This short is featured on the Animation Show Vol. 3 DVD.
Matthew Walker's CG student short about two hapless astronauts made the festival rounds in 2006, bringing a good deal of attention to the young British animator. It made the theatrical rounds as part of both the Animation Show of Shows and Mike Judge and Don Hertzfeldt's Animation Show. Filled with droll humor, British etiquette must rule the day when one astronaut's boredom leads to a precarious predicament for him and his fellow space traveler.
While the design of the film isn't trailblazing, Walker's sense of timing is wonderful. He has the patience to allow his jokes to build. Sometimes he draws them out a tad too long, but for the most part he hits the mark. For sci-fi geeks, they'll laugh at both the conventions he uses and for the real science that never gets used in other space-based stories. The first and last jokes are the best of the film, which makes for a good start and fine conclusion.
ASTRONAUTS is a solid debut for a filmmaker who only gets better with his second effort. I encourage folks to check out his sophomore effort JOHN AND KAREN as part of the 4th Animation Show theatrical run. I gave that film an honorable mention as part of last year's RFP Overlooked Awards.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
