Under Heaven
{5/5} “They were not travelers, the Kitan. The occasional exception, a far-farer who returned, was celebrated as a hero, his written record of the journey widely copied and read, pondered with fascination and disbelief. He was often regarded, privately, as more than slightly mad. Why would a sane man choose to leave the civilized world?” […]
Finding Nemo
{4.5/5} “Fish are friends, not food.” Finding Nemo, released in 2003 Marlin is a clown fish. His only son Nemo is caught by a human diver and driven away in a boat. He swims off in search of Nemo, and meets up with a fish named Dory who is forgetful but nevertheless joins him on […]
How to Train Your Dragon Homecoming
{5/5} “And then it hit me.” How to Train Your Dragon Homecoming, released in 2019 It’s been 10 years since humans and dragons parted ways. Hiccup and Astrid decide to put on a pageant — to show their kids what it was like to live with dragons, and to show them what their grandfather Stoick […]
The Gameshouse
{4.5/5} “Ask yourself this, my lady: you play now to crown a king in Venice, and this is, I think, your very first game. Imagine the stakes that more experienced players must work for. Imagine the scale of their ambition.” The Gameshouse by Claire North, originally published in 3 parts in 2015 In the 17th […]
The Clockmaker’s Daughter
{5/5} “He had painted me at the center of the canvas, my hair flowing in ripples, my eyes direct and my expression as if I had just given a confidence that would not be repeated. And yet, there was something more underlying the image: Edward had captured in this beautiful face — far more beautiful […]
Addams Family Values
{5/5} “I’m just like any modern woman trying to have it all. Loving husband, a family. It’s just, I wish I had more time to seek out the dark forces and join their hellish crusade.” Addams Family Values, released in 1993 Gomez and Morticia Addams have had a third child, Pubert. Wednesday and Pugsley try […]
The Addams Family
{5/5} “‘It was my first funeral.’ ‘You were so beautiful, pale and mysterious. No one even looked at the corpse.’” The Addams Family, released in 1991 The Addams family is highly unusual but fabulously wealthy. The latter causes some people to try to steal from them, including their own lawyer. He cooks up a scheme […]
Brave
{4.5/5} “Boys, don’t just play with your haggis.” Brave, released in 2012 Merida is a princess. Her mother is constantly teaching her about what a proper princess does, but she’d rather be out riding her horse and shooting arrows. When the time comes for the clans to present their suitors for Merida’s hand in marriage, […]
Yesterday
{4.5/5} “What I’m offering you is the great and glorious poisoned chalice of money and fame.” Yesterday, released in 2019 Jack’s music career isn’t going anywhere so he decides to quit. When the lights go out all around the world for 12 seconds, he gets hit by a bus. Afterwards he realizes that he’s the […]
Inside Out
{5/5} “Congratulations, San Francisco. You’ve ruined pizza. First the Hawaiians and now you.” — Anger Inside Out, released in 2015 Riley is an 11-year-old girl whose parents decide to move to San Francisco. She initially tries to make the best of it, but then decides to run away. Meanwhile, inside Riley’s mind are emotions that […]