Produced by Brigham Taylor (Jungle Book, Tomorrowland), Disney’s Christopher Robin reintroduces fans to such beloved characters as Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore and many more. Taking place in the mid-1940s, Christopher Robin is now a family man living in London. When he receives a surprise visit from his beloved childhood bear, Winnie the Pooh, the… [Read More]
Incredibles 2 – Family Bonds
Incredibles 2 continues the story of the Parr family from The Incredibles. While it is ostensibly a superhero story, at its heart this is a film about family and especially about parenting as children go through all the changes of growing up.
Oscar Watch – Best Animated Short
These films vary greatly in terms of artistic style as well as in the kind of stories they tell and the messages the share. Many people may think of Animated Shorts as an unimportant category within the Oscars, but I’m really impressed with this year’s nominees. Give just a slight difference in how one weighs each film, any one of them could be a worthy winner.
Ethel & Ernest – Extraordinary Ordinariness
“There was nothing extraordinary about my Mum and Dad. Nothing dramatic. . .. But they were my parents and I wanted to remember them by doing a picture book.” British author and illustrator Raymond Briggs told his parent’s very ordinary story in a graphic novel, Ethel & Ernest, which has now been made into an… [Read More]
Leap! – Why Do You Dance (or Whatever)?
Leap! is a story of dreams and heart, of overcoming failure, of finding the answers to the questions that matter most. It’s not unlike any number of films, yet sometimes hearing a familiar story in a new setting can bring us joy.
2017 Oscar Nominated Short Animated Films
Short films tell us stories quickly, and often with greater effect than if we sat through a two hour movie. Those who make shorts may still be students, or accomplished filmmakers.
Storks: Sticking to the Plan
Although Storks suffers from believability in places, it’s laugh-out-loud funny and can be an effective way to discuss family and finding one’s place in the world with kids.
Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet – Spiritual, Not Religious
Back when I was in high school and college, Kahlil Gibran’s book The Prophet was very popular. It is a collection of prose poems about various aspects of life. It has a strong humanist view of life, but also a very spiritual understanding.
Moomins on the Riviera: Simple Lives
Do you know the Moomins? They are the characters in a series of Swedish/Finnish children books and comics dating back to the 1930s that have found their way to scores of languages around the world. Now they come to the big screen in Moomins on the Riviera, a hand-animated film that is very much child-oriented…. [Read More]
Sanjay’s Super Team: Pixar gets religion
With no dialogue and only a few minutes long, Sanjay’s Super Team teaches us lessons of faith and passing on traditions to new generations.
