Le Parapluie Bleu

This simple story is about two umbrellas who meet in the city one rainy night. But, they are soon separated and it sure looks as if the boy umbrella will never again meet the lady umbrella. As far as the story for "The Blue Umbrella" goes, it's good….but that's NOT the reason to watch the film—especially since the story is incredibly simple and lacks complexity. Instead, it's like Pixar's showing off to the world just how good they can do CGI, as the film often looks like it was filmed live---it's THAT good. This is especially true at the very beginning. Then, slowly, it becomes obvious that it's NOT real, as you see an anthropomorphic city—but one that is amazingly well rendered. In fact, it's so well done it makes you wonder just how much longer it will be until they create films where you simply cannot tell it's not filmed live and with real live actors!

UPDATE: Since I reviewed this film many months ago, the list of Oscar nominated animated shorts was released and I went to a special showing of the nominees today. "The Blue Umbrella" was not nominated and I assume this is because another Disney short, "Get a Horse!" was nominated (and I think each studio can submit only one short--though I could be wrong here). "Get a Horse!", in my opinion, is by far the best of the films I saw today--but "The Blue Umbrella" was awfully close. Confused? Well, in the last few years, in addition to showing the five nominees, the show also present a few so-called 'Commended Films'--ones that weren't nominated but which are awfully good--and "The Blue Umbrella" was one of them. Sadly, "The Blue Umbrella" was better than any of the nominees other than "Get a Horse!" and will probably be overshadowed by it. But it's a nice and lovable film on it's own merit.

Since the characters in this are umbrellas, we have to have rain (which we do). The umbrellas have to have personality (which they do). The interaction between them as they jockey for position on the street is fun to watch. Pixar has a way of moving a step above the competition. Well done.

The Blue Umbrella (2013)

*** (out of 4)

Fun short from Pixar, which was shown before their feature MONSTERS UNIVERSITY. This film here deals with a blue umbrella who sees a red umbrella and quickly falls in love. The rest of the film pretty much as the blue umbrella going through a wide range of events trying to make its way over to the red one. This idea might seem quite simple but director Saschka Unseld does a very good job at making it move at a very good pace and also keeping the viewer interested in what's going on. The most amazing thing about this short is how real all the animation looks. There were times when we see a large number of umbrellas from the top that you'll actually think you're looking at something real and not just a piece of animation. There's also some funny moments where various items "come to life" to try and prevent the blue umbrella from being hurt. I'm not sure how much kids are going to enjoy this one but parents should be fascinated by the animation and the style, which really looks like some avant garde stuff from the 1920s.

I know this is animation and we're supposed to be dazzled, but I had the opposite reaction. I did love it, I do marvel at it, but it's so well done I allowed myself to believe it was real. That's the goal, I think, of this kind of animation work, this advancement and it was so advanced beyond what we've come to expect I said YES and went along with it. Of course, I know the truth ... but my 7-year old nephew who watched it with me did not think it was animation. For him and for children, inanimate objects can come to life, they can have faces, they can have drama. So I watched from his perspective and it was marvelous.

I hope this kind of work continues and becomes so accepted that audiences will stop talking about the technical and come back to the story. (Or as much.)

I will note that in my opinion, the storytellers worked very hard to prevent any decision of male or female for their humans. There was only one moment when I thought "that's a woman" -- otherwise, it could have been two men, two women, one of each ... I wonder if people are assuming male/female because of the colors of the umbrellas and boots? Or because the umbrellas' faces have been rendered with choice of male/female? Then again, that's ME making an assumption, that long eyelashes and coy looks are female. And that's not necessarily so!

As far as the idea of coupling it with MONSTERS UNIVERSITY, I think it's a great idea. As I said, I watched it with my nephew and he has watched it over and over and over again, making my purchase of the DVD even more worth its value than if he was just watching an obviously animated movie. I'm happy for him that he also got a smaller packaged gift of suspension of disbelief.

The animation and sound design in this are surreal. The story is super simple and bland but what can I say, sometimes I'm just tryna feel good.

This short made me feel good.