Hey Mickey!

From now on, I think that every G, PG or family oriented film should have an animated short before the feature begins.

I was at the Roxy (an improving grindhouse in the Victoria area) tonight for a screening of Meet The Robinsons and was treated to the delightful, fully restored 1938 Mickey Mouse short Boat Builders, featuring Mickey's friends Donald, Goofy and Minnie. They're all together to build a cute little boat that seems to be made out of sticks, and they quickly learn that it's not all it's cracked up to be.

It was quite interesting to see the short attached to a computer animated, whiz-bang feature that sees the future as if the film is set in 1954. I found "Robinsons" to be a delight; it is somewhat of a return to Disney's charm and apt storytelling that sort of lost itself when Pixar came to the game over a decade ago. With this and Bridge to Terabithia, I am now pleased to see the Walt Disney logo before a family picture. This is both suitable for children as well as adults, with or without child accompaniment.

As for Boat Builders, I am pleased that Disney went back into their vaults and fully restored the short back to its three-strip technicolor origin and remastered the sound. I was blown away by not only the entertaining short but the fact a studio would add this to their new film to complete the moviegoing experience. Disney does do this on occasion with their features, but I do feel that they should be doing this much, much more often.

And other studios dealing with animation could join the concept: Warner can run a Looney Tunes before a Harry Potter flick, for example. And for those that don't have a past in animation (Dreamworks), how about creating a short film to run before your feature starts? In a time where attendance is going down and exhibitors are trying to get people back to watch movies in a cinema, here is a good start.

Jason

efilmcritic.com