Bao

Bao is definitely one of the most bizarre shorts before a feature-length animated film I've seen in the cinema, I'd rank it alongside the equally strange Lava. It was pretty clear the message it was conveying and what they were trying to highlight, but the biggest problem was the execution. Judging by the reactions in the cinema, I was not the only one taken aback by the rather drastic conclusion. (09/16/2018)

A short animated film that personally didn’t resonate with me, and honestly, I wish I could get those eight minutes back. The animation was fine; that wasn't the issue. However, when it comes to the idea and story, that's a different matter. I understand that many people saw this film in movie theaters before the new Incredibles (I’m also in that group). And by "many," I mean the younger audience. I believe the story about a living dumpling and its subsequent consumption isn't suitable for children. I get that they were aiming for a metaphor about life (dumpling vs. son), but the execution was lacking and, more importantly, the target audience wouldn't grasp it. Some kids even found the nearly horror-like moment unsettling, which is problematic. It gets 32%. (08/20/2018)