The Tiger and Orion Visit Hazbin Hotel - Renegade Animation #135
In this episode, Captain Kaye and the Animation Guru discuss The Tiger's Apprentice, Hazbin Hotel, and Orion and the Dark!
What’s going on, everyone? This is your Captain speaking, alongside my esteemed co-host and editor, The Animation Guru, and we are excited to share this episode! We’re running the gamut, covering a wide variety of movies and shows for various target demographics. A film that’s aimed at a younger audience would be The Tiger’s Apprentice, now streaming on Paramount+. Skewing slightly older is the Charlie Kaufman-penned Orion and the Dark from Dreamworks Animation. Finally, the hottest adult animated series from creator Vivienne Medrano is Hazbin Hotel! Please tune into the episode to hear the full discussion!
The Tiger’s Apprentice
I can’t remember the last time I was this disappointed by a movie with a premise as cool as turning the animals of the Chinese Zodiac into spiritual warriors. Understanding that this movie allegedly faced numerous issues behind the scenes, it unfortunately shows in the finished product. With the exception of Michelle Yeoh having the time of her life playing against type as the main antagonist, and Bowen Yang’s effortless comedic charm shining through, the film wastes the talent of what would otherwise be an amazing Asian voice cast on subpart material. There’s nothing wrong with the story or its rather profound themes, but the problem lies in its execution.
“Solid character designs, voice cast, and action set pieces don't save a film that feels rushed to get to the next story beat and not build up its world or characters in this underwhelming animated adventure. I wish I liked it more.“ -The Animation Guru
Hazbin Hotel
I’m really glad that I’ve given myself more time to think about how I felt about this inaugural season, even after recording this podcast. The one thing that Cameron and I can both agree on is that 8 episodes was simply not enough real estate to tell this story. However, I think I lean a little more positive with the series overall, and I have no problem admitting that the music is a huge reason why. I’m too invested in these characters, the world building, and the endless possibilities for what lies ahead in this story to let my criticisms get in the way of other people’s enjoyment.
“A lot of the charm, solid acting, musical numbers, and world-building of this indie darling-turned-mainstream series is bogged down by a rushed pace that undercuts a lot of its major emotional twists and turns to get to the next major plot point. A series that sorely needed double the episodes to make it all work.“ -The Animation Guru
Orion and the Dark
It’s not surprising that this is my favorite movie of the year. Everyone knows how much I adore Dreamworks Animation, as they seem to be one of the few places in Hollywood that are unafraid to veer off the beaten path. The real surprise is just how effortlessly Charlie Kaufman is able to take his sensibilities as a writer and make them more accessible to a broader demographic. It has a stellar voice cast, a variety of unique character designs, and tells a wonderful story about learning to face your fears across multiple generations.
“Orion and the Dark is a wonderful coming-of-age story about a boy overcoming his fears and growing up in a world filled with things in both the light and the dark and the complicated dynamic they share. Easily one of the studio's best films.“
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.
