Happiness

Inspired by the visual style of 1920s cartoons, this animated short offers a striking commentary on today's society. It paints a disturbingly accurate picture of where we've ended up-highlighting the pressure to chase money whether you're able to or not, the absurd consequences of consumerism (like Black Friday brawls), the relentless rat race in both work and personal life, the effects of overpopulation, and the deepening societal and political divide.

It even touches on the desperate attempts to cope-like consciousness-altering medication-portrayed so ironically that even a rat can feel like Mickey Mouse at Disneyland. Set to Edvard Grieg's classical music, the short beautifully captures what we've become as a society-and it's not necessarily something to be proud of.

Story: 9/10. It's not a groundbreaking narrative but it's handled so seamlessly and with an effective sense of humour.

Visuals: 9/10. The animation is very comic-book-like in a good way and makes for very immersive chaos.

Sound: 8/10. Good sound design and choice in classical music.

While this short film does feel a little pessimistic in its interpretations of work and consumerism, it still presents them in an interesting way that makes the viewer think. I feel like this could have been just another movie or short showing the flaws of society, it it unveils those flaws in an interesting and visually striking way. The lively animation Paired with the classic music, serves as a meaningful yet cautious take on the meaning and purpose of happiness. This is probably one of Steve Cutts better shorts and it shows.

This is the real rat race. It starts with everyone wanting happiness, but the world is full of identical rats. As the "individuals" try to negotiate life, most fall by the wayside. They try to achieve financial success, material success, or euphoria through the use of drugs (and come crashing down). They are unaware of one another because why should they care? This is a sad, depressing commentary on the world we live in.

Isn't it ironic that it barely takes two, exactly two reviews in fact, to already get a sample of the 'rat' symbol here. Talking about going against the establishment, who, the one who claims elite in gilded form? Some people, I say, can't even tell the ironic context of their own quote. Identical to the lemmings in Steve's other film, just leading them all to their own cultist doom...