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Twilight of the Gods (2024)
Artistic Gorefest
We enter a take on Norse mythology that is visually inspired by comicbook art, alluding to Zack Snyder's adaptation of Watchmen. There is no pretense: this is an adult animated series, with sexuality and gore being handed together in the same package. The animation, by Stone Quarry and Xilam, is truly a feast for the eyes.
This is yet another series where the Aesir are portrayed as evil, which is amusing given its release after the God of War Norse Cycle and Black Myth Wukong. I suppose this could be seen as a "goðlauss " type of story, but at least there is enough nuance to this.
Overall a strong recommendation.
Nefarious (2023)
A joke of a movie
Nefarious is a juvenile project that is essentially the bigoted, authoritarian director and crew venting their frustrations at atheism. The atheist character is literally tortured by a demon who spouts christian rhetoric at him. Talk about hypocrisy on the part of the christian right.
The cinematrography is subpar, and the movie is entirely repetitive, spending two thirds of its run time on the confession room. There is no artistic merit or innovation to be seen here.
Overall, it's a strong statement on how cgristians cannot conceive art, and are disturbingly sadistic and vile.
A strong recommendation for sociopaths.
Rock Odyssey (1987)
Hanna Barbera at it's higher quality
Rock Odyssey is one of Hanna Barbera's higher quality movies in terms of animation. It is fluid, well coloured and manages to bring various worlds to life. Of course there are still a few short cuts, like reused scenes, but compared to most of their output it is beyond impressive.
The story is mostly about the narration of an annoying jukebox over a woman's, Laura, quest for love across the 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's, set to a poular sping from each era. It is notheless convoluted, surreal and meandering, perhaps representing the experience of a music video really well.
If you're an animation fan, it's a strong recommendation. But if you want something more substantial, maybe not.
Panda Bear in Africa (2024)
A bizarre concoction
Panda Bear in Africa is about a panda saving a dragon that has been imprisoned by African lions. The plot overall has odd references to Kung Fu Panda but especially The Lion King, having a Chinese village populated solely by pandas, an evil lion uncle, hyenas and lions being at odds and dead royals. I hesitate it to call it a rip off, since it does new things with these elements - the hyenas, for example, are not evil - but it is still pretty jarring at times.
The animation is subpar, being a low budget CGI. The plot, despite its concise core, is meandering and ll over the place. Most of the jokes don't land, but I do find myself laughing at a few, especially at the dumb crocodile henchmen.
Overall worth it for the good hyenas, but otherwise not recommended.
Dounia et la princesse d'Alep (2022)
Syria's beauty and tragedy
Dounia and the princess of Aleppo is the sort of movie to juxtapose a child-like sense of wonder and tropes (like a child narrator) with the grimness of the real world. It is specifically about the Syria Civil War. And how it impacted the people of Aleppo.
The animation is a pleasant 2D. It has a rather white-leaning palette, which reflects the star and moon visual and narrative motifs. The character designs are mostly pleasant looking, though I'm iffy about the teeth.
Besides the nocturnal motifs, the movie also has a consistent bird motif, which exemplifies the dignity of the main character and her search for freedom and safety.
A solid recommendation.
The Umbrella Academy (2019)
Showcasing the best of comics
Watching through the four seasons gives quite the time stamp on comic book adaptations. The first season was more grounded, gritty and serious, much like early comic book adaptations throught the 2000's and early 2010's. From season 2 onwards, however, the series honours the comic book's sillyness and outlandish plots and characters, much like modern comic book adaptations do, and seeing it play out is a wonderful passage of time.
The characters, much like in the comics and even from the start, are a dysfunctional family that cause as many problems for themselves and they save themselves. Yet their powers and sometimes personalities are different, making them stand out on their own even if they allude to the comics.
The special effects are always competently made, especially as the aforementioned shift towards the more outlandish.
Overall a solid recommendation for character piece and just general comic book fun.
Katak, le brave béluga (2023)
A pleasant surprise
I expected Katak to be your general CGI kids film. But this movie does everything in its power to prove my initial assement wrong.
True, it's CGI... and uses it to create photorealistic scenic shots. The character designs are a bit rough, but they're charming in their own way.
True, it has a child protagonist (with the same neotenic afflication as Mumble in Happy Feet even)... and it has genuinely dark themes like miscarriage and suicide. It perfectly illustrates the suffering whales go throw because of human technology and invasion of their natural habitats.
This movie is nothing short of a hidden gem. A strong recommendation.
Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2024)
An upgrade from the movie
Tales of the TMNT is a breath of fresh air in Nickelodeon's recent animation. It not only is 2D animated, it is visually pleasant, well animated cartoon. The combination of well animated motion with a neutral palette that is neither too garish (unlike the movie it follows) not too dark almost makes it feel like an 80's Disney movie.
Unlike the movie (and several recent TMNT works, for better or for worse) it has several quiet moments, and the less loud soundtrack gives it almost chill vibes at times, which is truly welcome for a cartoon aimed at kids. It feels a lot less overstimulating than some of its contemporaries.
Overall a solid recommendation.
Kral Sakir: Geri Dönüsüm (2022)
Not Turkey's best
King Shakir: Recycle is... something, alright.
The movie aims to be a pro-environmentalist piece warning about trash and holding people responsible for recycling. This is somewhat undercut by the characters being animated in a CGI so cheap that it makes them look like plastic toys, though if that was the intent kudos there.
The actual plot is mostly episodic; it inevitably and suddenly becomes a space opera almost halfway there. The jokes are rather lame and appeal to the lowest demographic; there are hints of Turkish satire, but they are few and far between.
Overall, I do not recommend this flick.
Müanyag égbolt (2023)
Eastern European Futurism Hits Again
White Plastic sky is a mesmerising film to behold. The animation is a mixture of styles, involving 2D rotoscoping and 3D elements that are difficult to distinguish between CGI and actual objects.
The futuristic Budapest depicted in this film is also as beautiful as it is dreadful. Future foods and technologies have unique designs to them, and the atmosphere is sublime.
The actual plot sees the struggle of a couple in this environment. I won't spoil too much, but this is a "as above, so below" situation, where the environment reflects the characters and their struggles perfectly.
A strong recommendation.
Batman: Caped Crusader (2024)
Reinventing Batman
Looks can be deceiving: Caped Crusader may at first look like a return to BTAS style (not helped by being produced by Bruce Timm), but while it is similarly literally and figuratively dark it manages to breathe new life into the Batman mythos.
The series is reimagined as taking place in an alternate timeline with 50's-70's technology, heralding back to the first comics. The rogues gallery is completely revamped, with familiar characters having different backstories and motivations. This includes the classics, with the Penguin and Harley Quinn being particularly interesting takes on the characters.
For Batman fans, a recommendation.
Craig of the Creek (2017)
A spiritual sequel to Recess
Crag of the Creek is a show that portrays childhood imagination perfectly. While some of the character feel like adults (which is sometimes part of the joke) the series otherwise knows how to write kids very well, escalating minor games into world ending events or other types of adventures. The society of the titular creek reminds me of Recess, since both feature kid civilizations with their whimsical rules and oftentimes bizarre cliques.
The animation is solid, portraying the fantastical in a vibrant display. If there is an area of complaint is that it often relies too much on anime references.
Overall a powerful recommendation.
I [Heart] Arlo (2021)
A worthy continuation
Following the classics-honouring classic of the film, I <3 Arlo has generally lower stakes. It is an episodic series until the last few episodes (won't spoil that) with the gang having lowkey adventures or welcoming new residents to their town. There is a continuation of the film's acceptance message, but it is admitely less of the focus this time around.
This is not bad per se, but it does make the series feel more like fanfic of the movie. I'm not saying it requires higher stakes, but it can feel a bit reduced if you experienced the movie first.
There's also shipping that doesn't really go anywhere, but oh well.
A recommendation.
Arlo the Alligator Boy (2021)
A modern classic based on classics
Arlo the Alligator boy is a love letter to the history of 2D animation. The characters are pie-eyed, the plot is somewhat reminescent of things like Cats Don't Dance where the protagonist goes to the city only to be disappointed and of course the musicals draw comparisions to the Disney Renaissance.
All of this is weaved through a narrative of acceptance for who you are. Not necessarily new stuff - again, can be found on many classics - but it owes it, because some of the character designs are gneuinely not beautiful by conventional standards (though they aren't ugly outright). I do have to question a chubby woman being lumped with these freaks of nature, but I suppose that fits the message that everyone should be accepted.
A solid recommendation.
Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
A celebration of Fox's superhero movies
Wow, how to even describe this movie?
Deadpool was ceasessly introduced into the MCU. Sure, you might want to get accquited with a few MCU films first to understand what's going on, but the movie does a good enough job explaining the stakes.
What you really should do homework for is the sheer amount of cameos from Fox's library of Marvel movies, from Fantastic Four to Elektra. This movie is an unbashed celebration of the history of these movies as well as the 2000's cultural milestones.
And, of course, you get your sassy pansexual fourth wall demolisher and your heroic muscle man.
I cannot recommend this movie enough.
Ernest et Célestine: Le voyage en Charabie (2022)
A wonderful sequel
Much like it's predecessor, A Trip to Gibberitia is a visual masterpiece, with wonderful 2D animation that makes it feel like a true children's book come to life. Such a style of animation is always welcome.
It follows on the end of the first Ernest & Celestine movie, quite deconstructing the fact that they're broke. This motivates them to go to the titular land to get Ernest's violin fixed, and what follows is a standard "obtuse father/ruler prevents something because of bad blood with their son". Still, for a cliché it is well played, and the the story manages to still be original and very emotional.
A heavenly recommendation.
Inside Out 2 (2024)
A stellar continuation
We all knew that Inside Out 2 would explore puberty, and it does so in a frankly unique way. It explores the insecurities that one has growing up, and the change of the internal fundamentals of one's personality.
The worldbuilding reflects this, fleshing out further the space of the mind. The new emotions are flashy, but it's the changes to locations established in the previous movie and new ones that really take the cake.
The animation is much the same as the previous movie, except with hilarious additions of 2D and other styles for joke characters. The character designs are superb, and address the criticism often laid at the emotions' designs, since the new female emotions are just as wacky as the male ones.
Overall, a solid recommendation. And hopefully not the last from Pixar, though the whole anti-art statements leave me concerned for the future.
Hit-Monkey (2021)
Nuanced yet thrilling
Being free from the MCU, Hit-Monkey is able to show the gorier, more adult side of Marvel. It rightfully fully indulges in this, while balancing out with genuine character drama as well as funny worldbuilding (no, it's not just the titular monkey who is sapient among the animals in the show).
Still, this is a buddy cop style show, and if there is one flaw is that it focuses way too much on Bryce, to the point that the second season is almost all about him over Hit-Monkey. While he's not a bad character per se, he definitely feels much more generic as an absentee father hedonist type character, while Monkey's plot is more complex and nuanced.
A recommendation.
Exploding Kittens (2024)
Nothiingburger the series
I don't know if this is loyal to the card game, but whatever. It's not a good show.
In it, God and Satan become cats and have to learn their lessons in order to be CEO's of their companies again. The concept of Heaven and Hell being CEO's was personally much better handled in Where The Demon Lurks, but that's the least of the show's problems.
It has a very generic sense of humor. You have the full potential with just these two characters, and yet you choose to focus on a generic adult cartoon family, with a bumbling dad, nerd daughter and tough mom. I do relate to the son a little, as I too have been cyberbullied and doxxed, but otherwise he has little personality beyond that.
A strong recommendation against.
Sausage Party: Foodtopia (2024)
Your millet may very
Sausage Party was a rather controversial flick both in terms of content and in terms of production, and while I hope with all my heart production for this series was easier on the animators and staff, the content at least is better.
Sausage Party's ending left several questions answerred. Once food rebelled, how would their society progress? How long do foods in need of refrigeration last? What about wild animals?
All of these questions were answerred, in a quite brutal social commentary on class divide and the need to put the needs of others before the individual and the failure of individuals to do so.
If you dislike gross out humor, maybe this is not for you. But otherwise a solid recommendation.
Dragonkeeper (2024)
Could be worse
Dragonkeeper is an adaptation of the books of the same name by. Carole Wilkinson, specifically the first novel. While the overall tone is lighter than the book, it was written by the author herself, so any flawws in the story are within her purview.
The story takes place in an Ancient China where dragons have been hunted to near extinction and where a chosen one can wield chi powers. The latter is kind of a gross misinterpretation of chi seen also in Mulan 2020, but for the most part the movie is accurate to chinese dragon lore, associating them with water.
Personality wise, the characters very very archetypical. There are some missed opportunities; the villain, for example, has a sympathetic scene setting his motivation, but devolves in a card carrying bad guy for the rest of the film. Not a lot of complexity to be seen here.
Overall, if you want a Wuxia fix, this movie will deliver half-way.
Star Trek: Prodigy (2021)
For all Star Trek fans
Many were sketpical that a Star Trek series aimed at children would be a success. However, much like Star Wars, the makers of this series are clearly hard fans of the source material. Not only is the work wel, nested in the Star Trek timeline, its not afraid to get dark and heavy at times, yet always hopeful as typical for Star Trek. There's even references to series aimed at adults like Lower Decks.
The CGI animation is vibrant and for the most part manages to integrate live action actor likenesses into the show. The creature designs are all over the place and frankly show a great degree of creativity.
Combined with stellar character writting, its no wonder this s a recommendation.
WondLa (2024)
A win for Skydance
After the contentious work that was Luck, Wondla is a much more appropriate debut for Skydance Studios. Based on a book series, Wondla focuses on a girl named Eva who was raised in a bunker by a robot (I am Mother flashbacks...) and has to navigate the world outside.
Visually it is truly beautiful, and the aliens and creatures all have unique designs. Even the sapient races have an oomph that makes them quite unique looking.
Plot wise it is quite intriguing, and I won't spoil it because I truly recommend you to check this work yourself.
Overall, as masterpiece both in visual, design and plot terms.
Unicorn Wars (2022)
Visceral
Based on a short by. Alberto Vázquez, Unicorn Wars expands on that short's focus (the conflict of two brothers) and escalates it ten thousand fold. It now focuses on a religious war between a society of care bear-like bears and dark unicorns, with the conflict between a sweet kindly bear and an aggressive, fascist brother to drive the plot along.
The characterisation is phenomenal and shows the drive behind fanaticism and pursuing lost gains. I won't spoil the ending, but this is exactly the kind of thing humanity needs to hear.
The animation is fantastic. 2D is a rarity in modern cinema and it works to make the gore more visceral and some scenes extremely surreal.
Overall a strong recommendation.
Captain Fall (2023)
An exercise in bleakness
Captain Fall is a frankly demmanding series. Focusing on a cartel using a cruise to commit crimes and a well intentioned shmuck to be the literal captain fall guy, it has a rather reptitive plot: bad guys do trackficking, the captain is gaslit into being something nice and pleasant, the victims of traficking suffer even more. It is one of those shows where the bad guys always, and I do mean ALWAYS, win.
Naturally I have little patience for the main characters. The protagonist is well intentioned but still portrayed as too much of a loser, while the crew is amoral and manipulative. The animation is decent, but nothing exceptional. I suppose I do have to credit the staff to have hired people who can speak Tupi to portray the indigenous victims in one episode.
A strong anti-recommendation.