LAIKA continually pushes its animators and artisans to break new ground. Coming off the success of ParaNorman and Coraline, LAIKA could have returned to grim stories. Yet instead, they decided to tackle a far more challenging story about false narratives and government corruption. The Boxtrolls also forced LAIKA to develop as visual storytellers, especially with … Continue reading Blu-Ray Review: ‘The Boxtrolls’ Remains a 4K Technical Behemoth
Blu-Ray Review: Kubo and the Two Strings – LAIKA and Shout Factory! Deliver Another Gem
In 2016, LAIKA Studios released its most ambitious project to date. Director Travis Knight had worked as an animator on their previous films and despite being CEO of LAIKA, had waited for the right project to step into the director's chair. Knight's choice brought East-Asian influence and centered storytelling above all else. Kubo and the … Continue reading Blu-Ray Review: Kubo and the Two Strings – LAIKA and Shout Factory! Deliver Another Gem
Shout! Factory Releases an Exciting 4K Restoration of ‘Coraline’ from LAIKA Studios
After releasing two stop-motion features for Disney, Henry Selick teamed up with a company without much of a reputation. A small studio reorganized after being purchased by Phil Knight (Nike's owner and CEO), adopting the new name of LAIKA Studios. After bringing in Selick, the new studio developed stop-motion features, the first of which would … Continue reading Shout! Factory Releases an Exciting 4K Restoration of ‘Coraline’ from LAIKA Studios
Shout! Factory and LAIKA Release the Perfect 4K of ‘ParaNorman’
One of the most endearing films of 2012, ParaNorman from LAIKA Studios became a phenomenon in animation circles. LAIKA had previously made waves with 2009’s Coraline, a stop-motion animation masterpiece directed by Henry Selick. By 2012, the small Portland-based animation company had pushed the boundaries of technology in every conceivable way. Not only had they … Continue reading Shout! Factory and LAIKA Release the Perfect 4K of ‘ParaNorman’
Blu-Ray Review: ‘Penguin Highway’ Offers Excellent Animation and Cute Fun
While many films from East Asia have elements of science fiction, most American audiences focus on tales of magical realism. While some anime, especially casual anime fans, have grown to expect this from Japanese productions, the genre has risen in popularity over the past few years. With features like Your Name. and Fireworks becoming populist hits, it was … Continue reading Blu-Ray Review: ‘Penguin Highway’ Offers Excellent Animation and Cute Fun
Blu-Ray Review: ‘Okko’s Inn’ Makes a Compelling Case for the Best Animated Feature Lineup
One of the toughest moments in any person's life can be the first time you lose a loved one. The journey from sadness to acceptance can be difficult, but life can move on. Animation has often been used to open up conversations with children and young adults about the emotional impacts of death, and how … Continue reading Blu-Ray Review: ‘Okko’s Inn’ Makes a Compelling Case for the Best Animated Feature Lineup
Blu-Ray Pick of the Week: ‘Princess Mononoke’ Returns With a Glorious Collector’s Edition
This week, we finally get the Princess Mononoke Blu-Ray package we deserve. Shout! Factory, GKIDS, and Studio Ghibli have partnered to release a collector's edition for Princess Mononoke, Hayao Miyazaki's landmark 1997 film. A fantasy story that preaches the ills of war, the importance of nature, and features stunning animation, the classic remains as essential today as it did when it … Continue reading Blu-Ray Pick of the Week: ‘Princess Mononoke’ Returns With a Glorious Collector’s Edition