Fantastic Planet – 1973

A remnant of a very odd time, this film is bizarre. The concept of the film focuses on hundred-foot tall blue aliens who keep tiny humans as pets. One of the pets begins to learn like the aliens and escapes to join a rebellion against the aliens. There are a number of striking things about […]

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Akira – 1988

Anime is a form of animation that originates from Japan. It isn’t my favorite animation style, but it is fairly realistic. Akira turns Tokyo into a nuclear wasteland, where motorcycle gangs battle each other nightly and the police shoot resistance members daily. The film also explores the concept of human evolution as scientist experiment on […]

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The Illusionist – 2010

Jacques Tati was a revolutionary in the world of comedy and there are numerous tributes to him in films and television. None is more significant than The Illusionist, a film written by Tati towards the end of his career. This film pays tribute to Tati in a number of ways, chiefly the relationship the title […]

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Spirited Away – 2001

No list of great animated films is complete without Hayao Miyazaki. A master of creating fantastical world and amazing creatures, the imagination of Miyazaki is perfectly illustrated by animation. And while any number of his films could make a list of greats, there is one stand out in his repertoire and that film is Spirited […]

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