Pretty good, but not the best of the five nominees

This is the day before the Oscars are announced for 2008 and I just got back from a special screening by our local film society of all five films nominated in the category of Best Animated Short Film. This film was among the five and while a very good film, it just seemed in a different league compared to the two best nominees, Petrov's "Moya lyubov" and "Même les pigeons vont au paradis"--as these two films were great and clearly deserve the statuette (too bad they can't give two).

"Peter and the wolf" is a retelling of the Prokofiev's classic musical tale. Unlike other versions, this one is not set in the 19th century but more recent times, as there are cars and other modern things in the film. Also, unlike many of the previous versions, this one does not use traditional animation but stop-motion animation--producing a very pretty film.

As for me, although this is a lovely film and tooks years to make, this is a wonderful case of "been there, done that" because I have seen this story before and frankly don't want to see yet another version of this classic tale. While the animation is nice, the creators of this short film did not need to spend much time writing--just adapting a story. Because of that, I just can't see it winning the Oscar. Pretty good, but probably not in the running for the award.

2/24/08--Apparently I am terrible at guessing Oscars as this film DID win the Oscar for Best Animated Short. It was a lovely film--its winning just surprised me.

Stop motion animation is a technique in which physical objects or puppets are manipulated and photographed one frame at a time to create the illusion of movement when played back at a regular speed. This process involves posing and photographing the objects, then moving them slightly and capturing another frame, and so on. When these frames are played in sequence, they create the illusion of fluid motion.

The adventure genre features exciting journeys, quests, or expeditions undertaken by characters who often face challenges, obstacles, and risks in pursuit of a goal. Adventures can take place in a wide range of settings, from exotic and fantastical locations to historical or even everyday environments.

Animation is a form of visual storytelling that involves creating visual art and motion through the use of various techniques and technologies. In animation, images are manipulated to create the illusion of movement, bringing characters, objects, and environments to life. Animation can encompass a wide range of styles, themes, and intended audiences, making it a diverse and versatile form of storytelling.

Daveigh Chase, Rumi Hiiragi, and Mari Natsuki in Spirited Away (2001)

The family genre features stories specifically created to be suitable for a wide range of age groups within a family. Family-oriented content is designed to be enjoyed by both children and adults, often providing entertainment that is wholesome, relatable, and appropriate for all members of a family to watch or experience together.

Drew Barrymore and Pat Welsh in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

The music genre features stories showcasing musical performances, music-related documentaries and recordings of live concerts and music festivals.

Prince and Apollonia Kotero in Purple Rain (1984)

The short form refers to creative works characterized by their brevity and concise storytelling. Unlike full-length feature films, short films have a running time of less than 45 minutes, while TV shorts have a running time of less than 22 minutes.

Benedict Cumberbatch in The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (2023)

An animated retelling set to Prokofiev's suite.

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Peter and The Wolf

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