While it’s unusually candid about death, this Czech kids’ animation resorts to tedious quests and life lessons in lieu of a plotMovies aimed at very small children tend to be a bit squeamish about death. So this afterlife-for-kids animation gets points…
Ainbo: Spirit of the Amazon review – a magical tale with a sense of adventure
Despite its frantic antics, this family animation from Peru is told from the welcome perspective of indigenous charactersHere is a family animation from Peru that spins a magical tale in the Amazon with a cast of mythological creatures from rainforest …
Extinct review – doughnut-shaped critters are an evolutionary dead end
It’s hard to imagine who will enjoy this convoluted animated tale of furry creatures called ‘flummels’Even if you can get over the inherent weirdness of furry little doughnut-shaped creatures with holes in their middles, there’s a lot to puzzle over wi…
Moonbound review – a mish-mash of folkloric hijinks as kids take trip to the moon
This German-Austrian animation aimed at younger children borrows from vaguely familiar sourcesBased on a well-known German book for children from 1915, this derivative but adequate animated feature fuses together an assortment of vaguely familiar chara…
Mission: Galaxy review – kids’ eco space odyssey lacks energy
While its goals are noble, uninspiring animation fails to ignite this sci-fi questMission: Galaxy opens on Planet Kepler, once a vibrant and fecund home for its inhabitants. A solemn voiceover recalls the tragic day when Earthers trespassed on this bea…