Watch I Want My Hat Back

I Want My Hat Back is a captivating animated short film based on the children's book by Jon Klassen. The film is directed and produced by National Film Board of Canada in collaboration with Weston Woods Studio. The film was released on March 11, 2013, and runs for a total of 9 minutes. The story revolves around a bear who is searching for his lost red hat. The bear innocently goes around the woods asking other animals if they have seen his hat. In his quest, he meets a variety of creatures. First, he speaks to a frog who is of no help. Then, he meets a fox who has a striking resemblance to the bear's missing hat. The bear asks the fox if he has seen his hat, and the fox replies that he has not seen the hat, but he does indeed have a hat!

The bear leaves the fox behind and continues his search. However, as he walks away, he realizes that he has made a grave mistake. He turns around and asks the fox to return his hat. But the fox denies any involvement and insists that the bear misremembered where he left his hat. The bear is confused, but the encounter with the fox makes him start to doubt if he ever owned the hat in the first place.

Just as the bear is about to give up on his search, he has a flashback that jogs his memory. This realization shocks the bear as he confronts the fox again. The animation then takes a darker turn, signifying the transformation of a children's fairy tale into a tale for adults. The ending of the movie is open-ended and leaves the audience to decide on the fate of the bear.

The narrative is simple, but the storytelling is complex, and the film has an appealing visual style that helps to convey the story effectively. The details in the animation are impressive, and the expressions the characters make are hilarious. The use of deadpan humor in the movie is a testament to the mastery of Jon Klassen, the writer of the book that inspired the film.

One of the standout elements of the film is the sound design, with Johnny Heller providing the voiceover for the bear, and Kirby Heyborne providing the voiceover for the fox. The voice actors are able to beautifully bring the characters to life, and the sound effects, such as the sound of the leaf crunching under the bear's feet, make the woods feel like a real place.

In conclusion, I Want My Hat Back is a cleverly written and beautifully animated short film that appeals to audiences of all ages. The quirkiness and wit of the story, coupled with the excellent visuals and sound design, make for an enjoyable viewing experience. The film's simple yet profound message about the consequences of lying and the importance of honesty is one that will resonate with people of all ages.

I Want My Hat Back is a 2017 animated movie with a runtime of 8 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 8.8.