MOVIE REVIEW

IN
ENGLISH

Submitted by:
Nicole L. Arches
09 – Our Lady of Lourdes
Submitted to:
Ms. Marfil

Title of the Film/Documentary

“Who Moved My Cheese? An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in
Your Life” is a motivational business fable published on September 9, 1998 by an
American physician and author Spencer Johnson. The book became a New York Times
business bestseller upon release, and remained on the list for almost five years and 200
weeks on Publisher Weekly’s hardcover nonfiction list. The book has sold more than
twenty-six million copies worldwide in thirty-seven languages, and remains as one of the
bestselling business books.

Many people had made a fan-made animation of the book, such as the Youtube user
named Keyvan B who made a CGI modern animation of the same title. Published on
August 11, 2012, the video had 291,236 views at the moment ever since its release.

Summary

In the short animation film and book made by Spencer Johnson tells a story about two
mice named Sniffy and Scurry, and two little people Hem and Haw (a term of
indecisiveness), all set on a journey to find new cheese in a complicated maze. As
these four characters were able to find cheese at Cheese Station C, the two little people
found themselves to be too comfortable and relaxes themselves there every day, while
the two mice found out that the cheese supplies are running out each day. One day,
Cheese Station C had run out of cheese. The mice were not surprised by the news and
were able to accept changes immediately as they go out to find a new one. But it has
caused a shock to the little people and weren’t able to move on for several days. After
days of hunger, Haw realized that they needed to accept this change and move out of
the Cheese Station C, but Hem is indecisive and stubborn. He insisted to stay on the
Cheese Station C with no choice but for Haw to move out alone. So then, Haw kept
looking for ways to find a new cheese. After much time, Haw found a new Cheese
Station E that is almost empty of cheese. But that didn’t stop Haw from looking forward
to a new one. Haw went back to Station C to persuade Hem but decided not to do so,
because he knows that it will be the same answer he’ll receive. Haw tried to find a new
cheese station with the directions and guidelines he had written earlier, and successfully
found Cheese Station N with Sniffy and Scurry there. With the mistakes he has done
before, reflecting on it, Haw decides that he would always look out for his supplies,
whether it is running out or not. He hopes that his friend Hem will be able to accept
change like he did.

Film-maker
Patrick Spencer Johnson was an American physician and author, known for the
ValueTales series of children’s books and for his motivational business fable “Who
Moved my Cheese?” Born in Watertown, South Dakota, he graduated high school on
Notre Dame High School of Sherman Oaks, California, and received a Bachelor of Arts
degree in Psychology from the University of Southern America in 1963, and his medical
degree on Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. Johnson lived in Hawaii and New
Hampshire, and recently passed away on July 3, 2017 at the age of 78.

Significance to your Class

Cheese is a metaphor for “Happiness”. The four characters signifies our personalities as
humans and how we accept change for a new kind of happiness. I like how Spencer
Johnson used Cheese for this deep moral lesson, as Cheese is loved by almost
everybody out there. He also depicted how we act towards change, how we adapt the
new environment and fitting in there. In just 32 pages and a short animation, he had
shown us change isn’t scary as we all thought it is, and we should face this as part of
our lives. Many people could relate to the story, and so could I. It was a good read and
a good reminder for me and to others as well.

Creative Elements

The short animation film was made of CGI graphics and despite on I believe that is a
one-man CGI animation, it was animated well. The animation had shown and depicted
what the author wants to convey through the book pretty good. They also conveyed the
story and the moral lesson of the story well too. I think showing this short animation film
would motivate children to do the same, as colorful and understandable art elements
have been shown in the animation. The only cons I only want to say is that the
animation has heen rendered wrong, and it's kind of a disappointment because little bits
of glitching pixels can be shown in the video as it is only rendered low.

Actors
There are four main characters in the film:
The two mice named as Sniff and Scurry;
And the two little people named as Hem and Haw.

The two mices represents the simple part of our thinking, while the two little people
represents the complex, rational part of our minds.

A. Sniff
Sniff is one of two mice who observes changes and adapts to the change as soon as
possible. He is an observant character who always thinks about the possibility of
change in their environment, and is extremely aware of the fact that the "cheese will
move anytime soon."
B. Scurry
While Sniff is the one who observes, Scurry is the one who makes the action for the two
of them. Scurry makes the plan, the one who takes the decision making on how would
they find the new cheese. He is like a go-with-the-flow person who is curious and
always ready for the changes he will come through despite its pros and cons.
C. Hem
Unlike Sniff and Scurry, Hem is scared of taking risks and adapting himself into the new
cheese. His mindset was to be just content with what he has in his life, and he doesn't
want to see a new kind of cheese, or figuratively a new kind of happiness. Scared that
the consequences of moving out of Cheese Station C, he wasn't able to get himself out
of his comfort zone and didn't get to adapt to the change he has faced.
D. Haw
Although surprised and scared by the consequences of facing a new kind of cheese, he
was able to make himself realize that changing for the better good will be a nice
decision to him. He learnt to adapt to the change especially when he knows it will be for
the better of himself. He is an emphatic person who is still worried for his friend that
stayed, and with that, I think he is probably the character who acts like a human the
most, and conveyed through the heart of the audience realistically.