My Little Goat

Needless to say, for a graduation work, this is a phenomenal showcase of storytelling talent. Tomoki Misato's retelling of a classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale merely takes the original's skeleton, whereas the central focus is on an entirely different angle toward psychological trauma, be it memories or permanent scars that are difficult to confront. The innocence of a group of baby sheep is exploited for grim imagery, and this could have easily gone in the opposite direction, however, I commend Misato's choice to rotate the moral compass to responsibility, the conscious choice to protect the defenseless. The film's parallel allegories are extremely effective in developingthe ominous air that creeps around in many of the scenes, also contingent on an unsettling score composed of low shrieking and augmented scales, only sparsely releasing to build tension upon the fearful eyes staring at one another. The stop-motion mechanics are very dynamic, utilizing visual techniques that are traditionally seen in digital animation (e.g., jumping into a picture frame, or hiding in a jar). It's storyboarded with consideration of the full view of multiple characters simultaneously making micro-movements for a final sequence that's intricately choreographed, while the camera's approach to this climax is through blocking and below-eye-level shots. The tainted felt material used for the mangled characters eerily contrasts the unharmed sheep, displaying tears in the wool to reveal colors of bruised blue or pink. My Little Goat excels in concurrently producing layers of symbolism, and the sheer success of the narrative in ten minutes is remarkable. I have high hopes for Misato's career, and it seems he's already being recognized for his abilities in his TV debut. A deceptively distorted tale of unconditional acceptance.