4 Starfish out of 5.

“The Croods” is a film about creativity, and discovering curiosity. I enjoyed the opening sequence, where the entire family works together to get a hard-earned meal. It was interesting how they all cooperated to obtain an egg for their breakfast, and how little food they had at the time. The film is a great movie for kids, with a lot of wit and imagination. The movie is very humorous, especially in physical humor; such as when one of the Croods catches on fire and fights through dry grass. Another thing that was funny was that Grug was always hoping that his mother-in-law would die, probably because she was burdening the group. The visuals are stunning, such as the endless shades of green in the rainforest, and the color of the various creatures of the Crood’s universe.

Perry Chen with Karina Bessoudo, Toon Boom Animation's Vice President of Marketing at CTN (photo by Zhu Shen)

Toon Boom Animation Inc, a worldwide leader in digital content and animation creation software, sent a donation check to Perry S. Chen, a 13-year-old award-winning animator in 7th grade from San Diego, and his mother and producer Dr. Zhu Shen, becoming animation industry’s first corporate sponsor to Perry and Zhu’s new and most personal animation film “Changyou’s Journey,” about Dr. Changyou Chen, Perry’s father, a biotech CEO and cancer drug researcher, who lost his brave fight against metastatic skin cancer in 2012 at the age of 49.  Perry and Zhu received Toon Boom’s donation on the date of what would have been Changyou’s 50th birthday.

2013 Oscar-nominated Animation Shorts

2012 was an amazing year for animation short films. This year’s Oscar nominees share one thing in common: they are all silent films, each demonstrating the power of pure storytelling with only visuals and music! The nominees are: “Paperman”,  “Fresh Guacamole”, “Maggie Simpson in the Longest Daycare,” “Head over Heels,” and “Adam and Dog.”

Perry Chen at Rise of the Guardians Press Screening (photo by Zhu Shen)

“Rise of the Guardians” is a great film, full of rich, colorful, and well-developed characters. Santa, or “North”, as he is called in the film, compared his personality to that of a Russian Nesting Doll. He is a tough and fierce warrior on the outside, but inside, he has a heart of childlike wonder. Bunny is calm and proud, although annoyed by North boasting how Christmas is more important than Easter. Tooth, the tooth fairy, is an energetic and excitable character, constantly hovering in the air. Sandy, the mute Guardian of Dreams is calm, but can be very fierce and strong when he has to. Finally, we have Jack Frost, a smart, mischievous, fun-loving spirit who can control the weather and snow, but has yet to learn about his purpose and responsibilities in life.

4 Starfish out of 5.

Have you ever lost something or someone that you care deeply about? Victor Frankenstein, a quiet, thin, and clever young inventor has only one true friend – his beloved dog, Sparky. Together, Victor and Sparky have many adventures, such as making a movie together, building inventions in Victor’s secret lab in the attic, and playing fetch in the yard. Victor’s parents are a bit concerned for him, since he has no friends besides Sparky. But, Victor has no interest in befriending the children in his neighborhood. The kids there are Edgar, a nosy hunchback who can never keep a secret, Nassor, a dark, skeptical, and competitive bully, and a weird, unnamed girl who never blinks and rambles on about omens of the future found in her cat’s excrement, among others.

Have you ever looked at a total stranger and imagined what it would be like to spend a life with that person? That is the story first-time Disney director John Kahrs is trying to tell through his delightful short film, “Paperman,” which plays before the “Wreck-it Ralph” feature that opened on November 2, 2012.

I love “Wreck-it Ralph,” one of the greatest films this year, and the best Disney animation since "Tangled."  For some adults, this film may bring back some childhood nostalgia from playing arcade games, but not so much that it clouds out the storyline.  The filmmakers have transformed lots of familiar 8-bit video game characters into fascinating personalities in a whole new way.  Disney must have broken the bank, in gaining access to all these iconic legends of the 8-bit world, such as Sonic and Pacman.  Just thinking about it makes my head spin…

4 Starfish out of 5.

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to speak to the dead? Norman Babcock, a misunderstood child with spiky hair and the strange gift to speak to ghosts, is constantly teased, bullied, and shunned by the people of his town. One bully named Alvin in particular, constantly calls him a freak. Only Neil Downe, a kid teased about his obesity, can understand Norman. Norman’s father, Perry, thinks that there is something wrong with Norman when he tells him that the spirit of Norman’s grandma lives in their house. But Norman realizes that something seems eerie after his uncle, Mr. Prenderghast, suddenly dies. His uncle’s ghost reveals to him about a centuries-old witch’s curse that raises the dead to attack the townsfolk. Norman is the only person with the power to end the witch’s curse, but will he have the intellect and the courage to save the town?

I really enjoyed this film, and can relate to Norman because I have been bullied before, like most people, for being different. The film is very emotional and about proving one’s inner power. I am really impressed by how the animators created the film out of stop motion! I marveled at the intricate metal skeleton design of the assembly for the puppets used for the making of the film.

Perry Chen at Brave press screening (photo by Zhu Shen)

Brave is a ravishing film full of humor, action, and stunning imagery. This movie is the first Pixar film with a girl as the main character. The film is a feast for the eyes, especially the scenes of Merida in the woods with the cryptic blue wisps. One of the flaws I noticed is that King Fergus didn’t notice that his three little boys (Merida’s younger brothers) had been changed into something unexpected for more than a day. Also, I thought that almost all of the characters are remarkably shallow. Fergus is impulsive, using his strength to solve what his reason couldn’t. Merida only cares about getting her way, having freedom, and staying single for as long as possible. Only Queen Elinor has a more complex character, showing traits of diplomacy, assertion, and caring.

Four and a half stars.

The Pirates is a fantastic laugh-out-loud action-adventure film for the whole family to enjoy! I loved the humor, there is plenty of physical comedy for younger children, and funny pop cultural references that adults enjoy, including the four “Pirate of the Year” nominees waiting in the wings, anxious for the winner announcement, just like at the Oscars. I thought that the claymation was done skillfully, all characters have such lively expressions and personality.