Dean Fleischer Camp directed this faux documentary that follows a tiny shell, named Marcel, as he discovers a measure of internet fame, its upside and down, and a measure of loss and the importance of family and change. Filled with beautiful stop-motion animation blended brilliantly with live action, the story finds Camp playing a version…
Tag: live action
Space Battleship Yamato (2010) – Takashi Yamazaki
When I was a kid I would occasionally come across the odd anime cartoon, I always found them fascinating, there was the Americanization of Gatchaman that I adored until I discovered how much cooler the original was. And every now and then I would stumble across Star Blazers which took what looked like a naval…
The BFG (2016) – Steven Spielberg
This one seemed like a surefire winner, you’ve got Spielberg working from a script by Melissa Matheson who wrote E.T. The story is adapted from Roald Dahl’s story, and Mark Rylance brings The Big Friendly Giant to life. But no matter how good, the computer-generated images were, combining the computer characters with live-action ones, specifically,…
Gertie the Dinosaur (1915) – Winsor McCay
I move into another chapter in DK Canada’s immensely enjoyable Monsters in the Movies book from director John Landis. I leave behind Myths, Legends and Fairy Tales and move on to Dragons & Dinosaurs. And first up is one of the earliest examples of animation, Gertie the Dinosaur. This silent short film was originally created…
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) – Ron Howard
I’m very particular about my holiday specials when it comes to television and movies. My treasured titles are very select, and I get very put out when a new one is thrust upon me. I love A Charlie Brown Christmas, Emmett Otter, John Denver & The Muppets, The Muppet Family Christmas (I like my Muppets),…
Aladdin (2019) – Blu-Ray Review
Guy Ritchie (?!) directs Disney’s live action adaption of one of its most successful animated features, which sees some new lyrics added to familiar songs (as well as some new songs), and a bright young cast brings the classic tale of a diamond in the rough to life in a colorful, not entirely new, but…
Dumbo (2019) – Tim Burton
I’m not sure how I feel yet about Disney’s apparent need to revisit their classic animated films and turn them into live-action films with computer-generated animation. Are they worried that the relevance of their classic films has reached an end and want to revitalize what they see as diminishing returns on them? I’m not sure….
Christopher Robin (2018) – Blu-Ray Review
Coming home on blu-ray and DVD today is the wonderful family film from Disney, Christopher Robin, that takes a page from Spielberg’s Hook, and posits what if Christopher Robin (Ewan MacGregor) grew up and left he Hundred Acre Wood, Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore and the rest behind. Directed by Marc Forster, the film, set in post…
Disney’s Peter Pan: The Signature Collection
Just over three years ago, I settled in for the 1953, Disney classic Peter Pan. A film I hadn’t seen in a long time. Now, it’s time for another revisit, with the beautiful Signature Collection blu-ray transfer available from Disney today. And yes, while there is still that troubling What Makes the Red Man Red…
Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) – Robert Zemeckis
Robert Zemeckis’ Oscar winning film noir, coached in cartoon terms, is the next recommendation from the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book following my screening of Toy Story. Melding the live action and cartoon world, the film follows detective Eddie Valiant (Bob Hoskins) as he takes a case he doesn’t even want to…
The Mind Reels 