Rating summary
| Movie |  | 4.0 |
| Video |  | 4.5 |
| Audio | | 4.5 |
| Extras |  | 0.0 |
| Overall |  | 3.5 |
Genius Party Blu-ray Movie Review
An electic and entertaining animation compilation
Reviewed by Neil Lumbard June 22, 2020
Genius Party compiles seven short animated features from acclaimed directors from around the world with a great understanding of the craft. The efforts included in the film range from the quirky to the extraordinary and everything in-between. Fans of anime and animation will find it to be a splendid diversion with some great short-form stories.
The first short in the line-up is the outstanding “Genius Party” (which provides the name for the entire compilation). The short, directed by Atsuko Fukushima, centers upon a mysterious creature which is surrounded by the blank canvas of the desert oasis. The creature has a uniquely distinct appearance resembling that of a bird. The short is wordless and as the film unfolds special stones play a unique role. The experimental style is compelling and leaves a great impression.
The second short is the exciting “Shanghai Dragon” by director Shoji Kawamori. The filmmaking mixes things up right off the bat and delves into the discovery of a unique device that is powerful enough to bring a boy's imagination to life. Events quickly become chaotic and the ultimate fate of humanity is at stake. An exciting short that is less experimental than the first but engaging due to the style and intensity of the story.
A vision of genius.
The third short in the compilation is “Deathtic 4” and it once again shakes up the film. Director Shinji Kimura explores a land of zombies and otherworldly creatures. Though not one of the strongest shorts in the set, it's an entertaining diversion nonetheless. The fourth short, Doorbell, explores a man who experiences the strange quirks of meeting himself: are these reflections from another dimension? Director Yoji Fukuyama has fun with the concept.
Limit Cycle, the fifth short in the compilation, is downright experimental in approach and seems more philosophical than the other short films. It is a little bit confusing and less streamlined in comparison to the other shorts. Director Hideki Futamura seems unsure of where to take the story and instead it seems to ramble endlessly about philosophical ideas without taking the audience into consideration.
As the compilation winds down, the final two shorts pick up the pace and are two of the best shorts included in the film. Masaaki Yuasa's “Happy Machine” explores what happens when an infant is tossed into a strange world of mysterious creatures. The final short, “Baby Blue”, is from the great Shinchiro Watanabe (Cowboy Bebop). The concluding short focuses on the misadventures of two charming love-birds who are tossed in to a zany situation. A high note for the entire film.
Genius Party Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality
Arriving on Blu-ray from Gkids, Genius Party is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original aspect ratio of 1.77:1 widescreen. The picture-quality on the release is fantastic and is a sight to behold. The color depth on the presentation is simply breathtaking. A compilation film with a number of shorts included, each short has a unique visual style and the encoding competently handles the material from short-to-short. The stylistic flourishes are quite compelling and the encode is consistently impressive.
Genius Party Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality
The release includes a Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround sound presentation. The audio track is exceptional and the clarity of the sound stage is superb throughout the entire presentation. Dialogue is crisp, clear, and easy to understand. The music score is similarly well presented and becomes greatly enveloping with the surround sound channels. If there is any drawback, it is an average LFE output. Even so, the track has clear highs and sounds crisp throughout. A top-notch presentation.
Genius Party Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras
There are no supplemental materials included on the release.
Genius Party Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation
While not every short film included in the Genius Party compilation seems to have been made equal, the vast majority of the films are charming, delightful, and noteworthy. Though the film might not actually match the "genius" title to pitch-perfect perfection (as there is some small room for the improvement to come) the creativity and range of the filmmakers is on display. Check it out.
