I’m not familiar with this style of animation but it’s aesthetically pleasing to see in operation. Ventures close to lifelike in facial expressions and body movement; made me think how much I would love to play a game in this art format. A dystopian look at the eventual conclusion of a unwinnable war that seeks to punish rather than offer a helping hand. Voice performances deliver the good especially with Downey Jr. and Harrelson, their dysfunctional dynamic was interesting to watch.
The Disney Renaissance will never be duplicated. A treasure trove of storytelling and animation that drove the genre forward and inspires a great wave of nostalgia. We may never get back to a time like this but it’s nice to appreciate the past and its timeless appeal. This was a first time watch and it was an incredible experience. The beauty of having a pet, loving family, character design, and the Hawaiian music. Heart and fun are present in every moment.
“Vengeance blackens the soul, Bruce”
A few of the live action Batman films have been superb but the animated films seems to always capture the full spectrum of Bruce Wayne and his experience of being a vigilante agent of justice. The death of Mr and Mrs. Wayne has damaged the soul of Bruce to a point of no return. A sense of being doomed to lead life as a solo wanderer, the violent alter ego, the constant day in and…
Learning to be comfortable with your gifts and flaws in a world where it’s easy to be put into a box is a peace that we should all strive to achieve. Acceptance is what we need in the world. I know Pixar has been in a bit of a lull with its recent forays and concerns about the well running dry; while this film can be said to continue the same narrative pockets that have cause concern, the execution and…
Seeing the other enemy or undesirable as a creature/being deserving of humanity and acceptance. Unlearning harmful behavior and patterns in order to outgrown close mindedness so that life can be enhanced. Becoming somebody that you want to be instead of forcing yourself to become somebody you aren’t. The companionship between mankind and animals. Becoming the catalyst to change breaking a destructive cycle. Add these well utilized themes of storytelling and mix it with splendid animation along with a big heart; the results you have are a great animation experience.
Philosophical musings about what it means to be a living being, the evolution of computers, and the impacts of thoughts and memories with the backdrop of futuristic cyberpunk imagery. A film that sparks discussion about existential ideology and the relationship between society and technology in a open minded manner. Seeing documentaries about the creation of The Matrix keyed me into how influential this film was and the flowers it deserves for the current iteration of science fiction stories that come out every year. I know that a remake exists but I won’t even bother with the rabbit hole, this original version is all I need.
A mega triumphant achievement of animation. It’s hard to lose focus of the story not because it doesn’t possess narrative richness and emotional deepness (which it packs a mighty package), it’s the visual stimuli that is always switching between format, colors, and stunning textures that feels overwhelming in a brilliant way. It’s like a kid who is told to only eat one cookie from the cookie jar but continues to indulge in the sweet satisfying taste. Watching this film is…
A film that plays tricks with what’s real and what is imaginary set in a world of celebrity and the perception that other people placed onto the image of their idols. The life of a worldwide figure must be a tough gig having to deal with your own internal dilemmas but also the box people love to put you on based on a carefully crafted image beset by the industry and media handlers whose job is to create the brand…
I wasn’t the target audience. The callbacks to the days of SuperNintendo cartridges, the theme music, characters, nemesis, mushrooms, power ups, and the joyful ambience of Mario does speak to the millennial in me but this film is more for the blooming generation of young kids to be delighted by. Felt like the story was put on the back burner for constant inflictions of nostalgia bait that felt more akin to the recent Space Jam sequel than an actual celebration…
Breathtaking style of animation that carries detail in the background, color scheme, costume accessories, and the framing makes it even more majestic. This is one of those films that will be treated well by a new Ultra HD restoration, which may be in works for future efforts from Criterion given there were able to do WALL-E. The story follows the same template of romantic animation films of the era with true love being the force that is more powerful than anything on Planet Earth. Enjoyable for the most part and a delightful film to watch for its technical merit.
Animation is gorgeous, lifting some influence from Spider Verse and able to mold its own unique style that really pops off the screen in certain sequences. The soundtrack really fits well with the tone of the film and it’s always a pleasure to hear Kid Cudi music in the background of anything to be honest. The pitfall is that this was originally set to be a show but for some reason was fast tracked into being a original film that…