Hear me out: "Fly Hard", this Migration short film is great and I expect why!
So, there is short film of Migration called "Fly Hard", which is obviously a reference to the movie "Die Hard". And this short film is about Chump, the pigeon the Mallard family meet in New York in the Migration movie. Chump tries to bring back a lost amulet to an old lady called Dolores and flies through New York while it’s snowing. This short is only 4 minutes long, but, and that’s why I’m making this post: The opening and the ending are exactly that, what I want more often from Illumination in the future. Because the middle is classic fast-paced and energetic, just as you’d expect from Illumination. But there are two moments—one at the beginning and one at the end—where I thought: "Wow, that really hits home." At the beginning, Dolores tosses some food to Chump and smiles at her, and I just find it sweet that Chump doesn't quite know how to react at first—because being liked and accepted is exactly what she and the other pigeons want, as we learn in the main film. And the whole thing is further reinforced at the end when Chump completes the mission with her very last ounce of strength and Dolores subsequently looks after her. And then, instead of that little emotional moment being ruined by a gag yet again (The Secret Life of Pets, I’m looking at you!), it simply concludes with that sweet moment. And that is exactly what I’d like to see more of from Illumination in the future: not just constantly keeping their foot on the gas (like in "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie", for instance), but also daring to hit the brakes now and then and explore some emotional moments—to create real stakes, or perhaps even to convey a message. And I thought this "Migration" short film and "Minions & Monsters" were already good steps in the right direction; I hope "Not Alone" does the same next year—that would make me really happy.