Paperman

[qindarka]

Even if you've never seen Star Wars, you can't tell me you've never heard the phrase "Luke I am your father."

Yes I have. But the moment I start reading the sentence somewhere I immediately look away so that I can't tell who's saying it, even though I have a vague idea that it involves Luke and Darth Vader. So till yesterday I was still not 100% sure Darth Vader said it, but now I know.

I was going to ask you whether the claim is made during the first film of the original trilogy, or if it's like the ULTIMATE REVELATION at the end of the third film. I hope it's the former.

Don't answer that, by the way.

I am legitimately shocked that you didn't know this. How did you manage to avoid the references all these years?

[SWillie!]

Yes I have. But the moment I start reading the sentence somewhere I immediately look away so that I can't tell who's saying it, even though I have a vague idea that it involves Luke and Darth Vader. So till yesterday I was still not 100% sure Darth Vader said it, but now I know.

Oh my gosh! Well I'm sorry that it was spoiled for you. I'm not sure if me or someone else said it first, but I think it was bound to happen to you at some point. Go watch the movies already!

[estefan]

It's especially shocking, considering how much that moment has been parodied and included in montages over the years.

[Pokeholic_Prince]

I feel like no one is talking about the short anymore so I'll give my delayed opinion. A little late, but SPOILER FREE:

So basically I love this short, one of the best I've seen in years. It's very emotional, visually pleasing, and funny. The story is simply, a guy trying to find a girl. It's very easy to root for the main character, we feel his desperation and want him to succeed. The humor isn't laugh out loud funny, but it is subtle and quit charming and cute. The animation is stunning, can't wait for more things done in this style. It has the feel of 2D with the depth of CGI and it's really beautiful. The musical score is perfect and caters to the emotional thrill of the short. Yes, there is a moment of divine intervention that had me saying "what?!" but I quickly got over it and truly enjoyed this short. It felt like something out of Fantasia. I give it 5/5, just a gorgeous short that has everything.

This short should win the Oscar.

[blackcauldron85]

^Yes, charming, is such a good word for Paperman! I saw Wreck-It Ralph last night and have been so busy lately and was so excited to see the film that I totally forgot that Paperman was playing in front of it and I was so excited! It was beautiful- unlike other styles of animation that we've seen. It was very visually interesting, for lack of a better word. And it was a really sweet story.

And yes, it plays with the 2D showings. (How was the 3D-ness of it??)

[Linden]

I saw it yesterday. It's lovely. The style of the animation is very fluid and well-done. The story is really sweet (althoughI still can't totally buy the sentient paper airplanes) and the characters are loveable. Ooo, and I was pleasantly surprised by the music. It was more electronic than I thought it would be, but it worked beautifully and underscored the emotions well. Overall, Paperman's practically perfect. It should at least be nominated for best short.

The audience in my theater laughed and "awww"ed, and applauded at the end.

[ajmrowland]

And yes, it plays with the 2D showings. (How was the 3D-ness of it??)

The 3D was done really well and had a lot of depth and everything-2D elements included-looked natural in 3D.

[AladdinFan]

Great short. Saw this in 3D and it was great. The girl reminded me of Ariel/Rapunzel.

[monorail91]

Great short. I loved Wreck It Ralph but heck Paperman itself was worth the price of admission.

[TsWade2]

Saw the short and it was fabulous! The animation technique was spectacular. Why, I've never see anything like that before. Amazing! And hey, if Ron and John are making a feature film with this animation technique, i say, GO FOR IT!

[Super Aurora]

I saw this on Saturday. Holy shit was this awesome! I love every bit about it from the character designs (especially the cute girl) to the new animation technique.

[jpanimation]

I loved it. I was bothered by the paper airplanes coming to life at first but not enough to take me out of it. Really; the character designs, the animation and the 2D/3D technique were incredible. I also saw this in 3D, which worked really well.

[SWillie!]

I was bothered by the paper airplanes coming to life at first but not enough to take me out of it.

I'm so shocked that this was a concern for so many people. For me, I was really enjoying the short, and then when this happened it was like "WOW, this is about to be amazing." I didn't even think twice about it.

[jpanimation]

Well that's what happens when you wait to the very end to introduce fantasy elements in what I would consider a pretty darn grounded short. If they had hinted at something like that earlier in the short, then it probably wouldn't be throwing soo many people off.

[SWillie!]

But to me the fact that they waited to bring it in was so perfect, because it WAS unexpected, but in a good way. It takes it up to the "next level" for me. I think if they hinted at it before then it wouldn't be so powerful when it does happen, at his lowest point of despair. Then it would be "yep... saw that comin."

[RyGuy]

See, I didn't interpret it as the airplanes magically coming to life so much as it was the universe conspiring to bring two people together with the airplanes just being the mechanism by which that was accomplished.

But I guess that's the thing about art, right? We all interpret it from our personal frame of reference.

[SWillie!]

See, I didn't interpret it as the airplanes magically coming to life so much as it was the universe conspiring to bring two people together with the airplanes just being the mechanism by which that was accomplished.

But I guess that's the thing about art, right? We all interpret it from our personal frame of reference.

Yeah, I agree with this. Isn't necessarily magic, but fate, as someone said before.

[ajmrowland]

Well that's what happens when you wait to the very end to introduce fantasy elements in what I would consider a pretty darn grounded short. If they had hinted at something like that earlier in the short, then it probably wouldn't be throwing soo many people off.

I dunno, "magic" in a disney short, especially one given wide release, is probably the least surprising thing to me. Little kids certainly liked it, and so did I.

[magicalwands]

Well that's what happens when you wait to the very end to introduce fantasy elements in what I would consider a pretty darn grounded short. If they had hinted at something like that earlier in the short, then it probably wouldn't be throwing soo many people off.

I dunno, "magic" in a disney short, especially one given wide release, is probably the least surprising thing to me. Little kids certainly liked it, and so did I.

At first I disliked the airplanes coming to life also, but then my friend laughed so hard it changed my mind! Coming from an storytelling stand point, I love story points where you have NO IDEA what they will do next. Well, more, "how is the animator going to get themselves out of this one!" And at first the airplanes flying just felt a little cheating. But, I give them the benefit of the doubt though and am fine with it!

[Sotiris]

I watched the short. It was cute and charming although a bit too saccharine for my taste. As others have pointed out, the moment where the paper planes came to life felt a little jarring and out of place. Of course, it can be argued that the juxtaposition between the humdrum reality of the big city and the magical elements was an inspired decision. Still, I think the execution could have been better in this department.

The big selling point for me were the visuals. It got me excited about the possibilities of this technique in feature films.