I complain every year about the fact that so many
films that are eligible for the Animated Film Oscar don’t really get released
before the end of the year, so we’re always playing catch-up. This year, 25
films were eligible for the Oscar – and once again, most of them I didn’t get a
chance to see; These include: Ana y
Bruno, Have a Nice Day, The Laws of the Universe – Part 1, Liz and the Blue Bird,
Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms, On Happiness Road, Ruben Brandt,
Collector, Tall Tales and Tito and
the Birds.
I had
at least heard of some others like Lu
Over the Wall, MFKZ and The Night is
Short, Walk On Girl – but didn’t have a chance to see them – as far as I
know they didn’t come out anywhere near me. I could have seen Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero,
although nothing I heard made me think I had to. I would have liked to have
seen Mirai – but it came out very
late, so I missed it.
So I
ended up seeing 11 of the film eligible – plus one that was eligible last year,
but no one had a chance to see until this year. I keep hoping this will change
one year, but so far, not yet.
There were some animated films that were quite bad
this year none more so than Fireworks
(Akiyuki Shunbo) which was shallow, stupid and silly. Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation (Genndy Tartakovsky) had the
filmmakers grasping at straws trying to figure out how to keep the popular
franchise going. Sherlock Gnomes (John
Stevenson) was a sequel to a film that no one wanted to see – and proved
those people right.
Others weren’t particular good, but weren’t all
that bad either: Early Man (Nick Park) was
a disappointment for the usually great Aardman, but was still pretty good. Smallfoot (Karey Kirkpatrick) was
largely forgettable, but had an interesting message, and was at least fun.
I quite enjoyed The Grinch (Yarrow Cheney & Scott Mosier) for what it was – a
cheery Christmas movie, that yes, feels like a 25-minute short stretched to
feature length, but it’s still super-fun. Mary
and the Witch’s Flower (Hiromasa Yonebayashi) is fine an anime film – from
a new studio trying to recreate the Studio Ghibli magic – it doesn’t quite do
that, but it comes close enough.
5.
Ralph Breaks the Internet (Phil Johnston & Rich Moore)
The sequel to the wonderful Disney film
Wreck-It-Ralph – which felt almost more like a Pixar film than a Disney film –
is charming and funny throughout its runtime. It has a lot of plot and chaotic
action for its first two acts – all handled very well, as the film recreates
several websites and video games. The last act introduces what is ultimately
the films message – about how to be a good friend – not to limit what your
friends do if their interest diverges, but how to encourage them to go for it.
The film gets surprisingly emotional as it moves along, and its refreshing to
find an animated film for children with a message other than “believe in
yourself” – and its all wrapped up in a very entertaining package.
4.
Teen Titans Go to the Movies (Aaron Horvath & Peter Rida Michail)
Easily the most underrated animated film of the
year – this feature length adaptation of the hilarious Cartoon Network show,
the film is inspired from the jump. Disappointed that every other superhero has
gotten their own movie other than him, Robin – the insecure leader of the
group, forever scarred by his relationship with his distant Stepdad Batman –
sets out to ensure that his group will get just that. They develop a nemesis relationship
with Slade (not Deadpool) – and in the films best sequence, even try to erase
all the traumatic backstories of every other superhero, with disastrous
results. In a year that was actually very strong in terms of superhero movies,
this was one of the most original – and easily the funniest. Yes, it may have
looked like a cynical cash grab to capitalize on a popular show – but it’s so
much more than that.
3.
Incredibles II (Brad Bird)
This was probably Pixar’s most anticipated film
ever – we’ve waited more than a decade for Brad Bird to come back to the story
of the Parr family. When he did return, he picked up literally right where he
left off. While the film never quite hits the heights of the original film –
which is an unfair standard for any film, which is pretty much perfect – and it
is slightly disappointing that Bird decided to tell a fairly standard story
about a man’s insecurity when his wife works and he doesn’t, although that does
give rise to have Elastigirl front and center in most of the films actions. And
the film is brilliantly animated from beginning to end and is never less than
deliriously fun, with great action and humor. The film isn’t the masterpiece of
the original film – but it’s so good that it’s hard to complain. As much as I
loved Bird’s Mission Impossible film – I would love it if he continued in
animation, where he is a master.
2.
Isle of Dogs (Wes Anderson)
I will be honest, and admit that some of the
criticisms of Wes Anderson’s Isle of Dogs bother me more in retrospect than
they did when I first watched the film (the more you think of the
reasons/excuses why Anderson didn’t subtitle the Japanese speakers, and made a
white transfer student the hero, the less comfortable I got). Still, for the
most part, I think Anderson’s film is a loving tribute to the Japanese cinema
he loves – with a great score by Alexandre Desplat, and perfect art direction
for his dystopian future. The film is also hilarious, and in great Anderson
style, a mixture of deadpan humor that slowly morphs into something deeper and
more emotional. The voice cast is great and the look of the film is pure
Anderson genius. No, it isn’t quite as good as his first animated film –
Fantastic Mr. Fox – and it doesn’t quite rank with Anderson’s very best films. But
it is still a great animated film – a problematic one perhaps – but a great one
just the same.
1.Spider-Man:
Into the Spider-Verse (Bob Persichetti & Peter Ramsey & Rodney Rothman)
The best animated film of the year, is also the
best superhero film – the most inventive and original superhero film in a long
time. The film fully embraces its comic book origins – using that at its visual
template to create some truly astonishing visuals. The film is also exciting
and new – not just another origin story of a superhero we’ve seen hundreds of
times before, but something unique. The action is exciting, the humor is
hilarious – and there is an emotional heart to the movie that is certainly
similar to the old Spider-Man movies with Peter Parker at its core, but just off-center
enough now that it’s Miles Morales, so that the film is its own thing. With so
many superhero films on rails in terms of their story, and each featuring the
exact same visual scheme, this movie is shot of originality in both
departments. Easily the best animated film of the year – and one of the best
films period.
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