2 reviews
Written and directed by Olivia Loccisano, 'Pocket Princess' is a 2024 animation fantasy horror short film. The film features the voice talents of Camille Blott, Naiya Novak, Maya Malkin and Natasha Brault.
After her mother passes away due to disease, a young Anna who collects dolls finds herself in the care of her cruel uncle. As her life is turned increasingly dour by her violent and perverted uncle, Anna's miniature friends come to her rescue, pushing her to take drastic measures to attain her freedom.
Running at a little over 9 minutes, Pocket Princess is a fascinating short film about how one young girl manages to turn the tide over her oppressor. Featuring richly layered characters and a potent central narrative, the film sucks you right in from the get go. The narrative pacing is on point and there is not a single dull moment in the entire film. The film's dim and grim aesthetic, coupled with a Coraline-like visual sensibility is perfect for its mature plot as director Olivia Loccisano conjures this dark and violent animated film about how children lose their innocence in bad environments. According to Loccisano, demons come in all shapes and sizes and sometimes, those who are supposed to protect us might even be demons themselves.
Equally impressive is the stop motion animation that manages to infuse a sense of both desperation and darkness as the young girl's life becomes progressively worse and worse. Everything from the character movements to their facial emotions works perfectly here and I found myself marvelling at the sheer detail of the characters as well as the dearth of emotions imbued by their voice acting counterparts. The colours, although dour and reflective of the narrative, are intense and the character designs (both human and nonhuman) are quite creative.
Although it looks like a kids film from the outset, this is anything but. With themes such as sexual exploitation of orphan children and sexual misconduct by priests woven into the narrative, the film does not shy away from shedding light on society's grave ills that most people pretend are not there. The finale is especially violent as a desperate Anna is forced to do something shocking to protect herself. The ending is both sad and cathartic as Loccisano reminds the viewers that life is not a fairy tale and sometimes, in order to protect oneself, a significant price must be paid.
Thus, Pocket Princess is a fantastically grim animated short, one that takes you on a dark journey down a rabbit hole of darkness and fantasy. Olivia Loccisano has made a film that manages to impress in more ways than one. Both a potent film and a fantastic example of Olivia Loccisano's talents as a filmmaker. I loved the film and can't wait to see what Loccisano manages to accomplish next!
After her mother passes away due to disease, a young Anna who collects dolls finds herself in the care of her cruel uncle. As her life is turned increasingly dour by her violent and perverted uncle, Anna's miniature friends come to her rescue, pushing her to take drastic measures to attain her freedom.
Running at a little over 9 minutes, Pocket Princess is a fascinating short film about how one young girl manages to turn the tide over her oppressor. Featuring richly layered characters and a potent central narrative, the film sucks you right in from the get go. The narrative pacing is on point and there is not a single dull moment in the entire film. The film's dim and grim aesthetic, coupled with a Coraline-like visual sensibility is perfect for its mature plot as director Olivia Loccisano conjures this dark and violent animated film about how children lose their innocence in bad environments. According to Loccisano, demons come in all shapes and sizes and sometimes, those who are supposed to protect us might even be demons themselves.
Equally impressive is the stop motion animation that manages to infuse a sense of both desperation and darkness as the young girl's life becomes progressively worse and worse. Everything from the character movements to their facial emotions works perfectly here and I found myself marvelling at the sheer detail of the characters as well as the dearth of emotions imbued by their voice acting counterparts. The colours, although dour and reflective of the narrative, are intense and the character designs (both human and nonhuman) are quite creative.
Although it looks like a kids film from the outset, this is anything but. With themes such as sexual exploitation of orphan children and sexual misconduct by priests woven into the narrative, the film does not shy away from shedding light on society's grave ills that most people pretend are not there. The finale is especially violent as a desperate Anna is forced to do something shocking to protect herself. The ending is both sad and cathartic as Loccisano reminds the viewers that life is not a fairy tale and sometimes, in order to protect oneself, a significant price must be paid.
Thus, Pocket Princess is a fantastically grim animated short, one that takes you on a dark journey down a rabbit hole of darkness and fantasy. Olivia Loccisano has made a film that manages to impress in more ways than one. Both a potent film and a fantastic example of Olivia Loccisano's talents as a filmmaker. I loved the film and can't wait to see what Loccisano manages to accomplish next!
- riaz_khan111
- Nov 13, 2024
- Permalink
Done in stop motion animation, the short film follows an orphaned little girl who endures the abuse of her priest caretaker. She escapes her reality by playing with little dolls in a toy castle that seemingly comes to life and tells her how to escape her abuser.
Despite its initial appearance, the film tells a heartbreaking tale that is, unfortunately, all too familiar in the real world. By using stop motion animation, the message becomes an allegory instead, conveying its urgency through the lens of a fantasy world. The juxtaposition between the innocent visuals and the darker meaning creates for a heartbreaking scenario. The main little girl's sad plight is something you'd find in a lot of children's stories and fairy tales, but the way the story develops would truly surprise you.
The animation has a distinctive style and detailed craftsmanship that are pleasant on the eyes. There is a slight eerie vibe thanks to the character designs, the background score, and the grim storyline itself. It's kind of Tim Burton-esque that way.
Despite its initial appearance, the film tells a heartbreaking tale that is, unfortunately, all too familiar in the real world. By using stop motion animation, the message becomes an allegory instead, conveying its urgency through the lens of a fantasy world. The juxtaposition between the innocent visuals and the darker meaning creates for a heartbreaking scenario. The main little girl's sad plight is something you'd find in a lot of children's stories and fairy tales, but the way the story develops would truly surprise you.
The animation has a distinctive style and detailed craftsmanship that are pleasant on the eyes. There is a slight eerie vibe thanks to the character designs, the background score, and the grim storyline itself. It's kind of Tim Burton-esque that way.
- hiwondersisters
- Nov 13, 2024
- Permalink