You have to feel sorry for poor old Pluto, the much put-upon protagonist in 1952’s Pluto’s Christmas Tree. In the 125th Mickey Mouse short to be produced and the second for that year, Pluto (Pinto Colvig) sets off amid festive, “Deck the Halls” soundtracked vibes, to help Mickey (Jimmy MacDonald) Continue Reading
Animation
Movie review: Wish Dragon
If there’s one theme animated featured films cling to like a protagonist holding on for dear life to a giant pink dragon while flying through the air, it’s the idea of finding the courage to be true to yourself. It makes sense – we live in a world understandably enthralled Continue Reading
Hoops & Yoyo Ruin Christmas: A #ChristmasInJuly review
Hoops & Yoyo Ruin Christmas is very much an underrated Christmas classic. Released just under a decade ago on the most auspicious day of 25 November (this reviewer’s birthday), the 22-minute Hallmark animated special nails its happily quasi-seditious colours to the flag early on with a title hat screams playfulness Continue Reading
Growing up is a beast: Pixar’s Turning Red releases teaser trailer + poster
SNAPSHOTTurning Red will be led by young actress Rosalie Chiang as she lends her voice to Mei Lee, a 13-year-old who suddenly “poofs” into a giant red panda when she gets too excited. Sandra Oh (Killing Eve) voices Mei Lee’s protective, if not slightly overbearing mother, Ming, who is never Continue Reading
The short and the short of it: The heartfelt artistic reawakening of Canvas
SNAPSHOTAfter a heartbreaking loss, a grandfather struggling to reclaim his passion for painting finds the inspiration to paint again. (synopsis vis Netflix) Grief, more often that not, is accompanied by an almost palpable sense of limbo. While the world might keep racing on around you, and all the things you Continue Reading
Retro animated movie review: Monsters Inc. #Happy20thAnniversary
Watching Monsters, Inc. after a lamentable gap of twenty years is akin to catching up with a close friend you once adored and loved, and deep down still do, but with whom you’ve had little to no contact since you saw them last. As you begin to get re-acquainted, it Continue Reading
Psst! We’re fairly sure that Ron’s Gone Wrong … but he might be your “Best Friend Out of the Box”!
SNAPSHOTRon’s Gone Wrong will feature a touching and hilarious look at the budding friendship between a middle-school boy and his faulty robot. It tells the story of Barney, a socially awkward middle-schooler and Ron, his new walking, talking, digitally-connected device, which is supposed to be his “Best Friend Out of Continue Reading
Weekday movie poster art: Unhappy to see you again with The Addams Family 2
SNAPSHOTEveryone’s favorite spooky family is back in the animated comedy sequel, The Addams Family 2. In this all-new movie we find Morticia and Gomez distraught that their children are growing up, skipping family dinners, and totally consumed with “scream time.” To reclaim their bond they decide to cram Wednesday, Pugsley, Continue Reading
Have a Merry Madagascar! #ChristmasInJuly
Much as I love the idea of Santa with his “a little round belly /That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly” and his eight magical reindeer and delivering all those presents around the world with seamless efficiency and jollity, there is something a little creepy about Continue Reading
In the middle of COVID lockdown, I put 5 new pop culture ornaments on my #ChristmasInJuly tree
It’s not looking like the most festive of Julys at the moment. A combination of complacency and Australian Federal Government ineptitude with quarantining returning overseas travellers and the vaccine rollout mean Sydney, where I live, is deep in the midst of a fortnight lockdown, that may yet get extended by Continue Reading