Once Upon a Studio Review

Originally published Oct 24, 2023

This week’s review is gonna be a little different, as I wish to sing my praises to what can easily be called the best content that Disney has put out in quite some time. Before diving in, I’d like to start this review by giving a special shoutout to our own Tony Bancroft for his contributions to this magnum opus of Disney animation: Once Upon a Studio. 

As I’m sure you’re aware, this year marks the 100th anniversary of Walt Disney Animation Studios. This short film honors such a momentous occasion by having the leader of the club, Mickey Mouse, bring together more than 540 characters from every Disney movie (and maybe a few shorts) for a group photo. Half the fun is seeing which characters you can separate from the crowds (I should know since I listed all of them). For those of you who were lucky enough to grow up watching House of Mouse, this takes the idea of a Disney crossover to the umpteenth degree. Every single scene either had me smiling in recognition of a familiar face or delightfully chuckling at the ways they played off each other. The animation was spectacular, no big surprise, with hand-drawn and CG-animated characters blending together seamlessly in the real-world studio they were created at. While the nostalgia was effectively and properly used, the true strength of this short is its earnestly profound love for its legacy, culminating in an ending that originally brought tears to my eyes. In an era where it’s easy to dump on the corporation behind it, it was a welcome breath of fresh air to watch something with so much love, respect and genuine magic crafted into each frame. If you’re half the Disney fan that I am, chances are you’ll be smiling for the entire nine-minute duration.

Rating: 10/10