animation

SGT. STUBBY: Dog Of War’s Sweet Animated Tail
SGT. STUBBY: Dog Of War’s Sweet Animated Tail

There are those that may find Sgt. Stubby a little too twee for their tastes and it may not appeal to those who are not won over by doggy antics, but for those that are susceptible to a four legged friend, you will find Stubby a real heart-warmer.

The Stature and Vision of Isao Takahata, 1935-2018
The Stature and Vision of Isao Takahata, 1935-2018

In this retrospective guide, we examine the work of recently deceased filmmaker Isao Takahata, one of the pioneers of Studio Ghibli.

HAVE A NICE DAY: Money Makes the Story Go Round
HAVE A NICE DAY: Money Makes the Story Go Round

Set in the gritty underbelly of southern China, Have a Nice Day (Hao ji le) is a dark comedic commentary on greed and materialism and only a small peak into what director Jian Liu has to offer.

Interviewing Loving Vincent's Dorota Kobiela and Hugh Welchman: On Taking Risks and Believing In Yourself and Your Art
Interviewing LOVING VINCENT’s Dorota Kobiela & Hugh Welchman: On Taking Risks And Believing In Yourself & Your Art

Dorota Kobiela and Hugh Welchman, the directors of Academy Award nominated animation Loving Vincent, spoke to Film Inquiry’s Nathan Osborne about the seven year process to bring their unique biopic to the big screen.

Staff Inquiry: Sentimental Childhood Favorites
Staff Inquiry: Sentimental Childhood Favorites

For our latest Staff inquiry, we chose to look back at some of our childhood favorites, which range from musicals to anime to Disney fairy tales.

Sentimental and surprising, gorgeous and gory; watching them one after another it's impossible not to be struck by the talent on show. Here's a brief rundown of 2018's Oscar nominated animated shorts.
Basketball, Bonding & Bullies: 2018’s Oscar Nominated Animated Shorts

Sentimental and surprising, gorgeous and gory; watching them one after another it’s impossible not to be struck by the talent on show. Here’s a brief rundown of 2018’s Oscar nominated animated shorts.

ISLE OF DOGS: A Gorgeous Canine Parable That's Ruff Around The Edges
ISLE OF DOGS: A Gorgeous Canine Parable That’s Ruff Around The Edges

For all the disease, danger and overt Trump-related reverberations, Wes Anderson’s ninth feature film and second stop-motion film, Isle of Dogs, is decidedly feel-good.

IN THIS CORNER OF THE WORLD: A Sketch of Sadness
IN THIS CORNER OF THE WORLD: A Sketch Of Sadness

In This Corner of the World is a beautifully captured and quietly tragic animation, which succeeds due to how it captures the sadness underneath the mundanity of life in a war-torn country.

EARLY MAN: Aardman Animation's Worst Effort To Date
EARLY MAN: Aardman Animation’s Worst Effort To Date

For a studio whose storytelling style and command of visuals is so wonderfully inventive, in Early Man they’ve opted for the laziest, most obvious narrative trajectory imaginable, without even a winning sense of humour to back that up.

WORLD OF TOMORROW 2: Loses The Interstellar, Keeps The Stellar
WORLD OF TOMORROW 2: Loses The Interstellar, Keeps The Stellar

A sequel to an earlier short, Don Hertzfeldt’s World of Tomorrow 2 has just as much ambition as its predecessor, with astounding animation, voice acting, and an overall worldview of existential pessimism.

THE BREADWINNER: Beautiful, Inspiring, Important
THE BREADWINNER: Beautiful, Inspiring, Important

The Breadwinner’s captivating aesthetic, heroic protagonist, moments of levity and weighty themes aid in drawing in youngsters and teaching them about the hardships faced by their peers on the other side of the world.

FERDINAND: A Mechanical, Bull Story
FERDINAND: A Mechanical, Bull Story

There’s a sense of shallowness to Ferdinand, a film so generic and formulaic that it’s hard not to be cynical about its construction.

The Beginner's Guide: Masaaki Yuasa, Director
The Beginner’s Guide: Masaaki Yuasa, Director

Masaaki Yuasa is known for his dynamic anime, which take inspiration from surreal 1960s-70s animation and Golden Age Disney films.

The Beautiful Simplicity of THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS
The Beautiful Simplicity Of THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS

With innocent characters and a basic plot, the beauty and simplicity of The Nightmare Before Christmas has helped it stand the test of time.

COCO: A Masterpiece We Will Remember
COCO: A Masterpiece We Will Remember

Coco is a refreshingly respectful look at Mexican culture, told from a child’s perspective but in a surprisingly poignant way as well.