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.

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.

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.)

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

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

The Snowman

[Prismark10 · 6/10 · 9 December 2016]

This is an early example of computer animation from Pixar and some years before their full length feature, Toy Story.

John Lasseter directs Knick Knack where we see souvenirs or toys enjoying the sun. Palm trees, deck chairs, there really is a beach party going on.

The one person not enjoying the fun is a souvenir from Alaska, a snowman inside a glass dome who is being beckoned by a girl in a bikini. He cannot stand it anymore and tries to break out of the dome but the glass will not break. Can he find an emergency exit door?

This is an inventive and energetic short, nowadays the CGI does look a little bit crude, some of the lighting might be too brash but it paved the way for what Lasseter and Pixar were aiming to do a few years later.

This is a funny film.

[ysk865540 · 5/10 · 27 December 2013]

The film Knick-Knack is a funny short film. In the film, characters are objects.Objects are personified. Especially the film has two scenes which I think are funny . I will tell you the scenes. First, I tell you the scene in which a main character, a snowman,tries to break a wall of a decorative object.The snowman is in the decorative object. However he wants to go out of the decorative object and meet outside objects such as objects of a flamingo.He used a drill and a machine to break the wall of the decorative objects. The way he breaks the wall is very funny. Second, I will tell you the last scene. The snowman tries to go out of the decorative object.In the process,the decorative object falls from a shelf. At that time, the snow man can get out of the decorative object and go into a fish tank.He finally gets freedom. However, in no time, the decorative object falls down, too. The snow man is shut up by the decorative object again. The way things are is very funny. I think that this is a funny film.

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!

Pixar rises

[Horst_In_Translation · 6/10 · 22 September 2013]

Five years after their very first film "The Adventures of André and Wally B.", Pixar released this little film called Knick-Knack. The main force behind these nearly four minutes was once again John Lasseter, who was in his early 30s at this point and won his first Academy Award almost exactly at the same time when "Knick Knack" was released. And after "Tin Toy" the main protagonists in this short film are also mostly toys. A clear indicator of what was bound to happen, i.e. "Toy Story" which was released 6 years after "Knick Knack".

Here we have a snowman, who's sadly stuck in his glass dome. He wants to get out to join the other toys, especially that hot beach blonde, in celebrating a wild party. He knocks, he hammers, hr burns, he launches an explosion, but all without success, until finally the dome falls off the table and he climbs out the exit door on the bottom. But struggles are not yet over for our hero. This film is not among my very favorites from Pixar, but nonetheless it's worth watching and a crucial puzzle part in the history of animation. So, if that's a genre you like, give this one a go.

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

Very cute funny short movie

[yasumaru-32948 · 7/10 · 11 October 2023]

Knick-Knack is a comedy short film about a snowman who tries to escape from the snow globe that is his home. He tries a lot of ways to escape to see a beautiful girl doll. The story is easy to understand and funny. All characters playing the musical instrument, singing a song, and taking a rhythm are unique and move cutely. The music is also good, so I was attracted by the combination of music and character's movement. The ways that the snowman tries to escape were all interesting, so I enjoyed this short very much. There are a lot of unique scenes that can be made only by animation and I enjoyed them. I felt this movie tells the loneliness that the child who is left out by friends feels and warns us that we have to give a hand to the people who are in trouble and need help.

Well structured

[y-melon0326 · 10/10 · 4 July 2014]

This is a really cute and funny film and one of the best short films I have ever watched. It is a toy animation but it's earlier than Toy Story. Knick knack means a small inexpensive mass-produced article so the title is really simple and clear. The most impressive point is a good structure. This film just last 4 minutes but it has a lot of focus points and little climaxes so you might feel longer than actual time. The theme (scene) changes clearly by changing the main character's motivation and obstacles. While the story goes on, our curious and expectation become bigger and bigger. I think this is because the items become stronger. The stronger items appear, the stronger we expect the main character does well and have curious what the story ends so I recommend that children watch this film.

Dawn of the CG animation

[kr-kr-dr3 · 7/10 · 22 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.

Interesting Story

[oushou-10394 · 8/10 · 1 July 2022]

Knick Knack is a kind of computer animated short film. It was made by Pixar and released in 1989. In 2003, this film was edited and released again, the same year that Finding Nemo was released. This film's setting is one shelf. Many miscellaneous goods are on it. Almost all of the goods are from hot areas, for example, Egypt, Miami, Jamaica, and Palm Springs. They are singing and dancing. They look like they are enjoying themselves. On the other hand, one item doesn't join the group. It is from Alaska. A snowman sees them and wants to join them. However, he is in a snowdome. He can't get out. He tries to break the dome to go out. He tries a lot of ways, but he can't break the dome. Finally, he uses a TNT bomb. When he pushes the button, the Snowdome quakes. The snowdome moves and reaches the edge of the shelf. THe snowdome is on a high place on the shelf. When he looks down, the snowdome falls off the shelf. Hot areas goods watch the moment, then they turn their eyes away. They think the snowman died. But the snowman is living! He finds the emergency exit at the floor of the snowdome. He escapes from the dome. He falls into the goldfish bowl. The snowman can't understand the situation. A few seconds later, he understands the situation. He catches a beautiful woman's eye. She is also one of the miscellaneous goods. She is an Atlantis item. Ultimately, he can meet another person. Then... I think this story tells us one thing. It is difficult for us to escape a fixed community. I think the snowdome means the community. This story can replace the modern world. It shows not only animated film, but also social problems. This film can become the first step to thinking about the world's problems.

A snowman does his effort

[yuu-82412 · 7/10 · 11 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.

knick knack

[kulalamie · 5/10 · 1 October 2013]

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.