Joshua M. Hayes Animation, Comedy, Fantasy, Festival, LGBT, Romance, Sci-Fi

Fantasia 2026: Zsazsa Zaturnnah vs the Amazonistas of Planet X

★★★★ For campy ridiculousness and queer joy, it doesn't get much better than preposterously-named Zsazsa Zaturnnah vs the Amazonistas of Planet X. Based on the Filipino sensation, this gem was a blast from start to finish, supercharged with a specific energy that I’ve only tasted from seasons of Drag Race Philippines. These characters, the super … Continue reading Fantasia 2026: Zsazsa Zaturnnah vs the Amazonistas of Planet X

Joshua M. Hayes Animation, Comedy, Festival

Fantasia 2026: Blaise

★★★★ French gem Blaise is a joyous, laugh-out-loud funny delight. It's these kind of strange indie films that really mark the medium as all-encompassing. Those who think animation is strictly a cartoon for kids are missing out. A memorable oddity that embraces being different, much like its lovable protagonist, Blaise balances cringe comedy and political … Continue reading Fantasia 2026: Blaise

Joshua M. Hayes Animation, Family, Fantasy, Festival

Berlinale 2026: Chimney Town: Frozen in Time

★★★★ Poupelle of Chimney Town was sweet and delightful, a 2021 delight that flew under the radar with its sweet celebration of Halloween and... trash. Telling the story of chimney sweep Lubicchi and his magical garbage-made best friend, Poupelle, that first film had some heartwarming, Ghibli-esque magic. When I heard there was a sequel produced, … Continue reading Berlinale 2026: Chimney Town: Frozen in Time

Joshua M. Hayes Animation, Comedy, Horror, Television

TV Review: Haunted Hotel – Season 1

From the creators of Rick and Morty comes a horror-tinged Netflix oddity with a killer hook. At a breezy ten episodes, Haunted Hotel is an easy-to-recommend binge that pays tribute to all manner of genre iconography. Along for the ride is an all-star vocal cast that perfectly fit their respective roles. The five core roles … Continue reading TV Review: Haunted Hotel – Season 1

Joshua M. Hayes Animation, Comedy, Television

TV Review: Long Story Short – Season 1

From the creatives behind the masterful Netflix series BoJack Horseman comes a fresh adult animation in a similarly textured style with just a bit less heart. The animation was handled by ShadowMachine in Los Angeles and Big Star in South Korea—the same studio that also worked on BoJack and Tuca & Bertie. Shifting away from the outrageously silly … Continue reading TV Review: Long Story Short – Season 1

Joshua M. Hayes Animation, Comedy, Television

TV Review: Sausage Party: Foodtopia – Season 2

Sausage Party: Foodtopia was one of the best series of 2024—perfectly raunchy and deliciously nostalgic, with just enough "humie" and food murders to satiate even the most discerning of palates. By all means, it was an incredibly satisfying follow-up to 2016's Sausage Party that juiced many of that film's concepts to organic new places. Originally … Continue reading TV Review: Sausage Party: Foodtopia – Season 2

Joshua M. Hayes Action, Animation, Festival, Sci-Fi

Fantasia 2025: All You Need is Kill

★★★ Japanese sci-fi novel All You Need is Kill has already been adapted into a famous manga and an arguably even more famous blockbuster action flick starring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt entitled Edge of Tomorrow. This take lives in the world of anime, punctuated by gorgeous animation and mesmerizing visuals. By this point, the … Continue reading Fantasia 2025: All You Need is Kill

Joshua M. Hayes Animation, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Festival, Horror

Fantasia 2025: I Am Frankelda

★★★★ Beautifully realized stop motion animated I Am Frankelda has to be one of the most stunning movies of the year. With imagery that recalls Coraline and The Nightmare Before Christmas, directors Roy Ambirz and Arturo Ambriz do an incredible job at paying tribute whilst paving their own exciting way into the future. At times, … Continue reading Fantasia 2025: I Am Frankelda