Two Balloons

Two Balloons is a whimsical, heartfelt short animation movie that was released in 2017. It applies the genre of adventure with a pinch of fantasy, showing us the true power of love and perseverance.

The film centers on two adventuresome lemurs, Peter and Bernadette, who traverse the skies in their elegant and intricately built airships. This adventure piece combines elements of love and risk while dissolving boundaries, exploring the pristine beauty of old-school animation by marrying it with modern-age technology.

The creator Mark C. Smith was inspired by his love for stop motion and the affective power of visual storytelling and it took four years to create this animated piece of artwork. The film employs quiet sophistication in its depiction of two lemurs’ love that is both enduring and adventurous, spun against the backdrop of a magical world removed from our own.

Two Balloons has no spoken dialogue, harnessing the power of film music to drive its narrative forward. The original score, composed by Peter Broderick, blossoms with the story, telling the tale of the two lemurs, their ambitiously pursued adventures, and the triumph of love in its own right. Without a doubt, the film’s score stirs emotions in viewers, carefully crafted to narrate their story, accentuate the beauty of their love, and heighten the stakes of their adventure.

One compelling aspect of Two Balloons is its strong affinity with the technique of stop motion. This instantaneously catapults viewers into a world of magical realism, liberating them from the rigid constraints of reality that we’re so accustomed to. Painstakingly hand-crafted sets with intricate detailing and stunning visual effects, the film transports viewers on a magical flight across the great expanse of the sky. With the utilization of silicon molds and resin casts, it's even more appealing to the senses, the visual artistry beautifully complementing the storyline’s emotional and daredevil undertones.

Following the tradition of silent films, much emphasis is placed on the emotional and physical expression of the characters. Though the lemurs can’t speak, their expressions portray a variety of emotions that range from happiness to worry, love to sadness. This amplifies their anthropomorphic qualities, making them relatable, endearing, and effectively engaging audience emotions.

Despite running for only 9 minutes, the film manages to add depth to its characters, and their world, making the viewer deeply invested in their journey. The immersive atmosphere in Two Balloons is complemented by the ethereal beauty of the sky, the serenity adding depth to the chaos of the events that follow, presenting a breathtaking contrast that leaves a lasting impression.

Two Balloons masterfully presents the possibility of unexpected encounters, the persistence of love even in the face of adversity, and the lengths to which one can go to reach out to the one they love. Viewers are drawn into the tale by the radiant animation and gripping narrative, accompanied by the endearing characters and their out-of-ordinary lives.

Through the tale of Peter and Bernadette, Two Balloons familiarizes viewers with the risks and rewards associated with pursuing our dreams and our hearts. It reminds us of the adventures life offers, and the sweet memories we create along the way, treasuring them as cherished tokens of our past.

Anyone that enjoys a movie that is visually enchanting with an equally captivating storyline, saturated with love, adventure, and risks, would find Two Balloons a delight to watch. An array of colors, a whirlwind of emotions, and a magical journey, indeed make this film an unforgettable experience, where the unconventionality blurs the lines of reality, and the real magic is born from the ardor of the characters' dreams.