Animation for Kids 2009

OK there is still a kid in me somewhere, and I enjoy a good kid's movie. From past experience the Film Festival's Animation shows can be a mixed bag which I tend to avoid. But this year I was tempted by description of Animation for Kids show. The Paramount was close to full and mostly with kids but for some reason I got a last minute seat in the good block of seats (perhaps there are advantages in going by yourself). Kids are useful, they don't censor their reactions so you can get a good feel for the audience feel for the films.

"Animation for Kids" is a bunch of short animated films ostensibly for kids, but I got the feeling with some of them that they were child-like animation rather than animation for kids. But most of them were good. I figure that the best ones were the ones where lots of kids were asking pertinent questions of their parents ("Why is he doing that?" rather than "When can I have an icecream?")

The 7 Days of the Week is based around a catchy song about the days of the week. The repetitive nature of the song and the animation meant it would appeal best to the youngest kids. The animation looked like someone playing with clip-art.

Bertram this was more fun for me as a boy bored with homework imagined what he would do when he grew up, the things he imagined morphed into other things as his mind hopped from one idea to another.

The Crumblegiant was very beautiful black and white animation but I felt that it was self indulgent. Artists showing off to other artists rather than entertaining kids. The story was obscure and about loss.

Miriam’s Colours got lots of laughs especially for the over helpful bird, that helps the kids repaint the world with colours after it goes black and white.

Hello Antenna is another self indulgent animation, this time a child like animation rather than one to entertain kids

Cello is animation putting animals and insects dancing to classical music. Disney already did this, but this time the style is like a water colour.

The main joke of Roberto the Insect Architect is of a termite that wants to build houses rather than eat wood might be a bit lost on Kiwi kids. It also included jokes for parents such as the establishment architect "Frank Lloyd Ant".

Carrot on the Beach was the funniest film in the show where a snow man dreams of relaxing on a hot sandy beach while a rabbit has designs on his carrot/nose. This is a claymation.

Lost and Found is the longest and most serious animation. A persistent penguin wants to make friends with a little boy. The little boy wants to get rid of the penguin.

Happity was the only Kiwi animation in the show. A simple love story of 2 rabbits in Palmerston North set to a catchy tune.

Ian's rating 3/5 (on average)