animation
With 2016 ending in cinematic glory, we look back at the widespread success of family films and how they are vital to the cinematic landscape
Disney’s latest film, Moana is sure to please crowds, but it plays it safe by recycling a story that has been told to exhaustion.
Trolls is aimed as squarely at parents as it is the kids, who likely won’t be as familiar with the terrifically tressed toy trolls as they were say, Angry Birds. Probably not a problem. A comeback seems likely.
Color is an animated short film about a creature that looks a lot like a lima bean with legs. This little creature has a beautiful yellow color that it tries to hide to fit in with the creatures and the buildings in the town it lives in.
Kubo and the Two Strings is a genuine masterpiece. The word “masterpiece” might be used carelessly and far too often these days when discussing contemporary movies. At the least, Kubo has fulfilled the conventional definition of “masterpiece” no matter how semantically satiated the word has become, if not entirely forging a new meaning altogether.
I am a huge Pixar fan and Finding Nemo is one of my favourite films, so I was thrilled to know a sequel was being made. However, I was a little reticient. Toy Story 2 & 3 were remarkable sequels to be sure, but they are unique in cinema, Pixar also made Cars 2.
When I signed on to review Batman: The Killing Joke, it was before its San Diego Comic-Con debut. As soon as that screening ended, there was a massive wave of discontent (in some cases, rage) over certain creative decisions made by the filmmakers.
To accompany Pixar’s latest underwater road movie, Finding Dory, we have a similarly ocean-themed short. Pixar’s Piper started as the brainchild of director Alan Barillaro, and tells the story of a young, diminutive sandpiper learning to gather its own food for the first time. Barillaro worked as a supervising animator on several past Pixar features.
What happens when a doctor, a goat, and an impotent man converge in small town Kansas in 1917? Something you probably wouldn’t believe if it wasn’t told to you in a documentary or by some other authoritative source, because the story is wild, weird, and very nuts. What happened was that doctor John Romulus Brinkley developed a goat-to-human testicular transplant that cured the impotent man, launching him to fame and fortune while the rest of America sunk deep into the Great Depression.
The Secret Life Of Pets is an enjoyable experience that will have you laughing & engaging with its colourful characters and vibrant locations.
Concerning remakes in modern cinematic environments, there is a strong dominance during recent years involving large companies and production studios to provide audiences with an extensive range of remakes and indistinguishable plots and storylines with the twist of live action appearances. Speculations regarding Disney in particular are most prominent in terms of feature film announcements, with approximately 16 possible films arriving in the future that focus on existing narratives and characters. There are different approaches to this that Disney are experimenting on, from remaking the same story faithfully, adapting a different spin to the classics or even creating long awaited sequels – such as Mary Poppins Returns, set for release Dec 2018.
It’s Space Jam week! Anyone familiar with voice acting will immediately recognize the name Mel Blanc. For decades, Blanc popularized the art of voice through many iconic cartoons, among them including, of course, nearly every major original Looney Tunes character.
Bakemono no Ko, translated as Monster’s Child, is making its English run under the name The Boy and the Beast. It is a gorgeous-looking film, but what separates it from the rest of the disposable moving images we’ve been subjected to this year is the grace with which it tells its story. I have been to the theaters a lot this year, but I have only been brought to tears a few times.
Whether it’s aimed at big kids or little kids, one of the most common themes in films from the last few decades has been the concept of ‘coming-of-age’. What this actually means can vary. For instance, ‘coming-of-age’ films may be ‘teen dramas’ or stories about childhood, sexuality, gender, or (auto-) biography.
Zootopia is the cinematic equivalent of a Dr. Seuss novel; though mostly made for kids, it resonates with deeper and socially relevant themes. The political landscape from which this film was born is apparent almost from the start, and though at times less than subtle with its agenda, it still manages to be an incredibly witty, emotional and entertaining movie experience.