Bao (2018) User Reviews

Uhhh... yeah it's good.

[jagotskysquay · 9/10 · 12 November 2018]

I am 30 year old man.

I have made my mother's life a living hell for my entire life. I moved out when I was 18 and got a place with my girlfriend of the time.

I could tell she sensed " something " about her but being a naive, self-serving fool, I stupidly told myself that the girl was more important. I wasted the next two years of my life on that girl, always holding to that stubborn frame of mind.

Just after my 20th birthday I got into trouble. Long story short, I did something i never should have more or less because I had the girl on my mind. I landed myself in prison, luckily only for two years.

I then got out only to learn that that girl had robbed me for everything I had, and she had also broken in to my moms house and robbed her, Stole my mothers last remaining memory she had of HER mother, her wedding ring.

I had spent those two years rethinking my life and my path, and felt I was going to get out and do things right, I just KNEW I was going to succeed.

I have struggled ever since, still ever so stubborn, made many stupid decisions between then and now.

I'm not sure what I am trying to say here but j guess it is a bit like this.

Don't take your mother or father for granted. You will realize how much they mean to you once you've gotten to the point of no return.

This little short reminded me of that.

The only moment people want to talk about is not the point of the film

[GoldenBlunderbuss · 8/10 · 30 July 2018]

Let's get this out there straight away. The whole point of the mother eating her dumpling son (never thought I would ever write that), is that she would rather keep him for herself than let him live his own life. Immediately upon doing so, she realises her mistake and feels awful for it. But the blame, ultimately, is shared by both parties.

The events leading to that point show a mother caring for her son as he gladly accepts her adoration, but as he grows up and acquires a questionable neck-beard he wants more independence - even at the expense of rejecting his mother's undying love.

The ending - as the human son returns home with the symbolic dumplings to share with his mother - is about the reconciliation of a child who has finally understood with the financial, physical and emotional sacrifices made by a parent and wants to make amends.

It's a beautifully crafted animation and story which left a tear in my eye by the final scene. Give it a go; don't listen to those who can only give it judgment based purely on the WTF moment.

Heart Touching

[omeralaa · 8/10 · 14 August 2020]

Pixar knows how to touch your heart, even if the duration of the movie is only 8 minutes and even if there's no dialogue. The movie was heart-warming and so emotional (put tissues next to you), the movie has a powerful message adults and children will understand it and appreciate it.

A perfect short film

[0U · 24 February 2020]

This powerful little short film uses food to tell the story of guilt and family. Disney recently released this on YouTube and I can very easily recommend this gem.

Beautiful Little Film

[Hitchcoc · 10/10 · 26 February 2019]

When a kind of stuffed dumpling begins to act human, a lonely mother raises it as a child. What is fun is that the thing begins to act in very human terms, showing defiance and sexuality. What transpires is Pixar's gift for 2018. The animation is so creative and so unique. See this Academy Award winner whenever possible.

Bao provides a strong message about motherhood (and parenthood).

[henrypixar · 10/10 · 12 June 2018]

Domee Shi, Pixar's first short film director ever, wanted to share this film as a strong message of all mothers and parents who spends time with their kids as they grow up to live in a better world out there. This short gave me tearful touch since I'm now in college and I understand how parents feel when their own children gone off to college or somewhere else for future career. Also, the passion of making dumplings was a remarkable example of how we see in our childhood with families being together.

I would give this short an A+

Didn't feel the emotion of it quite as much as the filmmakers wanted me to.

[Hellmant · 7/10 · 15 June 2018]

'BAO': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

Another Pixar computer-animated short film, which plays before 'INCREDIBLES 2' in theaters. This one tells the story of a lonely Chinese mother, who suffers from 'empty nest syndrome', and then finds a homemade dumpling, that she made, which comes to life and gives her another chance to be a mother. Of course what's fun at first also grows older, and grows away once again (just like a child). The short is a modern reimagining of the classic folktale 'The Gingerbread Man'. It's about 8-minutes long, and it was directed by Domee Shi (the first woman to direct a Pixar short). I found it to be charming and refreshingly odd. It's also (of course) beautifully animated, and the music (by Toby Chu) is equally beautiful as well. I didn't feel the emotion of it quite as much as a lot of other Pixar shorts though (or as much as it seemed like the filmmakers wanted me to). It is an enjoyable and well made little short film still though.

Prepare to ugly cry

[silverwing99-618-344035 · 9/10 · 15 June 2018]

Pixar and Disney really ought to merge with Kleenex ... they just know how to get you right in the feels! Being Asian and the mom of two boys this got me ... a very well done short showing what it's like when your child grows up and how hard it is to let go.

I get what they were going for, but...

[jwwalrath-227-85487 · 6/10 · 22 June 2018]

I commend this Pixar short that came before Incredibles 2 for being different and more ambitious than previous shorts. However, it never quite gelled with me.

Bao does have the most heartfelt ending of all Pixar shorts and some distinctive character designs, I'll give it that. But, the overall gimmick was too weird for me. (I don't want to spoil it if you haven't seen this yet. This is is one of those situations where less info. is definitely more.) It doesn't help that the ending takes a moment to figure out. And that's for adults. Children will probably be confused. There is one moment that I found disturbing and may frighten some kids. Although a lot of people in the theater laughed at that, so it probably depends on who's watching.

How are people not getting it?

[blueyes-3 · 10/10 · 18 June 2018]

It's a metaphor. The woman (it's a WOMAN, smh) had a dream. Or maybe a hallucination, but they show her waking up, so I attributed it to a dream. I, too, gasped aloud when she ate the bao to keep him with her, but overall, I thought it was a clever and entertaining story, told entirely without words.

Liked It!

[AhmedSpielberg99 · 7/10 · 26 June 2018]

I didn't feel the emotion of it quite as much as the filmmakers wanted me to, but it's funny, beautifully animated, and has a good message.

(7/10)

How we see our kids.

[patrickflorio · 9/10 · 4 November 2018]

This is not only for kids and I see Domee Shi's heart. Parents see their kids as dumplings. You will need to explain it to your kids to make them understand the feeling behind our being parents. I loved it, I call my girl my little meatball, (polpetta) in italian. We see our kids as ours and forget that they need to be themselves to be happy, we would protect them for ever. It is wonderful to see this feeling expressed without words and in a way that speaks directly to the soul. We need to remember that our kids are a big part of our life and that it becomes vital to keep them in our lives regardless of our ideas that do not match with our love for them.

Sweet in Theory, but Ultimately Misguided Pixar Short

[michaeledward1212 · 6/10 · 23 June 2018]

I'm a bit befuddled at the praise Bao has received. I guess I'm in the minority in thinking that Pixar's blatant emotional manipulation has gotten a bit old. I don't think Bao will resonate with the average movie goer or children, in fact after the infamous dumpling eating scene many children in the theatre seemed frightened and adults could be heard laughing at the shocking decision. Bao is sweet in theory and the animation is top notch, but as is it's one of the weakest of the Pixar shorts, and didn't match the light and fun tone of Incredibles 2.

Cheap sentimentality at best.

[hoeraufist · 1/10 · 28 June 2018]

The above really is all you need to know, but I'm having a slow night, so what the hell. The theme's aren't terribly complex, it's empty nest syndrome and a strained mother/son relationship. In that sense it's actually pretty basic, and you know they're going for cheap tugs at impressionable heart strings. They do seem to be forgetting that this short is leading into a kid's movie, and the metaphor of eating her own food son to stop him from leaving her will no doubt be going over the heads of any child in attendance. It's not that it's a terribly deep metaphor, just a clumsy one.

I think a considerable fumble actually occurs in the fact that the short has an unhealthy message about relationships. I'm certain that any first generation Asian person can tell you some horror stories about their own over-protective or even abusive tiger mom. So, the idea that it's on these kids to apologize for not being a willing recipient of this unhealthy treatment seems unintentional, but it's still the core message of the story. (Again, not terribly deep, but clumsy")

Also, it irks me that the short is preceded by the cast of the Incredibles apologizing for the sequel taking so long to come out. Samuel L. Jackson ends that video with a "without further adieu..." and then they give us further adieu.

I guess the animation was nice. Not quite in the uncanny valley, but just on the left side of it. All in all, I would say, just use the start of the short as your last chance to get snacks or use the bathroom before the movie starts.

Beautiful

[rmwilliams-18922 · 28 June 2018]

This short almost had me in tears, which RARELY happens. Every thing about it pulled on my emotions in just the right way. The music was incredibly conducive to the message. Here I was, waiting for a fun day of Incredibles, and then this short caught me off guard and had me rethinking my whole relationship with my mother. This short will make you cry, and make you think. A beautiful ending was the icing on the cake.

I would HIGHLY recommend taking just a few minutes out of your day to watch this short, you will not regret it.

Bao was another intriguing Pixar short

[tavm · 9/10 · 16 June 2018]

This was a Pixar short shown before the studio's feature of Incredibles 2 in theatres. It seems to involve a Chinese adult dealing with "empty nest" syndrome as she makes a dumpling that resembles her offspring who grew apart from her as it grew up. Directed by Domee Shi, this was quite amusing and touching. So that's a recommendation of Bao.

I remember seeing this adorable short before Incredibles 2!

[UniqueParticle · 10/10 · 14 April 2019]

I love that someone else mentions it's a metaphor. That's brilliant! I didn't think of that. This was very sweet & shocking with a great message!

Cute little short film about family

[briancham1994 · 7/10 · 5 August 2020]

This short film is ostensibly about a little Chinese bread bun but is about so much more. It is primarily set in a Chinese family living in Toronto but the themes are universal and to do with growing up and family relations. In reality, the bun is just how the mother sees the son - her fragile little creation! The emotional expressions and relationships between the characters are what really make this short film great.

Inter-generational Differences in a Bao Skin

[MissCheerful · 10/10 · 12 July 2018]

This is a proud moment for Asians. Bao is directed by Domee Shi, the first woman to direct a Pixar short centred around a Chinese Mom & son! This is a heartwarming story that sweetly reflects both hilarious and fundamental traditions ingrained in every Chinese person near and far.

On the surface it's a tear jerking prodigal son story which beautifully uses the beloved Chinese dumpling as a plot twisting metaphor. However, it also goes deeper into the problems immigrant families face when children grow up in North America and become westernized, they no longer share the same beliefs or value the traditions of their parents causing family clashes, and the son to run away.

Who is wrong and who is right? Are such clashes inevitible? That's why this little short is so brilliant, because in a few minutes The audience gets to gain pretty deep insights into Chinese food, habits, beliefs, dilemmas, and strict traditions dating back thousands of years such as filial piety. In a Bao skin, I'd say this is a fantastic short film that will make you fall in love with Chinese dumplings whether you've had them before or not. And Chinese moms.

Kudos to going with the Chinese name, Bao.

Sweet, but Not Quite as Spectacular as Pixar's Other Shorts,

[lesleyharris30 · 7/10 · 28 November 2018]

Bao is a good animated short film with a nicely developed plot and some stand out moments. It is a very sweet, quite a different short for Pixar as we follow a mother bond with a dumpling that comes to life, giving her a second chance of motherhood. It definitely explores deep, emotional themes while staying humourus and kid friendly, exactly what Pixar does best.

I will say that the film did not impact as much as some of Pixar's other shorts, one of the main reasons being I found myself trying to figure out what was going on for too long. I did not understand why it was a dumpling, and there probably was not a specific reason, but having it be a piece of food that comes to life just confused me, and I avoided connecting with the piece cause I felt like he was going to get eaten.

Sweet and well animated. Bao is not my favourite of Pixar's work, but it is certainly unique and definitely worth a look.

A mother whose son has left the nest gets a second chance when a dumpling comes to life.

Clever and heartfelt.

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 17 January 2019]

"Bao" is a thoroughly strange short film....and describing its plot isn't exactly easy. It also is very touching and has a strong symbolic aspect to it...one that adults would probably appreciate much more than the kids who see it.

The story is set in Canada with Chinese-Canadians. The housewife is making yet another batch of pork buns when suddenly one of them comes to life!! It's like a tiny boy and she loves it and showers affection on the boy...and ultimately you learn that it's all a metaphor for change, acceptance and love.

The animation, not surprisingly, is top-notch. It's from Pixar...and we've come to expect this sort of excellence from the company. The story is strong and characters wonderful and unique. Well worth seeing....and available as an extra on the DVD for "Incredibles 2"...the film with which it was shown in theaters.

Weird way of conveying an otherwise sweet message.

[Animany94 · 7/10 · 31 January 2019]

Sure,Pixar's short film Bao wasn't bad, I just didn't fully get into it.

A mother who misses his child, yes, I agree it's sweet and mothers will be able to relate to, but the way it is told just felt awkward to me with the whole food thing going on. Maybe it's just me, but seeing a living piece of food eating another piece of food out of which it was made in the first place is awkward.

But the music was very pleasing with its calming japanese instrumentation and once the rather disturbing food allegory is over we get the highpoint of the short at the end when the main character reunites with the one the whole thing was about.

This is a unique little short which I hope other will enjoy a little more than I did.

Thank you Domee Shi

[twinshk2 · 10/10 · 27 June 2018]

First, thank you Domee, for continuing the long tradition of breathtaking Pixar shorts. I cried. The last time I remember crying because of a movie was during Up

If you didn't grow up in an Asian/maybe immigrant environment, this will be hard to get, at least the way it's portrayed, but for those of us who grew up with this, it hits very deeply.

10/10. If you don't understand this, watch this with an Asian American friend of yours. There's also plenty of articles floating around on the internet as well explaining it.

The Immigrant Story

[JackCerf · 7/10 · 5 July 2018]

The people who say that they didn't get Bao are, in my opinion, either unable to grasp metaphors or have no understanding of generational conflict in immigrant communities. Anyone who comes from an immigrant culture will recognize the tension between the loving but overprotective mother and the son to whom growing up means embracing all of the possibilities of the country he was born in. And I mean embracing literally; the fiancee, with her blond hair, white blouse and tartan skirt, is the image of the classic shiksa.

It's a clever retelling of an old story, with a sweet reconciliation after the crisis. I agree with the commenters who say that very young children find it frightening, but then very young children should not be taken to Incredibles II simply because it is a cartoon. The target audience is kids old enough to identify with Dash or older. A seven or eight year old ought to be able to grasp both the mom who won't let you grow up and the idea that it was all a bad dream.

I didn't miss the point, I just thought it was disgusting

[MarinaPS · 1/10 · 3 September 2018]

1. When she bit the dumpling and it started to cry.... I just lost my appetite to eating dumplings ever again. 2. How "he" treats his mom. It's just plain disrespectful, without any explanation why he acts in that manner. 3. When she ate her "son", to stop him leaving her. Just ew. And way to parent *smh*

At the last minute, we finally got to understand what was actually happening with her and her actual son. So it doesn't make any sense to me, why they had to tell the story with a dumpling.