The Animation Pimp

I read a post somewhere that someone said that this new Pixar feature is the best animation feature since the puppet kid or the dead deer movie. What does that mean? One person thinks it’s the best ever. Why does that justify attention? I dont care of Lasseter said it, Barrier, me, Kricfalusi…it dont matter. It’s the sort of shit that depersonalize the viewing experience. So many people afraid to actually go into an experience somewhat objectively (admittedly a difficult thing to do in this day an age)… all that matters folks is what YOU think. I had everyone telling me that The Old Man and the Sea was fantastic. I thought not. Now everyone says Peter and The Wolf is a classic. Nah, it’s okay. Beyond that..who the fuck cares? Why does a film have to be the best ever? And what the fuck is the criteria? How does one deem that the Rat film is the best since Puppetboy? Please, tell me? They were made, what, 40-50 years apart in completely different historical/technological/cultural/economic contexts and yet some guy can say it’s the best since and animation people start lapping it up like teens in need of mama hugs and dad approval.

grow up kids.

Dear Mr. Petrov,
I saw your recent film For Love at the 2007 Annecy Festival. It made me sad. You are a man with great artistic talent. The oil paint on glass using your fingertips…i mean..that’s something special. You are a rare breed in this world of animation.

Sadly this talent is continually wasted on trite, sentimental stories that might have had meaning in the 19th century but speak to very few people here in the 21st century. Your films look like they were shot with actors and then traced over. I understand that you dont do this, but so why the need/desire/obsession to recreate the ‘real’ word? Why not just make a live action film if all you’re going to do is attempt for realism? Your frames are so utterly unimaginative and bland that they seem more like the hallmark kitsch my mom has in her living room than relevant modern art.

I have the impression that you have boycotted sending your work to Ottawa. Thank you. It saves us both a lot of trouble.

I hope that one day you decide to step out of this illusory middle class 19th century Russian society that you never tasted but continue to long for like a man out of time.

Sincerely,
Chris Robinson