This website and writer has long celebrated the “Pixar Punch,” the animation studio’s uncanny ability to absolutely destroy our hearts with raw and simple emotionality in perfectly calculated amounts and moments within their feature films. In quicker chunks of time, Pixar’s animated shorts are no slouch at hitting the same body blows. Their settings have always been warm and sunny family films, long begging the question of what would more adult fare look like in the same creative boxing gloves. “Borrowed Time” is a striking glimpse into such a possibility

MOVIE REVIEW: Moana

She may wear a dress and have an animal sidekick, but don’t you dare call Moana a “princess.” The enterprising titular “chieftain’s daughter” is a breezy breath of warm Pacific air surging through a Mouse House built on castles, corsets, and crowns. Promoting powerhouse diversity and pushing away the trappings of romance, “Moana” is a progressive step from Walt Disney Animation Studios carrying wonderful messages for young girls in a Millennial day-and-age that is too often obsessed with body image and glamour.

MEDIA APPEARANCE: Guest on the "Kicking the Seat" podcast talking "Moana"

After attending a last-minute press screening of "Moana" for a plus-one Date Night with my wife and "Pillow Rankings" cohort Thanh Shanahan, I was cordially invited by "Kicking the Seat" film critic and friend-of-the-page Ian Simmons to once again be a guest on his stellar podcast. This 173rd episode was my first solo flight with Ian and we shared a highly enjoyable back-and-forth at the Golden Nugget Pancake House about strong female characters, Candyland conundrums, the appetizing animated short "Inner Workings," the ever-present Dwayne Johnson bump, mythology comparisons, Katherine Helmond tributes, and much more.

DOCUMENTARY REVIEW: Life, Animated

This website has been moralizing for six years now its central message that "every movie has a lesson." As an educator, it is something that I firmly believe and stand by with every possible film, good or bad. I don't think, in all of my years of movie-going, I have ever seen a more real, living and breathing example of the power and magic of my website's theme than in the compelling and emotional new documentary "Life, Animated." A story like this is why I write. If that message speaks to you, go find "Life, Animated" immediately.

MOVIE REVIEW: The Jungle Book

By employing all of the bells and whistles of today's digital effects and key frame animation, director Jon Favreau's live-action reimagining of Walt Disney's adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's "The Jungle Book" sets its own stage very quickly to put adventure and peril first and foremost. The groovy and memorable song-and-dance numbers from the original's 1967 soundtrack are forever revered as the leading component of the traditional animated classic's charm. Those episodes of music have been trimmed from six songs to about two-and-a-half. Ferocity steps ahead of frolic and you might ask yourself how you feel about that when you watch "The Jungle Book."

MOVIE REVIEW: Big Hero 6

For the creative merging of Marvel and Disney to work right, they needed the right story and set of characters from the Marvel catalog. To get the best animated hit, Disney needed something new and fresh, yet clever and approachable for a kid-aged audience. They needed something that can be just theirs and not something shared with the adults. Disney and Marvel have done just that and struck gold with “Big Hero 6.”

EVERY MOVIE HAS A LESSON

by Don Shanahan

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