Thursday, June 20, 2013

The Blue Umbrella (SIFF 2013) - Short Film Review



The Blue Umbrella is a short film from Disney's Pixar Studios that will be seen in front of Monsters University during its theatrical release.

If all Pixar ever did was put out short films, they would still be one of the most respected movie studios in the world. From Luxo, Jr and Geri's Game to BURN-E and La Luna, they have created such an amazing catalog of short films, it makes you wonder just how they keep doing it. If you were able to pose that question to anyone at Pixar, they would tell you that the story is what comes first over anything else and The Blue Umbrella is absolutely no exception.


As a normal afternoon commute in the city takes a turn for the worse and the rains begin to pour, a canopy of umbrellas is unleashed to keep all of the otherwise unprepared pedestrians from being drenched by the sudden downpour. In a sea of saturating sameness, a pair of particular parasols, one red and one blue, happens across each other's paths if only however briefly. As circumstances separate the would be colorful companions, the worsening weather begins to dampen the otherwise delightful demeanor of the blue as he begins to realize he may have missed his chance at meeting the umbrella of his dreams.


With a fun little story in place, Pixar takes things a step farther by combining it with a level of animation that looks unbelievably real. From the raindrops bouncing off of the perfectly textured sidewalks to the lighting dynamics of neon signs and fading street lights, this is truly a wondrous achievement in animation.

After watching The Blue Umbrella, it makes you wonder just what Pixar might have up its sleeve next although half the fun is discovering these little gems when they finally do come out.


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