The M Word (US | 2003 | Dir. Rocky Morton)
Merger as the metaphor of life’s happiest climax (as many puts it,) adds a healthy insight in two individuals’ decision making. The role played out so thoroughly well by a man and a woman in the cooperate cubicle situation is enriched with little props like tall to-go latte cup and highlighter pen. It only takes about a Kinko’s-bind stack of documents (mind you, it perhaps was too thick to be stapled together) to walk by someone elses life at all times.

Room Service (Japan | 2003 | Dir. Namikibashi as Junji Kojima & Kentaroh Kobayashi)
Another flavorful work by the duo. Sets in generic city hotel, this decadent shoppaholic female guest is somewhat fulfilled by this urban mythical bellboy/professional packer. The rich artificial light in the hotel room represents the vacuumed cell urban individual is forced to live in. The reach out to another can be unconscious yet successful.

Squash (France | 2002 | Dir. Lionel Bailliu)
You got to be French to be able to apply boss-employee dynamics into a squash court. The male ego and psychological tactics bursts at a maximum volume under the buzzing florescent light. The actual blood battle follows the climax of the game itself and you probably will catch yourself so drawn into this emotional drama. The secret lethal weapon that was pulled out by the employee sets the game afterall. What is ‘Chinese Water Barrell?’ anyways?

Treevil (Finland | 2002 | Dir. Christer Lindstrom, Aino Ovaskainen, Aiju Salminen)
Everything in the world can be explained- the micro cosmos philosophy has exemplified in this puppetmation piece. The hysterical laugh the fur tree releases upon its detachment does not explain why it stops in middle of the paved road, until the gigantic feeted bunny makes its round. Once you become the little sector in a huge function, you are robbed of the freedom to question. But what if you do? Even in this fairytale land, the concept of replacement exists and applies.

Fish Never Sleep (UK | 2002 | Dir. Gaelle Denis)
A shrine maiden like girl working in a rotating sushi restaurant in a rural fishing town’the floaty animation look with distinctive color selection (white, black and red) gives a daydreaming effect. Narrator’s unique accent in English is pleasantly soothing while the universal confusion that any youth will draw is mildly blended into the beautiful story telling.