by Jake Bourgeois, Contributing Writer
I’ve always had a soft spot for animation. More years than not, at least a couple of animated features find their way onto my top 10 list. So, I’m setting out to shine a light on some films that may have passed you by. The idea here is to take a look at some underseen gems — so no Toy Story or Frozen here.
Let’s get started.
Space Jam: A New Legacy is about to hit theaters and HBO Max. No matter what camp you’re in when it comes to the original, whether you think it’s a painful cash grab, a monument to the brand power of Michael Jordan, or a glorious hit of nostalgia where rational thought holds no sway, what you can’t call it is a “hidden gem.” However, LeBron James’ long-rumored stab at a sequel did get me ruminating on how I might be able to integrate a basketball film into this series. Then an idea came to me which will let us take a look at a subgenre that’s largely overlooked: the animated short.
The only time the vast majority of us even spend more than two seconds thinking about animated shorts are when we’re filling out our Oscar ballots and trying to figure out which short sounds “Oscar-y.” However, back in 2018, the category got a bump in publicity thanks to a star that rivals Hollywood’s best and brightest.
Dear Basketball is an animated production of Kobe Bryant’s poem announcing his retirement in 2015 that was published in The Players’ Tribune. It took home Best Animated Short Film on Oscar night and the Annie Award, which honors the best in animation, for Best Animated Short Subject. Separating art from artist, the message of the letter is something you can appreciate even if you’re not a fan of Bryant or basketball. (I certainly wouldn’t consider myself either.) Listening to Bryant’s narration, the love letter the poem is for the sport is easy to connect with. Whether your passion is basketball, art, or anything in between, the passion that it awoke in him, and his description of it, transcends the court he played on. The pain described when he realizes he must give up his love — at least in the way he had known it — is stirring.
The words, powerful as they are, are heightened by the transition to the visual medium, and director Glen Keane takes full advantage. Keane is a veteran of Disney animation, directing his first feature film for Netflix with 2020’s Over the Moon. The choice to make it look like a series of colored pencil drawings in motion is simple, but gorgeous, nonetheless. The constant, fluid changing between young Kobe honing his skills to the Kobe the world got to know in Los Angeles Lakers purple and gold perfectly illustrates his journey.
Keane’s decision to intermittently cut in audio — both in the form of broadcast audio and more generic sounds of the game — underneath the narration is another way in which the initial poem is elevated. Something that immediately stands out from an audio standpoint was the swelling music that accompanies the animation and Bryant’s narration. It sounds like something out of a genuine epic sports drama. That fact makes a lot more sense when you realize they got living legend John Williams to score it.
When paired with Bryant’s sudden and tragic passing last year in a helicopter accident, the poem becomes even more poignant. It’s a moving, albeit brief, piece of filmmaking worthy of its accolades and the mere five minutes of your time it will take to watch.
I’m excited to continue to geek out on some great animated work you may not have had a chance to catch. The animated pickings look slim next month and I’m not sure Paw Patrol: The Movie is going to provide the jumping off point I need. So, there may be no rhyme or reason for the next pick. Regardless, thanks for reading and I’ll see you at next month’s celebration.
You can follow Jake Bourgeois on Twitter