U2's Bono Worked On One Of The Year's Most Unexpectedly Beautiful Films

U2 frontman Bono co-wrote a whodunnit film way back in 2000 called "The Million Dollar Hotel," but 23 years later, he has made his return to the world of movies — and the result is unexpectedly gorgeous. 

This past October, Max released a short film called "Peter and the Wolf," a new adaptation of Sergei Prokofiev's symphonic classic which Bono not only co-wrote a song for but also created the artwork on which the film was based. Not bad for a rock star. This story has been adapted for the screen numerous times, but it's never looked as striking as it does here. The broad strokes of the narrative are the same as you might remember, and composer/narrator Gavin Friday's musical riff on the familiar motifs may whisk you back to hearing these tunes in your childhood, but the visuals are what stand out the most here.

Shot using practical miniature sets and overlaying animation on top of that footage, "Peter and the Wolf" has a quiet, contemplative vibe that lends it a timeless quality. Unlike the madcap blending of live-action and animation seen in something like "Who Framed Roger Rabbit," the beautiful black and white cinematography (with pops of red color) here lets you luxuriate in the shadows. The tactility of the physical sets works on a thematic level, too: Peter's surroundings may be grim and devoid of color in the wake of his mother's death, but there's a fluidity to him and his assumptions about the titular wolf that's wonderfully reflected in the fact that they are intangible animated figures occupying this space. This iteration of "Peter and the Wolf" is unlike any animated project I've seen on this scale.