La Luna

Voices of: Tony Fucile, Krista Sheffler, Phil Sheridan
Directed by: Enrico Casarosa
Rating: G
Genre: Animation, Short
Length: 7 minutes
2011

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A boy helps his father and grandfather collect stars from the moon.

Review:

Tim: Pixar's shorts have typically been solid, and I have enjoyed the majority of them. La Luna is one of those films. The animation is gorgeous, the story is cute and innovative, and it has some powerful messages that resonate long after the conclusion of the film. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Short, and while it didn't win, it could have.

Like the majority of Pixar's shorts, the film is virtually wordless. We get a few grunts and sounds from the three characters we see. It's a boy, his father, and grandfather and they're out in a boat, seemingly to fish. A giant moon rises over the horizon. And then, they proceed to drop anchor, raise ladder, and climb up to the moon. This whimsical event takes on increased importance for two reasons- 1. The animation is stunningly beautiful. 2. We see this through the eyes of the boy, experiencing it for the first time. His awe is our awe. The three family members use the ladder to access the moon, which is covered in bright, shiny stars. They set to work, cleaning up the surface. It's a cute idea and it's used to tell a story about families, about the passing down of knowledge and traditions. In that light, it's the perfect Pixar short. It tells a cute story, but it has this well of deeper meaning. For me, it did cause me to reflect on the lessons I learned from my father, as well as what I'm trying to instill in my son. I give Pixar a ton of credit for running with this idea.

The animation is truly beautiful. The water, the rising moon, the stars on the surface of our satellite, it's also crisp and clear and colorful. The animation draws you into the film. I, my five year-old son, and my (almost) two year-old daughter were transfixed by the events on screen. It's so pretty that you don't want to pull your eyes away.

La Luna is an especially strong Pixar short. I'd highly recommend it. It's a film I can see myself returning to watch with my kids again and again.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: N/A



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