Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame is perhaps the most ambitious animated film the studio ever attempted during its Renaissance era. Based on Victor Hugo’s dark and tragic novel, the film dares to tackle mature themes such as religious hypocrisy, persecution, lust, and genocide, all within the constraints of a Disney musical. Yeah, that was…
Tag: Animated
The Mighty Kong (1998) – Reviews
Once upon a time, someone had the wild idea: “What if King Kong… but for kids… and with songs?” Thus, 1998’s The Mighty Kong was born, a direct-to-video animated musical that dares to retell the classic 1933 monster story through toe-tapping tunes and awkward animation. And by “daring,” I mean it swings from the Empire…
Starchaser: The Legend of Orin (1985) – Review
Once upon a time in a galaxy not-so-far away (specifically, the 1980s), someone asked: “What if Star Wars, He-Man, and Heavy Metal had a baby… and that baby was raised in a video rental store?” The answer, dear reader, is Starchaser: The Legend of Orin, a movie so boldly bonkers, so gloriously awkward, and so utterly…
Rock & Rule (1983) – Review
I give you Rock & Rule, a post-apocalyptic rock opera where the fate of the universe depends on whether Debbie Harry can hit that high note before a demon explodes through a synth-powered portal to hell. No studio wanted this. No parents asked for it. But it exists, somehow, like a neon relic from a…
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) – Review
When Walt Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was released back in 1937 it wasn’t just another movie, it was a groundbreaking moment in cinematic history. Disney’s first-ever full-length animated feature film marked the beginning of an empire that would go on to shape the childhoods of generations.