Freaktana A Major Disappointment

TaryBiggBall It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

Grimossfer Clever and entertaining enough to recommend even to members of the 1%

Dana An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

sashank_kini-1 Katedra is a highly philosophical film, and viewers may or may not appreciate it in the first viewing because of the crypticness. When I saw it for the first time, even I was not entirely impressed and discarded the film. However, after reading a few reviews in IMDb which commended the film for its hidden messages, I saw it for the second time only to get a different perception of the film.To me , the film is about existentialism, self-realization and enlightenment. The lone voyager in the short enters a decrepit cathedral, which is made of tranquil human figures bound to trees. As his light falls on their faces, the figures smile, perhaps welcoming their new member. The traveler moves to the edge of a cliff, and looks at distant worlds, then examines the dust on the ground, perhaps to show that all these worlds were at one time united. At this moment, the sun comes out and illuminates the cathedral and the man becomes part of the cathedral. Also the land expands as he despite being on the edge now seems to be at a distance from the end, perhaps leaving some space for another traveler who will attain enlightenment after perceiving the cathedral's message.President Obama was handed an ipad along with this short film Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. I think it was with a view to commemorate Obama's efforts at bringing the nations of the world closer to each other. Katedra is open to interpretations and this is how I perceived it. Hope I didn't sound silly. My rating for this underrated gem on the first viewing: 5/10 and on the second (which counts): 8/10. Please do not get judgemental on the first viewing of this film as it requires time to get some understanding of it.

ccthemovieman-1 This is more of visual experience than any story or point but....wow, what visuals! This is magnificently drawn and probably quite unlike any other animated short you've seen, although it did remind me of some of the cool stuff done when computer animation began with stuff like "The Mind's Eye." This is more detailed, showing a Lord Of The Rings-looking figure entering a huge and different cathedral. As one poster points out, he apparently was waiting for someone. At any rate, we see at the end how the cathedral is partially updated, if you will.Not only the visuals unique and stunning, the music is equally dramatic. The short story, meanwhile, will up for many interpretations, which is why I downplay the story a bit. I don't pretend to have the author's intentions with this, just appreciate and admire the work he put into it. Kudos to Poland's Tomek Baginski, and I can see why his effort here was nominated for an Oscar.No matter how you try to interpret this, a undeniable fact is that it is stunning artwork, mesmerizing at times.

bowliniscool The first time I ever saw The Cathedral, I was sitting in Film class in high school. It was the only movie all year that I didn't want to end. It held my attention, from the beginning to the end. In fact I didn't even notice that I didn't blink until my contacts blurred over. The computer animation is just stunning, the soundtrack is beautiful, and the story is brilliant; there can be so many different interpretations. Once I saw The Cathedral, I wanted to watch it again and again. If you get a chance to see this film definitely see it, see what you think it means. You'll definitely have fun trying to figure out the meaning of it all.

Bonegang This is a mysterious, Gothic, fantasy vision crafted from the story by Polish sci-fi author Jacek Dukaj. There is no dialogue in the piece, only a haunting soundtrack that complements the expertly rendered CGI. And what great animation this is: a sense of gentle foreboding permeates every part of the beautiful and grandly scaled cinematography that is reminiscent of H.R. Giger with a dark palette in twilight shades and the surreal organic feel to the 'architecture'. The story starts with a young man leaning on his staff, taking in the huge vista of a sun setting behind a redly lava-rous world that takes up half the sky. As the line of night races past him we take in the scale of what can be seen to be a cathedral, behind him. He appears to sigh inwardly and turns to walk into the huge 'building'... You will probably watch this short over and over again back to back, as I did and, apparently, as did the jury of Siggraph 2002 that awarded this piece their prestigious "Best Animated Short" by unanimous vote. Since this is Tomek Baginski's first major release, I will look out for his subsequent work: to set such a high standard from the start could indicate a rare and special talent.