That was an excellent one.

Plenty to Like, Plenty to Dislike

Brilliant and touching

The acting in this movie is really good.

Normally, when I review a film, like everyone else, I give it a rating. However, occasionally I have come upon experimental films so unusual and so non-commercial that doing so would be impossible...and this is definitely the case with "Destino". It's a very surreal film based on story boards designed by Salvador Dali and so it's NOT the sort of thing the average viewer would enjoy...and it coming from Disney must have come as a real surprise to those who have seen it. It seems that back in the 1940s, Walt Disney and Dali wanted to collaborate and a few seconds of film were actually animated. But the project was abandoned and only recently did Disney's nephew, Roy, discover the film and commissioned a team of artists to complete the animated short. It's well animated but odd in every possible way and a film best seen and heard instead of describing. Well worth seeing if you don't mind experimental artsy films.

Originally conceived as a joint project between Disney and Dalí back in the 1940's, this short animation never got to the stage of being completed for various reasons and instead existed as paintings and storyboards Dalí made with Disney animator John Hench. These were on display at the Tate Modern as part of the exhibition "Dalí & Film" and I did like the fact that I could see the creation of the film and then step next door to watch it and see how close it came to the original design from over fifty years before.Watching it is a strange but enjoyable experience because it is at once Disney and Dalí and this is a combination that I didn't think sat all that well together thematically or visually. I did get used to it but it did jar with me to see a woman with a typical modern Disney face, suddenly becoming part of a Dalí's creation. Perhaps this was the intension but it did feel a bit like someone was flicking a switch somewhere to go Dalí then Disney then back again – not so much a combination of styles as the two being placed next to one another in one piece. This feeling aside though, it is a quiet engaging and enjoyable film that I enjoyed immensely visually. Dalí's vision is brought to life really well and the images from his storyboard and paintings generally are instantly recognisable.Again I did wonder if the film would have been quite so "Disney" if it had been made in 1946 with the man himself directly involved – at times I did feel that I was watching Pocahontas and it did take away from the experience a little bit. Fortunately the storyboards prevent it going too far from the original images and as such it is interesting and imaginative; the CGI is a blessing and a curse though. On one hand it makes all this possible but on the other it seems significantly less real than Dalí's actual paintings – I'm not sure quite why but I think the colours are too simple and the imagery lacking in the detail that some of his work has.Overall though, it is still an enjoyable and enchanting film and a chance to see Dalí's images flowing across the screen. Perhaps a little too Disneyified for my tastes, it is still well worth seeing for the chance to enter a Dalí painting and follow a story about loss and love.

I had a chance to view the Destino DVD and was highly impressed. I was impressed so much that I bought a suite (set of 6)from the time line done by Dali and Disney. The DVD captures the true surrealism that Disney (who would ever think of a talking mouse) and Dali is famous for. These two individuals that one would think we be as far apart in personalities would actually come up with one the best short films and some of the most treasured art work ever created. I am truly blessed to have seen such a work of art and truly honored to own a piece of history. If you have the chance to see the DVD or own some of the art work that has come out of this experience, jump on it. It is very rare that two famous individuals with such diverse backgrounds collaborate on such a unique piece.

The idea of Disney and Dali working together seems as weird as one of Dali's paintings. A play off Broadway several seasons ago imagined Dali's effect on the Disney Studio and Alice in Wonderland which was in production at the same time and was quite funny.The reality of situation was something else and ended after lots of sketches and paintings had been done (many later stolen) but for all the work only several seconds of film had actually been animated. For 50 years there was always a feeling of "what if it all had worked out" to the project. Now 50 Years later Roy Disney picks up where Uncle Walt left off and completed the project.The result was better in the realm of "what if".There is nothing really wrong with the film, except its not really interesting. I saw it as part of a children's film festival and most of the kids seemed puzzled. Most of the adults just took the odd images in stride. It was well animated but nothing special to look at, its really more a collection of paintings that move than an actual film. Yes there is a romance of sorts with a surrealist twist, but its nothing compelling.The film was nominated for best animated short, but having actually watched the entire film I think it was more a favor to Roy Disney than to any Oscar quality of the film.If you get the chance see it, but its not worth going out of your way to see. Nor do I think it will be worth the price of Disney's proposed DVD release featuring a documentary on the making of and the film itself. If they charge anything over ten bucks they truly will have be as mad as Dali himself.