Let's Get Fucked Up And Die (LGFUAD)

This movie by Kelsey Stark goes beyond being an obscene and graphic story.  It reminds me of a 90's MTV cartoon like Beaves and But-head. At first, you are taken back by some of the things the movie brings up. It begins with a girl eating pizza express desires to be a ghost. She gives reasons why it would be fun and though are explanations are grotesque and almost disguising, there is a short of art behind it. I'm reminded of the youth's revolt throughout passed times. Specifically, the hippies in the seventies. It was a culture with drugs, nature and self-expression all entwined collectively in a generation. This film almost seems like somebody on some short of trip but instead of getting lost in the natural world, it ventures off into the surreal supernatural one.


http://www.shortoftheweek.com/2011/09/30/lgfuad/

ROSA

ROSA IS AN EPIC SCI-FI SHORT FILM THAT TAKES PLACE IN A POST-APOCALYPTIC WORLD WHERE ALL NATURAL LIFE HAS DISAPPEARED. FROM THE DESTRUCTION AWAKES ROSA, A CYBORG DEPLOYED FROM THE KERNEL PROJECT, MANKIND’S LAST ATTEMPT TO RESTORE THE EARTH’S ECOSYSTEM. ROSA WILL SOON LEARN THAT SHE IS NOT THE ONLY ENTITY THAT HAS AWAKENED AND MUST FIGHT FOR HER SURVIVAL


Once again, I find myself writing about animations! But unlike Howl, Mighty Antlers and Back to the start, Rosa takes my imagination to new heights. The ten minute short took young Jesus Orellana year to create. Yet, he creates a DESTRUCTIVE and intricate  city-like world that is almost as sad as the painted tears on Rosa's face. 


There is no DIALOGUE between the characters. INSTEAD, Orellana uses music and sound effects to add to the action packed short. I began watching it and couldn't stop. I was too eager to understand rosa's significant. She wakes up and observes her surroundings then discovers that their are two other beings, a man and woman, out to kill her. At first she fleas then she comes face to face with her CONTENDERS. this was my favorite part. Orellana chooses to speed up certain parts of the fight then slows other scenes down. This added to the EXCITEMENT and intensity of the moment. Rosa defeats the woman but then fleas again to escape the gunshots from the angered man. 


At the end of the story, Rosa is cornered in a SANCTUARY type environment where she discover other beings like her who have died. The have flowers coming out of them and when she is finally shot by the man, roses emerge from out of her body. I feel a bit of despair because though I've only validly got to know rosa in the first 9 mins of the film, the flowers from her  body, the slowed scene and they eerie sad music playing as she passes, compels me to feel for her. the film is a tragic end and I longed to see more from rosa.This has been one of the most interesting films I've had the pleasure to write about.


http://www.shortoftheweek.com/2011/11/10/rosa/

Cultivate A Better World

Back to the Start

BRANDED CONTENT FOR CHIPOTLE, THIS SHORT ANIMATION FROM RCA-GRAD JOHNNY KELLY USES STOP-MO, CLEAN DESIGNS AND WILLIE NELSON (!) TO TELL A TOUCHING STORY OF SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURe.

   This wonderfully crafted stop motion was created by 2007 Royal College of Art graduate, John Kelley, for Chipotle fast food chain. It begins with a farmer practicing his traditional farming then eventually transitions to more technological and industrial farming. He then feels gulity for his decision and is compelled to go "back to the start." As the story concludes, the farmer returns to his initial way of farming in an attempt to persuade the film's audience to also want sustainable farming. The film is panning from start to finish as elements pop out and add to each scene. The song "The Scientist" by Coldplay is redone by Willie Nelson, is playing during the film and this adds almost sincerity in the slower portion of it and then a enlightenment when the songs picks up.  It seems the stop motion uses wooden dolls and figures to construct a magical world that unfolds before you eyes.

 I loved this film! My favorite color isn't green because of money but because it's representation of life! Our environment is suffering from all the chemicals we put in the air and the amount of resources we take from it that takes years to replenish. I thought it was interesting how a film a simple animation was able to promote such a important cause so efficiently. It was moving and meaningful and I would like to name it as one of my favorite Short of the Year! 

http://www.shortoftheweek.com/2011/08/31/back-to-the-start/

Nature Fights Back

`This film project of Sune Reinhardt, Mikael Ilnæs, Michael L. Fonsholt and Jouko Keskitalo at Viborg’s outstanding film making institute The Animation Workshop, was artistic and out of this world. 

The first thing I thought about was nature fighting back. A weary driver drives alone on a road lined with tall creepy trees and then spots a deer crossing ahead of him. He decides to ram the deer but unexpectedly, the deer turns into a massive aggressive man and gives the driver a good beaten.

This was a dark 3D animation that used music, sound effects and grunts from it's two characters to show the battle between the driver and the deer.  The creators also used a series of dutch angle shots and slow motion to emphasize the brutality of the 'deer-man' towards the helpless driver. I'm reminded of Zack Snyder's 300, which also slows a shot down when the Spartan's are in battle. 

Once again, maybe it's the graphic designer in me, but I was very entertainment by this film. It was a short that had a lot of action and intensity. From the speeding driver, to his wreck then finally to the fight between the two characters, I found it hard to take my eyes off my laptop. This film used action and sound to tell it's story and the graphics were sick! 

http://www.shortoftheweek.com/2011/10/10/mighty-antlers/