This is one of the better Oscar-nominated animated shorts this year. It's not my overall favourite, but it compares well against the others.
Most of the opposition seems to be due, not to any technical aspect, but rather to the painfully undeniable message the film delivers. This is why the film succeeds. It's not about changing minds, because what educational video (or parody of such) ever changed anyone's mind? It's a parody in the vein of the Colbert Report, or maybe This Modern World comic, but taking the form of an animated educational film (not Schoolhouse Rock though). It's about entertaining those who are making changes in their lives to stop being part of the problem. If the self-centred are angry, I have no problem with that.
One thing I don't recall being made in the short is that pollution does come from people, and people make more people (think Octomom). Our pollution and resources problems won't begin to be solved until we address first-world overpopulation. It's like trying to fix the US Budget without halving the top three expenses: defence, medicare, AND social security. It's a pipe-dream.
Another thing is that all of the behaviours which increase pollution also have other negative effects, such as creating dependencies on foreign labour and products, and an inability to sustain the country in the event of large external shocks. It's not clear whether including this would have made the short too unfocused though.
To sum, I found the film entertaining and funny, about an increasingly important issue of our times, and drawn in a cartoon-ish style that was appropriate to the tone.
Most of the opposition seems to be due, not to any technical aspect, but rather to the painfully undeniable message the film delivers. This is why the film succeeds. It's not about changing minds, because what educational video (or parody of such) ever changed anyone's mind? It's a parody in the vein of the Colbert Report, or maybe This Modern World comic, but taking the form of an animated educational film (not Schoolhouse Rock though). It's about entertaining those who are making changes in their lives to stop being part of the problem. If the self-centred are angry, I have no problem with that.
One thing I don't recall being made in the short is that pollution does come from people, and people make more people (think Octomom). Our pollution and resources problems won't begin to be solved until we address first-world overpopulation. It's like trying to fix the US Budget without halving the top three expenses: defence, medicare, AND social security. It's a pipe-dream.
Another thing is that all of the behaviours which increase pollution also have other negative effects, such as creating dependencies on foreign labour and products, and an inability to sustain the country in the event of large external shocks. It's not clear whether including this would have made the short too unfocused though.
To sum, I found the film entertaining and funny, about an increasingly important issue of our times, and drawn in a cartoon-ish style that was appropriate to the tone.