Movies
Love, Death + Robots 4
Another fun and varied installment in the Love, Death + Robots anthology series. If you love animation and you like to see directors do their thing, no holds barred, then these anthologies should be right up your alley. The no-show of Alberto Mielgo is a bit of a bummer, and some shorts miss the mark completely, but there's still more than enough to look forward to.
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Some of these shorts are too lazy, too predictable, or don't do enough with the art style to warrant their inclusion, but it is offset by some truly original and inspiring works. Close Encounters of the Mini Kind, How Zeke Got Religion, and For He Can Creep were my favorites, so be sure to give them a go.
Love, Death + Robots 3
The third season or anthology (however you want to coin it) in the Love, Death + Robots franchise. This one is famous for Fincher finally directing an episode himself, though his short is completely overshadowed by some of the more adventurous films here, most notably Alberto Mielgo's Jibaro.
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There are a fair few solid filler shorts on top of that and three real stand-outs. Emily Dean's The Very Pulse of the Machine is a lushly animated sci-fi mood piece, Night of the Mini Dead is as cute as it is hilarious and over-the-top, but it's Mielgo's Jibaro that propels itself as the big star of the film. Many have commented on its incredible animation, but it's the direction itself that is absolutely mindblowing. Pacing, editing, and sound design complement the visuals and combine to make something surreal and indescribable. Just give this man a budget to make a feature-length film.
Love, Death + Robots 2
Some people consider it a TV series, others a collection of shorts, I just watch it as any old anthology. Volume 2 offers more of the same, only the amount of shorts has decreased, and the quality has become a bit more consistent throughout. The only thing missing a truly stand-out short.
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There are quite a few shorts gunning for photorealism, but Love, Death + Robots is at its best when it gets a bit more creative with the art styles. Ice and The Tall Grass both stand out in that regard. On the weaker side of the anthology we find Automated Customer Service (the comedy is way too basic) and Pop Squad (a rather poor Blade Runner clone), even these shorts are somewhat decent. This is a small step up from the first one, it just needs to be a bit more daring if it wants to shine.
Love, Death + Robots
A fun anthology that thrives on variety. The overall quality of the individual shorts is a little lacking and there aren't that many stand-out entries here, but there are plenty of different art styles, ideas and directions to ensure things don't go stale. While the film doesn't live up to its full potential, it's a real step up for US animation.
A sizable improvement over the last episode, then again that was an enormous atrocity. Hamilton and Davis aren't really suited for their parts, Schwarzenegger's return feels superfluous and whenever the film slows down it gets painfully clear that there's really nothing left to tell in the Terminator universe. At least the action is decent.