Category Archives: Animation

Flow

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Flow                      5 stars

The movie Flow by Latvian film director Gints Zilbalodis is the third animated feature I have seen recently and like the other two, this one hits it out of the park. (Previously, I saw The Wild Robot and Memoir of a Snail.) Flow is highly unusual as all the characters are animals struggling to survive in a setting where there are no humans. The unique thing is that all the voices are normal animal sounds you would expect from these creatures, unlike The Wild Robot. The filmmakers did not want to use simulated sounds and went to great lengths to record actual animal sounds for the characters. The result is quite impressive. The story follows a lone black cat in a very green forest who encounters various other animals and does his best to keep from getting killed by them. Early in the film the cat takes shelter in an abandoned house that could be from the early twentieth century. There are multiple carved figures of cats outside that were left by the previous occupant who must have been a skilled woodcarver. Later, the cat encounters a pack of dogs who end up pursuing him. After evading them, the dogs return in a hurry, ignoring the cat. Behind them is a herd of elk that nearly tramples the poor cat. Then we see the true danger: a giant wave of water that is sweeping everything away in its path including our friend, the cat. As the water continues to rise, he finds dry land but that’s not the end of his troubles. Finding a high spot to perch on, he is about to go under again when a wooden boat floats by just in time to save him. Once in the boat, he is joined by a golden retriever, a capybara and a lemur. Each of these other creatures became separated from others of their own kind before finding refuge on the boat. Each animal behaves in a manner consistent with their species, but they manage to tolerate one another. Then at one point they make contact with a flock of giant white birds that tower over them. The birds are unusual in that they seem highly confident and fear nothing. One of these birds is cast out from his flock and joins the cat and the others in the boat and is knowledgeable enough to steer it. Together, they form an alliance determined to survive this watery world they have inherited. No humans are ever seen, but there is plenty of evidence of their past existence from the ancient towering ruins in this watery world. There is no explanation of their demise or the cause of the great flood. It is left to our imagination. The animation is very fluid and colorful but has an unfinished look to it as though it is from an earlier time, perhaps twenty or so years ago. The film’s message is clearly about individuals putting aside their differences and working together to survive. It ends on a hopeful yet inconclusive note. The film is suitable for all ages and at one and a half hours is the right length. I actually rate it above The Wild Robot, but that is my personal opinion.

The Wild Robot

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The Wild Robot                 5 stars

In DreamWorks’s animated feature The Wild Robot by Chris Sanders AI meets motherhood. Sanders previously directed Lilo & Stitch and How to Train Your Dragon for DreamWorks and now returns with another winner. The premise of this beautifully animated film has to do with a shipwrecked robot that is lost on an isolated island far removed from all humankind. The robot, called Rozzum Unit 7134 (voiced by Lupita Nyong’o), is programmed to serve and to obey all requests. She must complete every task when asked and frequently asks for feedback. In this new environment though, the furry and feathery inhabitants only fear this large menacing thing and usually just run away (except for the bear). After much confusion and getting thoroughly banged up, the robot goes into hibernation and through its artificial intelligence learns the language of the animals of the wild, but this still does not lead to much progress. Then, Roz as she comes to be known accidentally becomes acquainted with a new hatchling gosling after accidentally killing its mother. The gosling becomes completely attached to Roz and follows the robot everywhere. Thanks to a wily fox named Fink (Pedro Pascal), who has been watching all of this, Roz comes to realize that her new job is to care for the gosling, now named Brightbill (Kit Connor) and raise him until he becomes mature enough to fly on his own and leave the island. What follows is a series of comedic frustrations as Roz tries to find ways of feeding Brightbill and training him to swim and to fly. Every parent will recognize that this is what it is like to raise a child. Roz learns that not everything comes with analysis and logic, but from the heart, (a line that is said more than a few times). This theme accounts for about two thirds of the movie. In the last third, a villain is introduced in the form of robots from the human city Roz came from who venture to the isolated island to bring Roz back to civilization. The lead robot, (voiced by Stephanie Hsu of Everything, Everywhere, All at Once) a floating drone with long tentacles for arms is especially menacing. The movie then becomes a confrontation between the robots and the animals of the forest, symbolizing man’s destructive nature on the environment. I much prefer the earlier part with Roz interacting with the animals of the island to this part of the movie. The Wild Robot is highly entertaining and suitable for all ages. Look for it to earn a Best Animated Feature nomination. Also, the song “Kiss the Sky”, sung by Maren Morris could earn a Best Song nomination.

Soul

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Soul       4 ½ stars

Disney Pixar’s award winning animated film Soul is a bit of a departure from the studio’s usual productions. While intended mainly for young audiences there is a blend of metaphysical wisdom mixed in with the colorful magic that only the more mature watchers will appreciate. We meet Joe (Jamie Fox), a middle school band director who hasn’t reached his dream of being a jazz performer in New York despite years of trying. He gets his chance at a great gig when due to an accident he finds that he is transported to an otherworldly realm referred to as the Great Before. This is the place where souls receive their personalities before they travel to earth to be matched to a new body. Joe is mistaken for one of the mentors, old souls that have lived their lives and now pass on their wisdom to the young new souls. Joe meets one unfortunate new soul called Soul 22 (Tina Fey) who has rejected past mentors like Abraham Lincoln, Ghandi, Copernicus and Carl Jung for thousands of years and is an irritation to the Counselor Jerrys that run the Great Before. Then because of an unlikely accident the pair travel to earth together to be united with Joe’s body, though not in the planned way. It is then when the real magic happens with 22 encountering real life in the city and must learn to appreciate the many wonders of living while Joe struggles to find a way to make his appointment for his jazz performance. There are some moments of great tension and scary scenes, but they are done with enough care so are still appropriate for the young viewers. Still the message comes through that our hopes and dreams are what makes our lives worth living. Be sure to give Soul a try if you haven’t already.

Memoir of a Snail

Memoir of a Snail             5 stars

Memoir of a Snail is the new stop motion animated movie from Australian filmmaker Adam Elliot that tells the story of its protagonist Grace Pudel whose life is filled with one tragedy after another. The techniques of stop motion animation where clay models are molded and photographed, one frame at a time are remarkable in this film. Grace (voiced by Sarah Snook of Succession) is a lonely recluse, symbolized by her collection of snails, both living and handcrafted ones. She narrates the story of her childhood to her favorite snail, named Sylvia, named after the author Silvia Plath. Her one friend in the world is an elderly woman named Pinky (Jackie Weaver) who we first meet as she dies in Grace’s presence. But then Grace recounts how Pinky has had a life full of adventure and has had her own tragedies, (such as when her husband was eaten by a crocodile). Grace remembers everything about her childhood including being in the womb of her mother with her twin brother, Gilbert followed by her premature birth and subsequent death of her mother. The two siblings grew up poor, taken care of by their alcoholic and disabled father (after he was hit by a drunk driver). They were very close and grew up often reading works of classic literature, though Grace eventually transitioned to trashy romance novels. Then when the father died the twins were split up in different foster homes with Grace going to Canberra to be cared for by a nudist swinger couple in Canberra. (Of course, young Grace has a different understanding of what swinger means.) Gilbert (Kodi Smit-McPhee of Power of the Dog) was sent to live with a religious couple in Perth who force their foster children to work under dreadful conditions, then take all the money they earn. These stories are filled with heartache and abuse but are told in such a witty manner it all becomes quite humorous. The story becomes one of hope as Grace, with Pinky’s help breaks free from her shell and finds a way out of her reclusive life. The movie has many very adult images and is certainly not suitable for children. Some adults may even be offended by the sexual imagery on the screen. Memoir of a Snail is a truthful depiction of the realities of life’s challenges and the hopes for a better future. It may be the best animated film of the year. Look to hear of it during the Academy Award nominations.

Encanto

Encanto                4 stars

The newest animated Disney movie, Encanto takes us to the mountains in Columbia where an extended family all live in a magical house in an isolated village. The main character is Mirabel, a young woman who sings around town and generally brightens everyone’s day. In this family every member is granted a special magic gift as they grow up. Mirabel’s sisters and cousins all found their gifts but when it was Mirabel’s turn she was told by the house that she had none, a burden that is hard to accept. She then takes on the mission to find out the family secret involving a hidden vision, a lost uncle and impending signs of doom in the small town. With plenty of whimsical songs, colorful scenes and amusing characters, the movie provides the expected Disney magic that is well suited to children. Some of the original songs were composed by Lin-Manuel Miranda, but they may not be as memorable as his best works. The film brings an encouraging message that our families are not perfect, but we can be willing to accept them for who they are and celebrate what they bring to our lives.

Turning Red

Turning Red                        4 stars

Pixar’s 2022 animated film Turning Red takes a different twist on the coming-of-age theme. This first full-length Pixar film to be directed by a woman (Domee Shi) tackles the subject of puberty and menstruation in a teen-age girl by using a metaphor in the form of a giant red panda. 13-year-old Chinese Canadian Mei lives with her immigrant Chinese family in 2008 Toronto and is a normal kid, though anxious and an overachiever in school. Her mother, Ming (Sandra Oh) is very controlling and likes to keep a watchful eye on her only daughter. Mei likes to hang out with her girlfriends and talk about their favorite boy band. Things seem perfectly normal, that is until she experiences a sudden change in her mood and finds herself very attracted to a certain boy in school. It is then that she discovers that feeling strong emotions makes her transform into a giant red panda with extraordinary strength. This is symbolic in movie terms of something powerful going on in her body, making her temporarily lose control of her emotions, a common occurrence in teenagers. Naturally, she tries to hide the transformation from her friends; that is, until she finds it can be a way to be more popular. Then the trick is to hide the change from Mom and her family. The girls secretly scheme to use Mei’s gift to raise money so they can attend a concert of their favorite boy band, 4 Town. (Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell wrote much of the original music that makes the boy band seem genuine.) But then there is more to the story when it is revealed that the giant red panda is really a sort of family curse that is visited upon all the female members of this family. Traditionally, they must perform a ritual that will keep the panda in check. The movie is a tactful yet amusing way of presenting the change that will relate to teenage girls while likely be over the heads of, yet be fun to much younger viewers. Turning Red adds to Pixar’s list of successful films dealing with certain human conditions that includes Coco, Soul and Inside Out. In a way, Inside Out 2 addresses the same subject as Turning Red but is a little more abstract. Unfortunately, for Pixar, they were forced to remove the movie from theaters and show it exclusively on streaming platforms because of pressure put on them from concerned parent groups who found the subject matter too controversial for their sensitive tastes. But at least young audiences have a way of seeing this colorful, action-filled film from Pixar. Domee Shi is an Academy Award winner having previously made the animated short film, Bao, about Asian parents becoming empty nesters.

Over the Moon

Over the Moon                 3 ½ stars

Over the Moon is a sweet animated movie from Netflix created by a former Disney animator concerning the grief a young Chinese girl suffers over the loss of her mother and her subsequent journey to the moon on her home built rocket ship. That may sound incredible but it all fits together in a children’s tale about loss and accepting what life throws at you. The young girl, Fei Fei, has a fascination with an ancient Chinese legend about a goddess named Chung’e, who lives on the moon and has lost her lover. Thus, the connection that Fei Fei feels for her and her scheme to build a rocket that takes her, her pet rabbit and her annoying brother to be on the unexpected journey to the moon. There we find all sorts of odd creatures, some that help Fei Fei and others that aren’t so nice. All are done in very colorful animation in a style that reminds us of the old Disney films. The story has many familiar themes, but may be a little thin. The film is supported by some expressive songs by the main character and the goddess, Chung’e who turns out not to be what was expected. The movie should be very engaging for children.

Wolfwalkers

Wolfwalkers                       4 ½ stars

From the Irish studio Cartoon Saloon who brought us The Secret of Kells in 2009 comes their latest creation, Wolfwalkers, an animated tale set in Ireland about two girls from vastly different backgrounds who form a fast bond against troubling circumstances. Robyn is an English girl who has been brought to Ireland by her father who has the task of ridding the woods of its inhabitants of wolves. The wolves are very troubling to the local farmers as they attack their livestock. Robyn, being English is not at all accepted by the Irish children of the village, so she finds her own adventures. One day, disobeying her father’s instruction, she wanders into the woods where the wolves live and meets a strange redheaded girl, Mebh, who is very wild and outspoken and who happens to be one of the last of the Wolfwalkers, a mythical creature who is human by day, but transforms into a wolf at night when their human body falls asleep. Though very different, the two becomes fast friends and Robyn is convinced she must do whatever it takes to help Mebh and the wolves survive, even if it involves disobeying the orders and warnings of her father and the villagers. There is a villain involved in the form of the English Lord Protector, who believes he can only stay in power by gaining favor with the locals by having all the wolves killed or run out of the woods. It is an intense story about young people having to face the challenges of an adult world, but also about adults who have something to learn about the magic of childhood. I also enjoy the animation style of the movie as it is very colorful and full of movement and done is an imprecise manner. It is one that adults and children can both appreciate.

The Sea Beast

The Sea Beast                    3 ½ stars

With The Sea Beast, presented on Netflix, director and animator Chris Williams allows us to enter a world where those sea monsters of legend reputed to roam the seas actually exist. Here there are a cadre of heroes (both men and women) who sail in their wooden ships and hunt down and battle these giant creatures in defense of their kingdom. In this story, our two heroes are Jacob, a young man who was rescued from the sea as a boy and has served under Captain Crow of the Inevitable, (one of the best monster hunters who has served for decades); and Maisie, a young, orphaned girl whose parents were themselves monster hunters who lost their lives fighting the creatures. Maisie can’t get enough of the stories of the glory of the hunt, having read of them in her books, even including stories of Jacob. After Maisie stows away on Jacob’s ship and they do battle with a few of these monsters, including the most fearsome Red Bluster, Jacob and Maisie find themselves separated from the ship and her crew, stranded on an island inhabited by some of the creatures, including the giant Red Bluster himself. It is only after this encounter that they come to realize that Bluster and the other monsters may not be the dangerous creatures as told in the old stories. Perhaps the books are not telling the whole story. The film is another variation on the misunderstood creature that is befriended by a young person, who then must persuade the misguided adults into seeing things differently. This theme was present in the How to Train Your Dragon movies and in Raya and the Last Dragon as well as Nimona. The Sea Beast is much the same story, with the high seas as the setting. Chris Williams was the animator behind Big Hero 6 and Moana and has expanded his role to include director in The Sea Beast. It’s a good story for all ages but is clearly not original. It is reported that it may be getting the How to Train Your Dragon treatment with plans for a sequel. See it if you are a fan of animation. I recommend though to be wary of whales and sharks.

Inside Out 2

Inside Out 2                        4 ½ stars

Nine years ago, Pixar thrilled us with an innovative animated film about childhood emotions in Inside Out. The five emotions managed a child’s feelings about the things going on in the girl’s life all to great comic effect and with compassion. The emotions: Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Anger (Lewis Black), Disgust (Liza Lapira) and Fear (Tony Hale) are back in Pixar’s sequel where the child, Riley, just turns thirteen, bringing a whole new set of challenges for the emotions to deal with. Riley starts out as a normal well-adjusted child who likes to hang out with her two friends and play on the middle school hockey team. Things are going fine for Joy and company until an alarm on the console goes off, that is the warning for the arrival of Puberty! A construction crew suddenly arrives causing chaos followed by the new emotions led by Anxiety (Maya Hawke) who try to take over Headquarters. Accompanying Anxiety are Envy (Ayo Edebiri), Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser) and Ennui (French for Boredom) (Adèle Exarchopoulos). In the real world we follow Riley who is attending a hockey skills camp with her old friends, but now faces the chance to be accepted by more mature and talented girls at the expense of leaving her old friends behind. Anxiety takes over control at HQ, sending the old emotions to long term storage in the Vault and Riley’s sense of herself to oblivion where all her bad memories go. It’s up to Joy and company to escape and take control of HQ back from Anxiety. The movie is a creative and imaginative way of portraying the changing emotions of a teenage girl and is done in the usual Pixar comedic fashion of Pixar. The picture is very colorful and full of action and especially shows the concern that Joy has for Riley’s well-being. The movie is completely appropriate for children and does not deal directly with changing bodies or attraction to boys. It focuses on a child’s sense of themselves and how they relate to other children, or the usual things that teenagers go through. Inside Out 2 is recommended for all ages.