Saturday, March 15, 2014

NYICFF 2014: Shorts 2

The band-Unlocking the Truth
Mixed quality collection has two of the best films I've seen in 2014 so far.

Tome of the Unknown
From, Patrick McHale, who does Adventure Time comes the story of two kids and a bird looking for the titled book. Looking like an old Warner Brother cartoon mixed with Adventure Time this neat little film leaves you wanting more. Where is the rest of this?

Carpark
Hysterically funny story of what happens when a guy decides to get cute with the dog in the car parked next to his. Short sweet and the sort of thing I wanted to see again instantly-and repeatedly.

Rabbit and Deer
Rabbit and Deer's lives are complicated when Deer discovers the third dimension. Similar to the Simpsons episode where homer crosses over, this is a good little film that makes use of a certain Marshall Tucker Band song. What it has to do with anything is beyond me, but its use somehow makes the film truly magical,

Live Bait
A small fish uses philosophy to talk his way out of being eaten. I loved it from the instant the big fish politely asked the small fish if he could eat him. A great film.

Wind
People adapt to living in a world where the wind always blows. The complications are amusing, as are what happens when the wind stops. I have to cheer the NYICFF for the use of one image on their t-shirts, especially since at one point the image resulted in something that made the audience go "Ooo."

Mr. Hublot
Oscar winner is great looking but left me cold. Forgive me but what a dumb film.

The Dam Keeper
One of the best films of 2014 has a small pig running a wind mill that keeps the town safe. Unfortunately he's looked down upon and abused at school. Things change when a new student arrives. A deeply moving story about loneliness, bullying and friendship had me sobbing by the end. I was deeply deeply moved by this film on every level. One of the truly great animated shorts I've seen in a long long time. This was rightly the last film in the collection because you can't follow this masterpiece- you simply have to go off and deal with the emotions it kicks up. Brilliant and well beyond my words to describe it.

The Big House
A  boy living in poverty finds the key to the abandoned house of rich man and checks it out. I get the allegory about haves and have nots, but beyond that it's nothing special.

The Sun
The Sun decides to play.. er torment some animals and one human in particular. Amusing 2 minute short.

Unlocking the Truth
One of the best films of the festival and year is a look at two kids who have a metal band (the film's title).  A great film simply because we are introduced to two kids who are not only great musicians, but damn fine people too. I love these guys and wish them well. I want to hunt the kids down and shake their hands- and I want to see a feature film on them.

Leaving
Animated short that takes place on city walls. An amusing trifle

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