Girl + Ghost

Although not a "perfect" film, this is as impressive a live+animation film as I've seen in some time, especially for a short. Done in a semi-Steampunk motif, the characters are intentionally artificial, the settings surreal, the story almost predictable. Almost. And that's what gets it 8 stars from me... that the folks involved were willing to go out on a limb and try something a little different, a bit off the path, make something they wanted to make and say what they wanted to say... in the way they wanted it done.

No, not the best story we've ever seen, but for a short to get a high rating from me at all says something for it (as a norm I can't stomach most of the no-story zero-plot shorts being released these days). This one is different, unique even, and well worth watching. Kudos to the crew.

I absolutely loved this wonderful short film from Australian director Nik Wansbrough. It uses many different mediums to tell the story and is just about as charming a film as you could imagine. It begins with an adorable little puppet show about a ghost and a girl...and soon you see that it's the ghost himself who's telling this story. Soon, however, you see the real world...though it looks incredibly unreal but in a good way. Using models and some very clever animation, you see a weird cartoon-like world with lots of happy people...and a sad ghost because all he can do is watch the world around him and dream that he could one day have a girlfriend of his own. I really don't want to say more because it would spoil the surprise. Suffice to say that it's very romantic, sweet and Wansbrough is one talented guy to come up with something this original and visually striking!