Despicable Me 4 sees Gru and the family take on a different dynamic. Instead of trying to achieve world domination as a villain, the Gru crew has to accomplish the most challenging mission they have ever faced. Somehow, they must achieve the impossible feat of “blending in.” On the surface, …
I learned about the Norwegian film Spermageddon through a friend of mine. While discussing films we’d recently watched and giving each other recommendations, she exclaimed, “I watched this animated movie about sperm!” As she went on to describe the film as a comedy-musical my interest peaked, and I immediately sought it out …
Inside Out 2 is another home run from Pixar. It’s full of heart, honesty, and the stress-induced Anxiety of becoming a teenager. Almost nine years to the date, Pixar is releasing the follow-up to the 2015 smash hit Inside Out. Have you ever felt like your life is together as you prepare …
When you’re a superhero, it seems like the world is always in danger. Be it villains attempting to take over the world, a comet headed straight to Earth promising global catastrophe, or an Alien race swoops in to establish global dominance. Sounds exhausting if I’m being honest, but I guess …
2024 has been characterized by a scarcity of animated releases, but with a good standard of quality thus far. From the rich, complex Orion and the Dark to the fun, touching IF, I’ve enjoyed most animated flicks – whether hybrid or full – up to this point. Despite growing up …
We’re in an age of Star Wars saturation. With each passing year, there are more entries in the franchise than ever, which is more and more of a mixed bag. Last year, one of the new entries was Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi, a series of six shorts telling some of the …
Animated sequels can be a challenge; sometimes, the sequel isn’t as good as the original (Shrek the Third is a perfect example). Other times, the sequels can be better than the original (Shrek 2). In DreamWorks Animation’s case, they now have two franchises that have maintained their quality throughout their sequels …
Isaac Asimov was a Russian science fiction writer who died in the early 1990s. He wrote extensively about the future and discussed AI and robots in many of his stories. Much of his work was written before our modern world of robot vacuum cleaners and self-driving cars, but much of Asimov’s …
Delicious in Dungeon is a new anime series that follows adventurers on a dangerous journey into a dungeon filled with fantastical creatures and gruesome monsters. If you liked Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves and maybe even Chopped, this show is for you. The series, airing on Netflix, combines adventure, comedy, and fantasy elements …
Franklin Armstrong was the first black character in Peanuts. He’s also the character that the newest Snoopy Presents animated special is all about. Welcome Home, Franklin is Franklin’s origin story. First introduced in 1968 after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. and at the behest of teacher Harriet Glickman, Franklin was a barrier-breaking character and …
When it comes to paintings and art, I’m not a huge connoisseur. I can walk through an art gallery and appreciate most pieces from a technical level, but as far as anything I would purchase and own for my own enjoyment, I’m pretty indifferent to most things. A new animated …
The Boy and the Heron is the latest animated film from Studio Ghibli and writer and director Hayao Miyazaki. Mahito is a 12-year-old who is dealing with the death of his mother. His father remarries Mahito’s aunt, and they return to her childhood home. There, Mahito has to learn to adjust to …
Illumination has certainly made some colorful entries into the animation canon, namely with the Despicable Me franchise, but it has yet to make anything on par with the best of studios like Pixar, Laika, or Cartoon Saloon. Their most recent effort, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, certainly made money, but it was also …
Merry Little Batman is the latest film from Warner Bros. Animation and DC Studios. Originally slated for release on the now-renamed HBO Max, the movie will land on Prime Video tomorrow, December 8th. The main character of this holiday adventure is Damian Wayne, who comic readers will know is the son …
Scavengers Reign, now streaming in full on MAX, helps solidify that we’re living in the best timeline for grown-up animation. It’s beautiful and bizarre, alien and fantastical, and oh-so-human at the same time. The show follows survivors from the Demeter, a spaceship shipwrecked in space, as they navigate the treacherous …
Mark your calendars, acting Starfleet cadets and families alike! The long-awaited animated series Star Trek: Prodigy is finally set to beam onto Netflix on December 25th, making it the perfect addition to your holiday festivities. The big announcement came today during Netflix’s Geeked Week. Season 2 of Prodigy will air on the …
Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken is a predictable yet colorful, charming coming-of-age story with a positive message for both kids and parents. The story is beautifully animated with a visually enchanting world. Its fast pace makes up for its waltz through well-trodden story tropes. [Editor’s note: This review has some mild spoilers …
On April 5th, The Super Mario Bros movie came to theaters everywhere. Directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, it’s the story of, well, the Super Mario Brothers. Michael Fogel, known for Minions: The Rise of Gru, wrote the screenplay. The voice cast includes Chris Pratt (Mario), Charlie Day (Luigi), Jack Black (Bowser), and Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach. Adapting a video game, especially a series …
If you’re a parent of young children, you’ve probably heard of the Paw Patrol Movie. Along with Disney+s Bluey, the animated show about superhero pups is one of those rare kids’ shows that have broken through to the world of grown-up entertainment. The Nickelodeon show follows a group of dogs as they …