Stop Motion Movie Review 3 (BSA 124)

If I Was God Stop Motion Short Movie Review 

If I Was God is an 8 minute stop motion movie made by Canadian animator, Cordell Barker on 2014. The movie tells about a young 12 year old boy who is always day dreaming about himself if he was a god and what he gonna do. One day in a science class doing frog experiment, he, again doodling. He is in love with a calm girl who sits next to him called Lily, but their peaceful life is being disturbed by their naughty female classmate who sits at the back left corner of the class. She often makes fun of the boy and Lily. And at that time, the boy is dreaming how to punish her if he was a god and he and Lily will enjoy life without realising that his frog is burned. Lily, who has been paying attention to the boy for all this time laughs for his innocence and since that incident they are getting closer and closer. The whole class is fulled with panic as the teacher turns on the fire alarm and all of them go outside of the classroom. In the end, the boy and Lily are holding hands while escaping.

My review:

In my thoughts, this movie is ok. The story plot is simple just like any other middle school life story which tells about bullying, love, and and school subjects. I;m pretty interested in the main character, they young who's name not given, on how Cordell visualise the character's personality through his visual appearance. His hair is messy combined with the simple black and white stripes shirt that he wears. Lily, on the other hand looks charming with her short blonde hair and glasses. I'm actually amazed with the frog puppet which looks almost like real, especially the scene when the boy is pulling out its intestines, so disgusting.

The stop motion animation is quite smooth, even though its not as smooth as Coraline and Kubo and Two Strings, in my opinion it is still wonderful. Story development might be needed more to tell deeper part and details in the story, on actually what the director wants to show to the audience. Most of the scenes are part of the boy's day dreaming running from monsters or escaping somewhere with Lily. As this animation only involves mainly in 3 characters, it would be great if the bond of these characters are stronger at the end of the film, or something significant actually happens. There are some progress such as the boy and Lily who are getting along together at the end, and how the naughty female support them, but in my opinion it's not enough to show their togetherness. However, this movie is good to watch to give you further inspirations regarding your art project or any other.

Movie Background:

This animation is based on Barker's life experience during his junior high at John Henderson Junior High School. He liked to day dreaming back then, and one day in a science class where he and the other classmates were dissecting frogs. As Barker says, "I spent most days doodling. The first tingling sensations of approaching adulthood were like some all-powerful thing growing inside me, bursting at my seams. I didn’t know what I was becoming, but it felt like it was going to be impressive.”

This movie shows death, resurrection, planets and universe as part of its title: If I Was God which amuse us with its carnival-like music. Cordell Barker is a 61 year old Canadian animator who has made several short animations such as Get A Job, The Cat Came Back (1988), and Strange Invaders (2002) which both of them received Oscar nominations. 

References:

https://www.nfb.ca/film/if_i_was_god/

https://www.awn.com/animationworld/canada-s-cordell-barker-returns-if-i-was-god

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/a-stop-motion-film-about-power-in-the-wrong-hands