2018
Directed by Mark C. Smith
A film about two silent lemurs in hot air balloons is not only one of 2018’s finest animated shorts but one of finest films of the year. I cannot understate the beauty of Smith's TWO BALLOONS, along with its aesthetic the simplicity of its narrative, it's stunning. This 9 minute short strikes a rare emotional honesty that is sadly lacking in most feature-length films, let alone in an animated short. The detail displayed in the stop-motion animation and charming score from Peter Broderick make this simple story utterly re-watchable.
While comparisons will undoubtedly be drawn to Wes Anderson, Smith’s exploration of humanity through these air-born primates shares more DNA with the films of Hal Ashby. It could be that I spent the morning re-watching SHAMPOO and THE LAST DETAIL but Smith seems more concerned with his films emotional resonance than its quirky details.
Check out the trailer below