Knick Knack (1989) Poster

(1989)

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8/10
Nice early Pixar short
rbverhoef9 February 2005
'Knick Knack' starts with a couple of souvenirs taken from vacation in Florida. We see some palm trees dancing and a beach bunny dancing on a nice little tune. Then we take a look at the other end of the table. A souvenir from Alaska, a snowman in a glass dome, wants to join the hot party and especially the hot girl. He tries to break the glass of the dome in any way possible.

This animated short directed John Lasseter ('Toy Story', 'A Bug's Life') is a pretty impressive early film from the Pixar studio. It looks great and is inventive. The ending gives us the biggest laugh, but before that there are quite some funny moments.
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7/10
Proves Pixar was onto something
Agent1011 June 2003
Even when the whole idea of computer animation was still in its infancy, Pixar displayed ingenuity which wasn't even being thought of in the current industry. It just goes to show that Pixar is here to stay, and the serene cuteness of this little film proved to be one of the building blocks for a future empire.
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8/10
A funny and good Pixar short
emasterslake16 April 2005
Warning: Spoilers
This is another Pixar short made during their early years.

It's about Knick Knacks, and the characters are knick Knacks resembling Warm places. While one is a snow globe with a Snow Man in it. He wants to join with the other Knick Knacks but he's stuck in his own Snow Globe.

Through out the short he tries all he can to escape from the Snow Globe. This short contains allot of Chuck Jones like references. And has some good animation on the snow flakes in the snow globe.

You're able to see it off of Find Nemo DVD.

Rate: 8/10 Very memorable and funny wish they start making a collector's line up of these knick knacks.
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10/10
Judge this by 1989's standards and you'll realize its brilliance
planktonrules12 February 2008
Warning: Spoilers
If you watch this today, you're bound to enjoy this short quite a bit because of its wonderful humor and decent computer generated animation. However, when you realize that it was made almost 20 years ago AND the state of computers and computer graphics at that time, you'll know just how creative ahead of its time it was when it debuted. Think about it--most homes didn't have computers. Those who did had 386 processors or even less powerful processors and Windows 3.0 (a mess) was just about to debut. Serious animation STILL needed to be done with enormous and ridiculously expensive computers and the software for rendering these images couldn't be bought--it had to be created by Pixar. Unlike more modern CGI,where Dreamworks, Fox and even people at home can make nice quality graphics, this was all done from scratch. Talk about a huge undertaking!!!! So in light of all this, KNICK KNACK was an absolutely incredible film. Heck, even today, it's still incredibly funny and watchable. I might even put it STILL in the top 2 or 3 of Pixar's films because the script is so hilarious and poignant. A masterful achievement in every respect. So,...then WHY wasn't this film even nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film?!?! Several other Pixar films were but not KNICK KNACK--yet I loved this film and almost anyone (except the absolute worst curmudgeon) would also love this film! If anyone knows the answer to this conundrum, please drop me a line--I'm dying to know.
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Short and very funny
bob the moo10 July 2004
In a room full of ornaments and toys, a group of dolls, little models and decorations all sit enjoying the warm temperature and glow of an unseen sun.

All, that is, except a single snowman, trapped inside a 'greetings from Alaska' snow dome. With a doll waving him on, he attempts to break out and enjoy the party.

Found on the DVD for Finding Nemo, I found this film to be funnier and much more enjoyable than the feature (although both were good). It stands to show that Pixar were onto something as, even if the graphics are a bit blocky compared to Nemo, the comedy is great and the characters are well enough created to be fun. The routine is basic – snowman tries to break out without much success, however it has such energy, pace and solid imagination that I was laughing consistently despite a slow start (ie the first 20 seconds – what a moaner!).

The animation is slick if not perfect and my early worries over the snowman were never realized. I thought he looked a bit too sinister to be a sympathetic character, but his mishaps helped win me round even if his features were still pretty rough and unlikely to get him the dolls in question! He is a great lead and you can't help but feel sorry for him – but not to the point where you stop laughing at him!

Overall this was a very pleasant surprise and the continuation of a very clever ploy in regards Pixar DVD's. I for one love the short films on many of their DVD's and I hope they continue doing it even if I would rather see them release a compilation DVD with all of them on one disk. Anyway, this was very well put together even if it has aged a bit and I laughed the whole way through it to the bittersweet ending – well worth seeing if you get the chance.
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10/10
four minutes of the cutest Pixar animation yet
Quinoa198421 October 2006
This is a perfectly goofy time with Knick Knack, especially before a feature. It's four minutes of a situation, with a little snowman in a snow-globe pining for a little woman in the mix of a group of boppin-souvenirs. He finally gets out, but to a disastrous finale. It's very to the point in every measure, and all the while cute without actually being only for kids. In fact, I think I laughed at this harder now than I did when I first saw this as a kid. It's got a sense of humor to it that starts with the first shot, and continues all the way to the very end. Is it laugh-out-loud funny? Not entirely; it's got me 'heh-heh' type laughs all abound, with a few of the biggest laughs coming with the obvious pratfalls and errors. But even the music used is done with a big wink and a grin, especially during the end credits as the little voices are accompanied by a 'blah-blah-blah' voice. It's an Oscar-caliber little ruby of a short that, much like the early Disney shorts, doesn't overstay its welcome, and has an appeal ranging from 2 years old to 92 (to put it like a typical critic). It's a sweetly cruel piece of fluff.
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7/10
one of Pixar's early efforts
disdressed1222 August 2008
i thought this early animated short from Pixar was quite good.it's funny and ironic,plus it has a very catchy and infectious tune.it's also very low key,and movies at a nice sedate pace,which i liked a lot.it's from 1989,so it's a lot different than the animated films we have today.it's a very simple short with a simple story.considering it is nearly 20 years old,it's actually very well done.it's also much more clever than many animated shorts from today,and certainly back then.i'd check it out if you have the chance.you might be surprised at how much you enjoy it.or you might not be.either way,it's not like you're losing a couple of hours.for me,Knick Knack is a 7/10
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10/10
Great short-film!
m0rpher25 July 2003
This is truly a wonderful short-film. I love it!

The animation was great, the storyline is clever, and every time I've watched it, it's made me smile.

(Oh, and thumbs up to the amazing Bobby McFerrin for the awesome background music.)
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7/10
Early Pixar
TheOtherFool16 July 2004
Funny little short comedy by the Pixar people, which I saw as an extra on the Finding Nemo DVD.

A snowman is trapped in one of those glass snow domes, but he wants to break out as all the other toys are having a good time in the sun. So he tries to break/blow his way through but things just don't work for him. When he and the dome finally fall down, we think he can escape but again, the dome gets the better of him...

Well made and fun, we can see why Pixar became such a huge company over the years. If you have the Finding Nemo DVD, make sure you check this one out.

7/10.
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8/10
A Solid Animation Short
travisimo6 December 2003
Before computer animation was all the rage, I bet the Pixar guys made this little gem simply as a labor of love. From this early creation, you can take a glimpse of the clever storytelling that would become a staple of Pixar's full-length features. This short gives you a chuckle as the disgruntled snowman struggles to get out of his snow globe to hang with the knick-knack ladies of Hawaii and Atlantis. It's quite a cute feature, but it can only go so far. I wouldn't consider it a classic like other animation shorts like `Mickey's Trailer' and `Duck! Rabbit, Duck!' but I think it will become a nice little treasure in the Pixar vault.

My IMDB Rating: 8/10
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7/10
Not much to say...
patrick_dunne22 January 2006
Knick Knack is simply a short film that the theaters showed right before the movie. (I forgot which one it was- FInding Nemo or Monsters Inc?) I think it was one of Pixar's earliest short films. The story is about a snowman in a globe. He wishes to join all the other souvenirs outside of his globe, especially the hot Miami Beach souvenirs. So, he tries to break out of his snow globe.

I don't know what to say. It's a short film with no dialog. Instead, it has some psychical humor and a funny sense of irony at the end.

I suppose that I would recommend it, because Pixar is good at humor, and because it's only a couple minutes long. What else is there to say?

7/10

Feel free to send me a Private Message regarding this comment.
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10/10
A wonderful, wonderful film
rashah18 February 2003
I first showed this to my business unit in 1996, to show that we needed to keep trying to achieve our goals, despite the setbacks along the way.

It became a kind of anthem for our team as we grew, and we ended up showing "the snowman film" at every group biannual meeting since.

I totally love the soundtrack, the animation, the story and everything about it - a real 10/10!
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7/10
Very Unique
mailtaka29 July 2014
This film is a very unique story! A snowman is a humorous and funny character. I want to cheer him seeing his efforts to get it out of a dome which filled water. Development of the story is clear, so it was easy to understand the connects of the story. Even if children watched this film, they can enjoy this movie, too! The story composition is also worked out well although this film is very short because the end of the story is solid and impressive.

Why do the mermaid and the woman wearing bathing suits have the same face? They aren't same person, are they? So I was amazed the snowman because he fell in love with the mermaid although he loved the woman wearing bathing suits until a short time ago. He saw only their face. I thought his personality was that he would he cheated by bad women.
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5/10
knick knack
kulalamie1 October 2013
Warning: Spoilers
This is a toy's story. There are many toys on shelves. One side's toys are meant for summer. There are many toys. Other side's toy is meant for winter. There is only one toy. That is a snow globe. Theis is movie's leading man is a snow man in the snow globe. One day, snow man sees a side of summer toys. One toy which is a woman in a bikini beckons to snowman. The snow man is delighted. He tries to go, but he is covered a glass dome, so he can't. Snow man tries to get out a glass dome. He uses a drill, pliers and a bomb. However, the glass dome never breaks. Finally, snow man fall from the shelves!!.... I think this movie is not as good as expected. This movie designed for children, so it's too simple. I can't recommend it for adult.
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10/10
An early Pixar gem
skad134 June 2003
I first saw this Pixar short when it appeared in theaters in 1989 as part of a short-film project sponsored by American Express. It was like a great delight that popped up on the screen and then anonymously disappeared. I just saw the theatrical Pixar release Finding Nemo, and Pixar has had the great good sense to preface their new feature with this charming short. It's a 4-minute gem, with hilarious gags and great music by Bobby McFerrin. I hope Pixar puts this out on the Finding Nemo DVD. In the meantime, if you're seeing Finding Nemo, don't be late--Nemo is very good on its own, but this short is worth the price of admission in itself!
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Excellent computer animated short
James L.26 August 2000
The animation is truly excellent, using dynamic structures and design. Very amusing script about a snowman in a snowglobe,as well as other " Knickknacks". Interesting concept and very good computer animation make this a gem. By Pixar, who later , after a series of milestone shorts, worked with Disney on several computer animated features.
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10/10
Stone wall may not make a prison, but a snowglobe works fairly well here!
llltdesq19 March 2002
This has got to be one of the most delightful animated shorts I have ever seen in my life! It was once said that a man's reach should exceed his grasp. Watching this, I wondered if that includes snowmen! The ending of this was magnificent! I didn't know whether to laugh or cry! Pixar did a grand job here. While I know features are their bread-and-butter, I fervently hope they continue producing these little darts that score bullseyes most of the time. Pixar, please put your shorts back in circulation! Pardon me, but I need to get a certain snowman something that will cut through plastic! Most joyously recommended. A grand slam!
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7/10
So cute
pinefgsgsu24 December 2021
"Knick Knack" is a short comedy animated film. This film was made by Pixar in 1989 in the U. S. There are souvenirs on a shelf in a living room. A snowman in a snow globe wants to join in and meet the girl because there is a distance between other souvenirs and him. He tries to break the snow globe again and again, but he fails and finally falls to the floor. I think the film is enjoyable to watch because the snowman struggles to break the dome and I feel there is a gap when a cute character uses firearms and bombs. Moreover, I suppose the film is typically Pixar, in particular, the ending is. I would like to recommend this film to family with small children because this story will be easy to understand and be able to enjoy even for young children. Furthermore, parents will also enjoy this because this story is positive.
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10/10
very early Pixar
Siloty18 June 2008
this is a very early Pixar animation which i saw when i watched Finding Nemo at the cinemas and i found it an enjoyment.

a little snowman in a snow-globe sees a mermaid toy he is attracted to and tries all these different ways to get out of the snow-globe to get to the mermaid toy. you somewhat feel sorry for the snowman as none of his efforts actually succeed, and then the one that does, which is very simple, turns out against him in the end.

this is quite a simple yet entertaining little flick and i find every minute of this short counted. enjoyed by young people and older alike. Pixar have a thing for making good shorts.

poor little snowman
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7/10
Lovely film
dunkirkafternoon11 July 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Knick Knack is an animated short film with no dialogue. The main character is the snow globe snowman. He envies a summer world and tries to escape from his snow globe. He uses some instruments to get out of it, but it doesn't work very well.

I think that the story is designed so that people will never get bored. For example, the snowman goes through a lot of trial and error to escape out of his snow globe. As there is repeated trial and error, the audience's expectations for him continue to be maintained.

Moreover, the sound of the film attracts people's attention. Actually, I watched the film many times when I was a child, but for some reason I completely forgot the content and the title. However, when I watched it recently and heard the sound, I could remember the story. It can be guessed that the sounds of drills and water in this movie are very characteristic for children. In summary, this film elaborates a method for drawing people's interest. I can say that it is worth seeing.
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9/10
Very impressive for 1989!
Stompgal_8731 August 2013
Warning: Spoilers
I first saw this Pixar Short ten years ago just before 'Finding Nemo' at the cinema and I can say it has impressive graphics and animation for 1989.

While the wallpaper design is full of 80s cheese, I like the straightforward concept of the snowman wanting to get out of his snow globe to join the souvenir ornaments from sunny locations but without success as well as the quirky yet memorable music that was composed by Bobby McFerrin (best known for his feel-good hit 'Don't Worry, Be Happy'). The second half has several twists and turns including the snowman finding the emergency exit in the base of the snow globe and emerging through it, his unexpected landing in the goldfish bowl, his attraction to the mermaid and the snow globe falling back on him much to his frustration.

Overall this is one of the funniest Pixar shorts I have seen that is impressive for its era and has an easy-to-follow storyline. 9/10.
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7/10
A snowman does his effort
yuu-8241211 October 2023
'Knick-Knack' is a comedy about a snowman who tries to escape from his snow dome. This movie was first made in 1989. In 2003, it was re-edited and came out as a movie with Finding Nemo. He does all kinds of things, but he fails to escape. Outside of the snow dome, other characters see him doing that. Especially, the snowman wants to talk with a bikini girl, who is one of the characters outside of the snow dome. Every time he tries to meet the girl, he suffers from accidents such as bombing and shuffles with the stream in the dome. For this movie, in my opinion, it is interesting to watch his efforts to get to the girl. Also, his posture to achieve his goal and to overcome difficulties can be respected because it tells us how important it is to do our best even if it may be hard. In this view, I think this movie is worth watching and people should watch this movie that gives us a giggle.
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8/10
Funny story
peg01209 July 2013
A cheerful snow man is the main character. He fall in love with a sexy girl at first sight. However he is incarcerated in a plastic dome. So he tries to escape using various ways from the place. For example, using bombs, drill, and his nose as a spike. However, he can't escape even if he uses many ways.

The snow man has strong will because he tries to escape in a multitude of ways. However, despite his efforts, he fails to escape after all. I admire his attitude to make a trail of various ways. So I feel very disappointed that he goes unrewarded in spite of much effort. On other hand, I think he see only before his eyes otherwise he might be able to escape from the dome.

In conclusion, making an effort to achieve something is very important however, not only should we do our best but also we need to think about what we need to achieve.
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7/10
Dawn of the CG animation
kr-kr-dr322 July 2013
This is the early work of Pixar Animations Studio in 1989 (It was not under Disney's umbrella). Perhaps you may have seen this film once because it screened with famous Finding Nemo. The storyline of Knick-Knack is very simple. It is comedy story which a snowman in a glass dome fights desperately for his freedom. There is an unexpected ending in this film.

Perhaps, you may feel a little cheapness for its computer graphics than todays Pixar's animation. However, it is a work of 1989. Pixar's technique must stand conspicuously above the other CG studios. I feel that the expression of water in this film is very beautiful. The unique humor of Pixar exists from 1989 too.

Today youcan see various CG films made by Pixar Studio or Dreamworks SKG. If you see Knick-Knack, you may able to find efforts of CG producers. I hope advance of technique of CG animations forever.
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5/10
The lonely snowman attracts us.
kumayama8 February 2014
Everything in the movie is very simple; the story, characters and music. However we find it funny that the Snowman in a snow dome tries to get out. The taste of picture is cute and friendly, so we can easily watch it. Things floating in the snow dome seem real in animation.

The Snowman living in winter and toys in summer look are in contrast. We sympathized with him because he is lonely. At the same time, we can't stop feeling he is charming because his tries to get out the snow dome just to talk with a cute girl. He moves a lot and fails many times with full expression that also make him lovely.

The situation that toys are moving when we don't look at them is a dream of every child Pixar formed that as this animation to keep not only children but adults wondering, and it's easy to guess that this idea leads to the most popular animation, "Toy Story."
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