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Highly Overrated But Still Good

Good concept, poorly executed.

Admirable film.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

Shuteye Hotel (2007)*** (out of 4) Animated homage to film noir has a couple detectives showing up at the Shuteye Hotel where an unknown killer has been knocking off those staying there. Before the night is over they will find out the truth behind the killings. This here is certainly a different type of short for the director as it doesn't feature any laughs and instead goes for atmosphere and mood. The animation here is more of a reddish-brown and I thought this worked perfectly for the subject matter. Film noir was usually the black and white but the different style it's given here works very well and makes for the most interesting thing in the film. The actual story really didn't knock me over as I had somewhat of a hard time following what exactly they were trying to do. I got the spoof aspect but I'm still not overly certain about the story trying to be told. I think fans of film noir or horror will enjoy this more than just your typical animation fans.

This is simply an animated effort into the genre of film noir, although it's just as much a horror movie. In the dark-and-gloomy "Shut Eye Motel," people are being violently killed soon after their heads hit the pillow.Finally, several undercover cops arrive to investigate. They take separate rooms, post another guard in the hallway and keep their weapons handy. However, they soon get sleepy and when the female's head is on the pillow.....we see where the blood-thirsty horror lies - in the pillow! I won't say anymore, so as not to spoil the rest, which gets pretty wild.I guess the fact I love "film noir," also like the music and the stark black-and-white visuals, all made me paying close attention to this Bill Plympton "cartoon." However, I have to warn others who may not share my like of "noir," that this animated short is not going to offer any laughs, like many of Plympton's other efforts. It's a straight story.

This is one of the many short animated films that make up THE ANIMATION SHOW VOLUME THREE which was compiled by Mike Judge and Don Hertzfeldt.This Bill Plympton cartoon is very different from the other Plympton films I have seen. First, the usual lightly shaded colored pencil style isn't present--instead, it's rather dark and moody. Second, this one isn't so overtly funny as most Plympton films--looking more like a clip from a psycho-horror film.The film is about an evil hotel. Again and again, people check in and are brutally killed there. Eventually, you see how this is happening--the pillow on the bed is alive and VERY carnivorous! It's funny in a very dark and twisted way, but overall this isn't the standard material you'd expect. Good--but also very, very strange.