Opal

I'm not sure what I expected, but I am impressed.

For all the shorts that Adult Swim has produced in recent years, most have honed in on the purely surreal bent that has dominated much of their original content. This holds true for those features that have angled towards comedy, as well as those of a darker thrust. 'Opal' readily joins that company, but with a narrative that is surprisingly straightforward compared to its brethren.

The visuals here are immediately arresting, with a seeming combination of computer animation, claymation, and puppetry. The faces of the characters clearly represent humans, but are sufficiently exaggerated in distinct ways to make them uncannily unsettling. 'Opal' is unquestionably creepy, and the character design is a big part of that, even before they speak and reveal their personalities. Add in the rest of the setting, and there's automatically a sense of tension here.

Shows on Adult Swim have been known to abruptly break into song at times, and 'Opal' embraces that equally odd and whimsical edge, too. The small tunes that litter this short have a bit of a sad, innocent air to them that in context only further boosts the uneasy chill throughout.

And that brings us to the hard-hitting punch, the grim twist that serves as a capstone and makes 'Opal' a contender for Adult Swim's most dark and bleak content. We've seen movies that hinge on similar revelations, perhaps, but that doesn't make it any less potent. I've seen enough of Adult Swim's shorts to know not to hold any particular expectations, and even still I was caught off guard. Bloody well done!

Cartoon Network has a relatively niche audience, Adult Swim even more so, and the shorts they produce are aimed toward the smallest selection of all. 'Opal' is not going to be for everyone, neither because of its visual style, nor its content - but it's startlingly brilliant, in the gloomiest of ways, and well worth checking out.

This short film is perhaps one of the greatest works of 2020, and maybe the last ten years. The genius storytelling, the intertwining stories and characters, the underlying messages - I can't fit it all into one review, but "Opal" is stunning.

A really fascinating little flick. Must rewatch at least twice to consume properly. The story subverts expectations and grips you till the last moment. Message is up to interpretation but I have my own idea. A lot of boring works but anyways great short.

Opal is just as layered as most feature length films, yet runs at a concise twelve minutes or so.

This claymation short follows a wide-eyed little girl named Opal, who lives with her doting family. She slips out of bed one night to explore a creepy, derelict house across the street despite her parents' gentle warnings not to. There, she encounters four things.

An obese, blind older man, glued to a recliner and listening to television all day. He smokes to the point of being unable to speak without wheezing and coughing up blood.

A younger man constantly preening himself in front of a half-dozen mirrors, convinced that one day he'll look perfect, and show "them" how wrong "they" were to turn him down.

A woman laying in bed in a drug and alcohol induced haze, mumbling to herself about how much she sacrifices.

And the horrible, horrible truth that lies up in the attic.

The short explores themes of escapism, abuse and neglect, but in a fairly nuanced way. While the three strangers Opal encounters are undeniably awful people, they are also pitiable to the point of being almost sympathetic.

The short has several short musical numbers as well, which are all excellent. "Easy to Breathe," sung by the old man, is a melancholy yet oddly upbeat song about how the old man feels important and loved by the fake friendliness of television. "Virtuous Cycle," sung by the woman, is a disturbing lullaby about the codependency between a daughter and negligent mother. My personal favorite is "Mirror Man," sung by the younger man, a flamboyant, fast-paced and manic song about the younger man's simultaneous self-loathing and narcissism. All of this is bookended by the pleasant, old fashioned sounding "We See You, Opal," sung by Opal's family.

Do yourself a favor and go watch this short. It's short, sweet and poignant, darkly funny yet achingly sad. Well worth a few minutes of your time.

Amazing short film. Very rewatchable. The short may seem confusing, but the ending explains it, leaving you satisfied and heartbroken. 10/10.