# animated film (blogs) — RSS Amplifier Recent posts from the 2 feeds in the RSS Amplifier directory that cover animated film. Page: Feed: --- ## [Can Harry rebuild his relationship with Prince William?](https://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/322011-can-harry-rebuild-his-relationship-with-prince-william) _2026-08-21 · Naharnet Newsdesk · Entertainment_ The royal family's long-running American soap opera is returning to Britain. The question is whether it will blossom into a happy reunion or descend into anger, division and chaos. Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, plan to return to the United Kingdom from California in a matter of weeks. They have already enrolled their children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, in British schools so… ## [Mutiny: Plenty of shipboard action](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/08/mutiny-plenty-of-shipboard-action.html) _2026-08-21 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ Mutiny (2026) • View trailer 3.5 stars (out of five); rated R, for considerable profanity and strong, bloody violence Available via: Movie theaters By Derrick Bang • P ublished in The Davis Enterprise , 8.23.26 Jason Statham’s action thrillers usually follow a predictable, cookie-cutter series of plot beats: • His character is a seasoned, hardened, stoic, impressively capable and highly decorated… ## [Trump plays White House tour guide to show off work on his helipad and ballroom](https://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/321968-trump-plays-white-house-tour-guide-to-show-off-work-on-his-helipad-and-ballroom) _2026-08-20 · Naharnet Newsdesk · Entertainment_ President Donald Trump played White House tour guide on Wednesday, showing off the helipad he is building on the lawn before leaning over to autograph a piece of it and bragging about the ballroom he's rushing to complete despite legal challenges. Trump gushed for several uninterrupted minutes about granite being laid and said the chopper landing area would leave visiting foreign leaders "very… ## [Timeline of Prince Harry and Meghan's relationship with royal family as they return to UK](https://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/321960-timeline-of-prince-harry-and-meghan-s-relationship-with-royal-family-as-they-return-to-uk) _2026-08-20 · Naharnet Newsdesk · Entertainment_ Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, will return to the United Kingdom, seemingly marking the end to a yearslong rift between them and the royal family. The Daily Telegraph reported the couple won't resume their roles as working members of the royal family, but returning to Britain means King Charles III, who is being treated for an undisclosed form of cancer, will get to spend more time with his… ## [The Syrian and Lebanese men who invented ice-cream cones](https://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/321958-the-syrian-and-lebanese-men-who-invented-ice-cream-cones) _2026-08-20 · Naharnet Newsdesk · Entertainment_ Read this quickly, before it melts. Ice cream was a rare and expensive treat for centuries because of the difficulty of storing ice. In the summer of 1790, President George Washington spent $200 on ice cream, the equivalent of $7,259 today, according to the International Dairy Foods Association. ## [Don't Say Good Luck: A poignant character drama](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/08/dont-say-good-luck-poignant-character.html) _2026-08-19 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ Don't Say Good Luck (2026) • View trailer Four stars (out of five); rated PG-13, for thematic material, fleeting profanity, teen drinking and mild sexual references Available via: Netflix By Derrick Bang Sunny Sandler’s delicately nuanced starring performance fuels this charming little character drama, although — in fairness — director Julia Hart draws finely shaded work from every member of this… ## [Shakira makes surprise visit in Colombia, commits to rebuilding schools](https://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/321924-shakira-makes-surprise-visit-in-colombia-commits-to-rebuilding-schools) _2026-08-18 · Naharnet Newsdesk · Entertainment_ Colombian superstar Shakira announced Monday that she will help rebuild at least 10 schools and restore a local university in a remote and hard-hit region of her home country after it suffered a devastating earthquake last week that killed hundreds and affected thousands of educational sites across western Colombia. The globally recognized "Hips Don't Lie" musician made the pledge during a… ## [A Chinese animated film mocked as 'terrible' becomes box-office hit](https://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/321903-a-chinese-animated-film-mocked-as-terrible-becomes-box-office-hit) _2026-08-18 · Naharnet Newsdesk · Entertainment_ The new sensation among some Chinese moviegoers is an animated film whose characters appear to have been created with rudimentary 3D animation and have been described as "ugly" and "eerie." But it is the scathing online reviews that seem to have prompted interest in "Niu Lai," an animated film about a calf who had a dream about himself growing up with the help of his family, driving a surprising… ## [Film academy to honor Domingo, Theron and Carpenter at museum gala](https://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/321849-film-academy-to-honor-domingo-theron-and-carpenter-at-museum-gala) _2026-08-14 · Naharnet Newsdesk · Entertainment_ Actors Colman Domingo, Charlize Theron and filmmaker John Carpenter are set to be honored at the Academy Museum Gala this fall. The red carpet for the annual fundraising event, now in its sixth year, has become a reliably starry and glamorous affair — a West Coast rival to New York's Met Gala. This year's edition will take place on the evening of Oct. 17 in Los Angeles. Academy museum director and… ## [The End of Oak Street: A complete mess](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/08/the-end-of-oak-street-complete-mess.html) _2026-08-14 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ The End of Oak Street (2026) • View trailer TURKEY: No stars (out of five); rated PG-13, despite considerable violence and gore Available via: Movie theaters By Derrick Bang • P ublished in The Davis Enterprise , 8.16.26 This film fails — jaw-droppingly — on every level. The premise is ridiculous, poorly rationalized, and fails to maintain internal consistency. The main characters are inadequately… ## [Meet Claude, the AI assistant (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/yqzTsSHkNXgM) _2026-08-14 · **Sponsored**_ Conversational AI to answer questions, brainstorm ideas, and help with tasks. ## [Sir Anthony Hopkins on his debut album: 'My first love is music'](https://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/321802-sir-anthony-hopkins-on-his-debut-album-my-first-love-is-music) _2026-08-12 · Naharnet Newsdesk · Entertainment_ It may be hard to believe, but even Sir Anthony Hopkins doubts himself sometimes. "There's a part of me which says, 'you didn't write that,'" he recalls of composing his debut album, "Life Is a Dream." "What's it called? Impostor syndrome." ## [Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodriguez tie the knot after 10 years](https://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/321798-cristiano-ronaldo-and-georgina-rodriguez-tie-the-knot-after-10-years) _2026-08-12 · Naharnet Newsdesk · Entertainment_ Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodriguez are husband and wife. They married Tuesday in a civil ceremony described by the public relations team that represents the Portuguese soccer star as "a private and intimate moment attended by their five children." ## [YouTube sensation Ms. Rachel announces debut album with Mr. Aron, 'I'm So Happy'](https://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/321773-youtube-sensation-ms-rachel-announces-debut-album-with-mr-aron-i-m-so-happy) _2026-08-11 · Naharnet Newsdesk · Entertainment_ Parents of toddlers everywhere, prepare yourselves. YouTube sensation and music teacher Ms. Rachel and her husband, Aron Accurso, will release their debut album, the 23-track "I'm So Happy," on Sept. 25. "Music is such a wonderful way for people to bond, for parents to bond. I know from the minute my kids were born, we're singing to them," Ms. Rachel, whose real name is Rachel Griffin Accurso,… ## [Ithaca bets on hometown hero Odysseus for tourism boom](https://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/321752-ithaca-bets-on-hometown-hero-odysseus-for-tourism-boom) _2026-08-10 · Naharnet Newsdesk · Entertainment_ Standing on the ferry as it waits to dock on the Greek island of Ithaca, Giorgia Ongarato is only too keen to talk about the "Odyssey" -- the epic poem that inspired Christopher Nolan's blockbuster film. The Italian lawyer said it was her dream to come to Ithaca, widely believed to be the same island as the home of Odysseus in the poem. ## [One Night Only: A delightfully sexy romp](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/08/one-night-only-delightfully-sexy-romp.html) _2026-08-07 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ One Night Only (2026) • View trailer 3.5 stars (out of five); rated R, for frequent profanity, sexual candor and surprisingly little nudity Available via: Movie theaters By Derrick Bang Although one first must accept this film’s ridiculously unlikely premise, what follows is an unexpectedly delightful romantic comedy, highlighted by Travis Braun’s continuously cheeky script and two stars who share… ## [Spider-Man: Brave New Day — Action and angst](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/08/spider-man-brave-new-day-action-and.html) _2026-08-03 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ Spider-Man: Brave New Day (2026) • View trailer Four stars (out of five); rated PG-13, for action violence and occasional profanity Available via: Movie theaters By Derrick Bang • P ublished in The Davis Enterprise , 8.9.26 After the chaotic multiverse complexity of 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home — a score card was needed, to keep track of all the superheroes, super villains and spider guys from… ## [The Dink: An uneven rally](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/07/the-dink-uneven-rally.html) _2026-07-31 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ The Dink (2026) • View trailer Three stars (out of five); rated PG-13, for occasional profanity and plenty of sexual vulgarity Available via: Apple TV+ By Derrick Bang • P ublished in The Davis Enterprise , 8.2.26 File this one under “Silly, but fun.” I’ve been waiting for filmmakers to embrace the rapidly expanding explosion of pickleball, and director Josh Greenbaum and scripter Sean Clements… ## [Pressure: Fascinating, behind-the-scenes D-Day saga](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/07/pressure-fascinating-behind-scenes-d.html) _2026-07-24 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ Pressure (2026) • View trailer Four stars (out of five); rated PG-13, for war violence, bloody images and brief profanity Available via: Peacock (free to subscribers) and other paid VOD options By Derrick Bang Director Anthony Maras’ fact-based drama opens on a grim scene that evokes 1998’s Saving Private Ryan . It’s late April 1944. An ashen-faced Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower (Brendan Fraser) slowly… ## [The Furious: Breathtaking martial arts ferocity](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/07/the-fury-breathtaking-martial-arts.html) _2026-07-24 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ The Furious (2025) • View trailer Four stars\* (out of five); rated R, for strong, bloody violence, gore and profanity Available via: Amazon Prime and other VOD options By Derrick Bang The dramatic paradigm shifts in martial arts movies can be traced to specific actors and directors. Bruce Lee kick-started the franchise (pun intended) with 1973’s Enter the Dragon , and Jackie Chan moved the needle… ## [The Odyssey: An epic masterpiece](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/07/the-odyssey-epic-masterpiece.html) _2026-07-17 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ The Odyssey (2026) • View trailer Five stars (out of five); rated R, for violence, gore, dramatic intensity and profanity Available via: Movie theaters By Derrick Bang • P ublished in The Davis Enterprise , 7.19.26 Not many screenwriters get to share a credit with Homer. And Christopher Nolan is one of very few directors up to the challenge of the ancient Greek poet’s classic work. Warriors three:… ## [Prime Noise-Cancelling Picks (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/nTps79VVjr87) _2026-07-17 · **Sponsored**_ Browse Prime-eligible, 4-star-and-up noise-cancelling earbuds with fast shipping and deals ## [Enola Holmes 3: Elementary, dear reader](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/07/enola-holmes-3-elementary-dear-reader.html) _2026-07-13 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ Enola Holmes 3 (2026) • View trailer Four stars (out of five); rated PG-13, for violence and dramatic intensity Available via: Netflix By Derrick Bang This series continues to delight on all levels. Director Philip Barantini, new to the franchise, blends its many diverse elements with stylish élan. He’s rewarded, in this third entry, with fine performances from everybody in the cast: most notably… ## [Moana: It’s déjà vu all over again...](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/07/moana-its-deja-vu-all-over-again.html) _2026-07-10 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ Moana (2026) • View trailer 3.5 stars (out of five); rated PG, for action peril, scary images and rude humor Available via: Movie theaters By Derrick Bang • P ublished in The Davis Enterprise , 7.12.26 The window between Disney’s animated features and these semi-live-action remakes seems to be shortening, given that Moana 2 sailed into theaters just two years ago. This new film’s arrival feels… ## [Minions & Monsters: Almost overwhelming](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/07/minions-monsters-almost-overwhelming.html) _2026-07-03 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ Minions & Monsters (2026) • View trailer 3.5 stars (out of five); rated PG, for animated violent action and rude/macabre humor Available via: Movie theaters By Derrick Bang • P ublished in The Davis Enterprise , 7.5.26 Minions features always have felt less like a coherent film, and more like a randomly assorted collection of sight gags, but this one is particularly scattershot. (It’s no accident… ## [Supergirl: A wobbly flight](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/06/supergirl-wobbly-flight.html) _2026-06-30 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ Supergirl (2024) • View trailer Three stars (out of five); rated PG-13, for strong action violence and occasional profanity Available via: Movie theaters By Derrick Bang In and of itself, the notion that Kara-El (Milly Alcock) has become a self-destructive tear-away is appropriately poignant. Kara (Milly Alcock, left) repeatedly tries to protect Ruthye (Eve Ridley), by insisting that she remain… ## [Color Book: An exquisite character piece](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/06/color-book-exquisite-character-piece.html) _2026-06-26 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ Color Book (2024) • View trailer 4.5 stars (out of five); rated R, for occasional profanity Available via: Netflix By Derrick Bang • P ublished in The Davis Enterprise , 6.28.26 Writer/director David Fortune’s sensitively assembled little film completely erases the divide between viewer and screen; from the very first frame, it feels more like eavesdropping on two actual people. Although this day… ## [I Am Frankelda: Dazzling, but uneven](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/06/i-am-frankelda-dazzling-but-uneven.html) _2026-06-26 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ I Am Frankelda (2025) • View trailer 3.5 stars (out of five); rated PG, for dramatic intensity, scary images and fantasy violence Available via: Netflix By Derrick Bang The imagination, craft and world-building in this fantasy — Mexico’s very first stop-motion animated feature — are off the chart. I wish similar attention had been paid to the story. After allowing her conscious self to be… ## [Toy Story 5: Absolutely perfect](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/06/toy-story-5-absolutely-perfect.html) _2026-06-19 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ Toy Story 5 (2026) • View trailer Five stars (out of five); rated PG, for mild rude humor Available via: Movie theaters By Derrick Bang • P ublished in The Davis Enterprise , 6.21.26 The Toy Story franchise has been a marvel since the first film’s 1995 debut. This fifth entry is the best thus far: a bold statement, considering the quality, imagination, voice talent, carefully sculpted characters,… ## [Disclosure Day: The truth is out there](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/06/disclosure-day-truth-is-out-there.html) _2026-06-12 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ Disclosure Day (2026) • View trailer 4.5 stars (out of five); rated R, for action violence, gruesome images and some profanity Available via: Movie theaters By Derrick Bang • P ublished in The Davis Enterprise , 6.14.26 This is 1977’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind writ very large. Director Steven Spielberg’s original story — fleshed out by skilled genre screenwriter David Koepp — hits the… ## [Miss You, Love You: Captivating character study](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/06/miss-you-love-you-captivating-character.html) _2026-06-12 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ Miss You, Love You (2026) • View trailer Four stars (out of five); rated TV-MA, for profanity Available via: HBO By Derrick Bang Two-handers are a challenge on film, because they often feel like plays that wandered into the wrong medium, losing some of their live-on-stage intensity in the process. That isn’t an issue when one of the performers is Oscar winner Allison Janney. As time passes, Diane… ## [Power Ballad: Music to our ears](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/06/power-ballad-music-to-our-ears.html) _2026-06-05 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ Power Ballad (2026) • View trailer Four stars (out of five); rated R, for relentless profanity and some drug use Available via: Movie theaters By Derrick Bang • P ublished in The Davis Enterprise , 6.7.26 Irish writer/director John Carney clearly loves music as much as I admire his films. Starting with 2006’s charming Once — with its poignant, Academy Award-winning song “Falling Slowly” — and… ## [Save with community-voted codes (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/ZWhI9wiBjILk) _2026-06-05 · **Sponsored**_ Search thousands of community-verified coupon codes — 100% free, no account needed. ## [She Dances: Plenty of the right moves](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/06/she-dances-plenty-of-right-moves.html) _2026-06-05 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ She Dances (2025) • View trailer 3.5 stars (out of five); rated PG-13, for fleeting profanity and some drug references Available via: Amazon Prime and other VOD options By Derrick Bang This is a Wince During The First Half And Pray For A Reasonably Happy Outcome movie. I don’t mean that in a bad way. Director/co-writer Rick Gomez’s feature debut is a frequently charming little character drama,… ## [The Mandalorian and Grogu: Solid sci-fi action](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/05/the-mandalorian-and-grogu-solid-sci-fi.html) _2026-05-29 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026) • View trailer Four stars (out of five); rated PG-13, for sci-fi action and violence Available via: Movie theaters By Derrick Bang • P ublished in The Davis Enterprise , 5.31.26 You simply cannot ask more of a Star Wars movie. The Mandalorian has been — by far — the most popular streaming series set in the Star Wars universe, and considerable credit goes to… ## [The Hobby: Tales from the Tabletop — Gamers get a well-deserved spotlight](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/05/the-hobby-tales-from-tabletop-gamers.html) _2026-05-22 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ The Hobby: Tales from the Tabletop (2025) • View trailer 3.5 stars (out of five); not rated, but akin to PG-13, for occasionally frustrated profoanity Available via: Amazon Prime By Derrick Bang Full disclosure: I had more than a casual interest in Simon Ennis’ engaging documentary before seeing the first frame, because Constant Companion and I ran a game and puzzle store in our town, from 1978 to… ## [Jack Ryan: Ghost War — Insubstantial](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/05/jack-ryan-ghost-war-insubstantial.html) _2026-05-22 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ Jack Ryan: Ghost War (2026) • View trailer 2.5 stars (out of five); rated R, for violence and profoanity Available via: Amazon Prime By Derrick Bang This seems to be the week for popular streaming shows to spawn feature-length films. I hope the Mandalorian and Grogu are treated with more respect. When a tightly planned operation goes horribly wrong, CIA Deputy Director Greer (Wendell Pierce,… ## [Remarkably Bright Creatures: A character-driven charmer](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/05/remarkably-bright-creatures-character.html) _2026-05-15 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ Remarkably Bright Creatures (2026) • View trailer 4.5 stars (out of five); rated PG-13, for brief profanity, fleeting drug use and dramatic intensity Available via: Netflix By Derrick Bang Author Shelby Van Pelt must be pleased; book-to-film translations aren’t often treated with this much respect. Although Tova (Sally Field) finds it difficult to share her private anguish with anybody else, she… ## [Jaunt: A captivating little journey](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/05/jaunt-charming-little-journey.html) _2026-05-12 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ Jaunt (2024) • View trailer 3.5 stars (out of five); not rated, and akin to PG-13 for sensuality, brief nudity and profanity Available via: Amazon Prime and other VOD options By Derrick Bang Folks with a fondness for California’s scenic coastline will get a kick out of this film. Writer/director Alexi Papalexopoulos’ accomplished feature debut is a road trip in both the physical and spiritual… ## [The Sheep Detectives: Wooly bully!](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/05/the-sheep-detectives-wooly-bully.html) _2026-05-08 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ The Sheep Detectives (2026) • View trailer Four stars (out of five); rated PG, and needlessly, for mild dramatic intensity Available via: Movie theaters By Derrick Bang • P ublished in The Davis Enterprise , 5.10.26 Director Kyle Balda’s quaint little charmer is certain to appeal to fans of Babe , Charlotte’s Web and other (sorta-kinda) live-action talking animal movies. This one blends that core… ## [The Devil Wears Prada 2: Still wickedly fun](https://derrickbang.blogspot.com/2026/05/the-devil-wears-prada-2-still-wickedly.html) _2026-05-05 · Derrick Bang · Derrick Bang on Film_ The Devil Wears Prada 2 (2026) • View trailer Four stars (out of five); rated PG-13, for sensuality Available via: Movie theaters By Derrick Bang The delicious snark isn’t quite as evident, and a greater degree of sentimentality is present, but everything else about this long-awaited sequel is spot-on. When a panicked Andy (Anne Hathaway) confesses that she has nothing appropriate to wear for a…