Yellow Submarine - 1968 - UK

Yellow Submarine - 1968 - 7/10

 
Pepperland had been overrun and enslaved by the Blue Meanies.
Are you bluish?  You don’t look bluish?
Young Fred barely escapes in the above vessel, then implores the Fab Four to rescue the inhabitants.
Enroute, they navigate various, ofttimes perilous, seas.
Eye-popping animation, memorable songs, imaginative story.
Surprise hit with kids, acidheads, critics, Beatles fans.
This generated much good will toward the band, and remains a great watch.

Animal Farm - 1954 - UK

Animal Farm - 1954 - 7/10

 
After a barnyard revolution, a hierarchy of equals is established.
Except … some animals are more equal than others.
Leaders and drones.  The workers.
True believers are swiftly displaced by domineering power grabbers.
Highly effective and harrowing adaptation of Orwell’s cautionary novel.
Whatever ‘ism you join, belong to, or fall under, 99% of us are destined to be pawns.

Paddington Bear - 1976 - UK

Paddington Bear - 1976 - 7/10

 
The first, and, despite limitations, arguably the best adaptation of the marmalade connoisseur.
Stop-motion for Paddington, all other characters and backgrounds are cartoon standups.
More importantly, the stories stem from Michael Bond’s writings.
There is a charm to this minimalist approach, which also might push the child’s imagination.
Narration by Michael Horden is incomparable.

Sleeping Beauty - 1959 - USA

Sleeping Beauty - 1959 - 7/10  

 
Maleficent, a powerful witch / sorceress, bears a grudge after a royal slight.
She curses infant Princess Aurora to die at age sixteen.
In many ways, this is a darker version of Snow White (1937).
Disney’s most ambitious animation (until 1989) seems an elaboration on the fairy tale.
Despite being a Disney film, an undercurrent of anxiety haunts the film, giving it an adult feel.
Maleficent’s transformation at the end astounded me as a child.
Depending on screen size, this still packs a punch.
To this day, it looks fantastic!  Disney clearly spent a lot of time on this and it shows.
Not surprisingly, my mother always adored Snow White, while my brothers and I preferred Sleeping Beauty.

The Green Marker Scare - 2012 - Ireland

The Green Marker Scare - 2012 - 6/10

Teenage, private-eye Noreen helps her detective dad.
Until the car accident.  On his deathbed, he tells her his was no accident, but murder.
Whereupon she starts her own investigation.

 
Should you stick with this, the story tightens into an ugly, uncomfortable tale of murder, abuse, coverups.
Noreen and partner Cian are soon over their head, against agencies they do not comprehend.
Akin to Nancy Drew in a real world Hell.

 
Animators were ages 9-10-11, and never given a shooting script, thus unaware of the sinister, very adult narrative.
The crude, dayglow animation may put some off, yet the story of mystery and horror will haunt you for awhile.

Shaun The Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas - 2021 - UK

Shaun The Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas - 2021 - 7/10

 
Shaun realizes his stocking is smallish and decides to appropriate the Farmer’s.
Along with a very young confederate, they enter the home for a quick burgle.
Whereupon the plans misfire, the youngling disappears, and Shaun is in big trouble.
What to do?  Head to the village, High Street merry with people.
Brisk outing is chocked with jokes, visual and musical gags, and a stream of mistakes.
Thirty minutes of pure confection.

The Amazing Maurice - 2022 - UK

The Amazing Maurice - 2202 - 6/10

 
Cheshire cat Maurice and his rat cohort, travel from village to village.
Using their hired piper to rid the town of rat infestation … for a fee.
Yes, scamsters.  Only this time, this town, they’ve run into an adversary.
Entertaining effort, draws from Shaun the Sheep entries, but without the heart.
No songs here.  It does not seem aimed at children nor at adults.
This feels curiously underwritten.  An attempt.
Voices ~ Hugh Laurie, Emilia Clarke, Hugh Bonneville, David Thewlis, Gemma Arterton, David Tennant …

Ghost In The Shell: The Movie - 2015 - Japan

Ghost In The Shell: The Movie - 2015 - 6/10

 
Bit misleading title, “the movie” which the unwary might see as the ScarJo vehicle.
This falls after the “Arise” series and leads into the 1995 classic.
Major Kusanagi, Batou, most the of the squad embroiled with terror plots, assassinations, cyber-virus.
Always with this series, a fair amount of talking and philosophizing about the collective datastream.
Visuals are great, if now perhaps a little familiar.
The plot bounds along, often shifting scenes and gears abruptly.
Enjoyable, though choppy.
Not the best entry for newcomers.  Best to start with the '95 original.

Shaun The Sheep Movie - 2015 - UK

Shaun The Sheep Movie - 2015 - 7/10

 
I’ll try to be careful here.  Shaun is perhaps best viewed as still a juvenile.
The farm has become routine.  Tedious and predictable.
When Shaun spies the banner on a passing bus, “Take A Day Off!” he devises a scheme.
And, as with so many plans concocted by man and livestock alike, events swiftly go awry.
Shaun, fellow flock friends, and loyal dog Bitzer, accidentally unleash havoc.
While the party-popping pigs drag  the house into a breezy bachelor pad, the others skedaddle to Big City.
Danger and disaster darken their path, yet persevere they must, for family must be rescued.
An inventive claymation romp, with barely any dialogue, this is one of those gems parents can safely share with young children.  Studded with jokes and gags, with an irresistibly catchy theme song, “Feels Like Summer.“

The Lord Of The Rings - 1978 - USA

The Lord Of The Rings - 1978 - 6/10

 
Frodo, Gandalf, and company set forth on a pony ride in May.
I first saw this, or tried to see it, at the drive-in.
(My date, hoping this was similar to Fritz The Cat, thought Lord a waste of time.)
I found it disappointing at the time, especially following Bakshi’s previous Wizards (1977).
Rewatching reminds me how Disneyish the animation was, especially compared with Japanese anime.
The roto-scoping, which I had not seen before, was eerie and held my attention completely.
The conclusion is abrupt, terribly abrupt.  It feels like a cliffhanger, but it also feels like funds ran out.
Worth a watch, despite the pisspoor conclusion, and the heavy condensation.

At The Mountains Of Madness - 2011 - Italy

At The Mountains Of Madness - 2011 - 6/10

 
Still wondering if Guillermo is ever going to get motivated and rock HPL?
You'd sooner get your girlfriend a tentacle outfit, Cthulhu boys, to distract your woes.
Meantime, forget Del Toro and get the 33 minute Italian animated version of ATMOM!
Doomed Miskatonic expedition searches for lost civilization in the frozen wastes.
They discover the labyrinthine city of non Euclidian angles.
And remains of Elder Things!  And Shoggoths!!
Deaths.  First the dogs, then the men.
Entertaining quickie.  Available free in HD with English subtitles.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvpBDopIMxw

Fantastic Mr. Fox - 2009 - USA

Fantastic Mr. Fox - 2009 - 7/10

 
Fox "settled down" after he and the missus nearly died one night at the chicken farm.
Writes for the village paper (that no one reads), has angry teenage son, and a wife who holds him to his promise of no more stealing.
As a reformed character, however, he is dissatisfied, and longs for one final heist.
Three stages - three farms - three farmers.
One farmer, in particular, is diabolically clever.
Powerhouse voice cast: George Clooney, Bill Murray, Meryl Streep, Owen Wilson, Willum Dafoe, Michael Gambon, Jason Schwartzman.
Based on Roald Dahl's book.

A Shaun The Sheep Movie: Farmageddon - 2019 - UK

A Shaun The Sheep Movie: Farmageddon - 2019 - 6/10

A young alien crash lands in the woods adjoining the pasture.
Exploring, the friendly, and hungry, visitor makes friends with Shaun.
Did someone say, “That sounds like E.T.?”
For almost half the film, the story mirrors the original quite a lot.
There are also nods to Close Encounters, 2001, and several more.
Not saying this is dumbed down, but it does seem aimed at children more than earlier works.