The Blue Umbrella (2013)

Touches You

So much average

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

I didn't think that you can actually capture the vibration of a city through umbrellas. I love to see open-minded people that have crazy ideas. And I love more to see their ideas put into practice. This short is the case. Together with the soundtrack, which is as cool as the one used in "Piper", Pixar won my heat for the 2nd time.

This short animation tells the story of a happy blue umbrella in the crowd of unhappy umbrellas. He meets a red umbrella by chance, and they fall in love.I cannot quite believe that a film that is only seven minutes can still be far too long. It can easily be cut into just two minutes. I was honestly thoroughly bored by the lack of things happening most of the time. The only time when things get a little exciting is when the umbrella gets blown over. Other times it is just plain boring. The story is not convincing or likely either. The only good point is that no human faces are shown, even though the film is actually related to the owners of the umbrellas.

This is yet another Disney/Pixar computer-animated short shown before their main feature which in this case is Monsters University. This one has a different look as initially, it looks like real live action with the depiction of city streets in the rain. But then, the title character comes to life-complete with eyes and a smile-and as the score starts playing, so do many of the city's inanimate objects also come to life. And then, this blue umbrella sees a red one and...well, watch the short if you want to know. In summary, The Blue Umbrella has a wonderful charming atmosphere that permeates throughout the brief running time and should leave a long enough smile on your face as you wait for the main feature to begin...

Pixar continues its tradition of airing entertaining shorts prior to its main feature with "The Blue Umbrella" prior to "Monsters University." From the short film's beginning, I immediately noticed that the scene didn't feel cartoony or animated at all. From the rain to the automobiles to the sidewalk and hoards of crowded pedestrians, the art style was one of almost unnerving realism. In short, the realism was unbelievably believable! And then you notice the slow introduction of music in the very sounds of the city coming alive during a sudden rainstorm. The grates gurgle, the pipes puff, the pedestrian meters flash. Simply beautiful is its mood and execution.The plot quickly becomes unveiled as an unknown man's blue umbrella catches sight (and is smitten with) an unknown woman's red umbrella amidst the multitude of black umbrellas. As the whole city's mechanical, architectural and functional denizens observe and participate in the love affair, the blue umbrella maneuvers his way to the one that could be his perfect mate for rain and life.Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the film's warming plot, breath-holding twists, realistic graphics, well-matched musical score and heartwarming ending.