Clayton

NYICFF Review: Whoever Steals This Book is a dizzying, delightful bookworm's odyssey I used to be such a reader. For years of my life, I was averaging a book a week, and I was constantly buying new books, devouring them, fill...

Whoever Steals This Book, which had its North American premiere at NYICFF yesterday, is a dizzying and delightful adventure that kind of plays like an anime version of The Pagemaster. It made me want to get back into reading.

greatlinesbeautifullines.blogspot.com/2026/02/whoe...

Review: Your vote counts in this big-screen Division Rap Battle A theme of my movie-watching in theaters this year has been anime movies based on series that have two seasons. It's been nice, because in t...

Even though my theater voted for the fucking GOVERNMENT over Fling Posse, I had a really fun time watching the interactive HYPNOSISMIC movie, which is now playing in limited theaters.

greatlinesbeautifullines.blogspot.com/2026/03/hypn...

Review: Electrifying animation marks an exciting Beginning of a New Era I've had only a perfunctory awareness of Umamusume , the multimedia franchise about horse-girls who are born to run. I think I first heard a...

I have been inducted into the world of Umamusume with the new movie, Beginning of a New Era. Some of the most exhilarating animation I've seen in a while. And great music!

greatlinesbeautifullines.blogspot.com/2026/02/umam...

Review: Electrifying animation marks an exciting Beginning of a New Era I've had only a perfunctory awareness of Umamusume , the multimedia franchise about horse-girls who are born to run. I think I first heard a...

I have been inducted into the world of Umamusume with the new movie, Beginning of a New Era. Some of the most exhilarating animation I've seen in a while. And great music!

greatlinesbeautifullines.blogspot.com/2026/02/umam...

#LastFourWatched

March Animation Preview: Hoppers, Marcel Pagnol, and the trauma of losing a child March usually comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb, but this year, it's coming in like a beaver and going out like a legendary film...

A lot of exciting animation coming in March, including one of my most anticipated movies of the year, Hoppers.

greatlinesbeautifullines.blogspot.com/2026/02/marc...

My ranking of this year's Oscar-nominated movies

Hoppers
Project Hail Mary
Undertone
Late Shift

I went to a show at Charlie Chaplin Studios (formerly Jim Henson), and this is still the sign for the men's restroom 🥰

QTP with a game you're currently playing

Dandelion's Odyssey
In This Corner of the World
Pelikan Blue
Olivia & the Clouds
The Missing
The Summit of the Gods
The Nose or Conspiracy of Mavericks
Sita Sings the Blues
It's Such a Beautiful Day
The Girl Without Hands
On Happiness Road
The Wolf House

Review: The Proud Princess spins a good-enough fairy tale There's a tweet format that goes around once in a while: "We need a Disney princess who ________." People finish the sentence with their fun...

The Proud Princess doesn't bring anything new to the realm of animated fairy tales, but it's an enjoyable time nonetheless. Now playing in some theaters, with a digital release next month.

greatlinesbeautifullines.blogspot.com/2026/02/thep...

Review: Mars is a wild, hilarious ride to the Red Planet I'm not familiar with The Whitest Kids U' Know, though I've heard of them, and heard good things. I know Zach Cregger from his recent horror...

Mars, the animated feature from The Whitest Kids U' Know, kicks off its theatrical tour tonight. It's an astonishingly funny movie that mines so much great comedy from its colorful cast of characters. I loved it!!

greatlinesbeautifullines.blogspot.com/2026/02/mars...

Review: Imagine has noble goals and a unique approach, but stumbles in its execution Imagine is not quite like anything I've ever seen, and it knows that that will be the case for just about anyone who watches it. The film op...

Imagine allowed more than 400 writers to collaborate on its script, which seeks to enshrine and disperse the wisdom of Indigenous elders. It's a unique approach to a movie that sadly, stumbles more than it soars. A singular watch.

greatlinesbeautifullines.blogspot.com/2026/02/imag...

Review: The Dangers in My Heart cuts to the chase with its solid compilation film Like I did earlier this year with Zombie Land Saga , I've spent the past few weeks catching up on The Dangers in My Heart to prepare for the...

The Dangers in My Heart: The Movie is a solid compilation film that hones in on the romance, which means it loses a bit of the fun. Still happy to spend more time with these characters (especially my beloved Yamada).

greatlinesbeautifullines.blogspot.com/2026/02/thed...

Review: GOAT leaves it all on the court, with style to burn Ever since Sony Pictures Animation released Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse , American animation has not been the same. A lot of the major...

GOAT is a super stylish crowd-pleaser, with cool sports action and a lot of laughs. Great animation, a killer soundtrack, a breezy runtime. Good stuff.

greatlinesbeautifullines.blogspot.com/2026/02/GOAT...

Berlin Review: Papaya is a colorful, musical vibe with a message One of my favorite animated movies from last year was Dandelion's Odyssey, a sci-fi adventure following a group of dandelion seeds in search...

Papaya, which plays in Berlin on Sunday, is a vibrant, colorful adventure about an adorable seed who dreams of flying. The music is outstanding, the animation is gorgeous, and the message is timely. I loved it!

greatlinesbeautifullines.blogspot.com/2026/01/papa...

Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus is so pretty

Review: A Disney trailblazer steps into the spotlight in Huz: Drawn to Life Disney documentaries, especially documentaries about Disney animation, are pretty common, and I'm always happy to see them. Sometimes they c...

Ron Husband, the first Black Disney animator, steps into the spotlight for the wonderful documentary Huz: Drawn to Life. In just under an hour, the film covers a lot of ground as it celebrates a living legend.

greatlinesbeautifullines.blogspot.com/2026/02/huzd...

Review: Buffalo Kids is a kid-friendly revisionist Western with a huge heart Tom and Mary, recently orphaned siblings from Ireland, arrive in the US accompanied by an air of celebration. The Statue of Liberty is being...

Buffalo Kids is one of the best movies Viva Kids has distributed. It's a big-hearted revisionist Western with really wonderful disability representation. Snappy, sweet, and fun.

greatlinesbeautifullines.blogspot.com/2026/02/buff...

Review: Time Hoppers: The Silk Road's heart is in the right place, even if nothing else is Time Hoppers: The Silk Road is being touted as the first Muslim animated movie to get a nationwide theatrical release in the US, which is a ...

Time Hoppers: The Silk Road has a noble goal – to give Muslim kids more representation on screen – but unfortunately it's a very rough ride.

greatlinesbeautifullines.blogspot.com/2026/02/time...

Animation First Review: The Songbirds' Secret beautifully excavates the past I've rarely seen a movie that I loved just looking at as much as The Songbirds' Secret , Antoine Lanciaux's gorgeous and gentle bit of famil...

The Songbirds' Secret, making its NY premiere at Animation First tomorrow, is a lovely excavation of the past. The paper animation is so beautiful. It's a true feast for the eyes and heart.

greatlinesbeautifullines.blogspot.com/2026/01/thes...

Animation First Review: Allah is Not Obliged is an empathetic look at the life of a child soldie We first meet Birahima, the young protagonist of the astonishing Allah is Not Obliged , directed by Zaven Najjar and adapted from the work o...

My favorite movie of the year so far, Allah is Not Obliged, had its North American premiere tonight. It's a stunning, empathetic, and surprisingly (?) watchable story about the plight of a child soldier searching for his aunt. It's stunning.

greatlinesbeautifullines.blogspot.com/2026/01/alla...

(I've never played a Rhythm Heaven game but I'm excited to try the new one when it comes out)

My attachment to each Nintendo franchise:

💙🖤🖤🖤🖤EarthBound
💙💙💙💙🖤Metroid
💙💙💙🖤🖤Star Fox
💙💙💙💙💙Mario
🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤Rhythm Heaven
💙💙💙💙🖤WarioWare
💙💙💙💙🖤Kirby
💙💙💙💙🖤Donkey Kong
💙💙💙🖤🖤Pokémon
💙🖤🖤🖤🖤F-ZERO
💙💙💙💙🖤Fire Emblem
💙💙💙💙💙Zelda
💙💙💙💙🖤Pikmin
💙💙💙💙🖤Animal Crossing
💙💙💙💙🖤Splatoon
💙🖤🖤🖤🖤Xenoblade

Review: Chickenhare and the Secret of the Groundhog is a lively adventure You may be asking yourself, "What is a chickenhare?" But, my friend, the answer is so simple. It's a chickenhare, a cross between a chicken ...

Chickenhare and the Secret of the Groundhog, which is continuing its theatrical rollout overseas, is a lively and fun adventure that made me want more. I like this crew.

greatlinesbeautifullines.blogspot.com/2026/02/chic...

IFFR Review: The Misconceived is a fascinating collision of unlikely worlds I started this year, as I am wont to do, by scouring the lineups of upcoming film festivals to see what new animated titles might be popping...

The Misconceived, which premiered yesterday at IFFR, is a fascinating collision of worlds with a lot on its mind. Indie sensibility brought to life via the Unreal Engine. Funny, strange, and smart.

greatlinesbeautifullines.blogspot.com/2026/01/them...

February Animation Preview: Time Hoppers, Horse Girls, and a Disney Legend in the Spotlight Love is always in the air in February, and so is a lot of animation this year. Check it: In Theaters On February 6, Viva Kids is bringing Bu...

February has a ton of animated releases coming: GOAT, some anime movies, the first movie made specifically for Muslim kids, a documentary about a Disney legend. Lots to look forward to!

greatlinesbeautifullines.blogspot.com/2026/01/febr...

I don't know