ChicDragon
It's a mild crowd pleaser for people who are exhausted by blockbusters.
Sharkflei
Your blood may run cold, but you now find yourself pinioned to the story.
Isbel
A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.
Kirpianuscus
only special. just special. impressive for idea, touching for story, great for final. and difficult for define. because all is well known and the film could be another manifesto for a noble cause. but it becomes, scene by scene, little more. the poetry, the voice , the references to situations from every day does it a good point of reflection. about small , poor people and realities. about love. about different and subtle form of revenge. nothing complicated. or new. an idea. work. puppets. and one of stories becoming great on the screen against the insignificant fact to be close near you in real life. so, few numbers. and Zero.
wsarah-99159
I saw this with my 10-year old son In spite of the stop motion animation with wool balls (!!!) which could have lent itself to lack of emotional expression, he was so taken and upset by the story that half way through he started to weep like a fountain and refused to proceed viewing But he was intrigued and impressed, he really WANTED to know that it ends well for zero So a few days later we went back to Amazon And watched the ending He was so happy that immediately called his older brothers asking them to watch - all rooted for Zero and found the story moving and beautifully told Well done!!! In the end what matters is a beautiful story well told, and the simplicity of the wool balls (DNA strands?) rather adds to the story
bob the moo
Zero is born into a world of strict social class and order, with him being born of the lowest denomination and thus destined for nothing. Oppressed, mocked and mistreated his whole life, Zero holds to the belief that somehow even he amount to something, even if mathematically it is impossible.Although it ultimately has a message that is a bit clichéd and obvious, this short film is nicely paced to deliver it and has an engaging spin on the message thanks to the animation and the use of math throughout. The story sees yarn puppets with numbers on their chests going through life and we focus on a 0, who we see suffer and struggle with the system – not fighting it so much as being beaten by it. In telling the story it is never really funny but it does still manage to engage because the pacing of the telling is well done, with a steady tone delivered by the narration. Indeed McKay's steady and warm voice helps it a great deal, by gentling telling the tale with enough empathy that we feel for Zero, but not overdoing it to the extent of forcing the point.The animation matches this as it is oddly satisfying to see the simple yarn figures move around within the world. The ability to play with the faces of the figures is really limited by the approach but the animators compensate this by taking their time and also working the body language and physical actions effectively, so we understand feelings even though they are harder to show. It is a slight film without a huge reveal or impact, but it seems to know this and the pacing and construct helps it in this regard, playing to its strengths and limiting its weaknesses so that it plays quite smart and satisfying.
Ronald Boekhoorn
A short with an easy but still very much needed message created in a very nice stop-motion style.The story should not be new to anyone over the age of twelve, but is brought with such an elegance it is worth watching anyways. The animators did a splendid job of creating a variety of characters within the limits they gave themselves. This makes for an enjoyable watch even for grown-ups.The narrator's voice is pleasant and clear, the scenery simple and yet complete, and the music simple yet supporting.I hope the creators will use their techniques to also make some more off-the-beaten-track stories.
