Geri's Game (1997)

Save your money for something good and enjoyable

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

One of the best movies of the year! Incredible from the beginning to the end.

Note: This isn't my original review, as the review that I had typed first got lost because of my f***ed up Internet that craps s**t (sorry but I had to vent my anger somewhere!). However, this review is shorter but contains most of the elements of the original review) While watching Geri's game for the second time, I paid close attention to its music, which is a simple melody reminiscent of French music very similar to the music in Ratatouille. When I read about the director of Geri's Game, Jan Pinkava, on IMDb, it turned out he was the co-director and scriptwriter of the 2007 blockbuster and my personal favorite Pixar venture. And most of us remember Brad Bird only.Jan's first effort is this 1997 short titled Geri's game, and it won him an Oscar. 2 minutes into Geri's Game and I was reminded of Stefan Zweig's pulsating Chess, ( one of the IMDb viewers noticed it too) which took the game of Chess to a whole new level and was an unputdownable novella, especially during the last few pages dedicated to an intense chess play between a phlegmatic World Champion and a perspicacious rookie. Jan however cannot include such psychological complexities in this Pixar short, but what he can do is introduce a lovable elder named Geri and make him play against himself with undertones of loneliness highlighted by the dry leaves piling up around him. Geri does not lose hope and plays against his alter ego, the haughty and haughty and despotic Geri who wields his chess pieces dominantly and counters every move of Geri, destroying the lovable Geri's chess pieces one after the other. Can Geri beat his own alter ego, or will his other half defeat him?The movie to me, since I am very close to my grandparents, alludes to old age and the prevalence of time over the body. The nice Geri is the old man who fights against time, the bad Geri which tries its best to overpower him. Geri shows the spirit and resilience to turn the tables on time and become the master of himself.But on a simple note, its a very warm film, teeming with goodness and warmth, and does not have any condescending attitude towards Geri. The music therefore is genial and sprightly. In one crucial turning point of the film, the music stops for a moment, only to resume once more. This is very beautifully done.Pixar's animation, for a 1998 movie, is laudable. The beginning gives a pleasing and natural mood of autumn, with the green bench and the gentle rustle of the dry leaves. Then we are shown the rough wooden chess pieces.However, it is Geri who is more intricately animated. Take for example his prominent, bony fingers and knuckles, his tiny Adam's apple and the folds on his forehead. Also, as the tension sets in, the frantic movement of his fingers and the waggling of the tongue. It is this focus on details that gives Pixar an edge over other animated studios.For a 3 minute film with only an old man in it, Pixar gives all the goodies without turning too saccharine. Bravo!My rating: 8/10

this is another of animated short by Pixar.i thought it was alright.it's kinda cute,but maybe a bit redundant.the story is really simple,about an old man and a chess game.i didn't find it all that funny,but it was mildly amusing.of course,i had just previously watched Lifted(another Pixar short)which i thought was excellent,so maybe that raised my expectation for this one.still,it's a good little film,(just under 5 minutes)with excellent animation,as always.i did really like the ending.it thought that was kinda neat.Pixar has a collection of animated shorts(13,i believe)on DVD,if you wanna see more of them.anyway,for me,Geri's Game is a solid 7/10

There's not much to say about this animated short since it runs at about 3 minutes. It won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short (and although it's very memorable, I would agree that there were better ones that year). The animation is superb and the attention to detail is obviously prevalent.This is a story about an old man who sits down at a table to play chess. He takes out his pieces, sets both sides up and begins to play... by himself! He switches back and forth slowly and moves each piece. After a while though, the man stops moving and he's playing with an imaginary friend who looks exactly like him.There isn't much to this story, and it was probably written in about 5 minutes, but the fact of the matter is that for its time, the animation is perfect. The movement of the character is utterly realistic and the setting around him is amazing. The old man's face is also very real, and as he sways from hysterically laughing to frowning, we not only find it hilarious but also very creative."Geri's Game" is one of those animated shorts you just love to see before a movie. As I remember watching movies like "George of the Jungle" and "Men in Black", I remember this little film was always on before, and I always loved it. This is an animated short that children would love to watch over and over and over.

'Geri's Game' is a short, animated film by the geniuses at Pixar Animation, and it was screened in cinemas to precede 'A Bug's Life' (which happens to be my favourite Pixar production).This short film borders on perfection. Absolutely no dialogue is spoken in the film, but it doesn't need to be. The simple plots concerns an old man named Geri (whom you may recognise from Toy Story 2) who loves to play a high-stakes game of chess in the park. The only catch: He has nobody else to play with! This is a highly-enjoyable short. The music is beautifully fitting, and the animation is first-rate. The character of Geri (or, at least, one of his characters) is a very likable, bumbling old man.You can certainly see how Pixar earned themselves an Oscar with this short. Highly recommended.