One day, I came across a snippet of this film while scrolling through Instagram Reels. The Boy tells the Mole and the Horse that the Fox does not speak much. The Mole replies, “I know, and it’s lovely he’s with us.”

The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, and The Horse is a British animated short film directed by Peter Baynton and Charlie Mackesy, who also wrote and illustrated the book of the same title on which the film is based. The film is nominated for the Academy Award’s Best Short Film (Animation). It’s currently only on Apple TV+.

The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, and The Horse is a heartwarming story about self-reflection and kindness while friendship develops between the characters. The short film begins with the Boy (Jude Coward Nicoll), who is lost. First, he meets the Mole (Tom Hollander). The Boy expresses that he wants to find a home, and the Mole decides he wants to be a part of his journey. Shortly after, they encounter the Fox (Idris Elba), who at first hunts them but is distracted. After running toward the noise, he gets trapped in a snare. At first, the Fox is quite mean and threatens to kill the Mole and the Boy who want to save him. The Mole explains that the Fox will die if he does not free the Fox. So the Fox lets them. Afterward, the Fox follows them on their journey at a distance. Finally, they encounter the Horse (Gabriel Byrne), who feels lost despite knowing where his home is. He, too, shortly joins them.

Entering the film, it’s confusing. The first time through, it felt like there was no story. Nothing major happens. The characters converse with each other while in search of a home for the boy. It eventually made me question how this little boy is lost, and no one is looking for him. Does he have parents? How is he out so far from civilization? Then, I remembered there are talking animals so not everything has to make sense. But after processing the film, I realized that the conversations between the characters are just as meaningful as whether the film had an actual plot. Their conversations are the story. They talk about their encounters with life as they face obstacles together. The Boy is such a great character in that he is vulnerable and willing to learn from his new animal friends, who offer him a lot of guidance.

Every conversation had is meaningful and touches the heart. The themes and lessons of the film are cheesy and surely familiar to most, but after each encounter, the Boy has, the lessons become predictable. It’s hard to say if there is a most memorable quote because every dialogue in this film is a good quote. But Mackesy writes these themes in a gentle way that will stick with you. For example, we all learned at some point, probably in elementary school, that how we react to situations matters. Mackesy words it so much more beautifully. He writes, “One of our greatest freedoms is how we react to things.”

The animation is beautiful. Mackesy and Baynton told the Gold Derby how detail-oriented and careful they were while drawing the characters. Mackesy could see how the thickness of the ink line on the Boy’s leg threw off the “balance”. They especially paid attention to every frame. Mackesy said, “…if you pause the film, it should be a perfect drawing.” Their attention truly paid off. The characters act naturally. The Boy fidgets around and makes clumsy gestures like any child would. The way the Fox and the Horse move is similar to real-life horses and foxes. The characters’ muted color palettes felt warm and nostalgic. While the setting is in a serene, almost all-white, and snowy land, bare of anything besides trees, the characters aren’t eyesores. The film loved to show still and far-away shots that emphasize how the characters are the only ones out there, and they are together in the vast expanse of snow.

Most might think this short film is for children since it is an animation. However, I believe this is for everyone. The Boy, The Mole, The Fox, and The Horse is an inspirational reminder about life: we should accept ourselves for who we are and love each other. We should step back and ask for help because, as the Horse said, “Asking for help is not giving up; it’s refusing to give up.”

Even though the lessons taught in this film are a little cheesy, they are classic and timeless, and everyone can benefit from them.

Ice Merchants by João Gonzalez is a 14-minute silent film with computer animation that imitates hand-drawn animation. It uses metaphor to cover themes such as family, work, and, one could even say, the meaning of life. The film is phenomenal in all aspects, especially its morals and metaphors, and is nominated for best animated short film at the 2023 Oscars.

The film is engaging entertainment, but more importantly, it is thought-provoking and profound art. Many might question how engaging a short film without words could be. But, the music, sound effects, animation style and plot —which becomes very intense at the end— make a highly engaging film. Still, these aspects may not be enough to keep young viewers engaged and entertained, but that is not the primary purpose.

Ice Merchants is about the everyday lives of a father and son who live in isolation on the side of a mountain. They parachute from the mountain every day, gliding down to a town to sell their ice —their hats always fall off— and prepare to repeat this process the next day. Their lives are repetitive, but they find joy in the little things. However, one day, their lifestyle gets messed up for the worse.

Ice Merchants ends on a slight cliffhanger and is left relatively unfinished but this change of pace at the end, enhanced by awesome music and sound effects, is what will only further keep its message on the minds of and impact so many viewers. Additionally, all of the cool tidbits that come with the ice merchants’ lifestyle, making it hard to connect with in a literal sense, make it even more impressive that it is easy to connect with metaphorically.

People who connect with the everyday repetition or “grind” of work or school would like this film. In many ways, the film gives focus to the joy of life and portrays the repetition as worthwhile. However, people who connect with a repetitive lifestyle might also find Ice Merchants depressing if looking at it through a more critical lens. It really tells it like it is.

Although the film had many bright spots, one area lacking was the ending, where a physical representation serves as a metaphor for the habituation of their lives. More should be explained here, especially about a new character who saves the day, and the vibe of the ending completely contrasts with the rest of the film. Although this scene is confusing and wacky, it is still memorable and draws intrigue. Finally, as mentioned earlier, many might find this film depressing, and younger audiences may not feel engaged enough without the usual gimmicks of children’s animation. Hence, Ice Merchants is certainly not for everyone.

In general, though, the film is very successful as a piece of art conveying a message. The lesson of Ice Merchants is that although life can sometimes feel like a grind, it is best to find joy in the little things. This lesson is a fundamental one and has been told often in film before. Yet, this film feels like the quintessential representation, as it tells the story of life exactly how it is, knowing that it is not always filled with abundant positive experiences. Ice Merchants uses the bond between father and son to demonstrate the difference-maker in life —love— and is a piece of stimulating art, presenting its messages in whatever form the viewer interprets them, prompting viewers to think in the capacity of their own lives.