Banda de un hombre

In a village square a busker prepares for what seems like a quiet day. As luck would have it, a child walks into the square with a shiny coin. She seems intent on making a wish at the fountain but the busker sees his opportunity and strikes up to attract her attention. Unfortunately for him another busker is in the square with the very same idea – and so begins a tense busk-off in the otherwise quiet square.

Attached to the Cars DVD, this short film was better than the customary short that featured the characters from the full film. The scenario is very simple and it goes where you expect in regards the busking becoming more intense. It is pretty funny but more pleasing was the ending which saw the little girl come into it more and become part of the comedy herself. Certainly compared to Mater & the Ghostlight, this film is fun and energetic to the point where it will appeal to adults as much as children and, to my mind, this is what Pixar is all about and is what made this short fun to watch.

One Man Ban was an absolutely charming piece of work! The colors were vibrant and whimsical and the designs were cute and caricatured. I loved it from the moment it started until the very end! It's surprising it didn't win the Oscar; it was definitely better than the winner. I suppose the judges couldn't justify giving the same crew Oscar after Oscar after Oscar...

The story is about a pair of street performers locked in a competition to out-perform the other and win the golden coin of a little girl passing by. Their musical dueling was delightful and I can't even imagine directing a film where the whole script is music!

10/10

This animated short film tells the story of two street musicians, who engage in a spectacular battle of skills to try to win a child's gold coin.

The film is fun to watch, as the two musicians do everything they can and more to win the coin. Yet, the outcome of the battle is perhaps predictable, but what happens after that is not what I can predict. It is an interesting tale with a twist at the end.

Unfortunately, the theater's projection screen ruined the animation nuances -- strangely, "Cars" didn't suffer the same way. So this should be better suited to the DVD medium. Think of it as a high-tech nod to Melies.

As for the metaphor, it's a Pixar jab at the big studios. This is a reminder that little Pixar doesn't need frippery to succeed. The competition only offers bells and whistles; Pixar offers core values first. Notice that the 'big guys' don't understand why they haven't won the 'gold coin'.

Sadly, this is the end of Pixar as an uncompromising entity. The Disney deal will probably spell an inexorable slide into mediocrity.

One Man Band is simply one of the best shorts ever produced. The minute I saw it I was enchanted and knew I had found my favorite Pixar short to date. Pixar's meticulous attention to detail is conveyed in the brilliance of the story and the craftsmanship of the animation. The short plays like a silent film. No dialogue. Just pantomime. It tells the story of two street musicians trying to compete for the gold coin of a young peasant girl who just wants to cast it in the town square's wish fountain. A simple story told with lots of wit and humor. Plus, there's a twist. It doesn't end the way you think it will. As always, the animation is spot-on and very impressive. The character designs are so cute and appealing. The sound quality is top notch. And the surrounding Renaissance world is a feast of warm colors and visual beauty. It's funny, original, and clever. Proves the simplest ideas are often the best. If I have one complaint about One Man Band is that it isn't longer in length. I was hoping for more! Great addition to the Cars DVD!