Andrew Onorato's Geenie Reenie (2018)

NOTE: This Monday short was originally posted on January 21, 2019. We are re-uploading Peter Hemminger's original Monday Shorts until further notice.

Hi.

Andrew Onorato's short packs a lot of cuteness into this strange short about the non-adventures of a genie, a ghost and a dozen eggs. But simple as it is, it's a great example of how humour can come from following a character design to its limits. What is it that makes Geenie Reenie so darned adorable? It's partly the simplicity of it—the kids-drawing-of-a-ghost facial expression goes a long way, and even his first appearance as an animated doodle is oddly engrossing. But it wouldn't be nearly as entertaining if the other details didn't follow from the design. The slow, floaty movements of all the characters, like they're helium balloons navigating the world through sheer force of will—and the way that movement is echoed in the mouse movements and overeager typing. The rubbery sound design adds to the appeal, and also adds a little tension, constantly sounding like the characters are on the verge of popping. It's utterly, utterly charming.

PS — You know it's a winner when the comment thread is almost as charming as the film (on Vimeo, at least, which is known for much more supportive comments than the trolling cesspool that is YouTube):