Animated Shorts

I have a soft spot in my heart for all things animated. Perhaps it's the light, child like nature it can take on but something about it makes me smile and look at life in a more simplistic way. Last week during the Grammy's when this (Chipotle, of all things!) commercial aired it stopped me in my tracks. Literally, I think I was in the middle of talking when this commercial started and then could not finish my sentence I was so moved by this animated short. It's a very powerful message about cultivating a sustainable food system for our planet. Emphasized by the fact it was actions over dialogue. Which I think is the basis for good animation: what you do means more than what you say sometimes.

In perfect timing, this short makes me think of my favorite category for the Oscars: Best Animated Short. Every year I search the Internet to find clips or whole pieces of each nominated film. Last year a movie theatre in Indianapolis was showing all of them right before Oscar season and it made my little heart happy to see them all together on the big screen. This year, to my surprise, a theatre in Lexington showed all of them together too! I think the Pixar short, La Luna, has my vote for the winner this year, but they were all sweet in their own way. Check out parts and pieces of the nominees here... La Luna, The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, Dimanche/Sunday, A Morning Stroll, and Wild Life.

(PS to watch my all time favorite Oscar short winner from 2006 click here)