Oktapodi

An octopus in a shop loses his partner when she is plucked from the tank and loaded for shipment. The octopus gives chase through the Greek town in order to rescue her.

A very short film this one in the mould of Pixar animations. The computer animation looks good even if it does owe a debt to that studio in terms of what it does and the story allows for the delivery of a good run of chuckles and action. I did think it was just a little too short and that I could have done with a bit more edge or reference in the humour (if ever a sequence was crying out for a Raiders of the Lost Ark reference, it is the fight in the cab here) but it was still amusing and had a good firm ending. The music is a little obvious and I wasn't really loving it with its obvious Greek soundtrack, but the action on-screen mostly distracted me from it.

Fans of the Pixar shorts will enjoy this as it mostly shares qualities with those, despite being not quite of that standard. Amusing and looks good though.

The French animated short "Oktapodi" tells the story of a pair of octopuses (octopi?) who refuse to get separated. It doesn't have the most sophisticated plot or animation, but I liked it. Like many cartoons, it shows that a story doesn't need words. The setting looks like a Greek village. Some of the octopus's stunts look like what we see in action flicks.

"Oktapodi" has several credited directors, including Emud Mokhberi, who spent part of his childhood in Iran and France, but is now a US citizen. It got nominated for Best Animated Short Film at he 81st Academy Awards but didn't win. It's not a great cartoon, but I think that it's worth seeing.

According to "L'Agence Du Court Métrage"-a professional organization which looks after everything related to short films in France, animated shorts have an average duration of 10 minutes. If one were to judge 'Oktapodi' from that yardstick, one would be able to conclude that for an animation film,2 minutes and 25 seconds is not at all an ideal run time as not much can be conveyed in such a short duration. This aspect has been taken as a challenge by a team of animation directors at 'Les Gobelins' which has made an impressive animation film about the efforts made by two Octopi to prevent their separation at the hands of a human being and a bird.They are so determined in their quest to live together that they use all means at their disposal to fight against their rivals. The result is revealed to viewers in the form of Oktapodi-a very short animation film which does not waste any time to convey its message. It does that by coming straight to the point. The action is really fast in 'Oktapodi' and it is aided by good animation.It is rather curious to know that this film does not limit itself to children-a major audience segment for animation films. Anybody who is interested in good cinema with a penchant for a good story can watch and enjoy it.

in simple words, it is an animation who must see again and again. not for a precise reason. maybe for memories, streets of Greek small town, the right attitude about see fruits or for not ignore a special feeling. for humor and adventure and the great end. because it is a lovely film. maybe, almost amazing. and it is not a simple, easy, too subjective definition. but only the truth.

Something I notice about the comments is that people do not seam to know that Gobelins is an Art School, so for a student film to be nominated for an Oscar, and for winning the Sigraph 08 audience and best of show award, is a great achievement. And I would have loved to have seen for them to have won the award, just to see what it would bring to them in the, animated, future.

I loved the short, the animation was original, the comic strength of the octopuses was great and the overall look, tinging and feel of the move was inspiring for an animation student as myself. The best to you all.

Make it grand.