All in Animated

Episode 127 - My Neighbor Totoro

This week, we watch the film that gave Studio Ghibli their iconic character, who happens to be a giant bunny/bear/owl spirit (with human teeth). While this animated tale might advertise itself as high fantasy, it really spends most of its time with two young girls (sisters) who have to move to the countryside to be closer to their sick mother’s hospital, and the kindness they show each other during their difficult time. Also, there is a enormous 12-legged Catbus. My Neighbor Totoro (1988), directed by Hayao Miyazaki.

Episode 161 - How To Train Your Dragon

This week, we watch the computer animated film who's moral center is that being close minded and unknowledgeable about something can lead to fear and violence, and how being open minded and attempting to learn is the best path to understanding and becoming a good person.  Or that its OK for unsupervised kids to feed dangerous creatures food, and only good things will happen if you close your eyes and stick your hand out near their mouths. How To Train Your Dragon (2010), directed by Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders.

Episode 169 - Mary and Max

This week, we watch the Australian stop-motion film that is a follow up to the Oscar winning animated short, Harvey Krumpet.  Mary is a young girl from Melbourne who is lonely and unloved.  Max is a middle-aged man from New York who is overweight and has Aspergers. The two write to each other and become friends, in what is one of the most unique movies on this list. Mary and Max (2009), directed by Adam Elliot.

Episode 183 - Zootopia

This week, we watch the animated comedy that tells the tale of a small town bunny moving to Zootopia, a city where all animals can live together without stepping on each other.   Also following in Disney tradition, this film introduces a great pop song that you will grow to hate as it plays over and over again in your head.  Zootopia, directed by Bryon Howard and Rich Moore.

Episode 216 - Monsters, Inc.

This week, we watch the Pixar movie that leads us on a journey through the world behind the closet doors of children.  We dive deep into the potential history of the monster culture, and whether Waternoose created the notion that children are dangerous to keep the scary monsters in power. Monsters, Inc. (2001), directed by Pete Doctor.