Zootopia

Zootopia (Jared Bush, Bryon Howard, and Rich Moore, 2016)

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Rating: Q=7, P=5 / Can't Get Enough

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Animation, Prejudice, Social Justice, Complex Relationships, Mystery

How refreshing! Zootopia definitely exceeded my expectations. I was especially pleased that the film wasn't full of stupid jokes and irritating voices (like so many mainstream animated films, these days). Not only is the film lively, colorful, and entertaining but it is also incredibly thought-provoking and relevant to this scary time we are living in. I love how very heavy subjects like prejudice, xenophobia, bullying, and ignorance are all discussed in a way that is easy to understand and relate to. Children should see this film and talk about it. Wonderful story.

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Ocean Waves

Ocean Waves (Tomomi Mochizuki, 1993)

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Rating: Q=6, P=5 / Average OJ

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Animation, Coming of Age, Complex Relationships

I enjoyed this short animated story of coming of age, first loves, and high school. It's a perfectly packaged nostalgic film that reminded me of my teenage years and grappling with strong emotions. The characters are familiar--we all knew someone like Rikako. Ocean Waves is a drama, but it is lighthearted and ends optimistically. It's also fun to see the Studio Ghibli animation style in its earlier days, especially since this one is far more realistic than fantasy.

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Sahara

Sahara (Pierre Core, 2017)

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Rating: Q=5, P=4 / Average OJ

Scale 1=3, Scale 2=2, Scale 3=2, Scale 4=2

Animation, Adventure, Coming of Age, Belonging

This is a cute animated story about following your dreams, exploring, and taking risks despite what your society tells you. I liked that the setting was the desert and oasis with green and dusky snakes. A great tale for youngsters to learn about determination, willpower, and belonging.

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Miss Hokusai

Miss Hokusai (Keiichi Hara, 2015)

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Rating: Q=7, P=7 / Obsession

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Animation, Art, Japan, 1800s, Complex Relationships

A beautiful film about the great Hokusai and his equally talented daughter. The film shows Japan in the early 1800s: traditional clothing and hairstyles, bridges, merchants and peddlers, etc. There are fantastic sequences of how an artist's mind interprets situations, events, and observations. Japanese folktales are also woven into the story. This is a great little art history lesson as well as a fun escape back in time to a very different world.

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