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Please note that some quotes included in this essay contain outdated and potentially offensive language.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)
Wade, an Indian animated short directed by Upamanyu Bhattacharyya and Kalp Sanghvi, is a beautifully composed and impactful film. It marks both a stunning achievement for its creators and a timely, relevant piece of science fiction. Wade depicts a climate-changed Kolkata. … Continue reading FANTASIA REVIEW: Wade (2020)
More than 30 years in the making, Phil Tippett’s Mad God is a one-of-a-kind animated epic and a masterpiece of stop-motion. While niche in appeal, for audiences in that niche it will likely be one of the best films of their year. … Continue reading FANTASIA REVIEW: Mad God (2021)
During the Second World War, many of Walt Disney’s animators were conscripted to serve in the US armed forces. Those who continued to work at the studio were more often than not required to animate propaganda films, including a series … Continue reading REVIEW: Melody Time (1948)
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