Oh yes I did. "LOU" is a 7-minute animated short film from this year and it is certainly already now among the most seen and most successful short films of 2017. This has to do with the fact that it is another collaboration between Disney and Pixar and as such a force to be reckoned with when it comes to the Best Animated Short Film category at the Oscars 2018. The writer and director is Dave Mullins and he has worked in the animation department of quite a few Pixar films already, but this here is the moment of truth for him as the man in charge. Voice actor Jack Bright is also not new to the Pixar universe. Now the story here takes place at a school yard and we have the kids having fun until they are disturbed by a bully. The title character though is once again for Pixar not human, but the lost and found boy standing nearby that seems to possess some kind of spirit or artificial intelligence inside as the contents in there keep becoming all kinds of creatures in leading the bully kid back to the path of kindness. The inclusion of his favorite stuffed animal when he was way younger is where Pixar delivers emotionally as always, even if it may go a bit over the top eventually with the idea of self-sacrifice for the good cause. And the first 2-3 minutes also did not impress me at all. But luckily, there is a great deal of improvement in the second half of this little movie. And finally, yes it is Disney and Pixar and yes we sure expect the animation and character design to be really as good as it gets, but we should still not take it for granted that it is in fact on a very high level visually again. Overall, this should be a surefire for an Oscar nomination, but I am not entirely sold on it to win. Same for me personally. I think it will end up on my list of favorite animated short films from 2017, but I cannot really see it reaching the top spot, maybe not even the podium. But of course, it is definitely worth checking out if you love (modern) animation. I give it a thumbs-up.

As far as Pixar short films go, "LOU" was a gem as a family treat. As a Pixar shorts lover, I was a tyke after the early Pixar shorts came into the world. Really gave me the steadiest interest of Disney/Pixar films. I hope you would get a chance to shine the face of nature. Good thing, the studio worked really hard, along with making Cars 3, to put extreme amounts of effort, dedication, creativity, hard-work, perseverance, and colorful twist to this film. I'm sure Pixar done the best story-line like the previous shorts: "Geri's Game," "Piper," "Tin Toy," "For the Birds," and "Luxo Jr.." The animation itself never failed to disappoint any/every-one when it comes to films and previews. The direction and usage of few characters are well-done as well as the CGI. Some aspects carried more and more usual tone than ever. Comedy was used, and heartwarming emotions coming together to form a deep, deep lesson. Also, music carried over some strong, intense mood that suits the main point of the story. Even the conclusion produced more dynamic. "LOU" gives children a gift of joy, childhood, awesomeness, and positivity. Believe me, I'm a Pixar fan and seen many short films before feature films start and I noticed that Pixar has a strong work-ethic between commitments. It felt so dedicated to keep this tradition.Overall, this short film is a "must" for families and friends. I guarantee you will love this 6-7 minute event before seeing Cars 3 and getting a warm, fuzzy feeling on the way after you seen this. Grade: A+

This Disney-Pixar short was shown before Cars 3. During recess, a bully takes all the kids' toys or other of their valuables and puts them in a box. A flashback is provided that explains some of his behavior... I'll stop there and just say there's some amusing stuff concerning a creature that can only exist in an animated cartoon but it's believable enough to suspend logical thought and it contributed enormously to my enjoyment of this short. Really, all I'll say now is I recommend LOU.

LOU is a great example of a great idea not given enough room to breathe. LOU is about the Lost and Found bin at a school or daycare that is somehow sentient, with all the items inside the bin forming a its own mismatched being, One day, LOU sees a bully on the playground taking things from other kids, and in retaliation steals back the kids lost toys through an adorable slapstick-filled chase scene, and barters with the kid to give back all the items that have been put in the lost and found over time, in exchange for the bully's lost stuffed puppy. As more and more items are given back, LOU disappears, as there's nothing left in the lost and found for him to inhabit, and the kid learns a lesson about being nice. It's perfectly fine and a tad sad, but it's not doing anything that kids animation hasn't done before, which is what holds it back, and also is completely ripped apart by the simple question "why did one kid have to return everything, why didn't the kids just get their lost toys themselves"? However, the core idea of this short, the idea of a Lost and Found come to life, has a lot of potential and is representative of the creativity Pixar is known for. Definitely a cute short, just nothing super special. 6.5/10