Where I Watched it: Apple Plus

English Audio Description?: Yes

Cast: phoenix laroche, Alex Lawther, and Helena Bonham Carter.

Written By: Tom Bigwell

Directed By: Jennifer Perrott and Rick Thieley

If I did this review just a few days ago, I’d be talking about the chances of this being another Oscar entry for Apple, like last years The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, and the Horse, which was nominated for Best Animated Short. This isn’t on any short list. Perhaps, the combination of animation and live action made it hard to determine which short category it should be in, but does everything need an Oscar anyway? Apple has just brought to life a version of the Velveteen Rabbit for kids to watch and enjoy. that’s really all we need. However, i would argue that the film isn’t really that necessary. For kids around the world, who have grown up on this film, it’s always been about who read this to us at bedtime anyway. It’s a sad story, and so odd that it is a children’s classic, but we give our kids weird books to read. What can I say? The Giving Tree is sad as hell too.

This short film is basically the book, but in slightly longer form, which allows for a little more development of the story. However, it’s not a daring feature length adaptation, like how Chris Van Allsburg had his novels Jumanji, The Polar Express, and Zathura all adapted. This is just a contained story that is over and done in the time a child would easily be able to sit still.

The audio description is just OK. I did wonder how this live action and animation hybrid was really working out, and I felt like during the film I had more questions than answers. but, it does follow the story nicely, so if you aren’t bothered by the mixed mode way of telling the story, then you won’t notice it. But I just get interested sometimes in how the sausage gets made.

I do think your kids will like this, even if it isn’t totally a new vision of the piece. They could have done more with it, but they played it safe. So, it’s safe. There are worse things to be, especially when adapting a time worn classic.

Final Grade: B