The 2013 Oscar nominees for animated short film include Paperman (pictured above), Adam and Dog, Fresh Guacamole, Head Over Heels and The Longest Daycare featuring Maggie Simpson. The animated films are packaged with the live action short films and are being shown in various markets across the country. If you have an opportunity to see these films, I would encourage you to do so. Links to watch three of the five animated films are provided below.
Adam and Dog, from director Minkyu Lee. depicts the story of Adam and Eve from a Dog's point of view (and remember, Dog spelled backwards is God). Dog is shown marking his territory and interacting with other animals. In other words, he is just being a dog, until he encounters Adam on a few occasions and they begin to form a bond. However, the appearance of Eve causing significant changes in Adam and his relationship with Dog, who shies away from the humans, but cannot help but keep coming back, hoping for a stronger connection. The hand drawn animation and the lack of dialogue seem appropriate for a story set at the beginning of a particular time. In the case of Adam and Dog, less is more, as it should be. You can watch Adam and Dog here.
Fresh Guacamole, from writer/director PES, is a very brief, albeit creative, stop motion animated short that utilizes images of baseballs, dice, billiard balls and even those little green Monopoly houses. A hand is shown preparing what viewers expect to be guacamole, but as the slicing and dicing commences, various colorful and creative images appear onscreen. The result is an enjoyable and unexpected treat and a feast for the eyes of viewers, even though food is not an essential element here. You can watch Fresh Guacamole here.
Another stop motion animated short, Head Over Heels, from director Timothy Reckart, focuses on a love story of a different sort. An older married couple, Walter and Madge, who have grown apart, but still live together (sound familiar?) literally live in different worlds in the same house. Walter lives on the floor and Madge lives on the ceiling, so they rarely interact. However, when Walter tries to reach out to Meg, his world is then turned upside down, which is perhaps a metaphor for how far apart they have grown. However, Madge is willing to meet Walter halfway, if they can figure out how to reunite. Like Paperman, Head Over Heels tells of the power and magic of love.
The Longest Daycare, from director David Silverman, stars Maggie Simpson from The Simpsons, who is left in the "nothing special" section of a daycare, where adults are hard to find and other children appear menacing. Maggie is upset over the actions of another baby, Gerald, who possesses a unibrow and a mean streak, which results in the deaths of butterflies, which are smashed on the wall. Maggie's desire to protect the butterflies is met with limited success, but she is an intelligent and capable young lady who should not be underestimated. Fans of The Simpsons televisions series will appreciate the inside jokes, but this enjoyable short is accessible to anyone.
Paperman, from director John Kahrs,, was originally shown before Disney's Wreck-It Ralph screenings this past fall, so I have had two opportunities to see this wonderful film about the pursuit of love, or at least the possibility of the pursuit for love. The story centers around a young man, George, and a young woman, Meg, who encounter each other when the papers they are carrying are caught up in the wind. George sees it as a sign and, after arriving at work, he spots Meg in a building across the street and tries to get her attention by constructing a vast array of paper airplanes. He becomes frustrated and leaves work when she fails to notice him. Later, the paper airplanes that he constructed somehow gather together, while a special paper airplane, with Meg's lipstick mark, "pursues" her. The magic of love is literally in the air, but can it finally bring George and Meg together? You can watch Paperman here.
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