The Little Matchgirl (2006)

Surprisingly incoherent and boring

Sorry, this movie sucks

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

This short was nominated for an Academy Award. There will be mild spoilers ahead: The story of the little match girl is one of Hans Christian Andersen's most well-known tales, so the plot of this tale is hardly new. It's been animated several times, but this is one of the better ones. Columbia studio's animation department did an excellent one in the 1930s which is the best one I've seen. This is a close second.The backgrounds and animation on this one are as good as one has come to expect from Disney. The story is told without dialog and has been set in Russia. It's faithful to Andersen's tale. It's bittersweet and the ending can be seen as sad, happy or a mixture of the two, depending on the viewer's perspective. I see it as a sad ending myself.Very well done short which was included on the Platinum Edition of The Little Mermaid. It's well worth watching and most recommended.

'The Little Match Girl' is a Disney animated short of enormous quality. In fact, it's a surprise to know that this is a relatively recent short, such are its high standards. It means that Disney wasn't as lifeless as it seemed, after all.This short has potential to become a classic, for it lacks no ingredients to achieve that. It has a simple but emotional story, beautiful artwork and backgrounds, great animation, magic and a classic atmosphere. The music is beautiful too, capturing the essence of this mini-film: "Nocturne from String Quartet No. 2 in D Major" by Alexander Borodin. It feels much more like a short from Disney's good old days than something from recent years. The story is sad and emotional, like I mentioned. It takes place in Russia and its artwork and backgrounds have a vaguely familiar feeling (resembling 20th Century Fox's "Anastasia"). The little girl of the story looks like Mulan, though.This story is based on a Hans Christian Anderson's fable about a poor and homeless little girl trying to sell matches in a cold Winter night (when it's freezy and snowing), possibly to get some money for some food and possibly to find a warm and comfortable place. The story shows us the difficulties she has to deal with and her wishes. These wishes are shown through the visions she has (like being in a warm and comfortable place). There are no dialogs at all, but despite that it's very easy to understand the story and its message.This short is included as an extra in 'The Little Mermaid' Platinum Edition DVD released in 2006. After getting that DVD, that is how I got to know this short.

This short cartoon is about a poor homeless girl in a snowy winter. She tries to sell match sticks but faces constant rejection. She can only find comfort in her imagination.I have great sympathy for the little girl. She enthusiastically approaches strangers, hoping someone would buy a matchstick, but people coldly reject her. Her disappointment and sadness cannot be missed. She then curls up in a corner, cold and hungry. She faces a dilemma about what to do with the match sticks, and struggles painfully. It is saddening to see her in such a state.This short animation has no dialog, but conveys endless emotions. It has got that special touch, that resonates into viewers' hearts. It has great potential to be transformed into a full length film. Watch this if you have the chance.

I had heard a lot about this short film called "The Little Matchgirl" in the last few months, like how it was originally created for an aborted "Fantasia" sequel, how it was based on a short story by "Little Mermaid" author Hans Christian Andersen, yadda yadda. But, when I finally got the 2-disc "The Little Mermaid" Platinum Edition DVD on which "Little Matchgirl" is found, I was totally blown away. Roger Allers did a (pardon my language in a comment on a Disney film)damn fine job on this short. I do believe that if nominated for an Oscar, "The Little Matchgirl" will blow all those other shorts out of the water.Just a friendly word of advice, folks: bring a lot of Kleenexs...