Sundance Shorts 2008: Animation (2008)

Available only as instant viewing on Netflix, this collection of eight animated short films is impressive in its inventiveness and originality: [1] Because Washington Is Hollywood for Ugly People (South Park meets JibJab as a writhing melange of grafted images blends the Bush administration and presidential candidates plus Saddam, Osama, and Jesus with dancing women, weapons, poo, and more in an antiwar message that remained cryptic even after two viewings, 4.5 stars), [2] Chonto (an autobiographical mockumentary about a pop musician gone to seed and his adventure gone awry with an ape named Chonto, 4.5 stars), [3] Gas Zappers (South Park meets a fight-global-warming video game, 5 stars), [4] I Have Seen the Future (three kids taunt a father and son playing tennis to the son's Zenlike reflections, 4.5 stars), [5] Madame Tutli-Putli (a captivating tale of a tatty marionette on a creepy train ride, 5 stars), [6] Paradise (a lyrically creative CGI ecosystem, 4.5 stars), [7] Teat Beat of Sex (one woman's musings on sex and morality, 4 stars), and [8] The History of America (Silverado meets Heavy Metal in a wry mockumentary on the founding of America, with known history turned on its ear, after a cowboy/astronaut war fought in rotoscopic mayhem, 4.5 stars), overall 4.5 stars.