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Kaena - The Prophecy (France)
Animation DVD Review
Eye-popping, enormously imaginative visuals populate this anime-ish CGI action-adventure film from France. An all star voice cast is headed by Kirsten Dunst as Kaena, a rebellious teen who discovers the secret of the strange world she and her people inhabit.
 Barely released by Sony Pictures last summer, it's an underground hit on DVD. It's got everything a film needs — a strong female lead for the girls, and she's a hot, barely dressed chick for the guys, monsters, aliens, strange modes of flight, and more bugs than you can shake a stick at. It might take more than one viewing to fully comprehend the plot — it's a French film after all — but it's well worth the effort as this flick is simply outstanding!
Reviewed by Brian Cirulnick, August 2005
The Boy Who Wanted to be a Bear (Denmark)
Animation DVD Review
It's Boy Goes Bear in the tradition of Tarzan and The Jungle Book. Produced by the team behind The Triplets of Belleville, a boy raised by polar bears must choose between his animal nurture and his human nature. He braves the forces of the tundra in his quest for identity and purpose.
Danish animator Jannik Hastrup directs this movie with a stylish minimalism augmented occasionally by a CGI flourish. The film benefits from a playful musical score by Bruno Coulais (Winged Migration). The cartoon has its share of violent moments (but they are as violent as Ice Age).
Reviewed by Lawrence Sufrin, May 2005
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