Cardcaptor Sakura (1996) probably ranks as the best and best-loved work by the four-woman artists’ collective, Clamp. A textbook magical girl adventure, the animated series debuted in 1998 and ran for 70 episodes, followed by two features and an OVA. A rather timid 4th grader who lived with her older brother Toya and their widowed […]
Archive for the ‘Reviews’ Category
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REVIEW: Disney’s “The Lion King” (2019)
July 22nd, 2019 
Martin Goodman My initial dilemma was whether to review this film at all. Disney entreats us to consider this remake of the 1994 film as “live action”, since there is apparently some photography used. However, I decided to disregard the semantic arguments. This version of The Lion King is undoubtedly an animated picture, and that, indeed, is […]
REVIEW: “Toy Story 4”
July 1st, 2019 Martin Goodman This summer marks my twentieth year as an animated film critic. During stints with Animation Nerd’s Paradise, Animation World Network, and of course, Animation Scoop as well as other work with Mr. Beck, I have learned one crucial thing: There is no one way to review an animated film and no limit to the levels […]
REVIEW: “Detective Pikachu”
May 10th, 2019 Martin Goodman The Pokémon have been with us since 1996, long enough to have entertained a couple of generations of fans. The mythical beasties have a history in video games, anime, TV series, manga, and, importantly, feature films. None of them, however, have been quite like Detective Pikachu. The film is based on the Nintendo adventure game […]
REVIEW: “UglyDolls”
May 6th, 2019 Martin Goodman With Toy Story 4 warming up for release, UglyDolls may be the least anticipated animated release of this Spring. More’s the pity. Although this film has taken a critical drubbing (and some aspects of it deservedly so), My own take is that STX Family UglyDolls is an underrated work that deserves better than the barbs […]
ANIME REVIEW: “Sword of the Stranger”
May 5th, 2019 Charles Solomon In America, animation is rarely used for action or adventure films. Because it’s still largely regarded as children’s entertainment here, studios are usually reluctant to tell stories where the danger is real and the hero can be killed. In contrast, Masahiro Ando’s Sword of the Stranger (2007) is an action-filled samurai adventure that echoes the […]
REVIEW: “Missing Link”
April 12th, 2019 Martin Goodman The first thing noticeable about this film is that its title is a clever play on words; the main character, originally called “Mr. Link”, is missing a home, a family, and his entire species. There is also a second meaning. Missing Link is an evolutionary (and revolutionary) link in the craft of stop-motion animation. Before […]
ANIME REVIEW: “Penguin Highway”
April 8th, 2019 Charles Solomon A gentle melancholy hangs over the anime feature Penguin Highway (2018), setting it apart from similar fantasy-adventures. Fourth-grader Aoyama (voice by Kana Kita) is almost too precocious and self-possessed. Never at a loss for a reply to a bully or an interfering adult, he says what viewers may wish they’d thought to say in school. […]
BOOK REVIEW: “Aardman: An Epic Journey Taken One Frame at a Time: An Autobiography”
March 27th, 2019 Charles Solomon For decades, “animation” meant drawn animation in America. Except for George Pal’s Puppetoons, stop-motion was a minor variant, used for movie monsters, Alka-Seltzer commercials and the occasional holiday special. But in recent years stop-motion animation has enjoyed an unprecedented efflorescence. One of principle creators of that flowering is the Aardman Animations studio. The found dialogue […]
REVIEW: Paramount’s “Wonder Park”
March 15th, 2019 Martin Goodman Cameron “June” Bailey is an irrepressible young girl who, by age 10, proves capable of mentally designing an amusement park that Disney’s Imagineers would envy. Her parents admire her creativity; Mom whispers June’s suggestions into the ear of Peanut (a monkey with a magic pencil) and a magical ride appears in June’s imaginary “Wonderland”. (Makes […]
ANIME REVIEW: “ReLife: Final Arc”
January 1st, 2019 Charles Solomon The 13-episode broadcast series ReLife (2016) felt like it ended prematurely, with the main characters’ stories unfinished. The four-part Final Arc OAV (2018) brings the story to a satisfying conclusion. Arata Kaizaki (voice by Micah Solusod), had been a promising high school student. Warm and caring, he brought out the best in the people around […]
ANIME REVIEW: Prequels and Sequels to “Free!”
November 19th, 2018 Charles Solomon The adventures of the swimmers in the Free! (2013) series proved so popular, they spawned follow-up series and feature films High Speed! Free! Starting Days (2015) is a prequel to the original series: Four talented young athletes enter Iwatobi Middle School. Kind, soft-spoken Makoto (Johnny Yong Bosch) tries to look after everyone. Introverted Haruka (Todd […]
REVIEW: “The Mickey True Original Exhibition”
November 13th, 2018 Jackson Murphy For the next several months, The Big Apple is the official House of Mouse. Disney has created a “Mickey True Original” exhibit celebrating the iconic character’s 90th birthday. I had the chance to check it out during its debut weekend. Here are the highlights: A Disney Cast Member greets you at the door. Groups are […]
BOOK REVIEW: “Winsor McCay: His Life and Art” by John Canemaker
September 21st, 2018 Charles Solomon Although he would be horrified to have his work linked to Sausage Party and The Emoji Movie, Winsor McCay deserves the title of father of animation. He didn’t make the first animated films, but he was the first to suggest the real potential of the medium. The art of character animation can be traced to […]
ANIME REVIEW: “The Tibetan Dog”
August 26th, 2018 Charles Solomon Based on a best-selling Chinese children’s book, Tibetan Dog (2011) was produced at Japan’s Madhouse studio in a rare Chinese-Japanese deal. Since his parents separated, Tenzin (Tatsuomi Hamada) has grown up in the city of Xi’an in Shaanxi province with his mother. He learned to play the flute from her and had an unremarkable urban […]
