Joshua M. Hayes Animation, Comedy

Film Review: Orion and the Dark

★★★★★ The second Dreamworks animated feature film made exclusively for Netflix after 2021's Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans, Orion and the Dark is so exceptionally beautiful in both scripting and visuals that it would fit right in with the catalogue of Pixar. Adapting material from a picture book by Emma Yarlett, director Sean Charmatz makes … Continue reading Film Review: Orion and the Dark

Joshua M. Hayes Action, Animation, Family, Fantasy

Film Review: The Tiger’s Apprentice

★★★ Asian representation in animated film gets a major push in Paramount+ title, The Tiger’s Apprentice. The first thing that caught my eye here was the obviously excellent voice cast, including Brandon Soo Hoo (Incredible Crew, Tropic Thunder), Henry Golding (Crazy Rich Asians, A Simple Favor), Sandra Oh (Grey’s Anatomy, Killing Eve), and Michelle Yeoh … Continue reading Film Review: The Tiger’s Apprentice

Joshua M. Hayes Action, Animation, Comedy, Crime, Documentary, Drama, Family, Fantasy, Festival, Horror, LGBT, Musical, Romance, Sci-Fi, Thriller, War

Our Favorite Films of 2023

Join Josh and Allison as we revisit the cinematic landscape of 2023 through yearbook-style superlatives, then reveal our choices for our favorite movies of year! Can you feel the Kenergy? Movie Yearbook Superlatives! Best horror movie JOSH: Lest we thought 2022 was the dawn of a new horror golden age, 2023 continues the trend with … Continue reading Our Favorite Films of 2023

Joshua M. Hayes Action, Animation, Comedy, Drama, Family, Fantasy, Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Most Anticipated Films of 2024

Goodbye 2023! It's time to prep for a sequel-heavy new year. Allison and I have compiled a list of the twenty-five films we are most looking forward to seeing. As with last year, a few of these are holdovers from 2023 that have still yet to be released, mainly due to the strikes that crippled … Continue reading Most Anticipated Films of 2024

Joshua M. Hayes Action, Animation, Family

Film Review: Merry Little Batman

★★★★ It’s that time of year again where Christmas-movie releases fly off the conveyor belt at record speed. Next up on the docket is DC’s Merry Little Batman, an energetic, holiday-centric take on a familiar tale. Taking inspiration from classics including Home Alone and The Grinch, Mike Roth’s film gives younger audiences plenty to love. … Continue reading Film Review: Merry Little Batman

Joshua M. Hayes Animation, Family

Film Review: Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget

★★★★ The 23-year wait for a sequel to Aardman Animation’s smash hit, Chicken Run, is hardly the longest stretch between films. And yet, any kid who grew up in the late 90s/early 2000s will no doubt eat up this belated, adorable feature like a particularly tasty chicken dish. Kids today have such short attention spans … Continue reading Film Review: Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget

Joshua M. Hayes Action, Animation, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance, Television

TV Review: Scott Pilgrim Takes Off

Edgar Wright’s 2010 masterpiece, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, may have bombed at the box office upon initial release, but in the years since, it has leveled up into an endlessly rewatchable cult classic. As an audience member, I eagerly awaited a chance to see this story continue in one way or another. A sequel … Continue reading TV Review: Scott Pilgrim Takes Off

Joshua M. Hayes Animation, Comedy, Festival, Musical

Woodstock 2023: Slide

★★★★ Legendary animator Bill Plympton brings to life his first film since 2016’s Revengeance: the vibrant, outrageous, and endlessly entertaining musical/comedy/western, Slide. Named after its completely mute lead character and his “slide guitar,” this surreal movie overflows with ideas and mesmerizing imagery. Plympton individually animates every frame of his films himself, via his own Plymptoons … Continue reading Woodstock 2023: Slide