I Didn't See That Coming

I've been re-watching Satoshi Kon films lately. From one picture to the next he make remarkable jumps -not just as an animation director, but as an artist and writer.

On Sunday at the Dancing for Disney screening at Lincoln Center's Dance on Camera festival I dutifully screened "golden age" Disney shorts, impressed by the technical execution but thoroughly bored by the films themselves.

The worst thing something can be is boring.

Why is "Millennium Actress" compelling when a Goofy "How to..." short is a chore? For all the flair and craft within the Disney product it lacks a fundamental attribute: the ability to surprise.

For all the crappy animation in "Perfect Blue" it's engaging. If being boring is the worst thing possible, one of the best feelings watching a movie is when you think "I didn't see that coming" but remain wholly with the piece.