Tag Archives: Animation

Soul (2020)

Posted on by

In Limited Re-Release on January 12th, preceded by the Sparkshort “Burrow.” Check Local Listings.

Also Streaming on Disney Plus, and Available in Stores.

While watching “Soul,” two things came to mind. It’s amazing how much the movie reminded me of Chuck Jones’ “The High Note,” and Norton Juster’s “The Dot and the Line.” Both films perfectly articulate the power of music, and sound and the joy and pain that can come with it. Down to its basest, “Soul” is very much a movie about the power of music and the passion that can arise from it that transcends life and death. It’s probably one of the most unusual animated films from “Soul” in that animation style is so different from anything we’ve seen before or will see after.

Continue reading →

Every Bugs Bunny Ever: A Hare Grows in Manhattan (1947)

Posted on by

A Hare Grows in Manhattan (1947)
Directed by Friz Freleng
Written by Michael Maltese
Music by Carl W. Stalling
Animation by Virgil Ross

Happy New Year!

For this installment, we’re looking at “A Hare Grows in Manhattan” one of the more underrated Bugs Bunny shorts ever produced. It’s hysterical, it’s quotable, and it features another one and done villain but one of his most common foes: The dog. The dog has always been a very multi faceted villain for the Warner universe, as the dog is always the predator for traditionally prey like rabbits, ducks, and chickens. By now Bugs has come face to face with at least a dozen dog foes, all of whom we were either working with Elmer Fudd, or working on their own.

Continue reading →

Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018)

Posted on by

After the okay “Wreck it Ralph,” the follow up to the highly promoted video game version of “Toy Story” delivers a follow up that is—just as fine, I guess. “Wreck it Ralph” still hasn’t quite built up an interesting universe or interesting protagonists, even if they manage a better job satirizing video game icons. Truth be told I’d rather have a spin off movie about the video game verse and how it operates. Instead we’re given Vanellope von Schweetz and Wreck-It Ralph in a pair of awkward central plots that drive a movie that’s running on fumes from the starting gate.

Continue reading →

Lightyear (2022)

Posted on by

Even though we were under the impression that Andy loved Buzz Lightyear because he was this new special toy, we’re told in 1999’s “Toy Story 2” that he was actually a part of a TV series, which was further canonized in the 2000 animated show “Buzz Lightyear of Star Command.” Now we’re told that in 1995 Andy actually loved Buzz Lightyear because he originally came from a hit movie within the “Toy Story” universe. And this is that movie. That we’re watching—uh, somehow. Despite the absolutely elaborate concept behind it, “Lightyear” is a meta-movie that features pre-toy Buzz as an adventurous space ranger and bonafide hero. All the while there are some fun allusions to “Top Gun,” “Flash Gordon,” and “Aliens” to be explored here.

Continue reading →

Toy Story 4 (2019)

Posted on by

After the perfect ending that was “Toy Story 3,” Disney and Pixar decide to keep the story going because well—merch. Merchandise. Money. Moolah. There’s really no other reason beyond why such a perfect three chapter tale like “Toy Story” would drag on. And I say that since Josh Cooley’s “Toy Story 4” is sadly about as lackluster a sequel as you can get. For a series do centered on awe, wonder, and love, the movie is shockingly dark and bereft of so much of what made the first three movies so special.

Continue reading →

Every Bugs Bunny Ever: Rabbit Transit (1947)

Posted on by

2023 marks the 85th Anniversary of Bug Bunny’s first animated appearance in 1938’s “Porky’s Hare Hunt.” Debuting originally as Happy Rabbit, Bugs eventually became one of the most iconic animated characters of all time. In honor of the landmark anniversary, we’re discussing every animated appearance by Bugs Bunny. We’re big fans of Bugsy and we hope that you are, too.

Follow us on this massive journey where we discover and re-discover Every Bugs Bunny Ever.

Rabbit Transit (1947)
Directed by Friz Freleng
Written by Tedd Pierce
Music by Carl W. Stalling
Animation by Manuel Perez 

It’s the return of Cecil Turtle. Hip hip Hooray.

I was under the impression that 1943’s “Tortoise Wins By a Hare” was the final face off between Bugs Bunny and Cecil Turtle in their rivalry, but I completely forgot about “Rabbit Transit.” Truth be told the reasoning for that is that the series with Cecil and Bugs are all so similar and never really try to do anything remotely new or different. I guess if you like the twist on the classic fable you might like what they do with Bugs here. But with “Rabbit Transit” the return of Cecil Turtle is even more of the same old gags. While it’s not at all one of the worst from Bugs’ library, the whole rivalry between Cecil Turtle and Bugs Bunny gets really old, really quickly.

Continue reading →

Every Bugs Bunny Ever: Rabbit Rhapsody (1946)

Posted on by

2023 marks the 85th Anniversary of Bug Bunny’s first animated appearance in 1938’s “Porky’s Hare Hunt.” Debuting originally as Happy Rabbit, Bugs eventually became one of the most iconic animated characters of all time. In honor of the landmark anniversary, we’re discussing every animated appearance by Bugs Bunny. We’re big fans of Bugsy and we hope that you are, too.  

Follow us on this massive journey where we discover and re-discover Every Bugs Bunny Ever.

Rhapsody Rabbit (1946)
Directed by Friz Freleng
Written by Tedd Pierce
Music by Carl W. Stalling
Animation by Manuel Perez

One of the many reasons why I was a small kid that loved classical music was that I pretty much cut my teeth on the Looney Tunes shorts. I spent so much of my time watching the animated shorts that were not only comical and fun, but also embraced the idea of classical music. “Rhapsody Rabbit” further serves to convey the beautiful marriage between classical music and the Looney Tunes shorts. The animation studio has always used music as a wonderful means of filling in what the writers or animators couldn’t. Classical music, folk music, and pop music were used to convey all kinds of emotions and conflict, and with “Rhapsody Rabbit,” it’s merely an amazing example of how the music compliments the animation and vice versa.

Continue reading →