This is the last time I’m ever going to talk about my 101 Damnations challenge. I ranked and rated the entire list (right here) and did my best this past week to get out of the darkest place I’ve ever mentally visited. I’ve packed up all the visuals of blood, rape, desecration, and general disgust and stored them deep in the back of my brain. To replace them I’ve went to the one place that feels natural for me – animation.

THE BOXTROLLS

First thing I did was make time for a trip to the theater to see THE BOXTROLLS. I loved it. Laika, as a studio, is still batting 1000. While BOXTROLLS isn’t quite as perfect as CORALINE, it is a minor step up from PARANORMAN in my opinion. All three films are great, and while they’re not quite Pixar yet, I’m already awaiting their next film (either WILDWOOD or GOBLINS). BOXTROLLS is one of those animated films that, at first glance, seems too complicated for kids and a tad too childish for adults. Not the case. Every member of my family, ages 4 to 40, loved this film from start to finish and we talked about it for the next few days. There’s nothing as iconic here as Buzz & Woody or as cute as the Minions so what we’re left with is a perfectly spread out collection of fun characters playing out an exciting adventure. Highly recommended.

SPACE JAM

My home life has consisted of nothing but SPACE JAM for the last week or so. SPACE JAM is horrible. Let me re-phrase that – the humans in SPACE JAM are horrible. Let me narrow that down – Michael Jordan is so bad in this movie I truly believe it affects his legacy as a basketball player. I wish I would have shown my kids more about his dominance on the court before showing them this film. Now he’ll forever be the SPACE JAM guy instead of the greatest basketball player that has ever lived. It’s not just him either. Watching that scene at the end when all the NBA players get their “powers” back is some of the most painful acting to ever exist. Wow, Shawn Bradley can dunk again? He’s seven-and-a-half feet tall. Literally.

BIG HERO 6, THE MINIONS

These are the two trailers on repeat in the house right now, and that’s okay. MINIONS for the kids, and BH6 for Daddy. I have a suspicious feeling I’m going to love this film with a passion. I’ve never read the comic or even heard of it before the first trailer but it just happens to be opening the one weekend in my life that I need to love something wholesome.

TOY STORY 4

I honestly wasn’t as excited as I was expecting to be when I heard this news yesterday. Pixar is a religion to me, and the TOY STORY franchise has everything to do with that, but I can’t help but feel Part 3 wrapped things up perfectly. I mean, PERFECTLY. As a 40 year old asshole, I’ll never truly be able to explain the range of emotions I went through while watching tha film. By the time Andy drives of into the sunset at the end I was a mess. The made for TV short  films and theatrical add-ons have filled any void of the franchise over the last few year and left me not craving another film the way I was after TOY STORY 2 (my favorite animated film ever). And then I hear that John Lasseter is directing it. Goddammit. I got to interview John a few years back on the old site with Jimmy O so my blubbering admiration of the man is forever available for anybody to listen to forever. If Pixar is a religion – guess who GOD is. I’m obviously still looking forward to it but I’d easily take something original every year, and beyond.