mepwave
This movie says more without using words and in 6 minutes then most full length "talkies" do. The imagery is alluring in a bittersweet and beautiful way and left me awed. I haven't seen many claymation pics, and with the "digital" animation age, these more classic forms have been dying out, and this film makes me lament that all the much more as it is breathtakingly beautiful. The subject matter is something we all deal with through life... the fire of youth and the draining of idealism through acculturation and capitalism... it just leaves you wowed, as if you were punched in the stomach but in a good way. It leaves you thinking like every great film should.
Behonkiss
Mark Osborne is a truly gifted man. More does not break new ground in the visual field of cel and claymation, but does that matter? A film can only be truly enjoyed if you like its story. More succeeds immensely.After a first viewing, you'll be confused. "Uh, the goggles?...The glowing stuff?...The kids?" Let me tell you something: You MUST see More several times before you understand its meaning. And what a meaning it is.There is an obvious fact that so much work and toil went into this six-minute short; the simple-modeled clay drone's emotions are perfectly modeled and presented; you feel his pain, frustration, and sadness.Two versions of the film exist: The original, with a soundtrack by New Order, and a recent music video with the song "Hellbent" by Kenna. Despite most people saying they prefer the original, I don't think I can pick one over the other. The New Order music does a wonderful job of making you feel how bleak and dull the world is, while Hellbent contrasts with the main character's emotions.You owe it to yourself to spare six minutes and watch this at ifilm.com. You simply cannot call yourself a viewer of art until you have seen this messiah of animated shorts.
Oslo Jargo (Bartok Kinski)
This is an absolutely astonishing short work concerning the meaning of life and what can not be manufactured in a synthetic factory. It presents a proletarian (in fantastic clay-mation) day in and day out, as he works in a factory assembly line building impersonal products to keep society happy. His dream is to one day create a new life affirming 'lense machine', for he is also an inventor with ingenuity. In his struggles, he continues having glimpses of children playing around a merry-go-round and they are in vibrant color, while laughing and involved with joy. His dream is achieved, and then he becomes an over zealous capitalist who is sitting all alone in his skyscraper office, after directing the harsh void of the assembly line that manufactures his new product. In the fleeting time that this short film runs, one gathers that it is something stupendous and magnificent, and the true satisfaction of creativity is not how many products one sells but the "fire that burns within"...The song by the band 'NEW ORDER', is also melancholy, which adds to the ambiance, and is a joy to listen to. Strongly recommended! Look for it on Sci-Fi channel's "Exposure" or on PBS "High Intensity TV".
J. Michael Pence
Wow. Who would have thought the entire meaning of life could be summed up in 6 minutes. The greatest of this film is its greatest irony, considering it questions the worth of success based on material wealth. The piece fits its soundtrack (Elegia by New Order) excellent as well. It's a shame this short lost out in the 1998 Oscars, I'd like to think that the voters had a chance to see it before deciding (although they probably didn't.) A definite 10.
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