I’ve just happened upon one of the most beautiful trailers I’ve ever seen, for an animated film entitled $9.99. Never heard of it? You aren’t alone; it debuted theatrically on the 12th of this month and (so far, anyway) seems consigned to mostly Los Angeles cinemas.

As it turns out, this claymation opus originated with New York-based visionary animator Tatia Rosenthal – and its voiceover cast employs mostly Australian principals including Geoffrey Rush, Claudia Karvan and Anthony LaPaglia. Rush described it as an animated Short Cuts; picture that, coupled with some magisterial fantasy elements and defiantly adult themes (it received an R rating for “language and brief sexuality and nudity”) and you have an idea. But don’t take my word for it – below is the trailer from You Tube. I’ve felt rather listless and ambivalent, this entire movie season, after witnessing the release of Hollywood hash like Yes Man and Four Christmases. But this may be just the antidote I need – it’s the first trailer that genuinely has me excited out of my mind. See if I’m exaggerating about the visuals…