Paperman

While the bombastic Wreck-It Ralph is currently wowing filmgoers across the UK, a huge amount of plaudits must be reserved for the creators of Paperman, Disney’s Oscar-nominated short (directed by John Kahrs) which not only delivers a heartwarming love story, but also a potential glimpse into the future of animation. All in just seven minutes.

Despite being set against a backdrop of 1940s New York, Paperman begins with a situation we can all relate to: a miserable commuter is briefly inspired by a chance meeting with the girl of his dreams, only for her to board a train and leave him wondering what might have been. However, when coincidence brings the two into office buildings across from one another, the man begins a quest to attract her attention by throwing paper planes from his window. The magical events that follow will no doubt be some of the most fondly remembered movie moments of 2013.

As charming as the tale is by itself, enough cannot be said about the brilliance of its presentation. Pitched almost entirely in black and white, the film visually harkens back to an industrial 1940s Manhattan whilst perfectly representing the humdrum life of a man in a dead-end job. However, most importantly Paperman represents Disney’s first foray into the merging of 2D hand-drawn animation and 3D computer generated imagery. The effect is not dissimilar to a drawing coming to life, which in the context of the story is a perfect fit, and it is hard to imagine it any other way.

The new style of animation also provides a much higher level of detail, which is thankful as (like the best Pixar shorts) there is no dialogue, which means it is up to movement and facial animations to bring life to the characters, as well as deliver finely timed comic touches, such as the increased agitation of the man as his paper planes repeatedly fail, or the deadpan appearance of his unimpressed boss. Combined with a beautifully arranged score by Christophe Beck, the overall effect is so incredibly uplifting that you’ll want to watch every carefully crafted scene again and again (which, as the film has now been put on the internet, is an even more enticing prospect).

Above all, it is the childlike simplicity of Paperman that makes it so distinctive. Disney once again fills a basic story of boy meets girl with a sense of reality, while simultaneously providing a loveable implausibility and creativity that no other film genre can match. It is one of those experiences you simply don’t want to end, but when it does you will immediately want to tell everyone you know about it, so that in just seven minutes their week will be made as well.