Bunny

A great animated piece is one that satisfies the basic elements of story, art, and sound emotion; but a true masterpiece transcends these essentials and brings forth the artistry of humanity. Such is the case of Chris Wedge's (Blue Sky Studios) "Bunny." Through stunning visuals and a heart-warming story of an anthropormorphic metamorphosis, "Bunny" is a flawless example of genuine animation. Although the story will most likely be misunderstood by children, it will bring a smile to their face none the less. I was touched by Chris' animated piece and I find it so rare to find an short (especially one that is only 7 minutes long) that brings such strong convictions.

Baking alone in her weathered house, hearing only the sounds of the lonely night, "Bunny" receives an unexpected visitor: a nocturnal pest. Searching for the light in such an unachievable manner, a single moth clinks and clanks upon "Bunny's" fixtures. The old ragged "Bunny" persistently tries to remove the hairy moth, but to no avail, the moth is slow to quit on its mission. Through anger and fury brings raw and nostalgic yearnings; her past is awakened while rays of light cover the darkness. Through fantasy and hope, "Bunny's" life is finally fulfilled.

Computer animation is a timely medium. The style and appearance of the film gradually surpasses its predecessor with the rate of technology. Only the story is set in stone. This aside, Chris Wedge and Blue Sky Studios have made the most visually stunning piece of animated film to date. Utilizing the latest in CGI technology and a technique called "radiosity" which replicates light in its most purest form, "Bunny" exhibits a sense of realism that has never been captured until now. The most subtle details are committed to precise accuracy: the fur on "Bunny's" body, the shadows and glares upon glass, and the camera selections and movements all contribute to its excellence.

"Bunny" won my heart over as it would do to any individual. It has proved to be one of the greatest computer animated shorts in all aspects of the medium in recent history.

An elderly rabbit, widowed after many years of marriage, lives alone in her house. One evening she is baking when she is continually bothered by a moth in her kitchen. However is the moth only there due to her bright light and open window or does it have another purpose?

The Oscar winner from a few years back for best animated short shows today what huge leaps have been made in the field of animation. That is not to say that it is poor but it certainly looks dated despite being only a few years old already.

While the animation may not stack up it is still effective and it is easy to forget you're watching an animated rabbit. I'm not suggesting it looks realistic, only that it is given sufficient character to allow the viewer to forget the technology involved in creating her. The plot is a little sombre but quite thoughtful and encouraging. Given that it is on the Ice Age (I think) DVD viewers may expect it to have that sense of humour, however it is more clever than funny.

It doesn't make a great deal of sense but it is quite nice and it still looks good unless you're expecting it to compete with the most recent CGI creation – in which case it can't and won't. However an interesting short that shows how far the field has come so quickly.

I saw it on video, and it was impressive - very sweet & funny, and the animation is unbelievable. I can't wait to see it in a theater- its coming to Film Forum in New York City in May. I loved it.

In the world of computer animation we often see very visually impressive feats but it is very rare we see stories just as impressive. Bunny is a simple and touching tale of love and loneliness. When I first saw stills I assumed it was stop motion because the character was so warm and real. Quite an achievement.

This is a lovely example of computer generated animation--especially for 1998. While during the last few years, CGI has been so common that even novices can make nice films thanks to readily available rendering software, for 1998, this was a pretty spectacular film. Remember--back in 1998, the ONLY game in town for this type of animation was Pixar--this was three years before Dreamworks released Shrek. So hats off to some lovely animation--it must have involved a lot of hard work.

Now as for the story, I saw the film and read many of the reviews and I am left feeling that I must be a pretty shallow person. I could have cared less about the significance of the film and the oven scene--I just wanted to laugh or care about this film but didn't. For some, this is fantastic symbolism. For me, it's just really nice animation.

FYI--This film won the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film.