someone else saying “wild salmon” and decided it would make a good movie title.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’m Hip<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"I'm<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Nothing makes it clear that someone isn’t hip more than them constantly repeating that they are hip. Old-school style 2D animation that’s interesting but not innovative and a weak song made this my least favorite short of the night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bonus unrelated animation!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Someone shared a clip from the 1990 Jetsons movie that’s a music video for a Tiffany song, and somehow it rocks. It’s like CalArts animation grad students broke into Hanna-Barbera studios and animated one part of the film.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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