The Meaning of J

 Earwig and the Witch [Aya to Majo] (2020)    Earwig and the Witch proves that even the most esteemed animation studios aren't incapable of producing a lackluster effort every once in a while. It's a failed experiment that tried to use CG animation for the first time in the studio's history, only for the result to land with a resounding thud. It feels out of place in the filmography of a studio known for crafting breath-taking and awe-inspiring animated films. It ends up bearing little resemblance to their previous, highly-regarded efforts. I would even go as far as to consider a Studio Ghibli movie in-name-only because I refuse to regard it as one.    Earwig and the Witch is  Studio Ghibli 's first animated film in six years since 2014's When Marnie Was There ( Omoide no Mani , "Marnie of My Memories"), with production support from NHK Enterprises . The movie's based on the children's book of the same name by Diana Wynne Jones (1934-2011), the au...

 Revaluated: Shrek the Third (2007)     For the sixth edition of Revaluated, we will be heading to the genre of animated movies, more specifically, animated sequels. I never planned on reviewing an animated film before. I had initially believed that animated features wouldn't make for great material for this series. But there are a plethora of animated movies that deserve coverage in this series. I decided to cover a film that I had adored as a child but looking back at it as an adult, I sigh at the thought of this particular film and say, "Oh damn, this did not age well." There is a laundry list of films that could fit that description. ( Scooby-Doo, Star Wars Episode 1, or Chicken Little ) But I ultimately decided to give coverage to one of DreamWorks Animation's low points, Shrek the Third.  Original Shrek design and Chris Farley (1964-1997)   Shrek needs no introduction at all, as anyone who grew up in the early 2000s knows who this lovable green o...