MartinHafer This film was nominated for the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film for 2006 and although it did not win, it deserves kudos for creating a very strange yet beautiful alternate world.The film begins with two creatures who are practically impossible to describe--they are that odd. However, a monstrous robot-like predator arrives and quickly sucks the soul out of one--while the other tries to escape. Being a very tenacious creature, it gives chase and most of the film consists of the creature trying to kill the smaller and weaker one.Graphically, this film is all computer generated and looks like a darker version of the Odd World characters created for several gaming systems. While very dark (not just in spirit but in lighting), the film abounds with wonderfully detailed and rendered graphics. It was exciting to watch and I look forward to more from this creative team.

general_jihad This is an excellent short animation. The story is well written and directed. The animation sequences remind me of the first oddworld video game. Not that they have similar stories really, or characters, but the overall look and feel somehow remind me of the world painted in that game. The use of silent characters brings a weight to the action and tension happening on screen. The creature is a mixture of junk found within this world, but seems to hunt with a definite purpose. The ending shows us that purpose, and a quick glimpse into what it might be like to live in this tiny world.Very cool short.

Polaris_DiB This is a really fun animation, mostly because it's just so simple of a story very detailed in animation and visually exciting. I mean, for all the complicated methods of the computer animation with great lighting effects and detailed skins and movements of the characters and their effects on the environments, it's a very easy man-vs-monster story that can appeal to everyone.A ragdoll named 9, or marked 9, or the ninth ragdoll or something to that effect is tragically left alone after its partner 4 sacrifices itself to a monster that steals its soul. 9 devises a way to defeat the monster so that it will no longer torment it, and in the process discovers a way to provide closure to the souls' entrapment (the souls of 1 through 8). This is presented through actiony fantasy pretty much existing as never-before-seen.It's very enjoyable and visually amazing. The monster seems almost perfect for the environment they come from, and the characters are very well emotionally presented considering their darned faces. The plot contains no real desire to be stretched into feature length or accepted as important, just presents six minutes of about as much fun as six minutes can give.--PolarisDiB

octopus1138 I saw this movie a couple of nights ago. They were showing all the academy award nominated short animations. This is probably one of my favorite styles of artwork, all grungy and cool and stuff. There's good storytelling involved too. It's basically about this little rag doll guy that tries to stop a monster that's destroying all of his kind. His name is 9. The animation is top quality. I only have a few critiques and it's that his movement stretched his texture a little more that the texture looked like it was meant to be. Also I think that the ground could have been a little better with added rocks and dirt clumps etc. The fact is, since those are the only flaws I can find, the movie must be pretty good. Except for my mildly critiquing eye (just because I'm into this stuff) I was completely absorbed in the movie. I love it and think anyone who's interested should watch it.