Animation — Movie Reviews

'The Wild Robot' Review: A Visually Stunning Masterwork [TIFF 2024]

Every few years, an animated film hits screens everywhere and children and adults alike, are spellbound. 'The Wild Robot', based on the popular children’s novel of the same name, is undoubtedly one of these films. [TIFF 24]

'Transformers One' Review: 2024's Biggest Surprise

The biggest surprise of 2024 has arrived in ‘Transformers One’, an animated film that delivers the action-packed goods and an emotionally powerful origin story for the iconic Optimus Prime and Megatron.

Action Adventure, Comedy, Animation, DramaTom ChatalbashSeptember 11, 2024transformers, transformers one, transformers one reviewComment

'The Imaginary' Review: A Soulful and Sincere Studio Ghibli Medley

Studio Ponoc gets spirited away with its unrefined Ghibli-esque musings, The Imaginary manages to do so with sincerity making for a much-needed reminder of the necessity of creativity during a time when things seem especially bleak.

‘The Garfield Movie’ Review: A True Cat-astrophe

Unless you’re just a full-on superfan of the lazy tabby himself, ‘The Garfield Movie’ is unlikely to work for anyone over the age of four. It’s weirdly slow, terribly mundane, and uninteresting the entire way through.

AnimationLane MillsMay 25, 2024The Garfield Movie, The Garfield Movie Review, Animation, Movie Reviews, ReviewComment

'Kung Fu Panda 4' Review: Jack Black returns for Dreamwork's newest Kung Fu Installment

‘Kung Fu Panda 4’ is a great addition to the beloved franchise, providing a balanced mix of entertainment and emotional depth. With the engaging plot and captivating visuals, this movie is an unforgettable journey that will leave the audience in awe.

‘Migration’ Review: Illumination Effort Soars With Easygoing Fun

Illumination’s ‘Migration’ is a harmless, breezy bit of entertainment that cares more about its characters than it had to in order to succeed. Occasionally a bore, often dry, but give Migration a chance on a big screen.

'The Peasants' Review: A Heart-Breaking Painting Crafted in Rich Color [TIFF 2023]

‘The Peasants’ follows four seasons within a Polish village. Each frame is hand-painted, which creates a beautiful, gallery-like dimension to the work, allowing the viewer to feel they are witnessing a historical fable come to life.

'The Boy and the Heron' Review: An Epic Coming of Age Adventure Fuelled by a Mother-Son Bond [TIFF 2023]

For those avid Studio Ghibli lovers, ‘The Boy and the Heron’ may be a little more mature than expected, but completely needed. Everything in this story is meticulous and deliberate, maintaining a special creativity and adventure shining through every moment.

‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’ Review: The Turtles Tower at an All-Time High

Both nostalgic and revitalizing, 'Teenaged Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem' will take you back to the first time you met the Ninja Turtles, remind you why you love them, and lock you in for whatever comes next.

Animation, Movie ReviewLane MillsAugust 2, 2023Animation, Movie review, ninja turtles, seth rogen, paul ruddComment

'Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken' Review: Dreamworks Plays it Safe (and Sweet)

It isn’t always a bad thing to play it safe and deliver perfectly harmless family fun, especially for a studio as weathered as Dreamworks. ‘Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken’ almost feels like a pit-stop for the studio, in that it serves as a sufficiently sweet little adventure that does more than enough to warrant buying a ticket.

'Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse' Review: A Dynamic Explosion Of Creative Freedom

Ever since Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse was released in 2018, animated movies have been held to an entirely new standard. Could it’s highly anticipated sequel Across The Spider-Verse: Part 1 make the comics feel vibrant once again and match the original?

Action Adventure, Animation, Comic Book Movie, Movie Review, ReviewJack WaltersJune 1, 2023spider-man, animated, superhero, sony, spider-verseComment

'The Super Mario Bros. Movie' Review: The Plumber and His Princess Hit the Big Screen

‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ is a great film to catch in theatres, if you’re a kid or a kid at heart – fun for the whole family, even if it does remain a little uninspired. The animation is top-notch, with fun character designs and dazzling landscapes, and the score and accompanying soundtrack just add to this adventure.

'Blue's Big City Adventure' Review: A Dizzying Delight

Magic and mystery are two of the many reasons Paramount’s latest live-action animated hybrid film Blue’s Big City Adventure works, despite treading very familiar territory.

'Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile' Review: A Warm-Hearted Romp About a Cold-Blooded Crooner

The filmmakers who made Lyle, Lyle Crocodile embrace all the silliness of the original story, without any shame or lack of conviction. Whatever you say about the film, you cannot deny that the passion is present.

'Dozens of Norths' Review: An Award-winning Ambiguous Art Show [OIAF 2022]

Countless frames within Dozens of Norths are breathtaking and could easily be imagined as separate art pieces hung up in a gallery. The viewer loses themselves in certain moments when the film pauses on a particularly emotional scene – it’s so far removed from what has become mainstream with animation in the most positive way.

'Silver Bird and Rainbow Fish' Review: A Family Portrait So Personal It Forgets About the Viewer [OIAF 2022]

Silver Bird and Rainbow Fish is a personal portrayal of a family’s memories through stories and photographs, and it is undeniably beautiful, but a little too slow and quiet at times. The experimental nature of this film sometimes enhances its emotional connection to the viewer, while at other times, it hinders it.

'Unicorn Wars' Review: Gory Violence and War Through The Eyes Of a Teddy Bear [OIAF 2022]

The childish characters so violently portrayed may come off as disorienting to some, but those on the adventurous side may enjoy the depraved Unicorn Wars. Those critics however, might have to look a little deeper at the message behind the film, as it uses extreme violence to show it’s actually against real bloodshed.

'Pinocchio' Review: A Familiar Tale With No New Magic

Disney has released yet another live-action remake of one of their beloved classic films with Pinocchio, a hollow re-imagining of the revered story that fails to capture any sort of magic. Simply put, watch the original instead and leave this lifeless remake on the shelf to collect dust.

Action Adventure, Animation, ReviewTom ChatalbashSeptember 8, 2022pinocchio, Disney+, Pinocchio 2022, Review of Pinocchio, Tom HanksComment

'Lightyear' Review: A Fun, But Unnecessary Origin Story

After a series of Pixar movies only streaming to your home, the perennial hit-maker is finally returning to the big screen with Lightyear, a spinoff of the beloved Toy Story franchise. This spin on the franchise, while exciting, also doesn’t justify its existence despite the entertainment value it brings to the table.

Animation, Action AdventureTom ChatalbashJune 13, 2022lightyear, pixar, buzz lightyearComment

‘The Bad Guys’ Review: A Fun and Breezy Dreamworks Caper

Dreamworks Animation’s recent work hasn’t been the greatest, and most of their movies were overshadowed by the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. While Pierre Perifel’s The Bad Guys doesn’t hide its heist-driven inspirations, it still crafts a fun, albeit predictable, adventure for the whole family.