Thursday Movie Picks: Animated Films Geared Towards Adults


Welcome to another Thursday Movie Picks, the weekly series hosted by Wandering Through the Shelves that consists of picking three films to fit the week's theme. 

Who said animated flicks are for kids only? And we, the other bloggers and I, are going to prove it this week. Here are my fantastic animated films geared towards adults

Anomalisa (2015)

Michael Stone is a self-help author trapped in his mundane life. But things are about to change when he meets Lisa. A creation of the brilliant Charlie Kaufman, this film is an equally brilliant and thought-provoking dramedy that explores loneliness and depression. It's quite extraordinary. If you want to know more, you can read my full review here

Chico & Rita (2010)

The now old and retired Cuban pianist Chico remembers his youth, his rise and fall as a musician and his turbulent love story with jazz singer Rita. This one is a very fascinating movie about love, music and hope. But it also has a dark side as it deals with racism, prostitution and murder as well. What I love the most about this one is the hand-drawn and highly-detailed animation.

Waking Life (2001)

A man meets various people and discusses the meanings and purposes of the universe without knowing whether it's just a dream or reality. If you love Linklater, you're going to love this one. It's a pretty weird and pretty much plotless film, but it's easily one of the most philosophical I've seen. And I just can't get it out of my head because of the question it poses: are we sleep-walking through our waking state or are we wake-walking through our dreams?

14 comments :

  1. Chico & Rita is a really nice film; I was rooting for them to find each other again.

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  2. I haven't seen any of these but I've been meaning to watch Anomalisa.These all sound good

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  3. I've only seen Waking Life out of the films you've selected, and I recall enjoying it immensely. I've heard nothing but good things about Anomilsa, but I always find Kaufman movies hurt my head for days. Maybe I'll wait til summer for that one.

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  4. Hey, we share a pick in Chico & Rita. I just saw Anomalisa yesterday, great film.

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    1. I'm happy to see Chico & Rita got so much love this week.

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  5. I've heard of the first and the third but I'm terrible with animated films and have seen none of these. I'm very in and out on Linklater, I liked Dazed & Confused and Me and Orson Welles but loathed Boyhood and the Sunset movies so mix in animation and I think Waking Life would more than likely fall into that second group.

    Since I'm so sketchy on this type of film only my first is one I'd recommend. The other two were just titles I saw that fit but I didn't care for either.

    Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1988)-Schlubby private eye Eddie Valiant (Bob Hoskins) is hired by R.K. Maroon (Alan Tilvern) a cartoon producer to investigate an adultery scandal involving Jessica Rabbit (Kathleen Turner), who isn’t bad she’s just drawn that way, wife of Maroon's biggest star, Roger Rabbit (Charles Fleischer). Things heat up even more when owner of Toontown Marvin Acme (Stubby Kaye), Jessica's supposed lover, is found murdered, the evil Judge Doom (Christopher Lloyd) vows to catch and destroy Roger. Excellent blend of animation and actors with Kathleen Turner by way of Veronica Lake doing sensational voice work.

    Cool World (1992)-A prisoner Jack Deebs (Gabriel Byrne) has created a comic book universe from his cell and one day finds himself sucked into it where he discovered not only another trapped human Frank Harris (Brad Pitt) but his lascivious creation Holli Would (Kim Basinger) who tries to entice Jack by ANY means so that she can cross over to the human world and with her a Pandora’s Box of cartoon depravity. Ugly leering film of value only to see Pitt working his way up.

    A Scanner Darkly (2006)-Stupid hodgepodge about an undercover cop trying to bust a drug cartel but coming under the influence of the drug he becomes a test subject himself…or something like that. The hook here is that the movie was filmed with actors (Keanu Reeves, Wynona Ryder and Woody Harrelson among them) and then retro scoped with animation. It wasn’t worth it, all concept and little entertainment.

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    1. Waking Life definitely fall into that second group.

      My brother and I used to watch Who Framed Roger Rabbit? all the time when we were kids. I really loved it. Thanks for reminding me to rewatch it.

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  6. I haven't seen any of these but I have heard of the first 2

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