Tora-chan no Makan Mushi: warning children to behave well at work
Kenzo Masaoka, “Tora-chan no Makan Mushi” (1950) In the last cartoon to feature Tora-chan (Little Tiger) and his friend Miike-chan, the two kittens have grown up…
Tora-chan to Hanayome: family friction in a crude slapstick cartoon
Kenzo Masaoka, “Tora-chan to Hanayome” (1948) The last three animated films made by Kenzo Masaoka revolved around the adventures of the kitten Tora-chan (Little Tiger). The…
Suteneko Tora-chan: a charming and graceful film on the plight of war orphans and keeping society together
Kenzo Masaoka, “Suteneko Tora-chan” (1947) A charming film about an orphaned kitten found and adopted by a family of cats, “Suteneko Tora-chan” addresses some of the…
Land: a film of two exiles from society finding friendship and healing
Robin Wright, “Land” (2021) For her directorial debut, US actor Robin Wright chose to do a challenging character study of a bereaved woman, Edee (played by…
The American Occupation of Iran 1941 – 1978: Iran as a pawn of British and US self-interests
Carlton Meyer, “The American Occupation of Iran 1941 – 1978” (Tales of the American Empire, 13 March 2020) So much history is covered in this short…
Australian and New Zealand Films
A case for postal banking in “Taking on the banks: The truth about the Australia Post Cartier watches affair”
“Taking on the banks: The truth about the Australia Post Cartier watches affair” (Citizens Insight / Australian Citizens Party, 19 February 2021) In this video, the Australian…
The Bear Dodger: a tale advising children to choose their friends carefully
Noburo Ofuji, “The Bear Dodger” (1948) Made in 1948 but with characters drawn in a much older early-1930s style, this animated short has a moral behind…
Tengu Taiji: a lively and comical animated folk tale from an early Japanese pioneer
Noburu Ofuji aka Fuyo Koyamano, “Tengu Taiji” (1934) A very comical tale about a town besieged by tengu – dangerous goblin spirits with the characteristics of…
Ugokie kori no tatehiki: the battle between fox and racoon dog spirits given fast energy and wacky style
Ikuo Oishi, “Ugokie kori no tatehiki” (1933) Japanese animators in the 1930s sure loved the Max Fleischer style of animation and Ikuo Oishi was no different:…
British Films, French and French-language Films
The Father: a good if generic character study of the impact of dementia on its victims and their families
Florian Zeller, “The Father” (2020) Detailing an elderly father’s deterioration from dementia, and the effects his condition has on the people around him, this film adopts…