Continuing my look at the movies of 2022 that did not make my top ten list, today I’m giving a little love to the year in animation.
I missed a couple of the higher profile releases — namely, Minions: The Rise of Gru and The Bad Guys — but I did manage to catch a nice selection of animated films, including all of the Oscar nominees.
In addition to the wide range of themes and stories explored in these films, I was particularly impressed with the variety of animation styles. Those who dismiss these movies as “cartoons” are missing out on some of the most creative and visually impressive cinema around.
In alphabetical order…
Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood
Richard Linklater returns to the rotoscope animation style he utilized on Waking Life and A Scanner Darkly, this time to tell the tale of a fourth grader who travels to the moon ahead of the Neil Armstrong mission. That fanciful conceit is really an excuse for Linklater to explore his own childhood in Houston, Texas, serving up rich details that beautifully evoke a specific time and place.
The Bob’s Burgers Movie
My older daughter is a huge fan of the TV show and I’ve seen enough episodes with her to call myself a fan as well. Unfortunately, this big screen effort doesn’t share the anarchic sense of humor of the show’s best years, leaning instead into the more heartwarming aspects. The movie works well enough but I wanted more laughs, because I know this crew is capable of them.
Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio
A beautiful and at times achingly sad retelling of the Pinocchio tale by one of cinema’s greatest fabulists. I felt a little let down by this movie after hearing such lavish advance praise but I can’t deny the elegance of its visuals or the power of its conclusion.
Lightyear
An entertaining movie that found Pixar going to the Toy Story well perhaps one time too many. Lightyear is supposedly the movie that Andy saw that inspired him to want a Buzz Lightyear toy in the first place. I wish the creators leaned more into that premise, serving up a movie that felt more like it was released in the late 80s or early 90s, but what we get is a serviceable action romp that sits comfortably in lower tier Pixar.
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
A wonderful late year surprise. Who could predict that the sequel of a Shrek spin-off would end up being one of the most profound and emotional movies of the year? Antonio Banderas leads an impressive voice cast in a film about mortality, legacy, and the families we create to navigate an uncertain future.
The Sea Beast
A stirring mash-up of Moby Dick and How to Train Your Dragon, this seafaring adventure has action scenes that rival most live-action blockbusters and a central story that is sweet if a bit too familiar.
Turning Red
This film and the delightful Luca were Pixar’s best work since Coco, yet the studio relegated them to Disney Plus while releasing Lightyear in theaters. Such a shame, because Turning Red would have been a marvel on the big screen. This movie has such a wonderful sense of character, time, and place, following a Chinese-Canadian girl on the verge of puberty in 2002 Toronto. Her obsession with the boy band 4*TOWN, and boys in general, puts her at odds with her mother who doesn’t want any of that messiness interfering with their supremely structured lives. In a year full of films about mothers and daughters, this was one of the most moving.
Also, the Academy should return the Oscar Billie Eilish and Finneas won for their Bond theme and give them one instead for the amazing 4*TOWN songs they wrote for this movie.
Yeah-yeah, ooh, yeah
[Refrain: Robaire]
I’ve never met nobody like you
Had friends and I’ve had buddies, it’s true
But they don’t turn my tummy the way you do
I’ve never met nobody like you
Oh-yeah, yeah
[Chorus: All]
You’re never not on my mind, oh my, oh my
I’m never not by your side, your side, your side
I’m never gon’ let you cry, oh, cry, don’t cry
I’ll never not be your ride or die, alright
[Verse: Aaron Z, Robaire & All]
Let’s call it what it is, it’s a masterpiece
Got a whole lotta love for them city streets
(Glendale) Tonight is the place to be
Got a big boombox and a new CD
(Come on) Everybody let’s tear it up
If you want mad skills, you can share with us
(I want) Everybody to stop and stare
And you know why, it’s me (Robaire)
[Interlude: Robaire, Jesse & Aaron Z]
Woo, uh
It’s too good
Yeah, haha
Let’s go
[Chorus: All]
You’re never not on my mind, oh my, oh my
I’m never not by your side, your side, your side
I’m never gon’ let you cry, oh, cry, don’t cry
I’ll never not be your ride or die, alright
[Post-Chorus: Robaire]
Li-li-like you
Li-li-li-like you
Li-li-like you
(Like you, like you)
Li-li-like you
Li-li-li-like you
Li-li-li-like you
(Like you, like you)
[Refrain: Tae-young]
I’ve never met nobody like you
Had friends and I’ve had buddies, it’s true
But they don’t turn my tummy the way you do
I’ve never met nobody like you
[Chorus: Robaire, Aaron Z & Jesse]
You’re never not on my mind, oh my, oh my
I’m never not by your side, your side, your side
I’m never gon’ let you cry, oh, cry, don’t cry
I’ll never not be your ride or die, alright
Meet Me In Montauk 
While I don’t dismiss animated films as cartoons, at my age, and without young children, I do find I have largely lost interest in most animated films that have kids as their primary target audience – even when the movie operates to some extent on a second adult level and is well reviewed or nominated. So, some of the movies you mentioned such as Lightyear, Bob’s Burgers, Turning Red and Puss in Boots fell flat for me. I know this feeling is not shared among my family, but it is what it is.
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish was a freaking masterpiece and aimed far more of an adult audience than it was intended for children with the darkness of the themes it explored. I adored how effectively different animation styles were used in that film and hope that becomes more common. I also enjoyed the animated films you missed, especially The Bad Guys with its stellar vocal performances.
While I liked Turning Red less and Lightyear more than you did, I agree with your impressions of each.
Yay animation!!
Puss in Boots was such a lovely surprise – I’m excited by the way Sony animation (via Spider Verse) seems to have opened the envelope for more distinct style exploration in bigger animated films.
Lightyear disappointed me for all the reasons you listed – although I loved the montage of his missions and time missed.
Aaand that’s all I can comment on from this list! Long live animation! 🙂
I was also a fan of Turning Red – found it very fun and fairly moving. Pinocchio was beautiful even if it let me down a little bit in the script department.
Recently caught up with The Sea Beast and enjoyed that one a lot (especially Karl Urban’s voice lol).
Not sure why the end of my comment jumped to the middle but… here we are
I guess I need to watch some of these but I’m kinda on the same page as frequent contributor Dana