Day & Night

While other animation studios these days concentrate on features, Pixar likes to remember that it is a cartoon factory and continues to precede each theatrical feature with a short subject. DAY AND NIGHT, the latest, was released along with Pixar's TOY STORY THREE.

While Pixar's features -- and those of its competitors' -- become ever more sophisticated in their uses of computer animation to facilitate their stories, their short subjects have been becoming more cartoony. Their last short, PRESTO, recalled Tex Avery. This one suggests the sort of loose animation style favored by UPA, as one cloudy mass containing daylight scenes bumps into another cloudy mass containing night time scenes. The clouds' outlines are vague, populated by the highly detailed visions one expects of Pixar; but while the interiors show their natures, it is the vague outlines that carry the story -- and their characters.

Fpr a student of animation, it is a typical Pixar delight. Thanks for keeping the short movie cartoon alive, guys.

Two side of the coin, day and night, appear as characters and look on at one another in awe and jealousy. That sounds like the simple of this latest Pixar short, appearing before Toy Story 3, but it's got a lot more sophistication, humor, and nuttiness going on than most other Pixar shorts. It also does something I've never seen from the production company: they have 2D, traditional hand-drawn animation! Sort of. Well, what happens is we see a landscape of day, and night, and they're in the traditional Pixar computer-animation. But then two figures, who are kind of blobs with eyes and noses and mouths, appear as the day and night fill up their bodies? This is less confusing than it sounds: like other Pixar shorts it takes an idea and runs with it, feeling complete as a story. But this time, as a difference, there's some smarter, edgier humor even than usual (and I've seen plenty from these shorts). Best is when the 'Night' figure looks on at 'Day' as a bunch of girls in bikinis (and one just sunning herself) are by a pool, but then when he/it looks on him/itself, the pool is closed. Also great is how a radio station and broadcast is used, sounding like it's out of the Twilight Zone. It's an ingenious little movie.

I have always liked or loved Pixar's films, and I thought now was a good time to revisit their short films. And I am so glad I did. Day and Night(which I did remember as the short before Toy Story 3) is a gem, even if I would personally put the likes of Presto, Knick Knack, One Man Band and Geri's Game over it. The animation is beautiful with some unique shades and colouring and the detailed backgrounds you would expect, and the music is great with the use of Rossini's William Tell. The story, if not as clear as other Pixar short films, tells so much in 6 minutes and has a thought-provoking message(however different we may be, we are all one and the same) to it of the dangers of racism and tolerance. The humour even without dialogue is smart and somewhat edgy, which I liked. The personifications of daytime and nighttime are very well done and easy to root for, I loved the end especially where night and day became twilight. Overall, if you love Pixar, you'll love this. 9/10 Bethany Cox

This Pixar short that preceded Toy Story 3 seemed different than other shorts that came before other Disney/Pixar features. For one thing, there was no clear story that you got from others. Also, the whole thing wasn't completely computer animated as the two characters of the title seemed actually hand drawn with the computer stuff inside them. And then there is some message that is said by a Dr. Wayne Dyer that seemed to drive home the lesson that one should get along despite differences or a fear of the unknown. Not a bad message though-having read some comments-not everyone is going to get it or want to. Still, Day & Night is a worthy addition to the Pixar group of opuses that provide some humor with whatever points they're trying to make. Mega kudos to the director Teddy Newton.

Really well-made film. From the animation style, I guess it's strictly for kids, although everyone can enjoy it. The unique colour combinations make it very interesting. It's very original, and that's the best thing of all. But it's a kind of short which I appreciate but can't say I loved. Probably because it didn't make me feel anything, nor it's funny.