. . . OF ARTHUR BUTTON, this animated short wonders what would happen if the Fountain of Youth turned out to be a passing rain shower. A brief sprinkle turns back the clock about 50 years for Art, as well as giving him the super power to leap off his high-rise balcony down to the public square below. Art's apparent main squeeze also youth-ens, but she does not seem as keen on defying Father Time. In her case, what's sauce for the gander doesn't seem to suit the goose.

"Us Again" is an American animated short film from May 2021, so fairly recent still and if you take a look at the number of votes here on imdb, it is of course this high because it is a Disney short film as we see with Mickey (or Mortimer at that point still?) whistling his melody on the boat or ship. But this one here is maybe almost a century older than old Mickey and the writer and director of these seven minutes is Zach Parrish. Nothing unusual with Disney (or Pixar) that they pick animators to be in charge of their short films and if they turn out successful, they maybe even get a shot at directing the next big full feature blockbuster. If you take a look at everything Parrish has worked on in the last ten years, nobody can really be surprised that he got an opportunity here to make a splash as the man in charge. I would not say it was successful, even if many will disagree probably looking at the imdb rating. For me this film here is a typical example of society desperately dragged into the world of movies as this one here feels a lot about make-believe. I don't care about the female character's ethnicity or anything, but how she is exactly the one trying to inspire the grumply old White man is indeed a bit much at times in the first half.

The movie gets better in the second half, but it's still not even close to being enough for a positive recommendation. I mean the magic element can only justify so much. The rain does not turn him into a young man physically again, but just brings back his spirit and motivation and energy it seems. That is okay. Then you could still ask why all this is all of a sudden gone once he is out of the rain again. Or why it was gone in the first place, especially if you take a look at how he almost dances early on when we are still supposed to see him as a grumpy old man. And don't say it is to show us it is still inside him. He is deliberately letting it out in a restrained manner there too, which strongly goes against the story and how we are supposed to see him there. The cutest moment is maybe the hug on the bench. I think this would have been enough of a happy ending for me, but they do go over the top again in the end with the dancing moment. These shots that come with the closing credits also did nothing really for me unfortunately. It just felt rushed to get a few more quick laughs, but the material is not good enough. One thing impossible to criticize here is the animation. This looks as good as expected with Disney and we still should not take it for granted. The music is also pretty cool, no denying there. I just wish the story overall could have better. Evven at considerably under ten minutes, this drags quite a bit early on, which is nothing to be proud of at all. Gotta hand out a negative recommendation here and I suggest you skip the watch this time. Or maybe you will like as much as many other and not see the shallow approach at the center of it all. I genuinely hope this will not be a contender at the next Academy Awards, but I guess it could be given the company behind it and certain politically correct elements. Maybe the really early release date could work against it. I sure hope so and I am positive we will be getting many superior animated films in the coming months. Don't be tricked by the looks (and sound) of it into thinking this is greatness. It's rather close to the opposite end of the quality scale.

'Us Again (2021)' is essentially a musical without any singing which tells the story of an old man whose reluctance to move with the beat puts a strain on his relationship with his wife. That all changes when a strange rain seems to wash away his wrinkles (and his inhibitions),transforming him back into the playful dancer he was in his youth. The short manages to convey its story and emotion entirely with its choreography, which is enhanced by beautiful lighting and generally gorgeous rendering. It has a relatable theme and it conveys it well, aiming for that Pixar-like emotional punch. While it doesn't quite hit as hard as it perhaps could have, it works well enough and feels satisfying. It is a tad repetitive in its midsection and it's only ever so gripping, but it's typically enjoyable and energetic. It's worth a watch. 6/10.