Animation First Goes to 11! Plus the final word on Earwig and the Witch - Animation #11
Welcome to another episode of Renegade Animation, featuring our Captain and Guru, Mike and Cameron! Our animated dynamic duo are back with more animation news than is fit to print, including the closure of Blue Sky Studios by Disney, which was very unfortunate. We also have reviews of Earwig and the Witch and three of the major films from the Animation First film festival: Calamity - A Childhood of Martha Jane Cannary, Josep, and The King and the Mockingbird. It’s another packed episode of animated epicness, so let’s get started!
Cam and Mike start us off with a bunch of news stories, which I’ll leave to the podcast itself (so press that play button, everyone!), but I will link to this article about the closure of Blue Sky, which is a huge loss for animation fans. Our best wishes go out to those who lost their jobs because of this closure.
Other than that, I’m going to jump to the main reviews featured here. Let’s talk about Earwig, which we did chat about on the previous episode of Home Theater:
Earwig and The Witch (HBO Max)
Produced by the legendary Studio Ghibli and directed by Hayao Miyazaki’s son, Goro Miyazaki, Earwig is the first feature-length CGI-animated film from the animation studio, and has released to mixed reviews from critics and audiences. The film centers on Earwig, a young, headstrong girl who is adopted by a witch named Bella Yaga and a creature called a Mandrake, who really wants to be left alone by everyone. Eager to be a witch herself, Earwig annoys Yaga and the Mandrake and causes chaos in order to ingratiate herself to them. When she discovers a mysterious connection to her long-lost mother, Earwig doubles her efforts and mayhem ensues.
Okay, let’s read the Captain’s thoughts on this one:
Now let’s see what the Guru thought:
Josep (Animation First)
Synopsis from the Animation First festival website: “During the Spanish Civil War, Bartolí, an anti-Franco activist, fled across the Pyrénées in hopes of finding freedom in France. However, French police captured and held him in a series of refugee camps. Drawing on Bartolí’s evocative sketches, Aurel paints an impressionistic and sensitive portrait of the artist in stark contrast to life within the brutal camps, as well as the redeeming humanity of a sympathetic gendarme who helped him escape.”
Sounds haunting. Let’s see what the Cap’n says:
And here are the Guru’s notes:
The King and the Mockingbird (Animation First)
Synopsis: “This gem by the legendary French animator Paul Grimault took 30 years to make and then another 34 years to be released in the US. Featuring a script by Jacques Prévert—which is based on a tale by Hans Christian Andersen—it follows a shepherdess and chimney sweep on the run from a tyrannical king with some help from a talking bird. This wildly satirical and surreal masterpiece also tells of the corrupting nature of power. Grimault’s masterpiece is a cult classic and is credited with inspiring the celebrated Japanese animators Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata to found Studio Ghibli. It also finds resonance in later films such as Brad Bird’s The Iron Giant.”
Cool! Here are the Captain’s thoughts:
Calamity: A Childhood of Martha Jane Cannary (Animation First)
Synopsis: “Winner of the Crystal Award for best feature at the 2020 Annecy International Animation Film Festival, this lush period piece centers on the young 19th-century American heroine who would become the icon, Calamity Jane. As she travels across the US frontier on a wagon train, young Martha Jane Cannary astonishes her fellow travelers when she breaks gender norms to lead her family’s covered wagon and take care of the horses. While she never felt freer, the brazen act brings scorn and anger from her community. Accused of stealing, Martha Jane strikes out on her own and tries to vindicate herself under a newly minted name, Calamity Jane. Her adventures, on the open frontier where men and women pioneers strive to build better lives, shape Calamity Jane into one of the legendary figures of the Wild West. This feminist retelling shows how young Martha Jane Cannary fought against a sexist and male-dominated society to become an iconic frontierswoman.”
This film looks awesome! Let’s read the Captain’s thoughts:
And here is the Guru!
Alright, everyone, that’s all we have for this episode! Stay tooned for another episode in the near future, and for more Animation episodes, hit the links below and let us know how we’re doing in the comments below! Be safe, stay healthy, and see you later, Renegades!
-Neoplasmic
Previously on Renegade Animation, Captain Kaye, The Animation Guru, Haley, and Teresa dove head first into the Spring anime season and took in the good, the bad, and the bizarre. And now… Squid Game: The Anime.