“Mothboy” directed by Lyanne Rodriguez Is one of the few films you will find that manages to use subtle humor, while speaking in the loudest voice possible… Or at least one of the few who managed to do it successfully. The short animation opens with the main protagonist “Timmy” experiencing some rather not safe for work urges. Rest assured, given that Timmy is of course, as the movie title suggests, a moth, you will not have to shield your eyes from anything too graphic (unless of course you’re scared of lamps). If you watch this film without any context, it is at this point, under 20 seconds in, where you will almost get jump scared by the sheer volume of the stereotypically loud health class PSA narration. Our narrator offers us insight on the changes that Timmy is going through. His commentary is rather blunt to the point and humorous in its outlook. As we follow Timmy on an adventure through a series of memories and warnings, it is our narrator who Informs Timmy on the rights and wrongs of life as an adult moth. It is Timmy and other characters who provide subtle comments and more importantly non-verbal jokes. The true beauty of this film is that they don’t have to speak a word to make you laugh. There are multiple situations in which a pun written on a store or a facial expression on Timmy’s face is the real comedy.
Reviewed by Leone Fiorito Wright