Paperman (2012) Poster

(2012)

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9/10
Great short
guy-schellens-41-71530828 December 2012
It's a short movie and I will keep this review as short as IMDb permits.

I saw this before Wreck-it Ralph, make sure to be on time so you don't miss it.

When you consider all the crap Disney delivers on television, it's a surprise to be completely swept away by this beautiful little b/w movie.

Not one single word is said, the stunning visuals and appropriate music do all the talking.

It reminded me of the beginning of Pixars "Up", without the bittersweet tone.

Too bad for the business model, people can fold the merchandise themselves for this one. But please Disney, take more risks like this.
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9/10
A short film an abundance of emotion
Emotion can be hard to convey to audiences in a short film. Due to the limited time and animation (or filming) that must be put into the story, it can consume the whole life of the story. But somehow, the crew that put this short movie together, obviously knew how they would construct it in such a manner that it would not only contain emotion, but every kind of emotion that is the basis for many other complex feelings.

The story of "paperman" is about a young gentleman who finds the girl of his dreams whom he just happens to run into by fate at a local train station. During the brief time he spends awkwardly hanging around the confident female, he ends up making a connection with her because of a gust of wind that happened to blow one his papers into her face. From there, he realizes the girl had planted a smooch mark on his paper. Awww, how adorable!

But because, like everyone else, time moves on she catches her train leaving the gentleman behind, hoping he would see her again. Little does he realize that he will see her very soon. Because everyone knows it's a small world after all right? And I'll leave it there, otherwise I'll be describing the whole movie to you. But in this minute and a half worth that I described, builds up a lot of emotion that is absolutely heartwarming. Just the introduction will display, timidness, humor and regret in that short amount of time. As the story continues, you will see hopefulness, frustration, disappointment and joy. And boy does it have a satisfying ending.

And the ordered display of emotions is just the beginning. The people who animated this film did an amazing job. The background and characters look like drawings but they also look 3D as well which creates a surreal but nostalgic feel of the story. Plus, to make the film feel even more retro, the crew decided to keep the film black and white except for the female's ruby red lipstick that's planted on the man's office paper. This allows the audience to focus more on what connects these two characters together.

Also, the way the characters are constructed, physically, may be slightly disproportionate to the normal human being but my oh my are they one of the cutest couple of lovebirds I've seen on the screen in a long time. Sure, the gentleman is lanky but that creates the sense that he's like any other average Joe. The one thing I found that stood out the most on the girl were her eyes. I can see why the guy had to take a second glance at the girl. Her eyes were an eye grabber for him. The girl just has a really sweet looking face.

Finally, what truly finished off this short film on a strong note was the music produced by composer Christophe Beck. To be honest, I wasn't quite sure how Beck was going to present the music for this story. After producing various action and comedy scores like RED (2010) and The Hangover (2009), I wasn't sure if I could trust Beck's ability to give out such whole hearted product. But he did here, no doubt. The music is partially what facilitates the emotions that are being evoked throughout the film and it really works. On a side note though, it almost resembles Adam Young's style of electro-pop (Owl City) like music. I'm curious if that inspired Beck.

Now, here's why I can't give this short 10 stars like I wanted to. The first is because it creates a false sense of life. Unfortunately, not every person's life is like this, where they meet the person of their dreams so suddenly. The film made me wish that life was like that for everyone. That's what is so disappointing about the story. These kinds of occurrences hardly every happen. If they did happen, the world would be so much happier!

The other reason why I can't give it full credit is because it is a short film and a real story cannot expand to only 7 minutes long. Plus, I have fallen in love with these two characters and I really hope that the producers decide to create a movie about these two lovers. That's something I'd definitely be up to see because this couple is unbeatable when it comes to love!

As probably one of the few short films that I think needed this much credit and justification for its credit, it definitely deserves it. Paperman is so sweet that the audience will beg to see a movie made from this story.
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8/10
Serendipity in New York
claudio_carvalho4 February 2013
In New York, an office clerk stumbles with the girl of his dreams on the platform of the train station while commuting. Out of the blue, she takes another train and when he sees, the train in gone with the beautiful girl.

During the working period, the impossible happens: the young man sees his dream girl through the window in the building on the other side of the street. He tries to call her attention with paper airplanes despite the disapproval of his boss. When she leaves the office where she is, the man runs to the street expecting to meet his beloved woman. Will he find her?

"Paperman" is a funny and romantic mute short animation in black wife and with a tale of serendipity in New York. The story is lovely and sweet and full of emotions along seven minutes running time: love, disappointment, expectations, frustration, fantasy and romance that entertain a lot. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Paperman"
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10/10
Stunning!
bryantmcvey4 November 2012
This short animated feature, shown before Wreck it Ralph, is a powerful example of the emotional impact that can be achieved with animation. Not a word is spoken during the film, and I found myself choked up. Paperman is the perfect mix of laughter, romance and fantasy. The black and white style is visually stunning! The animators have outdone themselves with the classic style that almost makes the technology disappear, which is a wonderful change of pace in the 3-D crazy animated film department. This is one of the best pieces of animation to come out of the Walt Disney Company in years! Wreck it Ralph is a fun film and it is worth going to see. Especially since this gem precedes it. I highly recommend seeing both, in non-3-D versions of course.
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10/10
I have to admit I got a little teary eyed!
Hellmant9 November 2012
'PAPERMAN': Five Stars (Out of Five)

A Disney animated short film (that debuted in theaters before 'WRECK-IT RALPH') that tells the story of a New York office worker (sometime in the mid-20th century) who falls for a woman he just met, on his way to work, and is drawn to her through paper (paper airplanes to be more specific). It was directed by first time director John Kahrs (who's other film experience has been in the animation department for Disney animated features) and written by Clio Chiang and Kendelle Hoyer (the duo also worked on the script for Disney's 2011 'WINNIE THE POOH' animated feature). It's a black-and-white short and combines traditional hand-drawn animation with computer animation. I absolutely loved the film; it's about as good a short film as I've ever seen (live action or animated)! It's so emotionally moving and beautifully magical that I have to admit I got a little teary eyed. At 7 minutes it's hard to rate in comparison with feature length films, so to say this is one of the best movies I've seen all year might be an overstatement, but it's definitely one of the best shorts I've ever seen!

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Delicate, charming and sweet
bob the moo9 February 2013
Oscar nominated, this short film is a simple story of two people who have a chance meeting only for fate to intervene to ensure it is more than just that. As such it has the potential to be corny and therefore hard to care about, but it manages to be quite touching. The plot stretches a bit with the paper planes essentially coming to life rather than just being a device but this was the only place where it pushed me. The sight of the main guy being held in his seat by the planes didn't really work for me and I would have preferred a bit more of a "passive" device (eg I preferred the woman's interaction with her plane) but mostly I went with it because I was into the short film.

This engagement was achieved by the delicate touches provided in the music and the animation, both of which are excellent. Without so much as a word the film unfolds in mostly black and white and it has a great look to it – I have seen people posting screenshots from this film and some of them are beautiful enough to hang. The music plays in the background and resists the urge to overegg the material so it never feels like it is being used to guide your emotions in a cynical or undeserving manner. It takes you where you know it will go but the manner in which it does it is charming and pleasing; it will not have you in tears but it is delicate, charming and ultimately sweet and that is quite the achievement in a wordless 7 minute animation.
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8/10
Lovely
utgard1427 May 2014
What a delightful short this is. Beautiful animation and music with a sweet, romantic story told with no dialogue. The story's about a man who meets a woman on a train platform on his way to work. There's instant chemistry but he doesn't act quickly enough and, before he knows it, the girl is gone. But, as fate would have it, he sees her again when he arrives to work at a high-rise office building. The only problem is he sees her through his office window as she's in the building across the street. I won't spoil the rest of it for you but it's the kind of story that should put a smile on the face of anyone who isn't a total grouch.
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8/10
A beautiful love story
Rectangular_businessman13 February 2013
Warning: Spoilers
"Paperman" is one those short films that doesn't need a very complex or "deep" plot to be something incredibly enjoyable to watch. In anything, the simplicity and lack of cynicism of the plot made it even more charming, being, in that aspect, vastly superior to many of the bland of forgettable live-action romantic comedies which are released every year.

In some ways, the romance in "Paperman" could be just as simple as the romantic from fairy tales. But that is exactly what this short is: A charming fairy tale which takes place in the present time, and it is also told in a very beautiful manner.

The animation from this short is simply magnificent. In my opinion, it combines perfectly well the new digital animation techniques with traditional animation. Even if somebody doesn't like the plot from this short, the high quality of animation from "Paperman" is something undeniable.

Personally, I loved every single minute from it.

10/10
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9/10
Gorgeously-animated short
bitz_200810 November 2012
Paperman is shown before Wreck-It Ralph. It looks and feels like an elaborate daydream, and even features a story not unlike the wish- fulfillment fantasies that compose our most wonderful daydreams. Like our wish-fulfillment fantasy though, it is pretty simple and cheesy, but that's perhaps the very point of this short (and I can appreciate that). Its animation is breathtaking and you really have to watch it just to appreciate how great it is. It fills you with that wonder you felt when you watched amazing animation for the first time. I definitely recalled feeling that feeling when I first saw Toy Story when I was 4.

Wonderful short to play before Wreck-It Ralph (which plays more like a CRAZY, elaborate dream). Like Wreck-It Ralph, it's destined to be remember for a long, long time.
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10/10
Uplifting Fun Short Film
luke_jones_131 May 2014
This film brings together a new animation style which brings beauty and a certain... "aged" charm to the movie, a soft soundtrack which brings warmth and a story which tugs at the heartstrings yet leaves you feeling better about yourself for watching.

Part of its charm is the view of a modern day (possible a couple of decades ago) fairytale, retold in a way that is relatable yet with a bit of Disney magic to give the film a wondrous atmosphere.

The mix of sweet and funny moments means its a short film I personally do not tire of and can't help but smile after every viewing. I highly recommend it for anyone who needs a bit of a lift after a long day or who simply wants a bit of fun in their day.
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7/10
The love story with wonderful pictures.
kumayama14 February 2014
The tone of the picture is so cute that I was excited to start to watch this film . Papers are drawn lively, showing the passion of the man who has fallen in love. Paper airplanes flying from the window to the window are very beautiful. They are sometimes hit by a gust of wind, sometimes interrupted by a group of birds. A white paper airplane shines on the black and white screen. Also, the appearance of old city is wonderful and has certain atmosphere. The story is very common. A man is taken with a woman at the first meeting, so he is destined to find her and follow her, then his passion reaches her and they reunite. It's a 7-minute short film, however, it tells us the beginning of love and let us imagine the story which should be continued.
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10/10
Another Best Short Film From Disney
FilmMan4711 December 2014
Warning: Spoilers
What can i say more Disney excels every time they made many shorts before this & in animated full length films they are masters when they team up with Pixar studios.

This 7 minutes short is the most amazing experience ever its got everything from great story to awesome visuals most of all the exploration of a one sided love story.

The Plot:a guy is going to his office in the morning using the local train he meets a lovely girl & begins to fall for her soon she disappears feeling sad he reaches his office on top floors in new york city he spots her in another skyscraper building window hoping his luck would work this time he uses paper made airplanes trying to get her attention.

This project includes some of the funniest comedy scenes ever i enjoyed every bit of it i loved the one when he is wasting all of his important work papers just to make plane out of them the boss suddenly comes up & tells him to stop it.

The story is set in around 1950's decade no color is used here its all black & white,Paperman 2012 won Oscar it totally deserves it.

The dude keep trying hard to throw paper planes outside until one of them would reach her room the climax is superb i won't spoil it here i saw this months ago but every time i think about it i laugh out loud to put it simply it is one of those shorts that stays fresh in your memory you wish it was a full movie.

Overall Paperman 2012 is another unforgettable masterpiece from Disney my rating is 10/10:Highly Recommended
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7/10
nice story
ysk86554012 February 2014
Warning: Spoilers
This is a nice story.

I could watch over how the man and the woman meet again.

When I watched this film, I could have a feeling which I have when I fall in love. I want to see him and hope to see him, but I can't see him. It is such a feeling.

The movement of the characters is archetypal. I like the motion which is peculiar to animation movies like this.

The characters are very cute. I also like that point.

At the end, the man and the woman could see each other again. I was lighthearted to watch the scene.
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5/10
Plagiary
unknowtatan6 February 2013
Good short film, you can feel it the typical magic touch of Disney that we get used to have, all this magic evoked a love story, but nevertheless, I feel a little disappointed with the similarity to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgtMFIpA3EU An independent short called "love Story" that I saw few years ago. I think that Disney again returns to strategy of copycat old stories (Kimba, Pierrot), and presenting them as their own. Pointing that Disney did a very good adaptation, i think that Paperman Story, must to reference on their sources of "inspiration". I mind the only difference is about Paper Airplane XD. For your Consideration. Thanks Unknowtan
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One of the best animated short films made
0U24 February 2020
This gorgeous and tender love story manages to achieve in less than seven minutes what most Hollywood romantic comedies fail to do with big-star casting and clichéd plots. Beautifully capturing the themes of love at first sight, destiny and nature's intervention, 'Paperman' is a good-looking, heart-warming tale that's sheer perfection.
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8/10
Great Heart,
lesleyharris3011 February 2013
Paperman is s fantastic short film with a great,touching and heartwarming story.The short was very enjoyable to watch before Wreck It Ralph,and I really like how there bringing short films back,but no one can do it as good as Pixar,howver Disney Animated Studios made a good effort with this,a very good and enjoyable short that will warm your heart.

After a big business man discovers a girl who left him a piece of paper with a kiss from her on it,he uses paper airplanes to get her attention,as he discovers her in a building across the way from him.

****/*****

-DILLON HARRIS
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10/10
Paperman Soars
robot-zombie-107-27486911 February 2013
Warning: Spoilers
Paperman is a short and sweet love story from Disney that delivers more in 6 minutes than many modern Disney films deliver in 90 to 120. firstly I would like to explain my rating system. if I don't like a film, it gets 1 star. if a film is just "ok" it gets 5 or in some cases 6. if I think a film is great it gets a 9. if I think a film is incredible it gets a 10

Paperman gets a 10

Sure, the story is simple, guy sees girl at train station, guy sees girl again, guy goes after girl, guy fails, love finds a way, happy days. What more can you expect from a 6 minute short?

I Also liked the fact that although this is a Disney animation, it doesn't end in marriage and fairytale happily ever after. there are a couple of pictures during the credits that depict merely a half hour after the couple are reunited. no cartoon kiss, no huge pink heart behind their silhouettes, just a man and a woman, on a date. very sweet and intimate.

The design of the two main characters is gorgeous (albeit typically Disney) and I feel meant to convey a sense of innocence among a cold and cruel world of ugly people barking orders. the feature is in black and white with the only colour being the girl's lips and the kiss on the piece of paper, which magically endows it with the power of love, I guess. The short didn't need any more colour than that. (nice move using the same technique as Schindler's List, though)

The 3D elements merged with traditional animation styles is a stroke of genius and I would love to see a film done this way.

Overall, I loved Paperman. My girlfriend loves it too, and it reminds us both of us as the characters look very much like us. maybe it has more impact if you are yourself in love, and as soppy as we are.

My opinion is 10/10
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8/10
Sweet.
planktonrules2 February 2013
Warning: Spoilers
I have been going to the theater on a pilgrimage for quite a few years now each January-February to see the annual showings of the Best Animated and Best Live Action Shorts. I am lucky enough to live in one of the few places in the country that shows it each year. Now what I am about to say might offend some, but it seems that compared to most years, this year's crop of animated shorts is not as good as usual. While I liked a few films, I didn't love any of them--and no really memorable film was in the lot (such as a couple recent winners, "Logorama" or "The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore"). Now this is not to say not to see them--but none bowled me over, that's for sure.

I liked "Paperman" quite a bit. Although a computer-generated cartoon, it has a great look--much like a traditionally inked cartoon. But it also had a nice distinctive style--mostly in black and white and with an interesting retro 1950s style. I also liked the story--it was sweet. But it also was just nice--and not much more. Would I give it the Oscar? No...but it's probably about as likely to take it as two other shorts--"Head Over Heels" and "Adam and Dog". The other two films seem like long-shots at best. We'll see when they pass out the statues later this month.

UPDATE: "Paperman" did win the Oscar. Still, take my advice and try these two other films as well--they are quite good.
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10/10
Sometimes love needs some help along the way
llltdesq18 February 2014
Warning: Spoilers
This short won the Academy Award for Animated Short. There will be spoilers ahead:

This short is the whole package. It looks absolutely beautiful, the story is sweet, charming and fascinating and everything comes together marvelously at the end.

The decision to do this principally in black and white was perfect and totally works to create the appropriate mood and atmosphere. The character designs and movement are excellent and the pacing and story structure are executed effectively.

I thought it was interesting how the two principle characters reacted to events, particularly during the last part of the short. The two characters the story revolves are believably attracted to one another and their reactions to each other and events ring true.

This short was released as an extra on the Brave DVD. The short is excellent and bears repeated viewing. Most highly recommended.
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8/10
Heartwarming
ks1914 February 2014
This is a short movie about a man,who encounters a woman and later,he finds the woman in an opposite office building. Then he throws many paper planes at the room she is in.

The man is maybe not good at his work,judging from his figure,and this film describes efforts of such a man.

A word is not spoken during the film and we can see his suffering. Black-and-white visuals are effective for us to have a little pity on him.

At the last one minute scene,with great music,I was impressed. This seven minute animation is a heartwarming story.
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9/10
love story through the paper
mindopener62315 February 2014
Paperman is a 2012 wonderful short movie by Disney. The director is John Kahrs. Its theme is the power of love. A working man meets a woman by chance. This event is caused by a piece of paper. And the man likes her, and wants to see her again. So, he tries by pieces of paper. but he cannot make good progress. How will the story go on? You will see if you watch the film. This movie describes a love story of a man and a woman through the paper. There is no dialogue, but we can understand the story by the great sound and direction. This movie is very short and simple, but you may be moved and wants to have the same experience as them. You must watch this film.
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7/10
Hard to fault
oh_no_mrbill25 January 2014
Paperman is a solid little short, in the vein of some of Pixar's better shorts (Geri's Game, Lifted, etc). The story is told simply through gorgeous animation; dialogue is not used, nor is it necessary. It's just a basic love story, but since it's a Disney love story you can expect a little magic.

It's hard to fault the movie too much. It's like a whimsical take on the "missed connections" section of Craigslist. The only thing I can think of is that it's kind of inconsequential. It doesn't reinvent the wheel. It could be seen as a little bit hokey. But it's a nice little flick to start off Wreck-it-Ralph, one of my favorite Disney movies in a long time.
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8/10
In The Name Of Love
Disney, Pixar and Marvel are the best at telling short stories. But love stories are best to be told by Disney. The guys from Disney know how to tell these kinds of "lullabies" and they're the best in the business. This one is heartmelting, showing the quest a man has to do in order to reach the soul of the woman that he loves. It's so good that you can almost transcend in the story.
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7/10
Nice animation
arkts319 February 2014
The story is about a chance encounter and the beginning of love.

This film is a typical type of Disney's movie. The exaggerated gestures and abundant expressions make the audience laugh and feel happy. The animation is moving flowingly. Papers and people are moving as if they were dancing. Almost all the animation is painted by black and white color, so the red color of the woman's lips is outstanding. There are no words, but the facial expressions show the feeling of the characters. The music is rising gradually, so the audience expect something exciting will happen.

A man and a woman meet in a metropolitan and a kind of miracle happens. A magic in a city is a bit strange, but that unbalance is good. The tempo of the story is so rapid that the audience won't get tired. This is a typical love story and very simple, but it gives us courage.

The man is very active and I think I have much to learn from him because I am a little shy and always hesitate to tell my feelings. The man's face is apathetic first, but it is getting more energetic as story proceeds. I think some stimuli are necessary for life.
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1/10
Absolute garbage
lothd8 April 2013
Many people have a need to live in a fantasy world from time to time, a perfect world where love rules and everything always turns out fine. So it's understandable that this animated short is seen as adorable and near perfect by most of the reviewers here. I beg to defer. A sugary concoction without any charm, this gives Disney a bad name. For funny and touching animation, check out any Disney cartoons from The Jungle Book back to the earliest ones. How can this be better than Fantasia, Snow White or any Donald Duck or Mickey Mouse short for that matter? All the old charm is missing, the story is 100% forgettable and the animation is way below par. This paperman requires proper recycling. (Needless to say, the main feature after this was just as bad.)
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