The year 2010 has been a “Perrific!” year for animation films.  I saw not only impressive major studio releases, but also amazing indie films at film festivals and Landmark theaters.

3.5 Starfish out of 5

Continued from previous Narnia movies, Lucy and her brother Edmund, embark on an adventure in “The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader,” the third film in the series opening on December 10, 2010. The journey takes them on beyond Narnia itself.  Lucy and Edmond seem like ordinary kids, but they are King and Queen in the imaginary land of Narnia.  Today, however, they are going to visit their cranky young cousin Eustace, who doesn’t believe fairly tales and imaginary things until he sees them come alive.

Tangled gets 4.5 out of 5 starfish.

Tangled is a spectacular film filled with rich and colorful characters, each with different personality.  The movie is full of action, comedy, and romance.  Even though the film uses one punch line after another, it is the kind of “appropriate humor” that is character and situation based, not potty humor.  It is also easy to understand for younger kids and appreciated by adults as well.

Paul Fierlinger's My Dog Tulip

Is love a bitch? Apparently so for British author J. R. Ackerley.  He was always looking for an elusive companion to come to his life, yet this companion never materialized … until Tulip, a mischievous female German Shepherd came to his life and became inseparable.  Together, they started many misadventures, including searching for the ideal vet and mate for Tulip, and other ordeals which turned out to be much harder than it seemed.

4 Starfish out of 5.

Which type of films do you like better, animation or live action?  If you are an adult, you’ll probably say live action, but “Animation: The Illusion of Life” aims to change that!  It has much of the same themes as live action films, except with more humor, clever storyline, imagination, and fantastic music to match.

At the 11th Annual San Diego Asian Film Festival which ended last night (Oct 28, 2010), I went to see “Animation: The Illusion of Life” for the second time, after seeing it the night before.  It is THAT good!  Sam Chen, a prominent animator and filmmaker from San Diego, has been the curator of the festival’s animation program since ten years ago.  Since he and I share the same family name, I thought we probably shared the same ancestor, hundreds of years ago ; ).  Sam hosted the screenings and answered questions from the audience.

4 Starfish out of 5.

Did you notice that in most stories, good defeats evil, and the good guy always gets the girl?  Armed with his brilliant evil mind and his fishy minion, Megamind, an alien from the Glaopunk quadrant, attempts a different fate. Megamind is about heroes and villains, love and redemption.  Only love can transform a villain into a hero.

Even though Humphrey and Kate are friends who play together, their status separates them.  So they can’t howl together at the midnight howl or have a litter of pups.

Kate’s duty is to marry Garth, the hunky Alpha-male-to-be of the Eastern pack to make peace between the warring packs.  But on the night of the moonlight howl, Kate and Humphrey are tranquilized by the park rangers (they live in Jasper National Park, Canada), and brought to Idaho to “repopulate” the area.

4 Starfish out of 5.

Many people battle for world dominance, but what about villains?  Gru is the anti-hero with a long, pointy nose and a grey and black scarf that he wears all seasons, in Universal’s first animation feature premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival. I rate this movie 4 starfish, it’s “Perrific.”  Packed with action and drama, it has comedy for both adults and children.  The music is energetic and creates tension.

4.5 Starfish our of 5

Toy Story 3 is the best of the series with few flaws.  It is about the connection between toys, their owners, and each other.  It is also about friendship, loyalty, betrayal, and moving on with one’s life.  One lesson learned is that the past can affect the future in a major way.  The film is rated G.  I urge everyone to see this “Perrific” movie!