Disney's 'Paperman' Animated Short Is Available Online for You to Fall in Love With

Every so often, something comes along at the movies that you instantly realize is something incredible. When I was sitting in my local Regal in the moments prior to Wreck-It Ralph, I knew that I was in the middle of one of those experiences. I was watching Paperman, Disney's animated short that was created through a new animation technique that blends traditional hand-drawn animation and computer-generated animation. I could fill you in on all the details, but the important thing is not how Disney created Paperman — it's that they created Paperman in the first place.

Everything about this short is perfect. The animation. The black and white with a hint of red color palette. The story. The characters. The score. I've seen Paperman a few times now, and this thing still gets me.  Paperman manages to evoke the best of Disney's rebirth in the 1980s and 1990s, with touches of The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin in the animation. With the Academy bestowing an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Short on Paperman, I'm clearly not the only one who loves this story.

Disney has generously posted Paperman on the studio's YouTube page, giving everyone who missed it theaters a chance to see what makes it special. I highly recommend that you check it out after the jump.