Genius Party

Seven animated shorts with nothing in common: not subject, not line, not tone. In one, abstract forms are born and dissolve; in another, the memory of a dead girlfriend is called back through words; in another, a skyscraper flies over the city. Each director made their own piece and the collection makes no attempt to join them. The production is Studio 4°C's. The first volume opened on 7 July 2007, with directors including Atsuko Fukushima, Shōji Kawamori, Shinji Kimura, Yoji Fukuyama, Hideki Futamura, Masaaki Yuasa and Shinichirō Watanabe. Yuasa's segment carries his familiar line; Watanabe's is the most settled as narrative. A second volume of five shorts, Genius Party Beyond, followed on 15 February 2008. Who it's for: Viewers who like experimental animation, Studio 4°C's work, and short film collections. Who it's not for: The quality is uneven between segments and some are nearly entirely abstract. Unsatisfying if you want narrative.