One Line Review: Nona is the winner in the end.
Youtube Trailer Nona
Starring: Nona and her Grandmother
Director: Anggi Frisca
Release Date: 19 September 2021
Introduction
This 2021 animated short film, Nona, was recently released on Disney’s online streaming platform, which you can watch here. Nona, a seven-minute short film produced by Disney and Pixar in collaboration, tells the story of a grandmother and her granddaughter who spend the day together after an unexpected turn of events. Louis Gonzales is the writer and director of this film.
Twenty-Something, a short animated film from Pixar’s SparkShots series, was released recently, and it is a must-see. Nona, who is also a part of the same series, is very different, but equally as distinct in terms of voice.
Plot summary
The short film follows a grandmother (Nona) who has decided to take the day off and stay in to watch the live telecast of her favorite wrestling league. However, when Nona’s granddaughter Renee arrives unexpectedly, she is forced to change her plans completely. And, more importantly, quickly.
Definitely Heartwarming
Disney has always been the clear winner when it comes to heartwarming films, and the company has been doing an excellent job with its short films as well. Last year, we were treated to “Hair Love,” a delightful story about a young daughter adjusting to life without her mother and the enormous amount of responsibility that now falls on her father’s shoulders.
As far as Nona is concerned, she embodies all of the iconic Disney-esque magic that has come to be associated with the company’s endeavors, whether they be in the form of animation or the company’s recent obsession with turning them into live-action films. The short film features a classic Pixar art style that appears to be straightforward, but is, in fact, anything but.
This is followed by innovative and out-of-the-box transitions that use visual animations to seamlessly transition from one scene to the next. It’s an excellent timepiece, both in terms of its technical features and in terms of how much it appeals to our human nature.
Complete character arc and development
Character development is something Disney has always excelled at, and Nona is no exception, with both the human characters and the dog possessing well-developed character quirks that define who they are as individuals. Nona primarily relies on visual imagery to accomplish this, and there are no dialogue scenes in the film. The background score, on the other hand, enhances the animation and, to a significant extent, adds a much-needed comic touch to the proceedings.
Despite all of this, however, the short film is rather underwhelming when viewed as a complete package. With a fairly straightforward plot and nothing particularly amusing about the short, the short is a solid watch. Certainly, it’s cute, and the story itself is quite heartwarming, but it’s a long way from the quality of the Disney shorts that have come before it.
Conclusion
When I watched the short, I was pleasantly surprised by how relatable the characters were and how interesting each scene transition appeared to be, despite my high expectations going into it. It was actually quite entertaining to watch the three-minute behind-the-scenes footage that was included as extra footage. I highly recommend it!
Nona is the winner in the end. I don’t think I need to say much more than that it’s a Disney Pixar collaboration. Nona is unquestionably less flavorful than any of Disney’s previous forays into the genre, but that isn’t to say that the film isn’t enjoyable on its own terms.
