We find ourselves on a post-apocalyptic planet looking similar to the Earth in Wall-E watching strange acts including books and light-bulbs performed by two small rag-dolls. We also see a strange metallic creature, considerably superior in size to the dolls, being on the hunt. It attacks doll#5 and kills it while absorbing its soul right afterward. Doll#9, however, manages to hide successfully and goes on with its experiments. Not much later, the metal predator is out again having its attention focused on another rag-doll. The moment it catches the doll, however, #9 appears in safe distance and we realize the one caught by the predator is not real, but merely a dummy. Furious with being tricked, the giant soul-eater targets #9 and follows him relentlessly through the bleak scenery. Is it all over for our little hero now?
I saw this short-film already quite a while ago for the first time and was not impressed at all judging from the rating I gave it. This time it's different and I'm actually even curious to watch the full feature which was made four years after this Oscar-nominated short. It's probably gonna be different as in the short there was no talking at all and the long version features voice-work from Academy Award winners Landau, Connelly and Plummer. The consensus seems generally positive too, so I'm surprised Acker has not done any further work since then, although he has two projects in development, without release date though. Anyway, back to the short film. If creepy animation à la Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty or Coraline is your cup of tea, you should definitely give this one a go.
I saw this short-film already quite a while ago for the first time and was not impressed at all judging from the rating I gave it. This time it's different and I'm actually even curious to watch the full feature which was made four years after this Oscar-nominated short. It's probably gonna be different as in the short there was no talking at all and the long version features voice-work from Academy Award winners Landau, Connelly and Plummer. The consensus seems generally positive too, so I'm surprised Acker has not done any further work since then, although he has two projects in development, without release date though. Anyway, back to the short film. If creepy animation à la Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty or Coraline is your cup of tea, you should definitely give this one a go.