Genius Party (2007)

An incredibly uneven animation tech showcase. The intro's a striking short about creativity. Shanghai Dragon is cool, but vacuous, and doesn't dwell on its most interesting part. Deathtic 4 has some charmingly sinister artwork and funky worldbuilding, but that's about it. Doorbell is a half quarter-hearted psychological horror. Limit Cycle is 20 minutes of droning existential theology that occasionally drifts past interesting ideas. Happy Machine is a godsend, with its strong emotions, vivid style, inventive designs, and punchy thesis. Blue Baby, the closer, is a low-key anti-romance; bittersweet nostalgia for something that never came to pass; and a solid depiction of adolescent self-seriousness.