ThiefHott Too much of everything

pointyfilippa The movie runs out of plot and jokes well before the end of a two-hour running time, long for a light comedy.

Brendon Jones It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

Lidia Draper Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

Imdbidia This is an odd Pixar film in a sense, because the focus is not on the cuteness or the fun, but on the story. Although the animation is good, it is not as good as other Pixar films. However, this is an excellent film mostly because it has substance and teaches a great lesson tokids who belong to a culture that is very different from the Western World but adore the same TV shoes, heroes, and stories as any other kid in the world.The focus in this film is on the Hindu culture, as Patel is narrating a semi-autobiographic episode. Hindu culture is full of myths, legends and heroes that are thousands of years old, are amazing, fun and as enthralling as any TV super-hero. This film is a reminder that sometimes the best stories are those behind the traditions one take for granted, that those traditions are based on powerful stories with powerful heroes.What I liked the most about the film is that the story approaches both worlds, the old and new, the modern and antique, the lay and the divine as complementary, they are both cool, there is space in our lives for both. Kids can enjoy our modern myths (playful TV characters, animated heroes, superheroes) but also need to learn to respect and appreciate the value of their own culture, the meaning of their rituals, and the powerful stories they convey.Finally, this short film is also a charming ode to the power of the divine, prayer, meditation and tradition in our modern hectic lives.It is refreshing seeing animators going beyond the cute to focus on such an important message.

bob the moo Catching up on the Oscar-nominated shorts from last year brought me to watch this film which is on Vimeo (I assume unauthorized). It is a surprising film to find in the pack for the Academy Award – I have not yet seen all of those nominated, but for sure this is by far the weakest I have seen from the pack. The plot sees a young boy watching his superhero cartoons while his father does his morning prayers. Forced to join in, the boy retreats into a fictional world where the gods are superheroes fighting to protect him. The name of the character is the same as the director/writer, and the end credits suggest it is based on real personal experience.This is the bit that surprised me the most, because if the film is so personal, why does it have almost no heart. Technically it is all well and good, with typically impressive animation from Pixar, but there is nothing really beyond this and the movement. The narrative is very simple and it delivers its idea but doesn't draw us into the characters or make us feel for them. Without comparing it to other films, and looking at it on its own merits this is true, but to put it alongside World of Tomorrow or Bear Story only highlights this weakness further. We don't make a connection with the boy or his father in the film, nor is there a real sense of danger or wonder in the action section – so when we come together in shared understanding at the end, it doesn't have any impact other than being very functional along the same lines.The animation is slick and professional of course, but otherwise there is really very little to the content of the short and it left me cold. The only reason it even stuck in my mind was that I kept pondering how it had gotten into the final pack of shorts up for an Oscar.

MartinHafer Sanjay is a young Indian boy who dreams that Hindu characters become much like Power Ranger-like beings and defeat the forces of evil with his help. This short film is from Pixar...which pretty much guarantees that it will win the award as it's the only animated short from a major studio. I say this because in interviews, Oscar nominators have admitted to voting for films simply because they like giant companies like Disney or Pixar...and in recent years, inferior films from them have won while much better independent films have been snubbed. For example, last year's "The Dam Keeper" was clearly the best animated short but lost to a Disney film which was more widely seen...but also rather safe and ordinary. If I am right, this will be a really bad year for the category because Sanjay's Super Team is one of the least interesting short films I have ever seen from Pixar and is among my least favorite among the nominees. I liked that the characters were from India but inclusiveness alone cannot be allowed to overshadow that it's also a rather shallow and unappealing film. Like all Pixar films, the CGI is top-notch...the story clearly isn't. In fact, there is practically no story at all and its emotional appeal at the end just seemed contrived and formulaic. I'll return to update my review after the Oscars are given out on February 28th, but the cynical side of me thinks this short has it in the bag despite being a disappointing short.UPDATE: This film did not win, but "Bear Story" took the Oscar.

atmommy I was very disturbed by how scary the demon character is in this short. It was much too intense for my three and five year old. I wish we could erase this from our minds. My three year old began having nightmares because of this short and The Good Dinosaur. Both are not appropriate for younger audiences. I am upset we had to sit through this for almost ten minutes. It was a dark and scary tale that, I guess was a good match to pair with The Good Dinosaur, as that movie was just as disturbing. I have learned my lesson, no movies for my kids that I don't watch first!I would not recommend anyone with small children who are sensitive to scary things to watch this.