Watch Lifted - Pixar Short

Lifted is a Pixar short film from the year 2006 which was directed by Gary Rydstrom who also co-wrote it with Jason Katz. The short is mostly silent and runs for a total of 5 minutes and 49 seconds. It tells the story of an alien who is attempting to complete his training by abducting a human from Earth, but quickly finds himself in over his head.

The short opens with a shot of a farm at night, and a bright beam of light shines down on a sleeping man through his bedroom window. The camera then pans up to reveal the interior of the UFO hovering over the farm. Within the UFO, we see an alien teenager seated in a control room, hovering above various buttons and knobs. The alien is attempting to levitate the sleeping man through his bedroom window, but struggles to do so, accidentally slamming the man repeatedly into his ceiling as he bungles the task. The man snores obliviously through the entire encounter.

As the minutes tick by, the alien continues to struggle, sweating and cursing as he tries to complete the task he was assigned. He gets increasingly frustrated as he fails over and over again, and ends up attracting the attention of a supervising alien who reprimands him for his poor performance. The supervising alien steps in to take over the controls and effortlessly lifts the sleeping man through the window without a hitch. The supervising alien then rewards himself with a satisfied smirk and a bite of a donut, while poor, dejected young alien looks on.

The short is filled with small jokes and delightful observations. The aliens' body movements are both exaggerated and graceful, and are just as entertaining to watch as the storyline itself. The character designs are imaginative and unique, and each alien's personality shines through, even without any spoken dialogue. The animation is, as always, top notch, and the facial expressions of the aliens are particularly nuanced and expressive.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of Lifted is its pacing. Though the film is only a few minutes, it manages to pack in a lot of story and character development. There's no room for unnecessary scenes or filler – every moment counts. And though the film is often quite funny, there are moments of genuine tension and suspense as we watch the young alien struggle to complete his mission. The climactic scene, in particular, is brilliantly executed, and will leave viewers on the edge of their seats.

One of the most impressive features of Lifted, however, is the sound design. This is not surprising, given that the director, Gary Rydstrom, is an accomplished sound designer and mixer himself, having worked on numerous films, including the Star Wars and Jurassic Park franchises. In Lifted, Rydstrom makes full use of his expertise, creating a soundscape that is both immersive and hilarious. From the aliens' guttural grunts and yelps, to the clunky whirring of their spaceship's control panel, every sound is carefully crafted to enhance the film's comedic and dramatic beats.

Overall, Lifted is a delightful short film that showcases Pixar at its creative best. The film tells a charming story that will appeal to both children and adults, and the animation and sound design are truly top-notch. The film's silent nature only adds to its appeal, as it allows viewers to focus entirely on the visuals and story, without any external distractions. Whether you're a Pixar fan or simply looking for a quick pick-me-up, Lifted is sure to leave you smiling.

Lifted - Pixar Short is a kids & family movie with a runtime of 5 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.8.