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Tsumiki no ie (2008)
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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writer:
Kunio Katô (written by)
Plot:
As his town is flooded by water, an old man is forced to add additional levels onto his home with bricks (cubes) in order to stay dry...
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Awards:
Won Oscar.
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NewsDesk:
(4 articles)
Oscars Glory For Penn, Winslet, Ledger, Cruz And Slumdog Millionaire
(From WENN. 22 February 2009, 11:05 PM, PST)
Complete List of 2009 Oscar Winners
(From Rope Of Silicon. 22 February 2009, 10:36 PM, PST)
(From WENN. 22 February 2009, 11:05 PM, PST)
Complete List of 2009 Oscar Winners
(From Rope Of Silicon. 22 February 2009, 10:36 PM, PST)
User Comments:
Very good
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Cast
(Credited cast)| Masami Nagasawa | ... | Narration |
Additional Details
Also Known As:
La maison en petits cubes (USA) (festival title)
The House of Small Cubes (International: English title) (literal title)
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The House of Small Cubes (International: English title) (literal title)
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Parents Guide:
Runtime:
12 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.78 : 1 more
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Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Director/writer Kunio Katô became the first Asian to win an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film since the category was initiated in 1932.
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Movie Connections:
Featured in 81st Annual Academy Awards (2009) (TV)
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This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (4 total)
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Tsumiki no ie (2008)| Recent Posts (updated daily) | User |
|---|---|
| won oscar-did you like it? | greekgodar |
| Watch it here - (Update: available again) | nekrosoma |
| Music. | chadtapp |
| Narration? | forgether |
| Where? | msh3773 |
| Maison Wins Oscar!!! ... WELL DONE | Bazzaa |
Recommendations
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| News articles | IMDb Animation section | IMDb Japan section |
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Like last year, I went to a special showing of the Oscar-nominated animated short films. However, unlike last year, in addition to the nominees, several "commended films" were also shown. In this review I'll make my predictions, though if it's anything like last year's choices, I'll probably once again pick the wrong shorts as my favorite for the award.
The film features an old man living alone in a town that has become submerged. His answer to the slowly rising water is to keep building on to his original home--like placing cubes on top of cubes to keep out the water. When he loses his favorite pipe, he dons scuba gear to retrieve it. As he descends and sees the earlier levels of his home (now submerged) he relives in his mind his life and loves. It's all very sweet and sentimental.
I saw this film with a friend and he liked how the scuba diving was a great plot device. He loved the metaphorical aspects of the film. As for me, I wondered if perhaps there was actually a secondary reason for the submerged homes--to draw attention to global warming. He didn't see it and perhaps I am just reading this into the film, though I still suspect the film is trying to preach to the audience about this supposed threat.
The story was slow but very sweet--accentuated by a nice hand-drawn look and the gauze filter used to enhance the print along with evocative music. Oddly, while the film maker is apparently Japanese, the title is French and the art work doesn't really look Asian-inspired at all.
Of the five films nominated, this is probably my third favorite. It was extremely creative and unique, but I still think the award will either be taken by PRESTO or my favorite, THIS WAY UP.
UPDATE: LA MAISON EN PETITS CUBES was the winner this year. Not surprisingly, I got this one wrong but at least saw the film as a strong contender.