“Ah, if only our voices speak at night Could ever reach the very edge of this world and the time … “ – Dream Lantern by RADWIMPS 2016 was a strong year for animated films. While there was Academy Award… Read More ›
animation
Off its recent theatrical remaster re-release, Michael Arias’s 2006 animated adventure “Tekkonkinkreet” arrives at home with a first-time 4K UHD edition via GKIDS Films.
“At least believe in love, Kimura. Love is all you need.” – Suzuki in Tekkonkinkreet The bonds we make in life have a tendency to follow us everywhere. We don’t always know what they mean to us, either, until we’ve… Read More ›
“The Swan Princess” brings its animated spell which has enchanted generations into 4K UHD.
Back in 1995, I (like many a millennial) was introduced to a slew of films inspired by Disney’s animated projects. From bottom of the bin rip-offs to carefully crafted homages to the Mouse House, each of these movies ranged wildly… Read More ›
Ryuya Syzuki’s contemplative existential drama “Jinsei” arrives on home video with few supplemental materials.
How does one measure a life? Through the seasons of change? Through their age? Through their responsibility? In the scope of all things, how does one determine how well or poorly someone lived their life? You could live for a… Read More ›
Chinese legend is adapted into a modern bombastic action adventure with heart in Mu Zhengyang’s directorial debut “All Wishes Come True!”
Over the last seven years, Chinese studios have tapped the 16th century Chinese novel Fengshen Yanyi (Investiture of the Gods) to craft stories in live-action (Creation of the Gods trilogy) and animated (Legend of the White Snake; New Gods: Yang Jian; Ne Zha)…. Read More ›
In the case of “Coyote vs. ACME,” we find them toony, looney, and hilariously on-point with their social satire. Case Dismissed.
In 1949, history was made with the debut of Wile E. Coyote and his enteral pursuant Road Runner in the Chuck Jones-directed (Hair-Raising Hare), Michael Maltese-written (Duck Amuck) Fast and Furry-ous. For seven minutes, audiences came to know the hilarity… Read More ›
Filmmaker Kenichi Kutsuna’s animated video game adaptation “Sekiro: No Defeat” beautifully captures its jidaigeki roots through classic animation and action. [Fantasia]
What does it mean to live an honorable life? Is it honoring yourself? Honoring your community? Existing by a code? These may sound like old-fashioned queries, the sort of things that warriors or soldiers asked themselves when written by poets,… Read More ›
Flameo, Hotman! “Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender” satisfies like a fresh cup of tea from the Jasmine Dragon.
“No one wins a fight.” – Dalton in Road House. When Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino premiered their Nickelodeon program Avatar: The Last Airbender in 2005, there was likely little sense of what the response would be. On paper,… Read More ›
“The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” offers out-of-this-world bonus features on the home release edition of an adventure that’s barely left the atmosphere.
Photosensitivity Warning: More than the previous film, Galaxy is filled with light designs that may prove triggering for photosensitive individuals; consider taking precautions before starting the film. In 2023, Illumination, with Nintendo as a partner, released The Super Mario Bros…. Read More ›
“Minions & Monsters” is a love letter to movies wrapped in the expected comedic mayhem.
2010’s Despicable Me introduced audiences to master villain Gru (voiced by Steve Carrell), his darling three adopted girls, and, most importantly, to the Minions. The all-yellow-bodied, seemingly indestructible, unserious, devoted assistants to Gru’s villainy took the world by storm and,… Read More ›
Anime “Adolescence of Utena” gets a 2-day only theatrical rerelease from GKIDS Films.
Back in the early 2000s, a treasure trove of Japanese animation titles took over North American video stores. Featuring stories involving various fantastical adventures, one subgenre (thanks to the international popularity of Sailor Moon) began to slowly make a bigger… Read More ›
“Hoppers” on home video allows you to bring the absurd chaos of nature right into your ecosystem.
“Funny thing is, you’re about 10 times more likely to get killed by a falling airplane-part than by a shark.” -Gi in Captain Planet and the Planeteers Things could be simpler if we wanted them to be. Folks could have… Read More ›
Spirit cat Luo Hiaohei returns with a new bold and moving adventure “The Legend of Hei 2,” on home video now.
Continuing a story is tricky enough without throwing in additional hurdles like cultural significance or an established long-running series. Anything established must be honored and, in so doing, can create limitations on what comes next. But that’s what co-writers/co-directors Gu… Read More ›
Disquieting and poignant amid beautifully grotesque scenes, Alberto Vázquez’s fantastical farce “Decorado” ponders the risk of questioning one’s reality and the reward of truth.
What matters more: that something *is* real or that it *feels* real? If we’re talking about art or a prosthetic, then the recreation may provide the satisfaction desired. Possessing mere artifice may be all that’s needed in order to achieve… Read More ›
The Home for Anime Podcast: Talking “Cosmic Princess Kaguya!”
As a writer, my comfort zone is putting my thoughts on paper and hitting publish, but there’s truly nothing like having a conversation with a fellow film nerd. In this case, joining fellow NCFCA member Cameron Allison on his The… Read More ›
Allow animated dramedy “Little Amélie or the Character of Rain” to ascend to your home collection.
At a point in the director interview for their film, Little Amélie or the Character of Rain (Amélie et la métaphysique des tubes), co-directors Maïlys Vallade (The Lighthouse Keeper) and Liane-Cho Han (Voodoo) discuss the Japanese belief that children under… Read More ›
Hey, bub, just when you think they’ve tried everything, “Zootopia 2” co-directors Jared Bush and Byron Howard pull out even more.
“Sly fox, dumb bunny.” Just when you think that storytellers have mined all they can from the odd couple trope, co-writers Jared Bush (Encanto) and Phil Johnston (Wreck-It Ralph series) found a way to invigorate the concept by not only… Read More ›
Animated adventure “The Pout-Pout Fish” is an engaging, fun, and adventurous rollercoaster ride of silliness the whole family can enjoy.
Photosensitivity Warning: The final act of the film includes a sequence in which characters change colors to glow with a pulsating white light that may provide triggering for sensitive viewers. After it happens the first time, it’s easy to predict… Read More ›
Open Dialogue with “Arco” director/co-writer Ugo Bienvenu.
In this episode of Meet Me at the Movies, Thomas Manning is joined by Ugo Bienvenu, the writer, director, and producer behind the Oscar-nominated animated film Arco. Bienvenu opens up about the years-long creative journey behind this deeply personal project… Read More ›
Filmmaker Mamoru Hosoda’s “Scarlet” riffs on Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” in a time-bending animated adventure that challenges the validity of revenge.
Photosensitivity Warning: Several scenes in Scarlet may prove triggering for photosensitive viewers through the use of stylized lightning. It occurs a handful of times in the film and can often be predicted, enabling a viewer to shield oneself, but it’s… Read More ›