Knick Knack (1989) User Reviews

Nice early Pixar short

[rbverhoef · 8/10 · 9 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.

Proves Pixar was onto something

[Agent10 · 7/10 · 11 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.

A funny and good Pixar short

[emasterslake · 8/10 · 16 April 2005]

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.

Judge this by 1989's standards and you'll realize its brilliance

[planktonrules · 10/10 · 12 February 2008]

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.

Short and very funny

[bob the moo · 10 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.

four minutes of the cutest Pixar animation yet

[Quinoa1984 · 10/10 · 21 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.

one of Pixar's early efforts

[disdressed12 · 7/10 · 22 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

Great short-film!

[m0rpher · 10/10 · 25 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.)

Early Pixar

[TheOtherFool · 7/10 · 16 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.

A wonderful, wonderful film

[rashah · 10/10 · 18 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!

Not much to say...

[patrick_dunne · 7/10 · 22 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.

A Solid Animation Short

[travisimo · 8/10 · 6 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

One of Pixar's interesting story

[sknrk-47889 · 7/10 · 11 October 2023]

''Knick Knack'' This movie is both a comedy and a bit of tragedy, about a snowman trying to escape from his snow globe. He struggles to escape to reach the woman outside the snow globe. This story is so funny that everyone who watches this film will chuckle unintentionally. Also, it is such that anyone can empathize with his feelings of wanting to escape from the situation he is in. The main character is clever in coming up with various ways to escape and trying them out, but he's also goofy, such as when he uses a bomb to break the glass of a snow globe, which causes an explosion inside the globe and sends him spinning inside. This is a wonderful film that is both funny and tragic in just 4 minutes, and develops into an unexpected twist. Although there is no dialogue among the characters, the snowman's facial expressions tell us everything, making it a work that can be enjoyed by people of all ages.

Dreadful humor and image about women.

[Wheepuppy · 2/10 · 2 July 2018]

In an alternative universe where toys are alive, a snowman dreams about joining the summer party taking place next to him, while it is trapped inside a snowball. The main and almost only motivation after this snowman to get out the snowball and approach the other toys partying is the presence of a skin and wavy blonde doll, with a huge and impressive sunglasses and a brilliant smile which helps her to fit in the perfect and standardized canon of a woman nowadays everyone should desire to be or to date. The short film deals with this subject in a humoristic way, showing the snowman going through different situations in order to finally meet this doll and be with her. But for what concerns me, the jokes are far from being funny or original, the story is simple and quite predictable, what in addition to the motivation under the plot made me unable to enjoy the film. The good part of the short film might be the good animation Pixar Studios never fails to show, the colors and the sound which make the piece audio visually attractive, thus even when there is no dialogue we are able to follow everything that is going on and read the expressions and feelings of the toys on screen when they are not even human nor real.

An early Pixar gem

[skad13 · 10/10 · 4 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!

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.

Stone wall may not make a prison, but a snowglobe works fairly well here!

[llltdesq · 10/10 · 19 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!

Short and funny showman movie

[linshuli-99547 · 7/10 · 11 October 2023]

'Knick Knack' is a funny animation about a snowman who is trying his best to escape from a snow globe. The snowman falls in love at first sight with a girl. However, the snowman desperately tries to get out of the snow globe because he has to move out of the snow globe in order to touch her. When he finally manages to get out and meet her, he finds himself in the snow globe again.

I think it is brave of the snowman to make a desperate effort to meet and touch the girl. THe snowman was in the snow globe at first, and there was almost no chance of him getting out of the snow globe, but I'm glad that he never gives up and was able to see her for a moment at the end. I learned the importance of not giving up and working hard until the end from this movie.

very early Pixar

[Siloty · 10/10 · 18 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

The dome preventing him

[Indiana-Harrison · 7/10 · 9 August 2017]

Knick Knack is a short film about toys. A snowman which is inside a snow dome wants to get out there and have some fun. It's quite a funny film, but there is some serious side.

Seeing other toys hanging out from inside the dome, the snowman wants to join them. And girl doll invites him to join them. He is really glad to be invited and tries to get out of the snow dome somehow. His efforts are kind of funny, but those show us how desperate for communication he is. He is captured in the dome and can't touch other toys. I can't laugh at him simply. His loneliness is the motivation for his actions.

At last he can get out of the dome for a moment and meets a mermaid doll. When he takes a step to her, the dome falls onto him and he gets stuck in the dome again. His interactions are prevented by the dome again. Maybe the same things like this happen in our lives. The difference is just whether we can see the dome or not.

The snowman want to go outside.

[miace · 8/10 · 20 July 2014]

All the characters are toys. Almost of all them enjoy their life comfortably. However, only one snowman lives in the snow dome. He tries to go to outside to meet a beautiful doll. I'm really interested in the representation of joy. There are beautiful dolls which wear swimming costumes, palm trees, a cactus...etc. All of them wear sunglasses. I think that this characteristic emphasizes their unity. They represent summer. On the other hand, only the snowman represents winter. I think summer represents joy, on the contrary winter represents loneliness. Why this difference occurs? Because the images of summer are cheerful and active. However, winter is cold. So, the image of winter is loneliness. Finally, the development of this film is so clear. Also, many scenes are described comically. Even children can easily understand the contents of this film without a logline. I like it.

Funny but Cruel...

[ysk-57311 · 6/10 · 25 May 2022]

"Knick Knack"

Made in 1989, this film is about a snowman, who tries to go out of a snow globe in order to meet a girl. In the short movie, he makes use of some tools such as a hammer, a drill, and bombs to exit the snow globe.

To be honest, I do not like this film for the following reason. The main reason that I dislike it is that the snowman is so unlucky that he has difficulties going out of the snow globe. Even though other souvenirs enjoy their time together, the snowman has to stay in the snow globe alone. In addition to this, other members do not help him go out of the cage and just see him play trial and error, this is super cruel to the snowman. Of course, it is good that this short movie is written with funny plots and unique songs, but still I cannot help feeling sorry for the snowman.

easy to watch

[dyaaisguo · 10/10 · 19 June 2013]

This is a pretty snowman's story. He looks at enjoying themselves out of the corner of his eye sadly. Then a girl calls him. He tries to go there right away. However, he is in snow globe. He couldn't go out snow globe. He is so poor and funny! I burst in laughing. He tries to go out many times, hammer the surface of snow globe, set a bomb. This film is too short. However, it excited me fully. Filmmaker who made this short film are good at expressing. I want to see this continuance!! The music is merry, it matches snowman's humor. This character is really lovely. Furthermore, he attracts attention This film is to see easily. Therefore, even a child can understand and enjoy it. Regardless of age or sex, I think that this film excite people. Few such films are as enjoyable. It is valuable.

Good luck!

[Fjkkn · 7/10 · 1 May 2021]

Knick Knack is a short animation film with no dialogue. A snowman finds a girl who gestures to him to join her. He tries to go there but he notices that he is in the snow globe so he can't. He tries to break the snow globe in many ways in order to meet her directly. In my view, it is a miracle that the ornament of summer and winter exists in the same area because people usually exchange the ornament depending on the season. Actually, many summer ornaments are there, while only the snow globe represents winter. In spite of the miracle, there are many obstacles as if summer and winter never cross the line. The comparison is very interesting to me. I really hope he meets her directly and you should watch this funny ending.

Evolution of 3D Animation

[aci_J · 4/10 · 27 June 2018]

It's always incredible to see how fast technology moves in the modern age, and nothing shows that more than the evolution of 3D computer animation. Back when Pixar was owned by Apple founder Steve Jobs and merely six years before their first feature Toy Story, the animation studio produced several shorts that showed off the potential of their in-house software that would later go on to become Renderman. One of those shorts was Knick Knack, which follows a snowman in a snow globe as he tries to break out of his glass dome to join the other 'knick knacks' at a summer pool party. Although the animation is now considerably dated, particularly in the areas of texture detail and character motion, the humor still shines through to make it entertaining. Even so, the lack of a proper resolution to the story except for a cheap laugh means that it's unlikely you'll remember the short in the long term. The studio has certainly come a long way.