The Astronomer's Sun

While visually in the same ballpark as Tim Burton's Corpse Bride, The Astronomer's Sun is an altogether different kettle of fish.

It's the story of a young, rather pale man who visits an observatory with a wind-up toy bear. He discovers a large, mechanical device resembling the solar system, which he then turns on.

The stop-motion is a little rough-hewn, but it's charmingly so. Similarly, some of the CGI was obviously done on a limited budget. But it doesn't matter, as it's totally captivating.

Unfortunately, there's too much going on here. There are hints of back story which the six-minute length doesn't have time to flesh out.

And with a soundtrack which seems a little out of place, it's a frustrating experience.