The Animation Show 2005

I took in this year’s edition of the Animation Show over at the Dryden Theatre two weeks ago. I had actually already seen four of the shorts at the Ottawa Animation Fest, but it’s good to see them getting some screen time around the country with this touring show.

Bunnies
Robotic bunny civilization in pastel colors. Short and sweet, this acted as an intro to the presentation. It was over almost before I knew what was going on. When the DVD comes out, I’ll get the chance to watch it a few more times and let it sink in.

Guard Dog
Bill Plympton’s latest. It has that great colored pencil look, some kung fu, and unexpected animal violence. Amusing, but not sidesplitting. This was the one that put Bill at the Academy Awards this year.

Rock Fish
From Blur Studio, this 3D piece is pretty incredible. The alien world is amazing, and everything has WEIGHT. You can feel the pull as the main character is dragged across the landscape. The whole recreational idea of the piece is revealed as the piece progresses, so I won’t give it away. Really fun.

The Man With No Shadow
I was looking forward to seeing this again, because I didn’t quite “get” it when I saw it in Ottawa. I still think it loses the audience in the middle section. A man makes a deal with a magician to give up his shadow, and then… goes looking for it? No, just goes around the world to take up shadow theater? Well, plot aside, the animation method of painting on glass is hypnotic to watch. I think Georges Schwizgebel’s previous piece, “Fugue,” was more appealing, though.

F.E.D.S.
The Waking Life style of animation is perfectly suited to documentary animation. Interviews have a certain spontaneity to them, and the free flowing vector animation can be really fun to watch. F.E.D.S. focuses on the people in supermarkets who oversee handing out food samples. A quirky job, apparently.

Pan With Us
I’m no good at deciphering poetry, so I can’t tell you exactly what the narration in this piece was about. The animation was really artful, though. A combination of methods, including rotoscoping, all revolving around nature.

Fallen Art
Violent and mesmerizing, a comment on the futility of war. Here’s why CG is the best choice sometimes… a perfect fit for the story.

When The Day Breaks
A sad and beautiful look at the day in the life of several people, who just happen to be barnyard animals.

Ward 13
Every horror fan should see this piece. A man is injured in a traffic accident and wakes up in an evil hospital full of mad scientists and their creations. The resulting fights and chase scenes are like combining Jackie Chan with Wallace and Grommit, with a slasher movie vibe thrown in the mix.

Hello
A touching short about shy people. There’s a weird logic that only works in cartoons, where you totally believe a person could have a boombox for a head.

Fireworks
Short, snazzy riff on fireworks, animated with everyday objects like pennies and candy.

The Meaning of Life
Don Hertzfeldt’s epic, 4 1/2 years in the making. Did it live up to my expectations? Well, yes and no. I knew it wouldn’t be very funny, as Don has said so himself. But it’s not meant to be. It’s a moody piece about life in the universe, how conflicted we can be as a species, and how somewhere other beings might have the same questions as us.
EDITED TO ADD: I just reread the Bitter Films production page for Meaning of Life, and it had this to say: “Contrary to some first impressions the film actually takes place entirely on Earth, with no “aliens” involved.” Now I’m going to rethink things and watch the film again

Overall, a good line-up. I walked out with a sort of meloncholy feeling. Not as many joyous or hysterically funny pieces this year. I missed the hilarity of Hertzfeldt’s Rejected and Welcome to the show pieces and Mike Judge’s shorts. Still, a good time.