REVIEW : Animation Fest in La Jolla Tells a Moving Story : Art: The Museum of Contemporary Art frequently holds animation shows but this “best of the fest” show is particularly worthwhile.

It’s easy to be annoyed by these seemingly unending festivals of animation at the La Jolla Museum of Contemporary Art. A few weeks after one ends, the promoters put together a “best of . . .” compilation and stoke the publicity fires again.

The current edition, “The Fifth Annual Best of the Fest,” is scheduled to screen at the museum through Aug. 5. The 11th edition of the actual Festival of Animation ended just two months ago, after a three-month stint. Through the years, the festivals have grown longer, while the time between them has shrunk.

Clearly, these festivals are a lucrative enterprise for “Spike and Mike,” also known as Spike Decker and Mike Gribble, two San Diegans who have channeled their love of animation into the festival business. For audiences that can’t resist the festivals, seeing a long line of people waiting for another collection of shorts and cartoons could easily spark resentment, a sense that these entrepreneurs are milking the animation festivals for all they are worth.

Yet, it is almost impossible for even the most cynical types to be resentful or annoyed by the festivals, simply because they are so much fun. Animation would be an art form without a venue in San Diego if these festivals didn’t exist. That would be a shame.

The current collection of 16 films, not to be confused with the collection that ran last winter, is composed of highlights of past festivals. In a sense, these “best of . . . “ packages, which run every summer, are actually better than the actual festivals.

People may have seen many of the shorts, but that just adds to the enjoyment. They cheer their favorites; often anticipating the dialogue. It helps build a feeling of camaraderie and interest, which sets it apart from most movie screenings.

It’s akin to the warped feeling of excitement that exists at a screening of “Rocky Horror Picture Show,” a sense that if people are this into it, there must be something special to it. As in the case of “Rocky Horror,” even if the film doesn’t live up to expectations, the scene is enough to make it an enjoyable experience.

The current group of shorts is worthy of the “best of . . . “ moniker, perhaps even more so than past “best of . . . “ collections. It starts with a warm and loving piece by John Lasseter, best known for his PIXAR computer animation. His “Nightmare” is the undeniably cute tale of a doe-eyed, curly-haired kid trying to sleep with monsters in his room.

Lasseter’s short sets a loving tone for the show, which is full of warm and humorous pieces. Throughout, monsters are generally wide-eyed and friendly, the protagonists cute and lovable. There is a scary rogue in “The Thing That Lurked in the Tub,” as the title implies, but it is meant to amuse, not scare, an audience.

That is not to say the animation is geared toward children. Although there is nothing in it that children shouldn’t see, the humor is definitely for adults.

In “A Story,” a tale by Andrew Stanton with all the sarcasm and dry wit of the best “Rocky and Bullwinkle” episodes, Melvin and Ted are pursued by Randy the Killer Clown, leading to an adventure of sorts. Cordell Baker’s “The Cat Came Back,” which drew a cheer from the audience, chronicles a man’s obsession with getting rid of a cat, who wants nothing more than to shred the man’s home. It weaves slapstick and lyrical qualities into the silliness, as only animation can.

This group of shorts is long on sweetness and humor and short on technological tricks. The emphasis is on characters, wit and stories, not tricks. That is not to say there aren’t feats of animation that leave the audience wondering how it was done, as well as smiling.

Gyula Nagy’s “Fingerwave” is nothing more than a shot of two hands. Each finger makes a different musical sound when it moves. One finger moves, than another and another until the two hands have exploded into a cacophony of music.

“Anijam” is a 10-minute exercise in insanity put together by more than 20 illustrators, each working independently, using the last frame of the previous artist’s work as their only reference. The result is a bizarre romp through the artists’ various styles and humor. It was one of the set’s most captivating pieces, and it also illustrates the essence of these festivals.

They represent celebrations of animation. And, even if their frequency may seem annoying at times, the festivals present the unique talents of animators who deserve a showcase.