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6/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Roba remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you have ten minutes and want to see some old-school animation, absolutely. It is perfect for people who like fables or just want something that isn't loud. If you need a complex plot or high-budget action, you will probably be bored out of your mind.
The whole thing is basically a classic lesson on why you shouldn't listen to every passerby you meet on the road. The miller and his son are just trying to get from A to B, but the way they change their minds based on the opinions of random strangers is painful to watch. I found myself yelling at the screen, just pick a strategy and stick to it!
The animation style from Yasuji Murata has this grainy, tactile feel that you just don't get with modern computer stuff. It feels like someone hand-drew these characters while sitting in a drafty room. There is a specific shot of the donkey looking at the camera that made me laugh out loud. It looks so tired of these two guys.
I couldn't help but think about how much simpler the world feels in this short. It reminds me of the vibe in The Heart of a Child, where the stakes feel personal and small, rather than world-ending. It’s a nice change of pace.
The pacing is a bit weird, though. It drags just a little bit in the middle when they are debating the third option, but it doesn't overstay its welcome. It reminds me of when I tried to follow GPS directions through a winding neighborhood and ended up back on the same street twice. Sometimes, the journey really is just a series of bad decisions. 🐴
Honestly, it’s a quick watch that makes you think about how often we change our own minds just because someone else gave us a weird look. Maybe we should all be more like the donkey, just walking along and waiting for the humans to figure it out.