Adam And Dog

A playful dog exploring the newly created world comes upon the first man.

The story about the dog of Eden. What happened in those first days of Creation that made Man and Dog so inseparable? The dog, as he lives through this curious world, encounters a strange creature; a human being named Adam – and with that discovers a new found connection to the world.

Peter Howell: Adam and Dog (Minkyu Lee): Possibly testing the Academy’s tolerance for full-frontal male nudity, this biblically themed short presents a theory as to how the dog became man’s best friend, even after women arrived on the scene. A personal project by Disney staffer Minkyo Lee, who won Best Animated Short at the 2012 Annie Awards, this conventional cartoon doesn’t go much further than barking for canine loyalty.

Steve Pond:
Gorgeously animated by Disney employee Minkyo Lee, who raised $25,000 of his own to make the movie while also working in character design on "Winnie the Pooh" and "Wreck-It Ralph," "Adam and Dog" was named Best Animated Short at last year's Annie Awards, beating Pixar's "La Luna" and Warner Bros.' "I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat. "

Quiet, stylish and sweet, the short goes back to the Garden of Eden (sort of) to examine the first friendship between Man and Dog -- a friendship tested when Woman comes along and Man's Best Friend becomes his second-best friend. The slight story moves at a slow, deliberate pace and is more about mood than plot, but the 2D animation fits the mood and sets a lovely tone.

Likeliest winners: "Head Over Heels," "Adam and Dog"
If the voters can forget about who made them: "Maggie Simpson in 'The Longest Daycare,'" "Paperman"
Delicious, but not nourishing enough: "Fresh Guacamole"