There have been attempts to adapt videogames into feature films going on for decades now. Hollywood in particular is an industry on a constant look-out for intellectual property with strong ready-made brands, and popular games would seem as viable a … Continue reading REVIEW: Animal Crossing: The Movie (2006)
In recent decades Japan has seemed the last bastion of traditional animation, continuing to release hand-drawn anime features while the USA and other countries have transitioned almost entirely to computer-generated images. Even that is now shifting, however, with a growing … Continue reading REVIEW: Poupelle of Chimney Town (2020)
One of the more peculiar moments in French history makes for a visually stunning animated feature, even though it struggles somewhat with plot structure and tone. Fans of hand-drawn animation will find Zarafa a delight; family audiences should probably plan for a … Continue reading REVIEW: Zarafa (2012)
If there is a spine to the history of American animation, against which all of the varying short and feature works can gather in some semblance of order, it is clearly the Walt Disney Animation Studios. Since Snow White and … Continue reading REVIEW: Encanto (2021)
Kokone (Mitsuki Takahata) is a teenager living two lives. When she is awake, she is a Japanese schoolgirl on the run after her father was arrested and a mysterious tablet computer was shoved into her hands. When she sleeps she … Continue reading REVIEW: Napping Princess (2017)
There is something to be said for the anime feature. Not only is the animation generally more detailed an expressive than the bulk of serialised anime, it also seems better tailored for the time-poor fans of the genre. There is … Continue reading REVIEW: Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop (2020)
The peaceful kingdom of Ramthep has been invaded by the armies of Asura. Ott, the son of a resistance leader, is trained in the martial art of muay thai and dispatched to deliver the magical weapon 9 Satra to the … Continue reading REVIEW: The Legend of Muay Thai: 9 Satra (2018)
Please note that some quotes included in this essay contain outdated and potentially offensive language. They have been included to reflect the language and culture of the time. There is no argument that, in 1937, the film producer Walt Disney … Continue reading “You can’t run away from trouble” | Song of the South (1946)
Kun (Moka Kamishiraishi) is a four-year-old boy living in Japan. When his parents bring home a babysister named Mirai, he is hurt and resentful. Hating the loss of attention, he begins to misbehave until he is visited by a teenage … Continue reading REVIEW: Mirai (2018)
In 1994, in an attempt to better profit from its intellectual property, Walt Disney Pictures released a direct-to-video sequel to their hit 1992 animation Aladdin. The Return of Jafar was a low-budget production but also a runaway hit, grossing US$300 million from … Continue reading REVIEW: Return to Neverland (2002)
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