Reviews

REVIEW: Dreamworks “The Bad Guys 2”
“It’s not the action, it’s the distraction.” Animated movie buffs will find a joyful surfeit of both in the new DreamWorks flick The Bad Guys 2, a sequel to the 2002 hit that surpasses it in almost every way. Every primary and a few secondary characters return in a snappy heist film that has enough […]
BOOK REVIEW: “The Art of The Boy and the Heron”

BOOK REVIEW: “The Art of The Boy and the Heron”

Avatar photoCharles Solomon|
July 7th, 2025
“The Art of The Boy and the Heron” opens with director Hayao Miyazaki’s self-deprecating Project Memo: “Isn’t it proof that you are aging when you imagine you’re still capable, but in fact you have memory loss due to senility? I would say yes.” Audiences who saw the Oscar-winning film would say “no.” The Japanese title […]
REVIEW: “The Day the Earth Blew Up”

REVIEW: “The Day the Earth Blew Up”

Avatar photoMartin Goodman|
March 21st, 2025
Set free at last from playing ridiculous basketball games that did nothing to showcase them; three venerable Looney Tunes characters showed a new generation of animation fans what the good old days were like. Many fans recognize Porky Pig and Daffy Duck in their 1950s-60s Chuck Jones incarnations; Porky is a straight man to other […]

Latest in Category: Reviews

REVIEW: Paramount’s “Wonder Park”

Cameron “June” Bailey is an irrepressible young girl who, by age 10, proves capable of mentally designing an amusement park that Disney’s Imagineers would envy. Her parents admire her creativity; Mom whispers June’s suggestions into the ear of Peanut (a monkey with a magic pencil) and a magical ride appears in June’s imaginary “Wonderland”. (Makes […]
Avatar photoMartin Goodman|March 15, 2019
REVIEW: Paramount’s “Wonder Park”

ANIME REVIEW: “ReLife: Final Arc”

The 13-episode broadcast series ReLife (2016) felt like it ended prematurely, with the main characters’ stories unfinished. The four-part Final Arc OAV (2018) brings the story to a satisfying conclusion. Arata Kaizaki (voice by Micah Solusod), had been a promising high school student. Warm and caring, he brought out the best in the people around […]
Avatar photoCharles Solomon|January 1, 2019
ANIME REVIEW: “ReLife: Final Arc”

ANIME REVIEW: Prequels and Sequels to “Free!”

The adventures of the swimmers in the Free! (2013) series proved so popular, they spawned follow-up series and feature films High Speed! Free! Starting Days (2015) is a prequel to the original series: Four talented young athletes enter Iwatobi Middle School. Kind, soft-spoken Makoto (Johnny Yong Bosch) tries to look after everyone. Introverted Haruka (Todd […]
Avatar photoCharles Solomon|November 19, 2018
ANIME REVIEW: Prequels and Sequels to “Free!”

REVIEW: “The Mickey True Original Exhibition”

For the next several months, The Big Apple is the official House of Mouse. Disney has created a “Mickey True Original” exhibit celebrating the iconic character’s 90th birthday. I had the chance to check it out during its debut weekend. Here are the highlights: A Disney Cast Member greets you at the door. Groups are […]
Avatar photoJackson Murphy|November 13, 2018
REVIEW: “The Mickey True Original Exhibition”

BOOK REVIEW: “Winsor McCay: His Life and Art” by John Canemaker

Although he would be horrified to have his work linked to Sausage Party and The Emoji Movie, Winsor McCay deserves the title of father of animation. He didn’t make the first animated films, but he was the first to suggest the real potential of the medium. The art of character animation can be traced to […]
Avatar photoCharles Solomon|September 21, 2018
BOOK REVIEW: “Winsor McCay: His Life and Art” by John Canemaker

ANIME REVIEW: “The Tibetan Dog”

Based on a best-selling Chinese children’s book, Tibetan Dog (2011) was produced at Japan’s Madhouse studio in a rare Chinese-Japanese deal. Since his parents separated, Tenzin (Tatsuomi Hamada) has grown up in the city of Xi’an in Shaanxi province with his mother. He learned to play the flute from her and had an unremarkable urban […]
Avatar photoCharles Solomon|August 26, 2018
ANIME REVIEW: “The Tibetan Dog”

REVIEW: Dreamworks “Abominable”

Abominable is a film certain to please middle school to younger age kids and those who love movies classified as “Family Friendly.” However, this approval is purchased at far too high a price. Adorable? Yes. Animated with technical virtuosity? Indeed. Formulaic and derivative? Unfortunately so. Abominable belongs in that category of movies that include “The […]