9

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Trailer


Every year the Starz Film Center in Denver shows all the Oscar nominated animated short films and live action short films because it is often difficult to see these films unless you go to a lot of festivals.

If you live in Denver you really should try and check this service out because you get to see animated shorts and live action shorts that really you will hardly ever get to see anywhere else without really searching.

It is in fact where I first saw the Shane Acker student film 9 that inspired the larger film that just came out today of the same name. I also found a link to the student film the other day, and you should really check it out either before or after viewing the bigger budget film. It won't hinder the viewing of the bigger film at all. It is jsut the reason I was so so so excited about seeing the film on the opening day, which I rarely do anymore.

When I saw the short film for this, the mood, the atmosphere, the idea was phenomenal, it was amazing. The world was someplace scary and yet hopeful and interesting. I wanted to see it again and again.

The larger budget film is good, and the animation is still wonderful, but there is something rushed about the whole thing. I can't decide if it is because of all the voices, or because of all the people that brought their very young children, some of whom began to cry during some mildly scary parts of the film, but the film and the world of the film seemed a little squeezed for time.

I think it is still very fascinating, and I still enjoyed visiting the universe, and I suggest if people go they pick a showing late enough that people do not bring their very young children so they get a slightly better atmosphere of darkness. Yes I get that the film has been advertised in some kids films, but the movie is rated PG-13 and has some violence and mildly adult themes, not pron adult, but sort of grown-up talking about technology, the soul and definitely death all over the place, and it may not be something easily slid past the kidlets.

In the end I think the movie is worth seeing, and I think I want to see it again in the dark cave of my home, but I'm still not sure anything will compare to that first revelation of seeing that student film and getting a peek into that phenomenal and fascinating world.