User reviews

"Sanjay's Super Team" (United States, 7 min.) – Probably the most widely seen of these five Oscar nominees, this animated short played in American theaters as a featurette before showings of "The Good Dinosaur". It's about a young Indian boy who's watching his favorite superhero cartoon when his father turns off the TV and brings the boy over to join him in prayer to the Hindu gods. As his dad prays, Sanjay daydreams a story in which the Hindu gods are superheroes. The story is based on the childhood of the film's director, Pixar animator Sanjay Patel. The film is a creative, colorful and entertaining meditation on the generation gap between fathers and sons and how that gap might be bridged. "A-"

Sanjay is a typical Indian boy who is torn between his fictional superheroes and his family's tradition. Sanjay is your typical boy who wants to do what others do his age. He wants to play with his action figures rather than pray and honor with his family. The animation is quite first rate and high quality. Sanjay gets torn between reality and dreams. He soon learned the value of honoring his father and his family's tradition. I didn't realize that this was a short animated film before the actual feature film. I was a bit confused and uncertain about short animated films before the actual feature film presentation. I was with a school for a trip and still the film short was nice and award worthy. I wish the film director well. Sanjay Patel has quite a future in the animated film industry.

'Sanjay's Super Team' is not one Pixar's best short films, like 'Geri's Game', 'Presto', 'One Man Band', 'For the Birds', 'Jack-Jack Attack' and 'Knick Knack'.

There is however a preference to it over 'Lava' (which from personal opinion is also a little over-hated, though for reasons that are much more understandable than to this) and 'Mater and the Ghostlight', which gets my vote as Pixar's weakest short film, if it counts.

And none of those two to me are bad, just that they just lack the magic of Pixar's best efforts, which just goes to show how high in standards and regard Pixar's work is. 'Sanjay's Super Team' is also an example of a short that's superior to the feature film that follows it. 'The Good Dinosaur' is lesser Pixar, was a big disappointment after 'Inside Out' and is very problematic, mainly with the story, the unappealing character designs, some of the script and issues regarding target audience, but it does not deserve anywhere near the amount of hatred it's garnered with a lot of the reviews here indicating that it has no redeeming qualities (even with finding a fair few problems, this viewer did find a lot to admire).

Just as there is a lot to admire about 'Sanjay's Super Team'. Its only real fault is the story, which feels rather too slight even for the short running time and I didn't quite emotionally connect with it in the same way that was achieved with Pixar's best. The introduction to the magical world too also felt a tad random and jarring. Even then, it's a long way from disastrous in execution because there was a lot done to make it interesting.

While not perfect, 'Sanjay's Super Team' is a winner on many levels. And it is such a shame to see it get the amount of hatred it's garnered, with most not even acknowledging the good qualities. Those saying that it didn't click with them this viewer does not have an issue with, at least they said why and didn't come over as over- sensitive or ignorant. Which cannot be said for those decrying it for being too disturbing, compared to some animation seen (repeat: animation is aimed for the whole family, not just kids, so enough with the stereotype already) this is actually pretty tame, and any 'disturbing' content is much better handled than in 'The Good Dinosaur', at least it doesn't feel misplaced or gratuitous here, it's not overused and there always seemed to be a reason for why a certain idea or image was included. The 'religious propaganda' criticism seen on one of the message board threads seems pretty prejudiced and close-minded too. I am very understanding of people's opinions and have been known to get hot headed to anybody with too much of a superiority complex, but felt that somebody had to be said after something that was clearly well-intended and made with a lot of heart and passion and with no malicious intent gets this much dislike.

Especially great about 'Sanjay's Super Team' is the animation, which is spectacular and bursts with colour and imagination. Sanjay is very well modelled and his expressions whether excited or reluctant genuinely resonate and makes him likable and relatable. While the mix of traditional and CGI animation, providing the contrast between the real world and exciting cartoon world, is not completely unique for this short, as Pixar's 'Day and Night' did it as well, it's more imaginatively rendered here. What is unique here for Pixar is the use of low horizon lines with wider lenses and lower camera placement, which with the character designs of the Vishnu, Hanuman and Durga made for a sight to behold. The music is whimsical and understated as well as authentically scored, in no way feeling intrusive or inappropriate. There is no dialogue present, apart from in the cartoons watched by Sanjay, and this worked, seeing as it was still clear what was happening and what was meant to be conveyed. It also allowed the atmosphere evoked by the vibrant fantasy world Sanjay enters and the comparatively tedious real world with Hindu traditions being followed to resonate, which it certainly does. Execution-wise, the story in 'Sanjay's Super Team' may not be perfect, but there was still a huge amount to appreciate about it.

It (the story that is) was still warm-humoured, heart-warming, touching and felt very warm in nature, for a short film as personal as this (the most personal easily of Pixar's short films, even more so than 'La Luna', seeing as it is based on the director's own life) that is remarkable. It's never preachy and doesn't forget to entertain. The Father/Son relationship, one of the things that 'Sanjay's Super Team' is really about, is beautifully depicted, Sanjay and his situation are very easy to relate to and a lot of credit is due for introducing diversity and including non-Western culture in something mainstream, in a way that is not religious propaganda and certainly not indoctrination.

Overall, not Pixar's best short film or not quite among the best but still a winner and much better than it's been given credit for. 8/10 Bethany Cox

This is an odd Pixar film in a sense, because the focus is not on the cuteness or the fun, but on the story. Although the animation is good, it is not as good as other Pixar films. However, this is an excellent film mostly because it has substance and teaches a great lesson to

kids who belong to a culture that is very different from the Western World but adore the same TV shoes, heroes, and stories as any other kid in the world.

The focus in this film is on the Hindu culture, as Patel is narrating a semi-autobiographic episode. Hindu culture is full of myths, legends and heroes that are thousands of years old, are amazing, fun and as enthralling as any TV super-hero. This film is a reminder that sometimes the best stories are those behind the traditions one take for granted, that those traditions are based on powerful stories with powerful heroes.

What I liked the most about the film is that the story approaches both worlds, the old and new, the modern and antique, the lay and the divine as complementary, they are both cool, there is space in our lives for both. Kids can enjoy our modern myths (playful TV characters, animated heroes, superheroes) but also need to learn to respect and appreciate the value of their own culture, the meaning of their rituals, and the powerful stories they convey.

Finally, this short film is also a charming ode to the power of the divine, prayer, meditation and tradition in our modern hectic lives.

It is refreshing seeing animators going beyond the cute to focus on such an important message.

'SANJAY'S SUPER TEAM': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

A 7 minute Pixar animated short film; which accompanied 'THE GOOD DINOSAUR' in theaters. It tells the story of an Indian boy, who imagines the Hindu gods (his father has taught him to believe in), as mighty superheroes. It was directed by veteran animator, turned director, Sanjay Patel. Patel used his own childhood, growing up as an Indian immigrant (in 1980s San Bernardino), as inspiration for the short. I found the film to be amusing, slightly emotional and full of decent animation. It's also a great, thoughtful idea for a kids' cartoon short. It doesn't quite have that magical touch though; that Pixar's greats do. 'SANJAY'S SUPER TEAM' is definitely a well made short, but it's not spectacular.

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Sanjay's Super Team is a breath of fresh air, not only to Pixar animation, but to all of mainstream animation and certainly to anything generally coming from Disney. This short follows Sanjay, a little boy who is a big fan of superheroes, but not of practicing his religion much to the dismay of his traditional Hindu father. But as the tables turn, Sanjay is thrust into action and the short really takes off into beautifully wild and inspiring action. Through a series of different styles of animation, Sanjay's adventure goes from mundane to epic, bringing with it bright colors and intricate designs that command the screen.

This short is shiny, a true visual feast, but it also stands out for its story content. Sanjay's Super Team feels authentic because it is, as real life Sanjay Patel directed the short based on exaggerated experiences from his youth. It's lovely to see a culture and it's religion that is oft overlooked in American cinema get some attention. This is Pixar's first project, of all of their shorts and feature-length projects alike, featuring humans to be lead by a person of color protagonist, after all, so it's as important as it is fun, if not more. It's also nice to see Hinduism and it's Gods portrayed in such an encouraging and positively energetic way.

It has moments reminiscent of The Powerpuff Girls and Samurai Jack, which is a completely good thing. If only Pixar had given us a new feature length action film of this caliber and laid those tired old dinosaur bones to rest.

Indian boy Sanjay is more interested in TV and his superhero shows than his father's need to pray to the gods. Sanjay accidentally extinguishes the religious incense. He enters the imaginary world where the dying smoke brings about a monster which is defeated by the awaken gods.

I like the concept. I like the characters. I like the personal story and family tradition. The only problem is the change in animation style. He's already in the imaginary world when the movie changes the style upon the gods being awaken. I prefer the first style which is sharper and could be great for action. The different style takes the story outside of reality and stripes the intensity out of the action. I get that it takes the action into a comic book style but I simply don't like the choice. Otherwise, this is a solid Pixar affair.

Patel's personable conflict surrounding his childhood, between a modernised society and the archaic traditions of Hinduism, undoubtedly enforces a relatability throughout, particularly concluding with real life photographs of the director. A young iteration of Sanjay forced to pray with his father instead of having the ability to watch his favourite superhero television show. Naturally, the youthful imagination within conjures an adventure that amalgamates Hindu theology with that of heroic spectacle. A team comprising of Vishnu, Durga and Hanuman battling against the demonic Ravana. Eventually culminating into a father and son bonding session that would see young Sanjay understand the importance of cultural traditions. Well, that was the intention anyway.

Technically, it is another colourfully animated adventure from Pixar, harnessing two distinct styles between the "real world" and Sanjay's daydream, the latter especially exuding unique hallucinogenic visuals and sound design. Character models were well-designed and the moments of heroic extravagance were vividly brought to life. But that in itself is the inherent problem with this short. Patel insisted on showcasing the visual splendour of the superhero sub-genre, as opposed to exploring the importance of the central integral issue. Loss of faith. Weakened indoctrination. The climactic bond between Sanjay and his father, indicating the combination of modern pop culture and traditionalism, was instantly diminished because of this. The inner conflict isn't depicted. Which is a dire shame, as the crux of this short is a substantially vital principle that is rapidly declining in today's society.

For all intent and purposes, this short acts as a microcosm for Disney's current methodologies. Showcase the spectacles of action and visual effects, without dabbling into crucial characterised themes. Sanjay may have assembled a perfectly watchable Super Team, but it consequently avoids divulging in the very topic it set out to inspect.

I love this animated Disney/Pixar short called because I love the plot. This short film is about the director, Sanjay Patel's childhood and how he has a conflict between doing what he likes and his father's traditions.

I like this film because it has a nice message – "Traditions may seem boring at times until you take the time to learn about them." You can find ways to incorporate what you like and still keep your family traditions. You will see that it can be fun to do what your parents want to do with you.

I think many people will relate to this film. My favorite part of the film is when Sanjay imagines himself inside his Dad's cabinet where he is small and these heroes save him.

I give this film 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it to ages 5 to 18. I think adults might like it as well. Some of these scenes might be intense for kids ages under the age of 4. I recommend this to people who like family and adventure shorts. This short will play prior to the new Disney/Pixar film, The Good Dinosaur which opens nationwide in November, 2015.

Reviewed by Ryan R., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic.

Sanjay is a young Indian boy who dreams that Hindu characters become much like Power Ranger-like beings and defeat the forces of evil with his help.

This short film is from Pixar...which pretty much guarantees that it will win the award as it's the only animated short from a major studio. I say this because in interviews, Oscar nominators have admitted to voting for films simply because they like giant companies like Disney or Pixar...and in recent years, inferior films from them have won while much better independent films have been snubbed. For example, last year's "The Dam Keeper" was clearly the best animated short but lost to a Disney film which was more widely seen...but also rather safe and ordinary. If I am right, this will be a really bad year for the category because Sanjay's Super Team is one of the least interesting short films I have ever seen from Pixar and is among my least favorite among the nominees. I liked that the characters were from India but inclusiveness alone cannot be allowed to overshadow that it's also a rather shallow and unappealing film. Like all Pixar films, the CGI is top-notch...the story clearly isn't. In fact, there is practically no story at all and its emotional appeal at the end just seemed contrived and formulaic.

I'll return to update my review after the Oscars are given out on February 28th, but the cynical side of me thinks this short has it in the bag despite being a disappointing short.

UPDATE: This film did not win, but "Bear Story" took the Oscar.

Is it really based on true stories mostly?

The little boy was deep into Hero's movie so he mixes up with religious praying. CG quality is terrific!

Sanjay's Super Team is a decent short film with a reasonably well developed storyline and stunning animation. It certainly has traits that I enjoyed, mainly the relationship between the young boy and his father, I think we can all relate to it in a way, we all had our parents trying to get us involved in certain things when we were younger that we simply had no interest in, and this is the part of the short I liked the most. The main reason I'm giving this short a rating of six is because it goes off on a tangent when the young boy starts daydreaming and the message of the film is completely lost, it gets boring and a little frustrating as he starts to imagine the gods he is supposed to be worshiping as if they were superheroes. I think they should have given the characters voices, I know silent characters normally work for Pixar in short films, but this time around I feel the message, the story and the overall relationship between these two characters would have been much more clear had they been interacting with each other, not necessarily big lines, just a word here and there to convey the message more. The animation is stunning and it's definitely not a waste of seven minutes if you're a fan, but as regards to compelling and captivating short films, I have come to expect much more from Pixar.

A young boy starts to daydream about the gods his father expects him to worship as if they were superheroes.

This Disney/Pixar short was shown before their The Good Dinosaur. It tells of a young Hindu boy more interested in his superheroes then in his dad's religious symbols. Then we see images of the boy's imagination going wild when he's imagining what his dad's artifacts are like as superheroes. I'll stop there and just say that part of me was confused as to what was going on but I got the gist of what the director was trying to convey. It's quite touching when the ending moment comes but I'll probably have to watch this again someday in order to really get what is going on when what happens in this short start happening. So on that note, Sanjay's Super Team is at the least, worth a look.

I grew up as a third culture kid in both India and the US.

This storyline really resonated with me. When I was a kid playing with my action figures, I'd envision scenarios where the heroes of Indian mythology like Hanuman, Bheema, and so on would team up with Batman, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, etc.

Sanjay has a culturally-syncretic experience like that in this short.

And that's what most people took away from this.

BUT THAT'S ONLY SURFACE LEVEL. IT'S SO MUCH MORE.

When I re-watched this I noticed there was so much interesting imagery.

On the side of the room over the television set was a map of America, where Sanjay finds his Western heroes. Over the small shrine on the other side is a map of India, where his Dad has his own heroes, his Gods.

The way the reflection of the lamp and flame on the floor looks like a bell represents the way light cuts through the darkness, the way sound cuts through the silence.

Speaking of the darkness, the shapeshifter initially takes on the form of a rakshasa, a demon that represents the worst of human self-destructive behaviors, but after the sound of the bell subdues it (created by smashing his idol, the action figure), the form looks human again, with palms together, meaning the darkness we must subdue is our own.

Another point about of light subduing the dark is at the end when Sanjay opens the blinds on the dark room, and also when his father and him meet in the middle.

Tangentially-- I was surprised Mychael Danna did the score, because I was most familiar with his work in Boondock Saints. But then I realized he also scored Monsoon Wedding and Life Of Pi, and then I was like "Oh, that makes sense."

P.S. The negative reviews here from bigots... shame on you. I think it's very telling about how small-minded you are, that you react to something foreign, that you don't understand, with so much fear, and no willingness or desire for knowledge or understanding. I'm an atheist, and even I understood the beautiful message in this film.

Catching up on the Oscar-nominated shorts from last year brought me to watch this film which is on Vimeo (I assume unauthorized). It is a surprising film to find in the pack for the Academy Award – I have not yet seen all of those nominated, but for sure this is by far the weakest I have seen from the pack. The plot sees a young boy watching his superhero cartoons while his father does his morning prayers. Forced to join in, the boy retreats into a fictional world where the gods are superheroes fighting to protect him. The name of the character is the same as the director/writer, and the end credits suggest it is based on real personal experience.

This is the bit that surprised me the most, because if the film is so personal, why does it have almost no heart. Technically it is all well and good, with typically impressive animation from Pixar, but there is nothing really beyond this and the movement. The narrative is very simple and it delivers its idea but doesn't draw us into the characters or make us feel for them. Without comparing it to other films, and looking at it on its own merits this is true, but to put it alongside World of Tomorrow or Bear Story only highlights this weakness further. We don't make a connection with the boy or his father in the film, nor is there a real sense of danger or wonder in the action section – so when we come together in shared understanding at the end, it doesn't have any impact other than being very functional along the same lines.

The animation is slick and professional of course, but otherwise there is really very little to the content of the short and it left me cold. The only reason it even stuck in my mind was that I kept pondering how it had gotten into the final pack of shorts up for an Oscar.

It's no disguise just how personal and close-to-home Sanjay's Super Team is for Pixar animator Sanjay Patel, who makes this his directorial debut, as well. The short is a vibrant burst of energy and color for seven minutes, as the story focuses around a small boy named Sanjay, who simply wants to watch his favorite cartoon Super Team in piece. His preoccupation with his show distracts him from the meticulous process of his father as he sets up a Hindu shrine for meditation. Wanting his son to witness such a peaceful, mind/body-cleansing experience, Sanjay's father pulls him away from the TV to meditate.

Sanjay simply isn't interested, to the point where he retrieves a toy in the middle of his father's meditation and almost completely corrupts the process. Eventually, Sanjay becomes immersed in his personal journey, to the point where he imagines Hindu gods as his own band of superheros. Before his very imagination can keep up, Vishnu and Durga transform from two-dimensional abstracts into elaborate and colorful heroes that tantalize the very sensibilities of Sanjay.

Sanjay's Super Team evokes neon colors to near perfection, as we watch this story unfold with no dialog and a very slow and steady pace, even for such a short runtime. The only issue is that the takeaway from this is pretty slight, even by the recent standards of Pixar shorts (let's just say, it's nice this one got the Oscar love instead of the momentarily sad but utterly frothy Lava). There's not a lot of emotional connection, despite this being a fairly emotional story, and while Patel's passion and heart is here, there's just very little to say, unfortunately.

I loved this short film because of its cute meaningful story and stunning graphics. Please make it as a full length movie. It would be awesome to watch that. Some interesting facts - Growing up, sanjay became more confident with his identity, although he still found it challenging to openly embrace his Indian background at work. As a child, he "felt deeply the absence of anyone who looked like him in films and television." To "bring a young brown boy's story to the pop culture zeitgeist," Patel first pitched the short to Pixar executives in mid-2012. Pixar's chief creative officer, John Lasseter, was very welcoming to the idea "about celebrating the personal side of the story."

There's nothing terribly wrong with this. It has its religious stuff going on and the usual Pixar clarity of animation. But it seemed like there was little sense of urgency or suspense. Maybe my white traditional culture and spoon fed religion got in the way.

Sanjay's Super Team (2015)

*** (out of 4)

Mildly entertaining short from Pixar about a young boy named Sanjay who wants to watch his superheroes on television but his father demands that he join him in meditation. Soon the boy's fantasy takes form as he joins his superheroes in battle.

I must admit that I'm a little surprised that SANJAY'S SUPER TEAM was nominated for an Oscar. Well, I guess I shouldn't be surprised since it's from Pixar but I really didn't think this was among their best work. I will say that the animation is certainly the greatest thing going for the film as we get some amazing visuals and especially the colors on the three Hindu gods. The story itself is okay but I really didn't find it to be too special.

This is a touching story of intergenerational conflict, and how the modern world can leave tradition behind. It is smartly observed about father and sons. It is also very colorful and has a slight Bollywood vibe. But some of it is obscure and esoteric. I am unsure what the super team tracks within Hinduism or with another piece of media.

I took my daughter to see "The good dinosaur" and got this scary movie instead. It's been 2 days now and she is still afraid to sleep without us staying with her.

The "short" started normally, showing an Indian child watching T.V, then come prayer time and then the kid gets carried away into an awful scary fight with a monster and 3 Hindu gods that are symbolically similar to the child's 3 super heroes from his favorite t.v show. At that Point, the noises and animation became too much to bare for a little child.

about 10 other kids where led out of the theater since they were afraid.

Too bad that a "short" with such a potential and emotional story, gets a low review just for forcing these images on little children that just came to see a movie about a good dinosaur