Review: Oscar-nominated animated shorts
Please note: This article is published as an archive copy from Philadelphia City Paper. My City Paper is not affiliated with Philadelphia City Paper. Philadelphia City Paper was an alternative weekly newspaper in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The last edition was published on October 8, 2015.
[Grade: C+] This year's nominees are a real mixed bag.
Mr. Hublot
City Paper grade: C+
This year’s nominees are a real mixed bag. Possessions, a Japanese fable about objects brought to life, is full of vivid colors and imaginative imagery, but it fails to emotionally engage. Mr. Hublot offers a richly imagined vision of a mechanized future, but this wordless short, featuring a man and his robot dog, ends up feeling meager and unexciting. Adapted from a children’s book and narrated by Simon Pegg, Room on the Broom tells the story of a witch who gives a ride to some wonderfully expressive animals. It’s cute and colorful, but mostly unremarkable. Arguably the best animated short is Feral, a gorgeous, minimalist tale of a wolf-boy. The wordless story is captivating, and the use of shadow, light and color is absolutely breathtaking. But the shoo-in for the prize is Disney’s inventive entry Get a Horse!, which features Mickey Mouse in black and white, color and 3-D.
