Tag: Animation

That 90s Christmas Special! A Top Five List of Cartoons To Tickle Your Funny Bone

From films to television, we offer a list of our favourite animated 90s Christmas Specials and films!

A Pinky and the Brain Christmas - 90s Christmas SpecialBefore the 21st century, not many animated yuletide themed works were made. Even in the theatrical front, there was lots of live-action material, but when all I craved were cartoons, there just wasn’t many to find at all. Sure there was Frosty Returns, and the obligatory Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie, but they weren’t memorable.  All I recall is that there were more televised 90s Christmas Specials than cinema scale. When I look back with the knowledge I have know, maybe the studios were waiting to hear back from what a new generation of kids said they liked.

Also, there’s the chance that all those fond cartoons from the 60s to 80s were getting sunsetted. As interest waned, and just what got played while the television station would have to change to keep with the time.

What I offer is a look at those ‘toons that were personal to me. And although The Nightmare Before Christmas (Amazon Link) is alone, perhaps there’s an obscure international flick to give Jack company! This work deserves to be a special entry.

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Tis Time to Cozy Up to Butterfly Tale for Winter Break and Where to Watch

While some parts of the world slow down with the coming of winter, Butterfly Tale is sure to warm anyone’s heart.

Butterfly Tale Movie PosterAvailable to view on Google Play

Vortex Media and Maison 4:3 are thrilled to announce that Sophie Roy’s Butterfly Tale has grossed over $750k across Canada to date. Starring Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law) and Mena Massoud (Evolving Vegan), this movie is an animated feature film for the whole family set along the diverse, picturesque, and ever-changing backdrop of the great monarch butterfly migration. The film features original songs from Shawn Mendes, Johnny Orlando, and Cœur de Pirate.

The first 3D animated feature to be made in the ScreenX format from the pre-production stage, this work will continue to be available on the big screen, charming families across Canada, and for curiousity seekers, it is online for others to view.

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When Disney’s Wish is Very By The Book, You’ll Be Wishing For Something Better

Sometimes we don’t need another Disney Princess to highlight why this studio is loved. One Wish and One Vision is all that’s needed instead of executives saying we don’t need another Fantasia!

MNot every Disney's Wish Movie PosterSpoiler Alert

When the talents working for The House of the Mouse are more interested in introducing more princesses in their animated films than creating stories like Zootopia and Meet the Robinsons, my desire to see Disney’s Wish was not immediate. I’d rather wait for a presentation that’s very out there instead of by the book. And in what I found in this latest mostly celebrates 100 Years of Disney rather try to stand on its own.

I would’ve preferred to see a third movie along the lines of Fantasia to recognise just how old this studio is. Here, the creative team of writers Jennifer Lee and Allison Moore with directors Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn simply explore why the concept of “wishing upon a star” (which is only recognised in a handful of this studio’s films) is important. And when greed gets in the way, King Magnifico (Chris Pine) has to decide on why only one wish matters. This actor’s presence is the only reason I wanted to see this film.

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Denver Jackson’s Esluna Continues with The Worlds Divide! World Premiere and an Interview!

The race is on to finish mixing Esluna, The Worlds Divide in time for the world premiere this coming weekend in Vancouver, BC by this local talent!

Denver Jackson Promotional Image

Denver Jackson is a very talented filmmaker whom I’ve had the pleasure of following ever since I first met him at Camosun College. Back then, he was part of a team of media artists of whom I interviewed (for Nexus Newspaper) and recognised would go far after graduating. Two of them would become frequent collaborators now that this individual is making films! The world of Esluna is no doubt influenced by other works (all the deets can be found on the Kickstarter page), and The Worlds Divide is ready to distinguish it from others!

And its ready to make its world debut at Spark Animation Festival and Conference in Vancouver, BC (Runs Nov 9 to 12th, playing Sat 6:15pm). At the time of writing, they’re hard at work putting in the final touches at Skywalker Sound, and he’s taken the time to answer some questions for those wondering about how he got to finally telling the story he first wanted since coming up with this world–sort of like how George Lucas got his start and telling that “Episode One.” And I’m sure Jackson can tell his version much, much better.

Humour aside, to interview him once again is always a pleasure, and fans can get an idea in how to prepare for part three of his saga. But first, an introduction for newcomers:

Denver Jackson: I’m a filmmaker that started out making films when I was 14, and slowly transitioned to working in VFX, then finally animation. I’ve always had an interest in the latter since I started as a visual storyteller, but it wasn’t until 10 years ago that I finally tried making a short film, Cloudrise, which is what I named my production company after.

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When Ghost Hunting Cartoons Get Global in This Top 10 List on What to Binge!

The theme for this year is a list of ghost hunting style cartoons from around the world, and where to find them!

The Real Ghostbusters Samhein introducing Ghost Hunting Cartoons with SlimerHalloween is not always about trick or treating. While it may be fun for some to go chasing after ghosts, others may well be preparing for that last harvest before winter sets in. In what I like watching are ghost hunting cartoons. It beats trying to find them for real, since there’s no proof positive method for an experience. As for what lurks in that cornfield, well….

What I offer is a list of animated series I often like to revisit as the nights get cold, and I don’t want to go out. The theme for this year is a list of ghostbusting style cartoons. Sometimes, peace with the supernatural can be made. At other times, they are chance to communicate. While the best thing is to work out those grievances, mileage will vary depending on the creator’s beliefs on whether to preach or simply entertain. By that definition, I begin with the series that inspired this top ten, which begins after talking about The Real Ghostbusters!

The Real Ghostbusters Creatures of the NightThis unofficial sequel about New York’s finest paranormal investigators is just good ol’ fashioned fun! And what makes this series shine is in how the stories show how they function as a team, deal with personal issues and resolve those conflicts.

Although there are a few episodes which bring back some recurring nasties, namely The Boogieman and Samhain, these spectres are so powerful, they often need help. Because the series wasn’t designed to be a serial, there’s no grande plan. When considering the official Ghostbusters YouTube page often adds to or prunes the list of episodes, perhaps there is a huge story arc to be found. Only the dedicated may find it!

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The NFB at Vancouver Film Festival 2023. Premiering Four Special Works

Now that this year’s Vancouver International Film Festival is in full swing, we offer a list of what The NFB is presenting.

The NFB LogoThe NFB has four special works now playing at the 2023 Vancouver International Film Festival. 

First up is the feature-length documentary WaaPaKe: Tomorrow, directed by Vancouver-based filmmaker Dr. Jules Arita Koostachin. This work is important because of what was discovered years ago, bodies of children in unmarked graves by a normal school. The public outcry was huge, and to find answers, viewers will have to watch this.

From the Press Release: 

For generations, the suffering of residential school Survivors has radiated outward, affecting Indigenous families and communities. Children, parents, and grandparents have contended with the unspoken trauma, manifested in the lingering effects of colonialism: addiction, emotional abuse, and broken relationships.

In her efforts to help the children of Survivors, including herself and her family, Koostachin makes the hard decision to step in front of the camera and take part in the circle of truth. She is joined in this courageous act of solidarity by members of her immediate household, as well as an array of voices from Indigenous communities across Turtle Island. Moving beyond burying intergenerational trauma, WaaPaKe is an invitation to unravel the tangled threads of silence and unite in collective freedom and power.

Special to this year is an installation art piece of Meneath. It’ll be part of the VIFF Signals program and is based on Métis creator Terril Calder’s Meneath: The Mirrors of Ethics, a winner of the New Voices Award at New York’s Tribeca Festival. For our review of this work, please visit this link.

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