October Animation Preview

In a year that's been brimming with lots of exciting animated releases, October might be the most packed month of all. Here's a look at what's coming to theaters, along with some festival news.

In Theaters

First up is one of the buzziest international titles of the year, Kiyotaka Oshiyama's Look Back (October 4), based on the manga by Tatsuki Fujimoto of Chainsaw Man fame. Clocking in at just under an hour, I'm excited to see how this packs such an emotional wallop in such a limited runtime. Just the trailer brings tears to my eyes. It looks really special.

The synopsis from GKIDS, who are distributing in the US:

Popular, outgoing Fujino is celebrated by her classmates for her funny comics in the class newspaper. One day, her teacher asks her to share the space with Kyomoto, a truant recluse whose beautiful artwork sparks a competitive fervor in Fujino. What starts as jealousy transforms when Fujino realizes their shared passion for drawing.

Based on the acclaimed manga by Tatsuki Fujimoto, the creator of “Chainsaw Man”, Look Back captures the highs and lows of pursuing artistic excellence and the special bonds formed through creative collaboration. The heart-wrenching story is the stunning feature-length directorial debut from Kiyotaka Oshiyama that will leave you in tears and inspire you to chase your own artistic dreams.

(l to r, t to b: Look Back, Piece by Piece, My Hero Academia: You're Next,
Gracie and Pedro: Pets to the Rescue, Memoir of a Snail, Sultana's Dream)

On October 11, we've got a pair of very-different animated movies hitting the big screen. First up is Focus Features' awards-hopeful Piece by Piece, an innovative biopic about upbeat music icon Pharrell, delivered via animated LEGOs. It's such an audacious approach to the story, and with acclaimed documentarian Morgan Neville (20 Feet From Stardom) at the helm, I'm excited to see how it turns out. Reactions out of festivals have been strong, so I'm looking forward to it.

That same day, My Hero Academia: You're Next hits theaters, the final film for the popular anime franchise. I've recently picked up the habit of watching anime movies from franchises I haven't watched (this year, I've done so with Sailor Moon, Blue Lock, Haikyuu!!, and others). It's a weird way to come in, but it's also a lot of fun to get a sample, and it's led to me adding some new series to my list. As a MHA neophyte, I do plan to check this out, and to be a little lost, but for fans, I'm sure it'll be a(n emotional?) blast.

Gracie and Pedro: Pets to the Rescue finally makes its way to our shores on October 18. I caught this one over the summer and had a fun time with it. It's pretty squarely aimed at kids. Older viewers might have trouble getting past the underwhelming animation and staid story, but it's a cute romp with some fun bits and a lot of star power in supporting performances (Bill Nighy, Susan Sarandon, Danny Trejo, and the list goes on). I'm not sure it'll get a super-wide release, but I can't imagine it'll be long before it hits VOD. It's cute!

Finally, on October 25, my most anticipated movie of the year finally bows: Adam Elliot's long-awaited Memoir of a Snail, which has been winning raves all year since it bowed at Annecy, and feels like a safe bet for an Oscar nomination. Elliot is such an incredible filmmaker. His short Harvie Krumpet took home an Oscar, and Mary and Max is an all-time favorite of mine. I expect Memoir of a Snail to hit similarly hard. The synopsis from IFC:

Grace Pudel is a lonely misfit with an affinity for collecting ornamental snails and an intense love for books. At a young age, when Grace is separated from her twin brother Gilbert, she falls into a spiral of anxiety and angst. Despite a continued series of hardships, inspiration and hope emerge when she strikes up an enduring friendship with an elderly eccentric woman named Pinky, who is full of grit and lust for life. From Academy Award-winning animation writer and director Adam Elliot, Memoir of a Snail is a poignant, heart felt, hilarious chronicle of the life of an outsider finding her confidence and silver linings amongst the clutter of everyday life.

Also on the 25th, the gorgeous Sultana's Dream hits theaters in a limited release. This movie is so gorgeous and thought-provoking, Based in part on a short story of the same name, it's one of the year's most visually stunning films, feminist and unique. Here's what I wrote about it on Letterboxd when I watched it back in March:

Festival News

First up is a festival I really, really wish I could go to: the Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia (October 3-13). Sitges is one of my favorite places in the world, it's so beautiful and full of little gems. And this festival seems awesome. Their animation section is bonkers, including Pakistan's Oscar submission The Glassworker (which I am dying, dying, dying to see), along with a lot of movies I'm not familiar with but that look great, like Mariposas Negras and Diplodocus. They also have one of my favorites from this year, the gorgeous Chinese fantasy film The Umbrella Fairy. 

Atlanta's Out On Film Festival has a fun-looking animated feature showing on October 6 called Maxxie LaWow: Drag Queen Super-shero. It's about a shy barista who finds a magical wig that transforms him into a fabulous drag queen. The voice cast includes Drag Race favorites like Jinkx Monsoon and Heidi N. Closet. There's also an online streaming option if you live in Georgia or the surrounding states which will be live from October 7.

(l to r, t to b: The Glassworker, Diplodocus, Maxxie LaWow: Drag Queen Super-shero,
The Worlds Divide, The Colors Within, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl)

The Heartland International Film Festival (October 10-20) in Indiana has a strong animated element, including Flow, Memoir of a Snail, and The Worlds Divide, Denver Jackson's solo animated film that I've been following online for quite some time. It's making the rounds at festivals around the world, and I'm patiently waiting for it to show in LA so I can check it out.

Both Memoir of a Snail and Sultana's Dream will be showing at LA's Animation is Film Festival (October 18-20), alongside movies like Flow, The Colors Within, and Boys Go to Jupiter. It's always a great fest, and I can't wait to go!

Finally, one of the biggest animated movies of the year, the much-anticipated Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl has its world premiere at AFI FEST on October 27. I'm hoping to be able to attend but tickets for the fest can be a little tricky to get, especially for such a buzzy title. I might have to wait until it hits Netflix in December. AFI FEST announces the rest of their lineup tomorrow, so we'll see if they have any other animated titles then.

Anime Corner

I probably won't usually include anime news on these previews because there's so much and I'm far from an expert, but since I wrote about Dan Da Dan: First Encounter, I think it's worth mentioning that the show starts its normal roll-out on October 4 on Netflix and Crunchyroll. I will be seated!