Where to start with a film such as this? Considering this is an animation that clocks in at around six minutes, there really isn't a lot to say. Or is there? Straight to the point, "Say What!" manages to condense a lot of entertainment into a short few minutes. I was amused as I watched, and completely understood the scenario presented by writer, director Aaron Weinstein. Even though I'm not any kind of musician myself, the scenario is generic enough to follow along, musician or not. It's also just as funny. The seemingly simplistic, yet clever animation played before my eyes as the narrator voiced his story, making it quite easy for my mind to wander. As the story unfolded I found myself swept into my own version of the reception room, the people milling about and of course, I pictured my own version of a very candid grannie. Our preconceptions can be quite unforgiving. I would never picture a little old lady, of sorts, speaking in the way this short film portrays. However, I found myself asking why not? If this story were about a younger woman, having a similar conversation, would it come across as quite so comedic and vulgar? Would this woman still be the brunt of the joke? Or instead be considered a modern, direct woman? If so, why is that? Simply because she's old? Thoughts are thoughts no matter what age - right? This is my rational mind speaking out, my less civilized brain was laughing through the entire narration, and I felt a pang of embarrassment for Aaron. Or maybe it was more for the older lady, for putting him on the spot like that in such an aggressive way. The real joke would have been a follow-up, having met this younger granddaughter, and a real relationship being formed... which brings me to the next section of this write-up: The technicalities. Visually, "Say What!" is very appealing, reminding me of old television fill-ins, between shows, that were animated in this fashion. The flow of the images, and the images themselves, were quite captivating and really complimented the narrative. I'll be honest, as a short film of sorts, it would have been nice to have seen some "actual" footage mixed in with the animation. Maybe even some clips of the very talented Aaron Weinstein performing. As much as I loved the ability to get lost in the images, as my imagination flourished, some clear cut visual queues would have been splendid. With only the flow-y animations, with the narrator layered over the top, it would (is) quite easy to simply dismiss the onscreen happenings and completely tune out the film. Imagination is a great thing, but when allowed to wander so easily, the source, in this case the film, becomes secondary to the mind's eye. This is the small flaw in this short film. However, because it's only six minutes long it remains a small flaw. If "Say What!" were any longer, a real issue could have been raised. Six minutes of dreamy animation over a funny story. What's not to like? "Say What!" will put a quick smile on your face and is interestingly funny enough to really make you think, as you think harsh thoughts such as: Better you than me. It really makes you wonder about your favorite musician friend. For every good story they tell you, how many... less than comfortable ones do they hide? For all the mental images passing through my mind as I watched, and for all the smirks I cracked, It's rather easy for me to recommend this one to friends. Best part? It's a freebie. So stop by and partake in a quick smile. I know I did. -MC
