Animagination! 10 Bizarre, Beautiful But Brilliant Online Animations

Emmeline

You may not want to show your children this story for, well, children!  To be honest this serves as a reminder to parents that they neglect their children at their peril.  Emmeline is a little girl who has everything she could ever need - except attention.  In fact, everyone forgets that she exists.  The child eventually wishes upon a (dark) star and gets herself a friend all of her own.  However, when it is announced that her parents are expecting another child, Emmeline takes things in to her own, childish, hands.  Spooky, haunting and beautifully animated and narrated - you will want to share this with everyone who has children!

The Inner Life of a Cell

This is quite amazing.  It is made by the Biovisions section of Harvard University.  The inner life of a cell as animated using flash technology.  There is a somewhat eerie beauty about the bulk of this animation and the music that accompanies it is also very effective.  A combination of weird psychedelia and biology that will no doubt get you scratching your head and trying to work out if this is based on scientific fact!

Firefly

At night the fireflies come out and this short film captures the ethereal wonder of the creatures perfectly.  It is one of those animations that doesn't do a great deal - certainly in terms of plot and action - but stays with you for a long time afterwards.  The sort of dream you might like to have on midsummer night!

El Despertar

If you like Pied Piper stories but are also equally entertained by zombies and flamenco then this will suit you down to the ground.  Possibly not one to show the little ones just before bed time, a town is plagued by zombies and only a little girl and her dark flamenco powers can rid the town of the plague.  How, though, will the townspeople repay her and will this be sufficient?  Great animation and a dark sense of humor, combined with the music of Spain - brillianto!

Another Fantasia

A volcano is erupting and this short film starts with a single drop of magma (or is it?) hitting water, before rolling back to see the volcano in all its glory.  Then, again, it focuses on another small molten drop and follows its journey.  It evolves in to many different animals and plants in a great mix of animation and imagination. Some wonderful and evocative music accompanies this flash-based animation.  One to wonder at - even if it does turn out to be an ad!

Bird in Flight

This one is a beauty.  A single bird explores it environment - overcoming one or two dangers on the way.  This is a simply stunning combination of flash animation and photography - and with a rather bizarre soundtrack by what at least sounds like our Icelandic friend Bjork - is a clever re-imagining of the world around us.  You will want to watch this more than once!

Strange Meeting

Relationships can start anywhere - and this three minute long film by Patrick Smith is an example in case.  A simple handshake leads to all sorts of complications.  Whether this is a parable about how one personality in a relationship can overwhelm the other or something a little stranger, less meaningful but certainly odder is down to you to decide.  Again, a lovely, quirky and appropriate soundtrack adds to the overall joy of this animation.

Color Clash

Some relationships are born from conflict and this is no truer when Sir Violet and Lady Rose live next door to each other.  The mutual annoyance is immediate and electric!  Will they resolve their differences and live happily ever after? Take a look at this superb little animation and find out for yourself!  If you do like a happy ending, then - ah - but that would be telling you!

Salad Fingers

One of a series of shorts featuring the eponymous ‘hero', Salad Fingers is an oddity and then some.  You may find yourself pondering what world Salad Fingers actually inhabits.  Is it some post-apocalyptic world where only a few survivors live - mostly in a daze?  Or is this a take on modern society.  Either way, this short animation will possibly leave you a little chilled - but not chilled out!

Strange Visitors

Some strange visitors arrive at a primitive settlement.  Does this mean the end of the world as we know it?  This is a most peculiar flash animation and it will probably leave you scratching your head.  For a long time.