Walt Disney Animation Studios’ newest show is called “Us Again”, and it will be shown before Disney’s latest film, “Raya and the Last Dragon”, only in theatres.    And it has been confirmed that “Us Again” will be available on Disney+ in June 2021.

This new short is set in a vibrant city pulsating with rhythm and movement and tells the story of an elderly man and his young-at-heart wife, who rekindle their youthful passion for life and each other on one magical night when the years fade away as the joy of dancing propels them across the exciting cityscape of their youth and revives fond memories and ambitions.

One thing that instantly stands out about “Us Again” is the sheer beauty of the animation.  It’s stunning.  The creators have captured the excitement of a huge city, with the glowing neon lights and some of the most beautiful animated work with water I’ve seen.    “Raya and the Last Dragon” has some beautiful scenery, but “Us Again” shows us where Disney is going in the future, and it looks amazing.  It’s not just the city and water that look amazing. The two main characters of this short have lots of expressive features and show how Disney’s animation has taken another step up in terms of technology, which is exactly the point of what these shorts do.  Keep pushing forward with experimentation.

The dancing in “Us Again” is fantastic, as the short brought in choreographers/dancers Keone and Mari Madrid, who have previously been crowned the “World of Dance” champions.  Bringing in these experts had a noticeable impact on the short as the characters move so smoothly and naturally.  If you enjoy “Dancing With The Stars” or “Strictly Come Dancing”, this short can’t be missed.  The music is also another fantastic part of this film, making you want to shake those hips and join in.    Also, keep an eye on the puddles, as the reflections show the characters as their older selves, which is amazing to see and shows the incredible attention to detail that this short has.

The director, Zach Parrish, has previously worked as the head of animation on “Big Hero 6,” and was the director of Disney Animation’s “Short Circuit” film, “Puddles”, which is available now on Disney+.   After two fantastic shorts, I’m sure it won’t be long until he also creates new animated features.

While the short looks and sounds amazing, “Us Again” is able to pull on your heartstrings as the fear of getting older and the restrictions that can bring, is at the forefront of the story.   It’s not quite at the level of “Up”, but the story does show how getting older is scary and how most of us will do anything to stay younger.

I loved “Us Again” and have watched it multiple times already.  I’m sure you’re going to love it if you go to the cinema to see “Raya and the Last Dragon”, it’s just a shame everyone else will have to wait until June for it to be released on Disney+ since I’d recommend watching it twice, just to keep an eye on all the small little details like the reflections in the puddles (the director Zach must love puddles!).

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

“Us Again” is available at cinemas with “Raya and the Last Dragon and will be released on Disney+ in June.

Roger Palmer

Roger has been a Disney fan since he was a kid and this interest has grown over the years. He has visited Disney Parks around the globe and has a vast collection of Disney movies and collectibles. He is the owner of What's On Disney Plus & DisKingdom. Email: Roger@WhatsOnDisneyPlus.com Twitter: Twitter.com/RogPalmerUK Facebook: Facebook.com/rogpalmeruk

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