Strange Invaders

Roger and Doris are a childless couple who are perhaps a little broody – Roger especially. However when a strange baby arrives at their door (from space?) it brings about a massive change in their lives that they may be unprepared for. As they attempt to continue their life with only the addition of a new family member they find that in reality their whole lives are being changed by the baby who may or may not have more sinister aims.

I happened to tape a film on late night television and, having been burnt by ITV's inability to end a film on time, I added my usual 20 minutes to the running time. When I watched the film, I lingered on the tape and found that I had also taped this amusing animation. The animation style was fun and refreshing in the way that it was hand drawn – refreshing because so many these days are CGI shorts that are made to appeal to the award ceremonies.

Aside from the enjoyably energetic animation the short is also well written as it makes a normal story become extraordinary by way of a simple twist. The arrival of a new baby is like having a strange invader in your home and the short takes it to extremes here in a way that is amusing. It isn't groundbreaking as other films have done the same idea the same way (Rocket By Baby for one) but it is effective none the less and I found it to be well observed at the same time as being imaginative! The humour is good too with nice characters and strange plotting all the way.

Overall this is a simple but enjoyable short film. The animation is a nice change from the current overuse of CGI and the plot is a good comment on the impact a baby can make without ignoring the joy that they can bring as well.

An enjoyable little short that I was glad I had managed to stumble across.

There's something a little of the "Tom Thumb" story here as "Doris" and "Roger" watch, somewhat sarcastically, their neighbours successfully have children whilst they remain a childless couple. That's not for the want of trying, but it takes some divine intervention and a crashing sound for them to find a new arrival wedged into their living room carpet. The dog's ejected from the house and the pair now embark on some heavily photographed parenting of a child who'd sooner eat the crockery than his peas (no bad thing?) and who likes to swim in the toilet bowl. It's clear that this kid is in the wrong place, and his ensuing antics make his "parents" wish they'd never met him in the first place. Luckily, he's working on his own repatriation plans... I liked the increasingly chaotic and colourfully vibrant animation and the whole "be careful what you wish for" theme that results in a denouement that terrifies poor old "Roger". It's good fun, this, and well worth eight minutes.

It's no "The Cat Came Back," but Strange Invaders is another quirky animated treat from Cordell Barker of the NFB. Compared to the other entries in this year's Short Animated Film category for the Oscars (with the notable exception of Ireland's "Give Up Yer Aul Sins"), Strange Invaders comes across as a refreshing dose of absurdity, conveyed through dazzling hand-made animation (as opposed to the CGI trend that seems to be slowly taking over). It's creepy, funny and distinct. Check this one out. Be be forewarned: you may never look at babies the same way again ("Peanut!").

With its odd mix of surrealism and pure whimsy, this animated short by Cordell Barker of the NFB is an utter joy! Filled with memorable score and wonderful imagery, this is true animation at its most clever and beautiful form! Watching it several times it not nearly enough!

Once you have seen this film, the rival winner of last years "Best Animated Short" at the Oscars, "For The Birds", will seem a mindless exercise and waste of computer memory! But up here in Canada, we know what really should have won the Academy Award.

The National Film Board adds another masterpiece to their list of fine works.

Quite a bizarre little animated short and definitely not to all tastes, this one makes The Cat Came Back seem normal by comparison! Though a bit overlong (a judicious trimming by 30-45 seconds would probably helped this out considerably), it's a very good cartoon, deservedly receiving a nomination for the Oscar for Animated Short and also a nod for the Genie, if I remember rightly. I'm not really sure who I'd consider the strange invaders, though-the parents are perhaps a bit stranger than the baby! Well worth watching. Recommended with the above caveats.