Film Review: Taking Flight

by Julia DeKorte | 02 Feb 2023

Book Reviews

In Moonbot Studios’ Emmy-winning, heartwarming short film, Taking Flight, Tony, a young boy, learns all about the power of imagination. After being dropped off at his grandfather’s house, he expects another boring, restless day until an old photograph of his father when he was Tony’s age catches his eye. In the photo, his father and his grandfather are pictured with an old red wagon, the same one Tony used to closer inspect the photo!

 

Tony’s grandfather asks him if his father had ever told him about the adventures the two of them used to go on in that red wagon, and, because he hadn’t, Tony’s grandfather decides to show him! The two are immediately transported to faraway lands – a menacing jungle with monkeys flying about, a raging river where they have to avoid alligators, a small plane that the two have to parachute out of, and of course, the adventure to top all adventures, space!

 

When his father returns, he sees Tony living through the same memories he himself made as a child, and the three embark on one last adventure together – back to space, but this time to fight off aliens!

 

With a fun and playful soundtrack, excellent animation, and even a shift in lighting to match the shift from a boring day to one full of adventure made this short film very visually pleasing. Viewers, in just five minutes, learn so much about just how far an active imagination can take you. For children, it opens up a world of playing pretend, and for adults, it’s a reminder of how fun it can be to revisit the creativity that only an active imagination can develop.

moonbot studios taking flight short film short radio flyer

Tait & Lily, Inventors of Betcha Can't!