November Animation Preview: Time-traveling rainbows, virgin punks, and a long-awaited return to Zootopia
After a few packed months of animation releases, November slows down a (little) bit. But there are some definite heavy-hitters in play, including some likely awards hopefuls.
In Theaters
Originally scheduled for an August release, Viva Kids finally lets Grand Prix of Europe zoom into theaters on November 7. The film follows a young mouse named Edda who disguises herself as her racing hero, Ed, and enters into the eponymous race. The film was made, in part, as a celebration of German amusement park Europa-Park's 50th anniversary (Ed and Edda are the mascots of the park). Looks very cute!
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| Grand Prix of Europe |
After its limited release at the tail-end of October, GKIDS is bringing Little Amélie or the Character of Rain to theaters nationwide on November 7. This little gem -- about a young girl who discovers the world around her thanks to a special bond with her family's housekeeper in post-war Japan has been on something of a hot streak, popping up at tons of festivals and racking up awards. GKIDS is no stranger to the awards race, and this might be their ticket this year. In theaters, it's preceded by a new short from Cartoon Saloon called Éiru, which I can't wait to see!
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| Éiru |
A very limited release this month is only in theaters on November 11 and 13: the anime movie Virgin Punk: Clockwork Girl. It's about a bounty hunter in the year 2099 who crosses paths with a man with whom she shares a thorny past. My understanding is that this is only a 35 minute film (maybe an episode) that marks the start of a series. But the runtime on my AMC ticket says an hour and a half, so I think there must be some BTS stuff included, too? Unclear, but I'll report back after I see it on the 11th.
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| Virgin Punk: Clockwork Girl |
Another awards season heavy-hitter is Arco, which comes to US theaters on November 14. This French film was on the shortlist for France's Oscar submission this year, which is a ringing endorsement in and of itself. The film follows a rainbow from the far future who time travels back to 2075, where he befriends a little girl who helps him return home. It looks colorful, fantastical, and pretty amazing. With Neon on distribution duties and Natalie Portman producing (and providing voice work in the English dub), it's no wonder this one has a lot of buzz surrounding it.
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| Arco |
On November 26, Disney is releasing what will almost certainly be the biggest animated box office hit in the US this year: Zootopia 2. It's been almost a decade since the original released to huge fanfare, an Oscar win, and over a billion dollars grossed at the global box office. In the meantime, there was a spinoff show on Disney+ that I never heard a peep about, but I imagine that doesn't mean anything for this new cinematic outing, which finds Nick and Judy crossing paths with the city's reptilian population. I loved the first movie, and I'm hoping that this long-gestating sequel serves up similar thrills, comedy, and commentary.
Re-Releases/Restorations
Three notable re-releases I want to highlight this month:
Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, Chicken Run is coming to theaters for a limited run on November 9. This is, quite simply, one of the funniest movies ever made, and maybe my favorite thing to come out of Aardman. Happy to see it being celebrated!
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| Chicken Run |
The Boy and the Heron returns to theaters on November 15 as part of GKIDS' ongoing Studio Ghibli Fest. This is the film's first time playing as part of the fest, and its first time back in theaters since its original release in 2023. This is a film that has its claws so deep in me, and I keep coming back to. It's hard to say why. It isn't one of my favorite Miyazaki movies, but it's so fascinating and gorgeous (and, yes, very good), and very rich on repeat viewings. It certainly deserves to be seen on the big screen.
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| Angel's Egg |
At Home
On November 3, Netflix is releasing Dr. Seuss's the Sneetches, based on the book of the same name. It's a "special" rather than a feature (in that it's only 45 minutes long), but I'll count it on my list all the same. The CG-animated special follows the eponymous Sneetches, who live on an island but are divided into two distinct groups: the star-belly and moon-belly varieties. But when two young Sneetches, one from each of these groups, meet and become friends...well, we probably know where this is going, right? Looks very sweet!
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| Dr. Seuss's the Sneetches |
One of my favorites from last year that made its way to theaters earlier this year is Julian Glander's blissfully weird Boys Go to Jupiter. The Flordia-set hang-out movie defies easy description, but it's a must-see. If you haven't had the pleasure of seeing it, you can catch it on digital November 4.
Netflix also has one last big animated movie up their sleeve this year: In Your Dreams, which hits the service on November 14 after a limited theatrical release the week before. The film follows two siblings who venture into the world of dreams, where they hope the Sandman can grant their wish: to save their parents' marriage. It sounds like the kind of thing that could end up super saccharine or that might make me bawl, or maybe both! Really looking forward to checking it out.
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| In Your Dreams |
One of my favorite animated movies of the year, Lesbian Space Princess, gets its digital release on November 18. This movie is such a gem, queer as all hell and gut-bustingly funny. One of those movies that's destined to continue to grow in esteem as more people discover it in years to come. Be an early adopter!
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