Toys in the Attic

Although Vivian Schilling's English-language adaptation of Czech animator Jirí Barta's titular 2009 film is based on a premise similar to Toy Story's—i.e., toys come to life in the absence of humans—the tone is very different, not bright and frothy but decidedly strange and dark. Toys in the Attic is also technically primitive and eclectic, mostly consisting of rudimentary stop-motion work, although occasionally Barta throws in a bit of sketchy hand-drawn animation, claymation, and a few live-action sequences (as well as a villain who is a blend of a live actor and stop-motion effects). The plot is simple: in one area of a dusty attic, a group of forgotten toys live a communal life, while in another corner lies an evil domain, presided over by the plaster bust of a communist demagogue who, aided by a bunch of bugs and the human family's cat, kidnaps the sweet doll called Buttercup to make her his slave. When Buttercup's friends discover she's been abducted, they undertake an expedition to rescue her. While one can admire Barta's idiosyncratic artistry, the film unfortunately drags—as none of the characters have much personality—and the English dubbing (featuring the voices of Forest Whitaker, Joan Cusack, and Cary Elwes) is flat. With its unsettling undertones, it's hard to imagine that this will appeal to family audiences, although animation connoisseurs might find it interesting. Optional, at best. (F. Swietek)