★★★★ Every now and then, a wonderful film comes along to remind us what makes 2D-animation so special in the first place. In stunning Belgium/Norway collaboration Titina, we follow the very first exploration of the North Pole through the eyes of an absolutely adorable little dog. The perspective of spunky punk Titina adds an extra … Continue reading AIF 2022: Titina
AIF 2022: Unicorn Wars
★★★★ For some reason, Unicorn Wars has evaded me several times, despite screening at various different festivals that I was covering. Finally, I was able to check out this animated gem for the Animation is Film Festival! Effortlessly epitomizing everything I loved about gleefully demented cartoon Happy Tree Friends, this Spanish feature crams in more … Continue reading AIF 2022: Unicorn Wars
AIF 2022: Summer Ghost
★★★★ How exactly did a fourty-minute long Japanese animated film about ghosts have me crying by the end? I can safely say that Summer Ghost was not what I expected, but in the best way possible. It details the friendship between three strangers potentially brought together by fate in incredibly vidid detail. Each character is … Continue reading AIF 2022: Summer Ghost
TV Review: Big Mouth – Season 6
America’s favorite extra-raunchy animated series is back with a vengeance in season six of Big Mouth! I, for one, consider this to be Netflix’s second-best animated outing, after the masterful Bojack Horseman. Unlike that show, Big Mouth does not give an iota of care to its big dramatic scenes; this series has always leaned heavily … Continue reading TV Review: Big Mouth – Season 6
NewFest 2022: Wendell & Wild
★★★★ As a lifelong fan of director Henry Selick’s work, I was excited for his newest creation, Wendell & Wild, from the second it was announced. Selick’s career has had a stunning trajectory, from beloved cult classics (The Nightmare Before Christmas, Coraline) to unsung gems (Monkeybone, James and the Giant Peach). One visionary creator collaborates … Continue reading NewFest 2022: Wendell & Wild
Film Review: My Father’s Dragon
★★★★ Based on the famous children’s book, My Father’s Dragon is the newest movie from one of my favorite unsung animation studios, Cartoon Saloon. Responsible for such magical titles as The Secret of Kells and my personal favorite, Song of the Sea, Cartoon Brew always injects their films with a vibrant heart not dissimilar to … Continue reading Film Review: My Father’s Dragon
Film Review: Cool World Collector’s Edition Blu-Ray
★★★★ 1992’s Cool World wondrously mixes hand-drawn cartoon with live action and intricate sets, features animation and direction from the legendary Ralph Bakshi, and was released right in that sweet spot between 1988’s Who Framed Roger Rabbit and 1996’s Space Jam. It even managed to secure an extremely fun (and supremely difficult) Super Nintendo game … Continue reading Film Review: Cool World Collector’s Edition Blu-Ray
Film Review: Drifting Home
★★★★ Leave it to Netflix to quietly put out a beautiful, Studio Ghibli-esque production in the form of Hitoyasu Ishida’s masterful Drifting Home. A searing, extraordinary examination on the power of friendship and the meaning of life, this animated gem is slowly-paced but gorgeously made. I was pulled in by the hand-drawn animation, and the … Continue reading Film Review: Drifting Home
Film Review: Claydream
★★★ Written and Directed by Marq Evans, Claydream is a fascinating doc that debuted at 2021’s Tribeca Film Festival. Taking us all the way back to the early 80s, the “father of Claymation,” Will Vinton, has a surprising and revolutionary key role in creating this beloved format. For the uninitiated, Claymation essentially boils down to … Continue reading Film Review: Claydream
Film Review: Luck
★★★ The addition of streaming options for newer animated films has only added to the breadth of variety, ideas, and fascinating filmmakers swirling around projects. Obviously, they cannot possibly all be winners. Too frequently, companies cater to the mindset of very young children as opposed to trying to reach a wider audience through the injection … Continue reading Film Review: Luck