My Year of Dicks

Saw this at the Brooklyn Film Festival and loved it. Gorgeous, unexpectedly emotional animation; beautiful writing; wonderful vocal performances. I've been thinking about it since I watched it. A 90's story in suburban Texas, but the feelings and yearnings and disappointments are universal.

I wanted to watch it immediately after I saw it being announced at the Oscars with the audience and hosts laughing while they're mentioning the title. I got curious immediately and I just gotta see what this is all about. By the way, the movie is free on Vimeo or on the website of the film, that's where I watched it.

My Year of Dicks is about the film writer Pamela Ribon's sexual awakening during her teenage years in 1991. It is a short 24 minute comedy coming of age animation movie. The story is based on her short memoir, "Notes for Boys (And Other Things I Shouldn't Share in Public)."

I really enjoyed the animation style with some real-life footage of Pam blended in, it looks unique and creative. The voice acting is also great. It is also interesting to see the life of a person being told through animation.

I like this movie and I recommend it.

The super cheesy narration of our young protagonist secret journal nicely embellishes the numerous animation styles presented ; continuously changing depending on the emotion or the effect any person in the scene has on her, which augments the ''could have been corny dialogue'' with some much-needed support by elevating what it tries to communicate quite successfully. It's also cool to have the 90s portrayed this well, especially since there isn't much cinema venturing into the nostalgia of that era. It's positively intimate, hilarious and intentionally cringy (in a good way). Favourite Oscar short of 2022.

I watched this film as part of my yearly oscar round up (best animated short) and was so struck by it that I felt like I needed to write a review. The film is (at the moment) available to watch for free on vimeo, do check it out.

The connection between this film and the work of Richard Linklater is easily made because of their similar visual style and use of rotoscoping animation. The film uses this technique quite smartely creating a sense of universality whilst remaining deeply personal. The mixing in of both real life footage as well as more fantastical animation works briliantly and enhances the aformentioned personal touch. We aren't just watching a story, we are experiencing the life of an actual person and are being drawn into their perspective. The rotoscoping technique, as a result of its intentionally rugged and crude finishing, not only brings us deeper into the mindset of the main character but also evokes the hazy memories of, and nostalgia for the 90's.

The connection with Linklater does not solely lie with its animation, its storytelling too very much reminds me of films of his. Just following a person around as they experience the awkward beauty of life, and love. Many will recognize elements of themselves in this film and look back at their early romantic endeavours with a mix of joy and dread, but hopefully mostly a sense of having learned from their past. The film jumps from failed relationship to failed hook up to failed one night stand, all with plentyfull teen angst. This angst and awkwardness is continuesly undercut with breezy comedy that one cannot help but smirk at. I wouldn't call the film a comedy, but that's what makes its humor so effective, it is everday, it is the kind off humor you would experience with your friends.

The voice-acting of the film fits perfectly with the tone and storytelling. You never contemplate that these are actors, the voices are those of the characters.

I haven't seen the other nominated films yet, but they would have to be hella great to beat this. Check it out. While you're add it also give Linklater's latest, Apollo 10 1/2 a watch on Netflix.

It's the story of a girl trying to get rid of her bothersome virginity, and the annoying assortment of boys who help and hinder her in her quest.... plus a long and disgusting lecture from her father after she dares to ask her mother about the subject. It rings true. It's simultaneously very funny and very sad. I kept laughing out loud at it, and it makes use of a variety of animation styles that reflect her mindset at the moment.

It was a weak year for nominees, and the usual two or three shorts added onto the nominees program -- which I invariably think are the best of the bunch -- were absent. But I didn't miss them. This is worth an award, even if it came with a parental warning for anyone who didn't see the title.