Somebody once told me they didn’t like animated films because they were “for kids” – and I have never been more disturbed by a statement in my life. In one statement, it is possible for someone to completely deride the efforts and achievements of people who create something out of absolutely nothing. There are certainly…

When most people think of an animated film, they usually think of children’s movies. The terms “animation” and “children” have been somewhat synonymous. Honestly, it isn’t wrong to believe that entirely – the vast majority of animated films are aimed at younger audiences, because children enjoy the colourful characters and quirky designs. However, in a…

In the age where YouTube and short-format videos are popular and accessible, it is easy for short films to be distributed. It also needs to be decided what exactly constitutes a short film in itself. There are a myriad of arguments surrounding short films, which has perhaps deterred me from ever reviewing a short film….

There is no doubt that animated films are some of the most brilliant and innovative pieces of filmmaking around. At the forefront of that is obviously Disney, who have ruled the animated world for nearly 100 years – can you honestly believe that Mickey Mouse has almost been around for an entire century? However, in…

I love animated movies – I really, really love them. They are the consummate art of cinema in my eyes – to do what Pixar and Disney and Studio Ghibli have done for decades now is an amazing feat and have contributed some cornerstones of our culture. So it is bitterly disappointing to discover an…

What is the purpose of cinema? I’d say above anything else, it is to entertain us. It does that by stirring up emotions in us – joy, laughter, sadness, anger, terror – and I’d argue the stronger the emotions elicited from a film are, the better the film is. Think about it – films we…

If you have been following my reviews, you know I believe major animation studios can do absolutely no wrong, and such is the case of How to Train Your Dragon 2, a visually stunning and emotionally charged children’s film that is incredibly charming in so many ways, and even the several problems I had with…

I am often weary of rebooted versions of classic cartoons. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t. In the case of Mr. Peabody and Sherman, and it worked quite well. My mind wasn’t blown after seeing this film, but it was solidly entertaining and quite funny. Rob Minkoff, the director, had a lot to prove with…