Let’s be honest – there are quite a lot of times when life doesn’t feel animated.
Hell it barely even feels alive sometimes, weighed down with a thousand different cares and concerns and all too aware that what we get is not always what our youthful expectations foresaw nor what the limitless expanse of years ahead of us promised.
Thank the Looney Tunes gods then that we have animated movies and TV shows which, in a flourish of rampant whimsy and colourful fun, can not only take us far away from the here and now but do it in a way that feels ridiculously soul-warming and even inspiring.
These three shows might be silly, manic and over the top but OMG that is precisely the point, and it’s why we need them, to remind us that even amidst all the exhaustion and sadness and drudgery, that life, even stretched out in weird and wonderful ways in an animated universe, can be a fabulously good and glorious thing at times, even better when it all happens in technicolour, hilarity-laced 2D.
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The series follows the story of a group of employees (Barney and Norma) who work at a theme-park haunted house during the summer which might be a portal to hell.Both are joined by Pugsley and Courtney as they face zombies, game show hosts, witches, and crushes. (synopsis courtesy Wikipedia)
Dead End: Paranormal Park is now streaming on Netflix.
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This fall, everyone’s favorite leche-loving, swashbuckling, fear-defying feline returns. Academy Award-nominee Antonio Banderas returns as the voice of the notorious PiB as he embarks on an epic journey into the Black Forest to find the mythical Wishing Star and restore his lost lives. But with only one life left, Puss will have to humble himself and ask for help from his former partner and nemesis: the captivating Kitty Soft Paws. In their quest, Puss and Kitty will be aided—against their better judgment—by a ratty, chatty, relentlessly cheerful mutt, Perro. Together, our trio of heroes will have to stay one step ahead of Goldilocks and the Three Bears Crime Family, “Big” Jack Horner and terrifying bounty hunter, The Big Bad Wolf. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is directed by animation filmmaker Joel Crawford, director of The Croods 2: A New Age previously, plus the Trolls Holiday TV special. Co-directed by Januel Mercado. The screenplay is written by Paul Fisher, from a story created by Christopher Meledandri. (synopsis courtesy First Showing)
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish releases in cinemas on 21 October in UK, 21 December in Australia and 22 December in USA.
Kung Fu Panda – The Dragon Knight
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Jack Black returns as Po in the new series Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight. When a mysterious pair of weasels set their sights on a collection of four powerful weapons, Po must leave his home to embark on a globe-trotting quest for redemption and justice that finds him partnered up with a no-nonsense English knight named Wandering Blade voiced by Rita Ora. Together, these two mismatched warriors set out on an epic adventure to find the magical weapons first and save the world from destruction — and they may even learn a thing or two from each other along the way. Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight is a new series made by DreamWorks Animation studios, creators of the original Kung Fu Panda series. No episode directors have been announced. The series is executive produced by Peter Hastings, Shaunt Nigoghossian. and Jack Black. Co-executive produced by Chris Amick and Ben Mekler. (synopsis courtesy First Showing)
Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight premieres on Netflix on 14 July 2022.