Dragonkeeper Takes the Mars Express to the Digital Circus - Renegade Animation #144
In this episode, Captain Kaye and the Animation Guru discuss the 2nd episode of The Amazing Digital Circus, Star Wars: Tales of the Empire, Dragonkeeper, and Mars Express!
What’s going on, everyone? This is your Captain speaking, alongside my esteemed co-host The Animation Guru! Episodes like these are often my favorite ones to record, because we get to showcase a wide variety of what animation can offer. Without further ado, please tune into the podcast to hear the full discussion!
The Amazing Digital Circus: Episode 2
As of this writing, the episode has amassed over 63 million views on YouTube, which means clearly this has become a fan favorite in the indie animation scene. I liked this episode quite a bit, probably more than the pilot. It maintains that same chaotic energy, while further developing each character and their relationships to one another. The story opportunities for this series are endless, and I can’t wait to see where things go from here.
“The second episode progresses the story and mystery of the unusual world our characters are stuck in, all the while getting into nonsensical shenanigans like partaking in a world that mixes Candy Crush and Mad Max. It's look into themes of finding one's purpose and how we deal with loss elevates this episode and makes for an abstract and weird time.“ -The Animation Guru
Star Wars: Tales of the Empire
On May 4th, 2024, Disney+ gifted Star Wars fans with a new batch of short stories told from the perspective of the Empire. The biggest improvement these shorts had over Tales of the Jedi was the structure. The through lines for both Morgan Elsbeth and Barriss Offee were tighter, and I was more invested in these individual stories. However, I still felt as if these stories were too short, which I guess could be seen as a good problem to have. Animation wise, we have come a long way from The Clone Wars movie, especially in the first short with General Grievous.
“While it has a better structure than Tales of the Jedi, the payoff for both stories don't quite feel as satisfying. Even then, it stills lets us see a side of the Star Wars Universe about how some folks end up letting their fates be twisted by the empire and their actions.“ -The Animation Guru
Dragonkeeper
Often times, the most disappointing movies, animated or otherwise, are the ones that fail to live up to their potential. In the case of Dragonkeeper, this adaptation of the popular book series by Carole Wilkinson has been in development since 2017, and was finally released this year with little to no fanfare. While it’s certainly not the worst animated film of the year, it does feel undercooked with its thinly developed narrative, and the baffling choice to cast primarily British voice actors in a film set in China.
“A Spanish and Chinese collaboration that doesn't quite hit it out of the park. It feels undercooked and overstuffed all at the same time. It's mid-tier animation and questionably British-led cast makes this a real disappointing sit.“ -The Animation Guru
Mars Express
Now here’s a movie that I’ve been waiting to see for a long time, especially after Cameron’s glowing review from last year’s Animation is Film festival. Mars Express is one of the best movies of the year, and easily one of the best sci-fi movies I’ve seen in the past decade. If you’re into movies like Blade Runner or the original Ghost in the Shell, then you will love this French cyberpunk neo-noir thriller. When people say “animation is cinema,” THIS is what they’re talking about!
“Mars Express is a beautiful and enthralling sci-fi thriller that combines action, drama, the philosophy behind man's relationship with technology, and identity. Easily a knockout for one of the best films of the year.“ -The Animation Guru
That’ll do it for this episode! Thank you all for joining us! We have provided resources for those who wish to support the victims of the Israel-Hamas war: https://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org/, https://www.ifnotnowmovement.org/, https://itch.io/b/2120/games-for-gaza, https://www.instagram.com/palestineredcrescent/, https://buildpalestine.com/2021/05/15/trusted-organizations-to-donate-to-palestine/, https://www.npr.org/2023/10/13/1205235922/help-israel-gaza-humanitarian-organizations.
