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Desert Mirage
USA 2016
produced by Michael Fredianelli, Maralynn Adams (executive), Paolo Polesello (executive) for Wild Dogs Productions
directed by Michael Fredianelli
starring Jeremy Koerner, Michael Fredianelli, Tabbitha McBride, John S. Boles, Sheilah Morrison, Melinda Torgersen, George S. Gemette, Morgan Finley King, Landon Torgersen, Tyler Torgersen, Mason Torgersen, Brandon Peterson, David Lambert, Nick Stielstra, Chad Kaplan, Lava Gnome
written by Michael Fredianelli, Jeremy Koerner, music by Clay Rudolph Scott, animation director: Chad Kaplan
animation
review by Mike Haberfelner
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Cliff (Jeremy Koerner) is an extremely gifted cartoonist and inventor
who's big break's to happen any day now ... which is how he sees himself
at least, actually he's a gumbuster at an amusement park (yup, a guy
scratching gums off benches) who isn't even good at his job, who still
lives at his parents (John S. Boles, Sheilah Morrison) despite being in
his mid-40s, and whose social skills are, well, improvable - especially
when it comes to his neighbour Rebecca (Tabbitha McBride) who he
desparately tries to ask out without ever getting it remotely right. His
only friends are his cartoon creatures, who appear to him in real life to
give him advice, even if the advice is horrendous more often than not -
especially Ryley Raccoon, a sexist rogue, usually only gets Cliff into
trouble. Still, Cliff thinks he's got what it takes, and thus, one day
he takes a train to LA to show up on the doorstep on his animation
entrepreneur brother Jack (Michael Fredianelli), who has long broken with
his family to become a success, and tries to convince him of his ingenious
ideas ... but instead only messes up his family life and becomes
indirectly responsible for Jack's fatal accident. But before dying, Jack
hands Cliff a treasure map. But when it comes to two cartoonists, what
might that something be they both consider a "treasure"? Now
Desert Mirage isn't exactly a film that follows the rules of
political correctness, its lead character isn't 100% likeable, despite
being part-animation it's definitely not for kids, its humour is often
blunt and not too far removed from the toilet, and one might find most of
the lessons learned in this a bit on the questionable side ... and it's
also tons of fun. Basically, the film is a loving tribute to cartoons from
the 1940s, especially those of Tex Avery and Chuck Jones, down to its
sight-gags and character designs, but updates the humour for a more adult
audience, focussing on the meanness and occasional vulgarity of
yesteryear's animation - which is what makes these movies special and
timeless ... and that's exactly why the humour of Desert Mirage
works quite that well. Now all of this might not exactly make this movie
a modern animation masterpiece ... but a near-perfect party flick at the
very least.
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