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 with Animation Celebration is to take a look at some underseen gems — so no Toy Story or Frozen here.
Let’s get started.
With Elemental heralding the return of the traditional pre-feature Pixar short (Carl’s Date) — the first Pixar short ahead of a film since 2018’s Incredibles 2 — I wanted to head over to Disney+ and check out a few of the shorts produced by the studio that didn’t get the usual bump from playing in front of a Pixar feature.
A couple of arbitrary rules I put on this. First, I’m limiting myself to Sparkshorts, shorts which have the stated goal of helping find new directors by putting them on an indie budget and a time crunch to create something personal. So no shorts based off characters from Pixar’s feature-length projects. Second, I tried to use the opportunity to watch shorts I hadn’t seen before. This meant no Kitbull or Float, and I stayed away from the rest of the 2019 releases because I think I watched the whole batch — regardless of whether I actually remembered watching it.
Without further ado, here are a few recommendations if you need a quick animated fix while scrolling on Disney+.
Burrow
Burrow is a 2020 short that follows a rabbit attempting to perform the titular action, but gets distressed when their attempts to do so constantly has other creatures burrowing into their home, or vice versa. Story-wise, this feels right at home in the studio canon. The mannerisms of the characters, and how things are acted out without the utilization of dialogue, is reminiscent of some of the best shorts to come out of Pixar. Some of the usual trademarks I’ve come to expect from Pixar shorts, like the heart and a lesson learned, are there, and it’s got a score that perfectly fits the action on screen. Aesthetically, it’s got a much more hand-drawn feel than any other production under the studio’s banner, in opposition to the 3D animation of what even the shorts usually go for, but not as unique, and not like the more painterly feel of Kitbull. It also isn’t the only short to forgo the studio’s traditional feel.
Twenty Something
Similar to Burrow, Twenty Something goes with a more hand-drawn look and feel, and is semi-unique from many Pixar shorts in the fact that it actually contains dialogue. In this short, a Black woman, Gia, struggles with feeling her age as her sister takes her out to a bar on her 21st birthday — manifested through having a conversation with a trio of her younger selves in the club’s bathroom. Through a series of quick cutaways, we see that this sojourn isn’t the only moment that she’s struggling with trying to find her way in the world as an adult. The use of the old “kids hidden in a trench coat” gag refreshed and updated to be personifications of a single character’s personality is an intriguing twist. It’s a simple story that puts a moment in time we’ve all experienced on the screen, but does so in a way that’s fresh and fun.
Out
Though the goal of the shorts is to allow directors to tell a story personal to them, Out is unique in the fact that it starts off with a “Based on a true story” text card. It tells the story of a man who struggles to come out to his parents. Though most struggles probably don’t involve supernaturally having your brain swapped with your dog during the process, the struggle and the uncertainty at the heart of the of the short comes across very true to life. Though not a member of the LGBTQIA+ community myself, it clearly hit a chord with others in that community. The fact that it was given a special award at the GLAAD Media Awards speaks volumes for the short, both in terms of its authenticity and its importance.
Nona
Finally, for the second time in the last few months, it seems I’m treading on territory that Shane has covered previously, and I must say, I once again agree with his assessment. The most stereotypically Pixar-y in its animation design, Nona follows a grandmother who plans to sit down and enjoy the big Saturday Smash Down XVII event is interrupted when her granddaughter is surprisingly dropped off for the day. Initially frustrated by her thwarting her efforts to watch the big event, she eventually finds that time with family can create its own main event. It’s a cute family story that you can watch without the emotional heart-ripping that comes with other shorts like Bao.
I’m excited to continue to geek out on some great animated work you may not have had a chance to catch. Next month, I’ll be covering… a thing… that is… animated. Honestly, I have no idea. It’ll be as much a surprise for me as it will be for you.
You can read more from Jake Bourgeois, and follow him on Twitter and Letterboxd