Once Upon a Studio

8.5/10

In this short Disney special, the characters lining the animation cells on the walls of the Disney Studio come to life and come together for a photo.  

Now this is how you do an anniversary special! OUaS really covers all of Disney history. Not just the popular characters but the ones from EVERY single Disney movie. 'Course some get more spotlight than others but directors/writers Dan Abraham and Tent Correy make the effort to give the less famous guys lines and have them mingle with others.

The nice thing about animation projects with short run times is that more effort can go into the animation as the budget isn't spread around as much. It also all looks standard big budget Disney. What is so impressive is that all the characters feel like they were scooped out of their respective time periods as their animation and design are all tailored to their original periods.

Recommended. I mean it's light entertainment that's basically "remember this," and I guess it's not required viewing. However, it is an enjoyable 9 minutes and a big treat for animation fans.

Cat Burglar

6/10

In this interactive short Netflix cartoon, Rowdy (voiced by James Adomian), a burglar who is also a cat, tries to steal a painting from a museum protected by guard dog, as in a guard who is also a dog, Peanut (Alan Lee).

To it's credit, Cat Burglar really does serve as a tribute to classic Warner Bros./Tom and Jerry slapstick. I especially like the background work and the addition of slight film defects to enhance the old school feeling. There is some pretty solid physical and visual humor. But as a whole, Cat Burglar really doesn't leave that much of an impression or maintain much interest. Doesn't help that due to the interactive portion, you help the bad guy. Peanut is likable, and I feel bad acting against him the way this cartoon does.

Also, not sure of who the audience is supposed to be. This is technically TV-14, but the traditional cartoon violence doesn't feel that objectionable. 

But, I guessing you're curious about the interactive part, so without further ado let's get to that. This isn't a choose-your-own adventure style interactive show where you choose the characters' actions. Rather, when Rowdy attempts an action, you have to answer three either-or-questions. You get a single one wrong, then Rowdy dies. Frustratingly, you still have to answer the second or third questions even though you've already failed. Rowdy only gets three lives, then you have to start over. However, starting over isn't as bad as it sounds. You don't have to rewatch the intro, and segments are shortened. Plus, you're just not going through the same bits every time. There are multiple scenarios that could pop up, keeping things fresh. Still, the new content doesn't completely validate the trivia sections. They are just too quick. Admittedly, a lot of the trivia isn't too hard, so the time limit makes sense for creating a challenge. Still, having to make a choice so quickly isn't much fun. I especially think that younger viewers would have trouble.   

It's an interesting diversion, but not much else. Check it out if you're curious, but you don't need to see this.  

The Simpsons: The Good, the Bart, and the Loki

7/10

In this short on Disney+, Loki (voiced by Tom Hiddleston) is banished from Asgard to Springfield and ends up staying with the Simpsons.

Loki and the Simpsons work well together. There are several good jokes, including one from Homer that feels like The Simpsons during their prime.

On the other hand, the plot does at times feel like the writer or writers trying their best to squeeze in as much Marvel stuff as they can in six or so minutes, and the short ultimately doesn't leave that much of an impression. (Specifically it's the non-Loki stuff that's the weakest.) All the during or after-credits scenes are really weak. The last one actually feels problematic.

I'd recommend this. Not perfect, but it's got it's charm, (and Hiddleston is definitely playing ball here.)

Burrow

 

9/10

Burrow is a Pixar short currently out on Disney+. It' about a rabbit trying to build a burrow, but the creature, preferring to be left alone, keeps running into neighbors. This was a really sweet piece.

Although from Pixar, this is in 2D animation and not 3D. You know those types of children's picture books  that feature underground anthropomorphic animals' houses from the side view? That is this short in a nutshell, perfectly mimicking the timeless quality of this format. Everything has a hand-drawn feel.

As for the story, it's cute. There's no dialogue and it does a great job of non-verbal humor. Plus, it's got a nice ending.

So if you've got Disney+, I say give this a shot. It's only six minutes long. 

Olaf's Frozen Adventure

7/10

Olaf's Frozen Adventure is a short film on Disney+ that shows what the titular snowman (voiced by Josh Gad) did during the first Frozen film between his coming alive and meeting up with Kristoff and Anna. Ever heard of or see Lion King 1 1/2? It's basically the same concept, a series of humorous scenarios linked to the events of a popular movie. It's okay.

This is the definition of innocuousness; there's nothing wrong with it, but it doesn't register much with you either. It's mostly just Olaf wandering around and nothing big enough happens.

Olaf's naivety- and positivity-natured humor and Gad's performance remain true-to-form. There are a couple heartwarming moments. Also the Disney animation remains strong, especially the last scene which looks really, really good.  

This is the weakest of the three Frozen shorts, but if your kids like Olaf, then they'll like this. Running at only eight minutes, this is a quick watch anyway.