Animation isn't just for kids. Over the past decade, there's been a major increase in animated features aimed at adults, from North American and international filmmakers and studios. I've seen four new, hand-drawn animated movies for adults that will be released over the next month and a half, and at least one of them will be an Oscar nominee.
First up is "All You Need Is Kill" — an adaptation of the acclaimed Japanese novel, which was first made into the live-action movie "Edge of Tomorrow" starring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt in 2014. Heroine Rita is living the same day over and over again. Her curse will be broken if she defeats a gigantic alien plant creature that's out to destroy the world. It won't be easy, and she'll need plenty of time, experience and perseverance to pull it off. This is action packed, with a dynamic look, and there are significant differences from "Edge of Tomorrow" that actually make the story stronger. "All You Need Is Kill", from director Kenichiro Akimoto, is rated R and opens in theaters Jan. 16.
Next is "Arco" — a soaring adventure of a special boy named Arco who travels back in time to the year 2077 and meets a special girl named Iris, who now must bring Arco home. The visuals are stunning, and there are also important themes about protecting our planet, a cause close to director Ugo Bienvenu and the film's Oscar-winning producer, Natalie Portman. I interviewed them both for AnimationScoop.com. Along with Portman, the voice cast includes Mark Ruffalo, Will Ferrell, America Ferrera, Andy Samberg and singer and actor Flea. "Arco" has already received Golden Globe and Critics Choice Awards nominations for Best Animated Feature and I’m confident it’s gonna be on the Oscar ballot. "Arco" is rated PG. It opens in NYC & Los Angeles on Jan. 23 and will expand nationwide Jan. 30.
"Scarlet" is a new film from Mamoru Hosoda, Academy Award nominee for 2018's delightful "Mirai", who also helmed a brilliant spin on "Beauty and the Beast", 2021's "Belle". This time Hosoda focuses on a medieval princess out for revenge after the death of her father. Hosoda blends life and the afterlife — and the past and the present — in ways that pack a punch, especially in the final act. "Scarlet" is rated PG-13 and will open exclusively in IMAX theaters on Feb. 6 before expanding to more screens on Feb. 13.
And finally, "The Triplets of Belleville" and "The Illusionist" director Sylvain Chomet presents his latest animated feature, "A Magnificent Life" — a biopic on French playwright, poet and filmmaker Marcel Pagnol. It's a fast-paced but thorough look at the career of an artist who's still celebrated around the world. Chomet, a four-time Oscar nominee, recently told me he was almost retired from animation, but Pagnol's living family members — and Pagnol's incredible story — convinced him to make "A Magnificent Life". And now Chomet is hard at work on a "Triplets of Belleville" spinoff. "A Magnificent Life" is rated PG-13 and opens in theaters Feb. 20.
All release dates are subject to change, and for the complete info on these four films, visit WAMC.org.
By the way, Chomet was pleased I saw "A Magnificent Life" at a recently renovated, 100-year-old movie theater, Chatham, NY's Crandell Theatre, during last October's FilmColumbia festival. FilmColumbia also screened the most recent two Oscar winners for Best Animated Feature, “Flow”, about a cat on an epic adventure, and Hayao Miyazaki's "The Boy and the Heron". To experience gorgeous animation and bold storytelling at a moviehouse like the Crandell is... pretty magnificent.
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