A Stitch in Time Saves "9"

Are you familiar with that proverb? It's probably part of the inspiration for "9," directed by Shane Acker. But there's a scene in the movie where #9 literally gets a rotator cuff (shoulder) tear, but #5 (voiced by John C. Reilly) stitches it back...thereby saving him!

Here are Nine Things I Love About "9":

1. It's a post-apocalyptic "Toy Story": Rag Dolls vs. Machines.
   
2. Elijah Wood as the voice of the hero, #9, is like Frodo in rag doll form--with a magical, spherical spare part that is the key to salvation instead of a magical, spherical Ring.
3. The eccentric among the lot, #6 (voiced by Crispin Glover), has stripes on him similar to Beetlejuice's suit. No wonder, "Beetlejuice" was directed by Tim Burton, who produced "9."
4. #6 also has blade-shaped fingers that resemble Edward Scissorhands' own. Again, this movie was directed by Tim Burton.
5. #7, voiced by Jennifer Connelly, is the femme fatale with serious skills and an entrance that mimicks Angelina Jolie's character in "Wanted." No surprise there, Timur Bekmambetov--its director--is a co-producer for "9."
6. They're made of more than just sacks of jute: they were imbued with fragments of a scientist's human soul.
7. Attention to detail lets you know a lot of heart went into this animated masterpiece. The coin on #1's head gear which somewhat served as his crown, was the same coin used to rest on his "eyes" at his "funeral".
   
8. The dolls' MacGyver ingenuity with junk. Here, necessity is the mother of reinvention!
   
9. A few good dolls can still conquer soul-eating evil, because "9" heads are better than one. Moral of the movie: Cooperation. And saving our planet before it's too late.
   

"9" was originally created by Shane Acker as an award-winning short film. Now it's a full feature CGI-animated film. Here's the short film that started it all: