Monkey Bar (2025)

-Written by Kyle Bain. 

In one of the simplest films that I’ve ever seen, Monkey Bar follows (and I use that term lightly) a monkey after he exits the titular bar. As he questions life, viewers are forced to question it along with him. 

Clocking in at a measly forty-six seconds, Monkey Bar never moves. The aforementioned monkey walks into frame, says his piece, and then exits. Viewers are forced into a singular location, and even though it’s for a short amount of time, you feel confined. That feeling accurately represents the monkey’s struggle and his reticence about the world. He’s struggling with the idea of change and what that means for him, what that means for his future—and while the words are never truly spoken (they only appear via text on the screen), viewers are able to feel his pain. Monkey Bar is an apt representation of everyone’s emotional struggles. 

In such a short amount of time, Writer-Director Mya Van Dyk and her team captured my attention—and not only via the quick narrative, but as a result of the animation as well. Beautiful wool stop-motion animation is the primary vehicle by which the story of Monkey Bar is told. The singular character’s movement is both crisp and fluid, feeling authentic and natural. As it flows, it pulls viewers through the narrative and strengthens the emotional connection that is ever present in Monkey Bar. 

Remember that small things can have a huge impact. Monkey Bar is one of the shortest films I’ve ever seen, yet it plays such an incredible role in the grand scheme of cinema. It will likely remain hidden, inaccessible to so many cinephiles that would likely adore it—but its message, regardless of how many people it reaches, will have a profound effect on the ones who will have an opportunity to watch. 

As the monkey prepares to walk off screen for the final time he slips and falls. Even as he’s ready to move on with his life, his own actions cause him to fall back down, to hinder his progress. Monkey Bar wastes no time in getting to the point, and every moment until the film fades to black is utilized effectively. Monkey Bar is far more groundbreaking than a film of forty-six seconds should be, and I’m floored by what Van Dyk and her team are able to create in such a short amount of time. 

Written & Directed by Mya Van Dyk.

8.5/10 = WORTH RENTING OR BUYING