MOVIE: 9

The realm of animation as entertainment no longer belongs to children. From Tim Burton’s A Nightmare Before Christmas to Adam Elliot’s Mary & Max, animations for adults (or grown-up children) are moving into the mainstream. Shane Acker’s feature debut, 9, joins the ranks and there’s certainly no disguising Burton’s influence (one of the film’s producers) in this dark, hope-driven film. 9 tells the grim tale of a world turned to waste after an era of war between man and machine – where the Great Machine emerges as victor. In one last effort to save what little is left, a scientist puts his heart and soul into making things right with his group of small, “stitchpunk” creations. This animation requires some peeking through fingers. (NG)