Short Subject: La Luna (2012)

I talked about this short back when it was released with Brave and I enjoyed it then, but now it’s time to see if it still holds up.

So I’ll come right out and say right up front that yes this short holds ups really well and I found that I liked it even more on re-watching than I did the first time I saw it.  The animation still looks great, the visuals all work, and the story is a treat to watch.  On this re-watch I’d loved seeing all the little subtle details about how the creators chose to tell the story.  How the grandpa and father are taking the kid out with them for the first time and give him his own hat for the occasion.  I love how they argue about how the hat should be worn and later about what the best way to clean up the stars on the moon is.  That continues as the boy changes the way his hat is worn, figures out how to make the big star into smaller stars, and when he uses a rake instead of either style of broom to help clean up.  The short hits a nice balance of showing people doing a task that has been passed down through the generations, something traditional, while still bringing in new ideas to the table, and modern perspective, and combining them both to produce something beautiful.  All of this is also done without any dialogue and I love when storytellers take advantage of the possibilities of showing actions and feelings through only movement, expressions, and sounds rather than just words.    

I would absolutely recommend that everyone see the short if they haven’t already.  It’s visually gorgeous, the animation is cute, and the story is unique and told in a fun bright and yet subtle way.