Relax, Float Upstream With Mike Judge Assemblage ‘The Animation Show 4’

CHICAGO – With its passionate mix of creativity and computers, this modern golden age of animation proceeds to entertain and astound with each passing year. Mike Judge – the preeminent creator of cartoon legends “Beavis & Butt-Head” and “King of the Hill” – presents his latest compilation of the worldwide best in animated short films.

“The Animation Show 4” isn’t your daddy’s Bugs Bunny comfort food. It’s more like a banquet for sensory perception.

A scene from an animated short in “The Animation Show 4”. Image credit: “The Animation Show 4”

In more than 20 unique world views that are disguised as animated shorts, a compendium of the absurd and the surreal nature of ourselves are exposed in hilarious and even touching ways.

Using stop-motion, line-drawing and computer-animation techniques, the creators of these shorts get inside the core of humanity’s foibles and often do more in seven minutes than many 120-minute, feature-length films can accomplish.

The following is a rundown of our 10 honorable mentions along with what not to miss among the short presentations within this 87-minute run. View our full slideshow from the film here.

What Not to Miss

“Forgetfulness”: I must be relating to this as it’s a meditation on how former memorizations in the long process of education slowly fade away.

“Raymond”: It’s a striking stop-action and computer-animation combination on the creation of a better psyche.

“This Way Up”: There are complications even in death.

“Angry Unpaid Hooker”: It’s part of a new series that’s about to debut on HBO. This hilarious send-up of the proper, middle-class life says it all in the title.

“Mr. Schwartz, Mr. Hazen & Mr. Horlocker”: It’s a brilliant composition that focuses on the minutiae that can add up to big events.

A scene from an animated short in “The Animation Show 4”. Image credit: “The Animation Show 4”

Honorable Mentions

DON’T MISS! VIEW FULL SLIDESHOW View our full “The Animation Show 4” slideshow. RELATED READING Read more film reviews from critic Patrick McDonald.

“Key Lime Pie”: It’s a wild ride on the dark side involving Private Dick and an obsession for the titular dessert.

“Jeu”: It’s a crazy quilt surreality starting with a single word that morphs into various eye-catching scenes.

“Operator”: The soul can be vulnerable when talking to God.

“Yompi the Sloup”: The lovable yellow mascot who desires love also harbors a secret and sharp need.

“Hot Dog”: The legendary animation composer Bill Plympton scores another triumph with his determined “doggerel”.

By PATRICK McDONALD Staff Writer HollywoodChicago.com pat@hollywoodchicago.com