A Looney Cat Returns to Shore - Renegade Animation #28

Tonight, on a very LOONEY episode of Renegade Animation, Cameron and Mike talk the Tunes which are looney for Looney Tunes Cartoons Season 2, as well as The Stranger by the Shore, and The Cat Returns!

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How’s it going, fellow Renegades? THE DIRECTOR is here again to bring you the zaniest episode of Animation! We got a really nice episode in store for you all, so I’ll go ahead and let our stalwart Captain Kaye take the helm for this one:

THE STRANGER BY THE SHORE (2020)

“Ok, let me get my biggest criticism out of the way: the movie is too short, clocking in at just under an hour. I know lately I've been fickle when it comes to a film's runtime, but in this case, I genuinely believe that adding at least another 30 minutes could have helped iron out a few other bugs, and allow these characters to breathe. That being said, I thought this was a very sweet love story, with some of the most gorgeous 2D animation I've seen all year. Just the backgrounds alone are a feast for the eyes, particularly any scene that takes place during a sunset. As for the characters, or at least our main protagonist Shun, this might be one of the best examples of the inverse relationship between unlikeability and unrelatability. What I'm trying to say is, every dumbass mistake that Shun makes, particularly when it comes to commitment, I can easily sympathize. It's a testament to how well these characters are written, and how satisfying that makes the ending.” - Captain Kaye

THE CAT RETURNS (2002)

“At the time of its released, this was only the second Ghibli film not to be directed by Hayao Miyazaki or Isao Takahata, and for better or for worse, it shows in the final product. On the one hand, I am a big supporter of expanding the talent roster at the studio beyond its two founding fathers, and to Morita's credit, I thought he did a very nice job directing this movie. The characters are all likeable, the world building is full of that classic Ghibli whimsy, and the score is beautiful. However, and I hate that I have to say this twice in a row, I could have used a little more. 75 minutes would have been okay if this were a made for TV movie, but when it comes to theatrical animation, I want to live in this world with these character for as long as I can. For Western audiences, this might just be Disney's best dub cast, even if it comprises of mostly live action actors. Anne Hathaway gives a rock solid performance as Haru, but the absolute scene stealers are Cary Elwes reprising his role from Whisper of the Heart as Baron Humbert von Gikkingen, Andy Richter as Natoru, and of course, Tim Curry as The Cat King! So while The Cat Returns may not hold up to the standard of a Miyazaki or Takahata joint, it still comes highly recommended on its own merits.” - Captain Kaye

That’ll do it for today! Thanks once again to Cameron for editing this episode, and we’ll see you guys in the next installment!