-Written by Kyle Bain.
2024 FILM MAUDIT 2.0 REVIEW!
Panning across what appears to be a resort of some kind, a series of well-known animated characters enjoy life. But inside of them is something dark, forcing them to contemplate the reality of their existence. In St. Mickeyland exists deeper meaning, begging us to ask ourselves why we are the way we are and why we love the things that we do.
This short film includes animated characters from Disney, Warner Bros., and more–combining production companies and their intellectual property in a way that I had never before seen.
The condition (location, mental state, etc.) in which you watch a film can play a significant role in how you receive that film, and I found myself in a unique situation watching St. Mickeyland just the other day. On a weekend getaway with some friends I watched St. Mickeyland in a sauna at an Airbnb. Feeling euphoric, truly relaxed, I found myself consumed by St. Mickeyland, enthralled by the use of beloved characters to create something as deep and powerful as the source material from which each of them originate. The state in which I found myself propelled a profound understanding of the short film–one that I do believe runs the risk of being lost on people–but similarly has a chance to titillate just about anyone. I found the perfect place to watch a film, and as a result not just my viewing experience thrived, but the film’s meaning did as well.
There’s a simplicity that drips from the screen throughout the course of St. Mickeyland, something that allows each of the characters to exist alongside the others and yet still shine and have a similar effect to what they would in their own films and series. As the camera moves from left to right we see and hear nothing more than what we already know about characters like Winnie-the-Pooh, Pink Panther, and Yosemite Sam. They exist in the same space that they always have, and they pull us back in once more–but they now serve an additional purpose.
The reality is that the world is now obsessed with media, far more than they had ever been before. Whether it’s a news program, social media, or pop culture, we often find ourselves engrossed in something that helps to separate us from our own lives. I, too, am guilty of this. St. Mickeyland explores the reason(s) behind that–but in an incredibly abstract and interestingly sagacious fashion. Like my students struggle to see that I’m more than a teacher, we sometimes struggle to understand where and how these characters that we love come from. St. Mickeyland captures that with brilliance.
In a short film that seems to babble on and on, showcasing animated talent throughout cinematic history, it holds so much weight. Surely to be lost on some viewers, Writer-Director Ulu Braun creates something interestingly captivating, brilliantly powerful, and perfectly introspective. Sit back, relax, and soak in a short film steeped in meaning.
Written & Directed by Ulu Braun.
8/10 = WORTH RENTING OR BUYING
