It’s truly hard to believe that The Simpsons has been on the air for eighteen years. I vividly remember my elementary school years, when The Simpsons premiered, and Bart was public enemy number one in the minds of all the parents. They were worried we’d start calling our dad by… Continue reading
Pixar continues to amaze with Ratatouille. While their previous film, Cars, was a letdown in the story department, Ratatouille may well rank in their top three finest efforts. The story is engaging, the animation groundbreaking, and the heart pouring from the screen. This is a gorgeous film, and it may… Continue reading
They’ve marched, they’ve danced, and they’ve even been farced. In Surf’s Up, they now surf. I guess the only genre that hasn’t been covered by penguins is the stoner comedy. I’ll be looking forward to that. Anyways, as some may recall, I quipped in my review of Meet the Robinsons… Continue reading
As a fan of the first two Shrek films, even I can attest to the notion that DreamWorks is really pushing their luck with a third installment. Hollywood has proven time and again that the old saying, “quit while you’re ahead,” means nothing to them. One can really only approach… Continue reading
Ever since the little quibble with Pixar, Disney has been saddled with filling in the gaps between the aforementioned studio’s releases. With Pixar considered the zenith of computer-animated features, and for good reason, Disney’s non-Pixar releases are almost destined to disappoint; look no further than 2005’s Chicken Little. Meet the… Continue reading
2006 was really the year that moviegoers became more discerning about their animation. With the genre as prevalent as ever, the days of the “do no wrong” animated film are officially over. Look no further than Happily N’Ever After as Exhibit A in the case for an official studio back… Continue reading
It seems like virtually every animated film these days has an agenda. Is it because the genre has crossed over so successfully to adults? Or do kids really care about socio-economic issues these days at a young age? The trailers would lead one to believe that Happy Feet is just… Continue reading
Aardman Animations made one of last year’s finest films in Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. Constructed with glorious stop-motion animation and a strong sense of dry wit, the film blindsided me with its ingenuity and spirit. Tragically, Aardman’s production warehouse burned to the ground shortly after the… Continue reading
Now we’re getting somewhere. Monster House plays like a living, breathing entity: it’s loaded with humor, spirit, scares, and even has an oddly touching side. This is full-fledged get-lost-in-the-story material and it’s easy to do so since nearly everyone grew up with that scary-looking house in the neighborhood that seemingly… Continue reading
The notion of talking cars just isn’t nearly as fun or intriguing as that of animals, dolls, or even plastic army men. Undoubtedly caught up in the raging popularity of Nascar, Pixar has chosen to utilize automobiles as their source material in the uneven, but nevertheless entertaining Cars. The film… Continue reading