The Other Side of Animation 320: Mars Express Review

(If you like what you see, you can go to camseyeview.biz to see more of my work on video game reviews, editorials, lists, Kickstarters, developer interviews, and review/talk about animated films. If you appreciate what I do, consider contributing to my Patreon at patreon.com/camseyeview. It would help support my work, and keep the website up. Thanks for checking out my work, and I hope you enjoy this review!)

Sci-fi is a very expansive genre in storytelling that you can tell pretty much any kind of story for any kind of audience that you want. Why do you think we are still getting projects based in the Star Wars and Star Trek universe outside of the obvious fact that they tend to make their rights holders a lot of money?  You can be action-packed, you can be filled to the brim with horror, you can be a deep methodical exploration of humanity and life, you can be rip-roaring comedies filling the silent expanses of space with laughter, and you get the idea. When you think of animation and sci-fi, you probably think of some groundbreaking films like Ghost in the Shell and Akira. Not that there are no animated sci-fi films anymore, because that sure as heck isn’t true, but there was a feeling and a vibe I have been missing from this genre in animation, and thankfully, we found a new bonafide animated sci-fi classic and a real deal hidden gem of 2024, Mars Express. 

Directed by Jérémie Périn, written by Jérémie Périn and Laurent Sarfati, and produced by Everybody on Deck. We follow a detective named Aline Ruby, dubbed by Morla Gorrondona. Along with her android partner Carlos Rivera, dubbed by Josh Keaton, they capture a hacker named Roberta Williams, dubbed by Sarah Hollis, only to find out that for some reason her criminal alibi has been wiped clean. After the frustrating factor of losing a case, Aline and Carlos are sent on another investigation to find another hacker who may have found a way to jailbreak robots. Can the two find out what is exactly going on? 

You may look at the trailer and think this might be a French Ghost in the Shell, and if you love films like Ex Machina and Blade Runner, then you will probably love this movie’s tone, and style. Honestly, I very much prefer the story and experience of this film over the three films listed here. Like, I don’t hate them, because I very much love them, but hear me out. A recent trend I have seen a lot of sci-fi stories being told in films and shows is how many recent releases have been very quiet, methodical, and cold to viewers. It’s not like there aren’t reasons for doing so, but how many more times do we need to see more folks just standing idly by looking cold and distant into some moral quandary brought upon them due to the relationship between humans, life, and technology? It’s funny because much of this film is about humanity, identity, sexuality, relationships between humans and technology, commentary against capitalism, and how big mega corporations only think of the bottom line instead of the lives of the folks who work under them.

It plays out more like a sci-fi action thriller than a sci-fi drama like Ad Astra. It has all of the normal traditional sci-fi story beats outside of aliens, but instead of being dower and distant, it’s got more energy and personality in its DNA. Aline Ruby has way more in common with detectives and cops in films like Speed and Die Hard than anything close to someone like Harrison Ford or Ryan Gosling in Blade Runner. She is flawed, and revels in it while also being funny, snarky, bitter, and caring. Carlos isn’t just a cold robot as while his whole identity is being an android, he has anger issues, but still has feelings and cares about his ex-wife and his daughter. It does have its moments where it takes time to look at thematic commentary, but the fact it moves at a faster pace than most keeps it exciting with what they will find out next and have those moments where they show you the eerie unknown of both space and the unknown of things to come with what’s going on with robots becoming more aware and sentient. It’s a sci-fi film that has more fun with itself than most and the action set pieces are all exciting. While the big third-act fight with a bio-organic tank-like thing is similar to the third-act fight in Ghost in the Shell, it feels more action-based with how it not only has our two leads trying to avoid getting killed by it, but also the guards that protect the person who may or may not be in charge of what’s going on. While it plays out like a two-hour thriller, it’s only 85 minutes. It’s amazing how much pacing and compelling characters can make any runtime work. 

This film’s animation is a mix of 2D and CGI, and if you love the visual look of films like The Summit of the Gods, then you will be down for the designs here. They all have proper weight as you feel the characters run, fight, and even down to the more minute expressions resulting in this film’s animation looking amazing. The fact our lead has more expression than most sci-fi protagonists is a refreshing change of pace. I know some naive animation fans want characters with more detail, but that doesn’t mean a better project. What works out more than anything outside of the writing of course are appealing designs. I’ve seen the film in its original language and its English dub, and both are wonderful. Whether it’s Lea Drucker or Morla Gorrondona as the lead, you really can’t go wrong with either one. The marvelous techno soundtrack by composers Avril and Phillipe Monthaye has some incredible beats that go along the mystery and action angles of the film. 

Mars Express is a new classic journey into sci-fi. It might venture through some familiar beats, but it’s a refreshing and exciting execution of said story beats. Everyone is fine with familiar elements as long as the story, characters, and action are well executed. It’s an out-of-this-world experience that deserves all the support and viewers it can get. Luckily, the Blu-ray will be coming out soon so if you didn’t see this wonderful film in theaters, you will be able to see it soon on digital and own it physically. If you love Ghost in the Shell, Ex Machina, or Blade Runner, but want a little more kick to your film, you will very much fall head over heels for this movie. 

Rating: Essential

My Favorite Films of 2023

(If you like what you see, you can go to camseyeview.biz to see more of my work on video game reviews, editorials, lists, Kickstarters, developer interviews, and review/talk about animated films. If you appreciate what I do, consider contributing to my Patreon at patreon.com/camseyeview. It would help support my work, and keep the website up. Thanks for checking out my work, and I hope you enjoy this list!)

2023 will surely go down in infamy, depending on how you look at the animation scene. On the one hand, we got one of the highest-grossing foreign animated films with The Boy and the Heron. On the other hand, we also got Disney with one of their worst-performing years in history and their big 100-year celebration film Wish underperforming at the box office. It was a changing of the guards, a real case of the tides changing, and that needed to happen. Not one studio can or should be on top all the time, and with filmgoing becoming more expensive, large film releases feel less special than ever before. How nostalgia and IP are no longer safe bets, we are seeing a sudden rough shift and it’s going to get bumpy. With all that said, there are still going to be great movies made and released during this time. 2023 had a lot of fantastic animated movies, and I wish I could put them all in my top 10, but these were my favorites of last year. Honorary mentions go to The First Slam Dunk, The Inventor, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, and Elemental. 

 10. Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget 

The fact of the matter is while this will never be the first film, it doesn’t mean Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget is a bad film. It’s honestly one of the rare sequels to come out that matches the first film in tone, humor, heart, and enjoyment. The voice cast controversies aside, Aardman continues to revel in their strengths to be consistently appealing on a universal scale with their films, and this one is no different. It’s got great action set pieces, vibrant visuals, a likable cast both old and new, and is the funniest film I have seen in 2023. That’s saying something, since this was a rather crackerjack year for comedies and films with fantastically witty dialogue. It’s on Netflix, and while I don’t envy them partnering up with the service, since this is how more people see their films due to the cruel fact that no one was going to the theater to see them, I still wish folks were able to see this film in theaters like I was. Still, if you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend it. 

 9. Ernest & Celestine: A Trip to Giberritia 

While it would be tough to top the acclaim and impact left by the first film, A Trip to Gibberitia continues the fascinating journey of Ernest & Celestine by tackling the complicated theme of familial drama and finding the freedom to express yourself in a world that wants to limit those artistic voices. It’s a franchise that makes you feel good, and if you loved the previous film, then you will love this one. There is a reason why this film won the grand prize at the NYICFF 2023, because it’s just an incredible journey through the world of animation. 

 8. Blue Giant 

It feels so rare that we get films like Blue Giant in animation. It is a bittersweet, enthralling musical drama about three friends who try to make it through the world of jazz. It feels special in a way that most films never truly earn that distinction. I like some films more than this one this year, but Blue GIant holds a special place in my heart in similar ways that Children of the Sea does, where it brings you into its world to let you swim along the spiritual stream that only jazz can give you. Its story isn’t anything groundbreaking and new, but if you love films like The Commitments, then you should get the Blu-ray of this film when it’s released. It’s a truly lovely experience. 

 7. Suzume 

A stellar new film from Makoto Shinkai. A somber yet gorgeous experience of dealing with grief, broken relationships, remembering the people/memories of the past, and the connections and found family we make in our life. Honestly, Suzume is my new favorite Makoto Shinkai film experience. Seeing it on the big screen helped, but even on the smaller screen, this film feels the most focused on relationship dynamics between characters as they journey through the challenging world of relationships and find connections with those close to them. It helps that he has indeed moved away from what he has done in the past, and in interviews said he is done with making certain types of films that people love from him to branch out and craft new and exciting tales. It’s what’s fun when you journey through a director’s filmography to see how they change and grow as time goes on, from their art style to what kind of stories they like to tell. It’s why animation is such a fun medium of storytelling. You can do anything with animation, and the only limits you have are the ones you put on yourself.

6. Deep Sea 

If you need an example of how incredible China’s animation scene has gotten, Deep Sea is right here. An animated feature that almost becomes too much in the visual overload department, it shows off a wholly unique visual style with some of the best CGI animation of all time. The dynamic sequences that truly illustrate where we can go with CGI animation show how animation is still growing and evolving with time and talent. It also helps that this film is also an emotional powerhouse in the story department, combining dream logic with a story about overcoming tough times and keeping moving forward. I have been so amazed at how the Chinese animation scene has blossomed into crafting some of the best films of recent years.

5. Nimona 

While it has some predictable story beats that you can see coming a mile away, Nimona is a truly delightful experience that could have been lost to time, due to corporate greed and a lack of love for the medium of animation. Nimona is a beautiful bombastic punk rock fantasy journey through discrimination, broken relationships, and mending said dynamics with compassion and taking down the system. It’s truly a miracle this film was able to be revived and made, to be put out into the world, and as such, I hope everyone watches it. If you love animation with flair, and love a good comeback story in the world of animation production, then you need to check out this film. It makes me happy that a chunk of the people who worked on the original project were able to finish the project and see it blossom into a truly rockin’ journey.

 4. Robot Dreams 

Robot Dreams is a beautifully woven tale of friendships past, present, and future, where we gain and lose those bonds that we make along our journey through life. You might have lost friends or loved ones from past relationships, but that doesn’t mean you won’t move on to make new ones. With a dialogue-less script, almost cruelly placed bits of dark comedy, and a lot of pure unbridled beauty in the visual storytelling, Robot Dreams is one of those film festival flicks that is worth the hype from start to finish. I wish Neon was able to put the film out sooner than later in May of this year, but if you can find a way to watch it, please do. It’s such a splendid and perfect movie that shows you the power of not only filmmaking, but animation. 

3. Titina 

Titina is a brilliant globe-trotting wonder of animation. It’s a human journey of what can happen when one’s pride gets in the way of an experience that was meant to be a positive one for the world in which they live. Of course, we see all of this through the eyes of one of the cutest animals in history, Titina, and how what can get us through turbulent times is love, compassion, and connection.

2. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse 

There has been a talk about superhero fatigue that has also bled into the world of movies in other avenues, like other big tentpole franchises and even other major movies and some smaller releases. It’s not really fatigue towards superhero movies. It’s fatigue towards films that were either not given enough time to craft their stories or they came up with stories that weren’t great at investing you in the characters that are on screen. People like seeing flashy things and big names, but if the writing isn’t there, if the people in the audience aren’t getting something new or something that feels refreshing and original, then people won’t show up. Spider-Man: Across the Universe is a checklist of how to make not only a good sequel, a better sequel, but an amazing film. Miles and Gwen are put through the wringer as their worldviews are challenged, and these challenges are thrown at them through some of 2023’s best animation and visual storytelling. You have animation that is an awe-inspiring rollercoaster of sights and flair unlike anything else out there, characters that are complex to the core of the human experience of isolation and stress of living up to the way people see you, writing that is whip- smart and continually engaging, action set pieces that should give the animators, artists, and visual effects people all the raises in the world, and it’s only part one! Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is a monumental web-slinging time at the films as 2023’s most exciting cinematic experience.

1. The Boy and the Heron 

Whether this is the last film we will see of the acclaimed filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki or not, The Boy and the Heron is a wonderful and heartfelt journey through animation. It is a tale of a boy overcoming loss, dealing with grief, and learning to move on with the world. There is a reason why it has been showing up in almost every single Best Films of 2023 list and won a massive amount of awards, including the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. It should have been nominated for Best Picture and Best Score, but I digress. If you have yet to see this film, as of right now, it’s going through a theatrical re-release, and if you feel a little confused by it, go watch it again. It is one of those films that gets better the more times you watch it, and it’s already amazing when you see it once.

The Other Side of Animation 318: The Concierge Review

(If you like what you see, you can go to camseyeview.biz to see more of my work on video game reviews, editorials, lists, Kickstarters, developer interviews, and review/talk about animated films. If you appreciate what I do, consider contributing to my Patreon at patreon.com/camseyeview. It would help support my work, and keep the website up. Thanks for checking out my work, and I hope you enjoy this review!)

We are at a pinnacle point in how much Japanese animation has broken into the theatrical release scene here in the States. More animated films from Japan are now getting released in theaters and it’s nice to see, because back in the day, you could only dream that an animated film could make it onto the big screen and not be sent directly to DVD. Unless you were Pokemon, Studio Ghibli, or the random festival darling, you never got to see Japan’s animated experiences on the big screen in the States. Obviously, due to the increased popularity of anime and the “demand” for more of it to the point that it’s killing its industry, you get to see a varied batch of animated films on the biggest screen possible. Of course, most are only showing up for the action franchises that have the biggest audience, and that’s a shame, because you could very much show that same support for your favorite films from anime franchises to either new original projects or lesser-known series getting the theatrical treatment. I’m extremely happy for everyone who showed up for The Boy and the Heron because it shows there is an audience that craves those cinematic animated experiences from Japan. Still, it is disheartening to know those folks will not show up for other original anime films or non-franchise stuff, because when you explore outside of that realm and be a little more adventurous, you can find stuff that you may not have known about or wanted. For example, something like The Concierge. 

This film is directed by Yoshimi Itazu, written by Satomi Oshima, and based on the two-volume manga by Tsuchika Nishimura. We follow a concierge-in-training named Akino, voiced by Natsumi Kawaida. She is determined to work at the amazing Hokkyoku Department Store and help out the customers there. The thing is, the customers are all endangered animals, and they all have different needs and desires. Can Akino rise to the occasion and help out everyone who needs some assistance? 

The real bitter part of this film is how it’s structured. Technically, there is nothing wrong with it being set up with the story being a bunch of smaller stories that reach the 70-minute mark. It means that you will either love or dislike this more slice-of-life approach. It makes sense that it’s set up like that due to the writer previously working on Fortune Favors Lady Nikkuko, which was also a film mostly held together by vignettes and amazing animation.With that format, it leaves a lot of characters to feel one-note and forgettable. There are some likable characters, and the touching moments work with how we cherish memories and the ones that are close to us. Something is appealing about a film that is all about being the best that you can be and bringing joy to someone you helped make their day. However, the more impactful moments would have worked more if there was, simply put, more time to let the story breathe, letting our main character bond and interact more with other characters or letting the side characters breathe. This film probably should have ironed out some of the story beat problems by being 90 minutes. Sure, the source material is only two volumes, but the film didn’t need to speed through everything and then halt the story to have a third-act conflict show up abruptly, or have some story moments resolve themselves fairly quickly with some last-minute saves. Again, this world where endangered or extinct animals shop at this giant luxury store is a fun concept where you can also talk about environmentalism and how humans have wiped entire species off the face of the earth. There is just not enough time to engross yourself or learn more about the characters. 

The fact I want more out of this not only because it would help flesh out everything, but because I love the world they craft, it is a good thing. What we get is a film that has a lot of great ideas, but no time to explore them to the extent that they probably could. The cast is made of characters who have one character trait and not much else. Some characters pop in to be introduced, only to show up one other time. Still, our lead Akino is bubbly and always ready to do what she can, even under pressure to perform well from the mysterious individual grading how she is doing. The “villain” doesn’t have much to him outside of being the employer, and is more of a road bump that is easily solved by the customers that our lead has helped out throughout the entire runtime. Some of the best moments are when Akino is helping out certain animal customers, like a mammoth who is a famous sculpture artist, a father and daughter ferret duo who want to get each other a present after not seeing each other for a while, and a Japanese Wolf who is trying to marry/court another Japanese Wolf. When it delves into the store’s future and what kind of impression/legacy the owner wants everyone to associate it with, it was, to me, the weaker half of the film. I don’t recall why so many films in the theatrical animation scene recently feel like they have to rush to get to their next story beat. Let filmgoers chill and enjoy the worlds in which you are inviting them. Who knows, maybe they didn’t have the budget to make it longer, and or something happened during the production pipeline where they chose the vignettes as the focus rather than having a more cohesive and deeper plot. Or maybe it was just tough to make a film based on this property. 

The animation is wonderful. The team at Production I.G. tends to put out some amazing work and it’s no different here. The characters feel so lively, the colors are vibrant and make the whole world pop, and due to the more simplistic designs and line work, the characters get to be more expressive than others with more restrictive designs. They squash, stretch, and have so many surprising expressions when they are reacting in a big way. The designs are also just wonderful and identifiable of what each animal is, and what type of person each character is in terms of who they were with a personality. It shows that you don’t need to go full-on MAPPA with the animation to make a good-looking animation. More detail doesn’t always mean the end product is going to be better. It just means more work. The store itself is also just grand in the scale of it. Even before we see how truly big it is, you can just see how large this place is. Not just having multiple specialty stores, but also a full-blown restaurant that serves vegan dishes. That part was honestly a nice little world-building detail, since when you are introduced to the dining experience, it makes you think about how this world would work with humans helping out animals at this department store. I also love all the little details, like how the guy watching over our lead will pop up from out of nowhere or from small compartments to make sure she knows something important about being helpful. With the energetic animation, quirky characters, and heartfelt themes, the overall presentation is just a lot of fun to watch. 

It might be uneven, a bit too short in the runtime department, and it needed something to keep it all together more, but The Concierge is a delightful film that wears its charm on its sleeves. I don’t think folks will prefer this over some other major Japanese films coming out this year like The Imaginary from Studio Ponoc and Yoshiyuki Momose, but anytime a new non-anime franchise film comes out and is this delightful in its execution and appeal, then that is just as important to show that anime is not just one type of Japanese media. It can be a multitude of visual looks, stories, characters, and experiences. Not entirely sure when Crunchyroll, who bought the rights to this film, will release it in the States in theaters, but if you can watch it in theaters, please do so. Even though I very much loved seeing Sirocco and the Kingdom of the Winds last year at Animation is Film, I wanted to see this film also. It might not be perfect, but there is a lot to love about it that still makes it worth watching. 

Rating: Go See It!

The Other Side of Animation 314: NYICFF Batch of Quick Reviews

(If you like what you see, you can go to camseyeview.biz to see more of my work on video game reviews, editorials, lists, Kickstarters, developer interviews, and review/talk about animated films. If you appreciate what I do, consider contributing to my Patreon at patreon.com/camseyeview. It would help support my work, and keep the website up. Thanks for checking out my work, and I hope you enjoy this review!)

I had to tackle a lot of films during the New York International Children’s Film Festival. Unfortunately, I couldn’t give every film that I saw a big review, but I still wanted to show some support and love to the festival films that may be aimed at younger audiences. I know we fight and talk about how animation is not just for kids, but not every kid is going to start their animation journey with something like Son of the White Mare. It’s okay for kids to start with something not super intense and striking, and we need those types of films to have a good starting point for the more ambitious and thrilling experiences out there. Let’s get started! 

Rosa and the Stone Troll 

Review: This animated film from Denmark is directed by Karla Nor Holmback and written by Toke Westmark Steensen. It’s about a flower fairy who befriends a butterfly-like fairy named Silk, and must venture forth to overcome her loneliness and save the day from a villainous stone troll. While I am not fully fond of the rigging style used for the character movements, the visuals have a lot of charm to them with the children’s storybook designs of the characters and world. The painted backgrounds are lovely, and there are some cool-looking moments. It very much uses fairytale logic in its storytelling, and it’s aimed at a super young audience. Again, that’s not a bad thing, since young kids need their entertainment, but just don’t expect anything complex with this one. Its morals are solid enough about overcoming your fears with the help of your friends. At least for a film aimed at little kids, it’s not too loud and in your face with its characters, due to how it lets the film be quiet and uses the lovely background music to convey a mood, even if it’s just for a few seconds. I could have done without the fart jokes though. It might not reinvent the wheel, but any animated film with charm and whimsy is worth checking out at least once depending on when this gets released stateside. 

Puffin Rock and the New Friends 

Review: A brand new movie based on the popular Cartoon Saloon-produced TV show where Oona and her friends, old and new, must protect a new puffin egg from the environment and an upcoming storm. The charm of the original series is alive and well in this new installment, as it introduces us to new characters, places an emphasis on environmentalism, and illustrates the feeling of being homesick. It feels paced like a couple of episodes smashed together with many plots going on all at once, but the wonderful low-key charm of the show and Cartoon Saloon’s visual aesthetics make for another cozy installment of the popular kids’ franchise. It doesn’t hurt either that it has a wonderful watercolor look to the animation that makes this small-scale story feel much grander in tone and execution. When the storm blows in on the island, it looks like a Japanese ink painting, a truly special detail that I adore. Most think that you can’t do much with visuals and storytelling for media aimed at little kids, but give the project to the right studio and hand them a good timeline and budget. You can get something like this where it might fumble in the story and pacing, but still offers a lot of what makes Cartoon Saloon such a wonderful studio. It’s a cute movie with enough going on under the hood to make for a charming experience for a kid’s first animated feature. Oh, and Shout! Factory is going to be releasing it so that’s fun! 

Dounia – The Great White North 

Review: The follow-up to the previous film by directors Marya Zarif and Andre Kadi We now have Dounia living in a small town in Canada, where she learns about new cultures and hopes for her father to be safe and to see him again. While it feels like three plots from a nonexistent TV series put together, and it’s shorter than the previous film clocking in at under an hour, it’s a solid follow-up. It’s a cozy experience as the story commendably talks about how we might have different cultures, but we can come together to be friends with one another. Kudos to the film for having three different languages as well and not feeling like it needed to talk down to its audience about the situation that is going on in the world. It might not rock your world, but there is something admirable about a film that introduces a lot of concepts like the ones seen in this film to a young audience. We need more films aimed at young audiences to do that. Kids can handle a certain amount of topical subject matter without having to not talk about it or dumb it down to a nauseating degree. Dounia continues to be this adorable film series that I hope keeps getting better as they make more of them. 

There is always going to be discourse around what we can and can’t show to kids and how children’s media should be talking up and not down to their audience. It’s a tricky balance since some kids will want to see The Super Mario Movie and love it over something that could be considered more intense like Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. It’s always going to be a kid-by-kid basis with what they can or can’t handle. If they can handle more than they are usually given, then let them watch some of the heavier stuff, but there needs to be films and shows made for everyone and every type of kid. Some may want zany action. Some may want something more laid-back and chill. Some may even want an animated film that talks about headier topics that they want to know at a young age. Some films and shows can balance out the experience, and all that the films and shows need to do is, when they are crafting the experience, to not talk down to the audience. It just shows that even with these three films aimed at younger audiences, there is still something fun and respectable about them, due to what they bring to the table. If you can find a way for your kids to see these films and want to start them on their love for animation journey, then give these a try.