Episode 31 of the ThawedCast features Hannah and Philip’s review of 2019's The Secret Life of Pets 2 from Illumination and Universal Pictures. The film follows returning characters Max, Duke, Chloe, Gidget, and Snowball on their adventures in New York City and beyond! Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @hannahleigheverafter
Strap in for Episode 32 of the ThawedCast, all about Toy Story 4 from Pixar Animation Studios. Jodi, Hannah, and Philip provide an overview of the entire film and Dawson returns at the end of the show to share his thoughts with Philip. This is Pixar's 21st film, directed by Josh Cooley released by Disney. Now that Woody and the gang are no longer with Andy, Woody is faced with a whole new set of challenges that will determine his destiny as a toy. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @jodipolasky, @hannahleigheverafter, @dawsondelwinehlke
Philip and Hannah discuss Frozen updates and more on Episode 33 of The ThawedCast: Conversations About Animation. New details about the plot of Frozen II were revealed at Annecy Festival in France, shedding light on some of the mysteries from the latest trailer. Also, Disney announces their new Ariel in the live action The Little Mermaid, and Kristen Bell shares her involvement in the writing of Frozen II. Visit www.thawedcast.com. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @hannahleigheverafter
Philip is joined by Cara Deptula in Episode 34 of The ThawedCast: Conversations About Animation, all about Spider-Man: Far From Home. The final film in Phase 3 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the film ties up the events of 'Avengers: Endgame' while giving Peter Parker (Tom Holland) a whole new globe-trotting adventure, where he must deal with inheriting the legacy of Tony Stark. Visit www.thawedcast.com. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @caradeptula.
The ThawedCast returns as Episode 35 welcomes Christopher Witmer to the cast alongside Philip Ehlke, Jodi Polasky, amd Hannah Leigh Smart to discuss the original The Lion King (1994), the 32nd film in the Walt Disney animated canon. Stay tuned for more coverage on the remake, but this episode is all about the culture-defining original that changed the way we thought about African wildlife. The film's protracted production began way back in the late 1980s and went through many iterations before delivering its epic spectacle, borrowing from Shakespeare as well as other nature-themed animated works. Visit www.thawedcast.com. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @jodipolasky, @hannahleigheverafter, @christopherwitmer
Episode 36 continues the discussion of The Lion King on the Thawedcast with 2019's remake of the animated classic, directed by Jon Favreau. This lifelike, all-CGI adaptation strays very little from the original and capitalizes heavily on nostalgia, but brings in a few new surprises. Bonus discussions on Cats and Disney remakes. Visit www.thawedcast.com. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @jodipolasky, @hannahleigheverafter
Episode 37 of the ThawedCast journeys to the mystical world of The Dark Crystal (1982) as Philip Ehlke and Cara Deptula discuss this passion-fueled fantasy epic from Jim Henson. While not as commercially successful as Henson's endeavors concerning Muppets, The Dark Crystal is an intriguing attempt at using the skills and technology of the Muppeteers to tell a story purely through lifelike, intricately cafted characters, creating a truly one-of-a-kind (until 2019's The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance) and unforgettable experience. Visit www.thawedcast.com. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @caradeptula.
The ThawedCast returns to explore the latest trailer for Disney Animation's Frozen II. Arendelle faces a massive threat from a mysterious force. How do our heroes hope to face down the terror that awaits in the forbidden lands to the north? Will Elsa's power consume her? Will Anna gain powers to help in the fight? Listen as Philip, Dawson, Jodi, and Hannah share their thoughts on the new trailer, plus discussions on D23 Expo and Disney+! Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @dawsonehlke, @jodipolasky, @hannahleigheverafter
In memory of Jake “JD” Hertwig
Philip, Jodi and Hannah talk the latest film from DreamWorks Animation, Abominable. Written and directed by Jill Culton and co-directed by Todd Wilderman, the film follows Yi, a girl who finds a yeti hiding on her apartment rooftop. With the help of her friends Peng and Jin, Yi attempts to guide "Everest" back home to the Himalayas, fulfilling a lifelong dream of journeying across China in the process. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @jodipolasky, @hannahleigheverafter
The ThawedCast: Conversations About Animation ventures back into the magical world of Jim Henson as Philip Ehlke and Cara Deptula review Labyrinth from 1986. The film stars Jennifer Connelly, David Bowie and Brian Henson and is Jim Henson's feature directorial follow-up to The Dark Crystal (1982). This musical fable combines a brilliant soundtrack, puppetry, and animatronics with breakthrough performances, culminating in a true cult classic. Visit www.thawedcast.com. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @caradeptula.
Dawson and Philip review Todd Phillips' Joker from Warner Bros. Pictures and DC Comics. This dark take on the infamous Batman villain, brilliantly portrayed here by Joaquin Phoenix, provides an unseen facet of the Joker in its focus on poverty and mental illness. Arthur Fleck is a bumbling clown-for-hire with a traumatic childhood and a miserable home life. Fleck finds agency in embracing his darkest tendencies while his bitterness consumes him. Sacrificing his humanity for a twisted sense of purpose, the Joker is born. Visit www.thawedcast.com. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @dawsonehlke.
Philip Ehlke and Cara Deptula discuss one of the most creative films ever put to screen in their review of Spirited Away, the 2001 Oscar-winning film from Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli. This film transports its audience into a world of magic, spirits, and some of the surprisingly mundane--but nonetheless vividly imaginative--undertakings of the spirit realm's residents. Ten-year-old Chihiro is despondent over having to uproot her big-city life. En route to her new home, she and her parents happen upon a mysterious abandoned theme park containing an enchanted bathhouse. Chihiro is suddenly swept into an unimaginable adventure in which the fate of hers and her parents' souls are at stake. Visit www.thawedcast.com. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @caradeptula.
Episode 43 of the ThawedCast brings you Philip and Cara's review and discussion of Pixar Animation's Coco (2017), directed by Lee Unkrich and co-directed by Adrian Molina. Disney/Pixar's 19th feature film, Coco stars a young boy who refuses the family tradition of becoming a shoemaker in favor of a career in music. Forbidden from playing music by his family, Miguel is cursed while attempting to steal a guitar to use during the Día de Muertos festival, leaving him stranded in the Land of the Dead. Visit www.thawedcast.com. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @caradeptula.
Philip and Jodi discuss the pivotal 50th film from Walt Disney Animation Studios, Tangled (2010) directed by Byron Howard and Nathan Greno. This modern classic provides an update on the Brothers Grimm fairy tale, "Rapunzel". Kidnapped at birth, the enchanted Princess Rapunzel (Mandy Moore) is locked in a tower while her hair's healing powers are used to keep the wicked Mother Gothel (Donna Murphy) young. Rapunzel's tower is discovered by thief Flynn Rider (Zachary Levi) and the two embark on an adventure to see the kingdom. Visit www.thawedcast.com. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @jodipolasky,
Frozen 2 has arrived! Philip, Dawson, Jodi and Hannah share their first impressions in what will be a multi-part excursion into the unknown on the ThawedCast. Beware spoilers as the cast dives into the mystery and intrigue of this more grown-up sequel to 2013's Frozen, directed once again by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee and produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. The cast share their favorite songs and moments, as well as discuss how effectively the new film expands on the familial themes of the original into new areas, such as racial justice and environmentalism. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @jodipolasky, @hannahleigheverafter, @dawsonehlke.
Part 2 of the ThawedCast's discussion on Frozen II, the 58th film from Walt Disney Animation Studios. Jodi, Hannah and Philip dive into the magic of the hit sequel to 2013's Frozen. After a resounding first two weekends in theaters, Frozen 2 is on its way to becoming the most successful animated film of all time, and the "Thawed Squad" further elaborates on their feelings toward the film. Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, Olaf and Sven journey to the northern reaches of Arendelle to unravel a decades-old mystery that could be the key to understanding Elsa's powers. This sequel delivers jaw-dropping visuals and masterful musical moments that demand multiple repeat viewings. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @jodipolasky, @hannahleigheverafter
Dawson and Philip bring you their discussion and review of Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, touted as the "End of the Skywalker Saga," from Lucasfilm and Walt Disney Studios, directed by JJ Abrams and co-written by Abrams and Chris Terrio. The brothers bring somewhat conflicting opinions about the film, having gone in with low expectations due to the Sequel Trilogy's seeming lack of vision from start. But depending who you ask, Abrams and Terrio were surprisingly successful in wrapping up the new trilogy--as well as the entire trilogy of Trilogies--in a satisfying way. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @dawsonehlke.
Dawson and Philip review and discuss Onward (2020) from Pixar Animation Studios and Walt Disney Pictures. Directed and conceived by Dan Scanlon (Monsters University), Onward imagines a world where magic and technology coexist, populated by an assortment of magical creatures. The film follows elf brothers Ian and Barley on their quest to complete a magical incantation with the power to bring back their deceased father for a single day. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @dawsonehlke.
Dawson and Philip discuss a longtime favorite show of theirs in “Avatar: The Last Airbender” which ran from 2005-08 on Nickelodeon. The show imagines a vibrant world of mysticism and warfare, in where the four elements of water, earth, fire, and air represent the various cultures that populate it. The central character, Aang, who can "bend" the element air, must realize his destiny as the Avatar with the help of his companions. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @dawsondelwinehlke. Shadow of the Conqueror on YouTube
The ThawedCast: Conversations About Animation welcomes Jodi and Hannah back to the podcast as they join Dawson and Philip to discuss Disney's Mulan from 1998. This musical retelling of the famous Chinese poem, "The Ballad of Mulan," spotlights the eponymous heroine's struggle against an aggressive patriarchy, provoking her to secretly join the army while posing as a man. With the help of her ancestral spirit guardian, she may just have what it takes to turn the tide in the war against the invading Huns. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @jodipolasky, @hannahleigheverafter, @dawsondelwinehlke. Shadow of the Conqueror on YouTube
Philip, Jodi and Hannah review and discuss Quest for Camelot (1998) from Warner Bros. Pictures. This animated action-adventure spotlights Kayley, enthusiastic daughter of Sir Lionel, Knight of the Round Table, who is sent on a mission to find Excalibur and protect Camelot from the treacherous Lord Ruber. With the help of the blind warrior Garrett, and two-headed dragon Devon and Cornwall, she hopes to follow in her father's footsteps and become one of King Arthur's fabled knights. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @jodipolasky, @hannahleigheverafter,
Dawson, Jodi and Philip discuss Mulan from Walt Disney Pictures, a Disney+ exclusive in the US. This film comes in a long line of live-action adaptations of popular Disney animated musicals, and this film revisits the events of the 1998 wartime fantasy, albeit with a more serious tone, having shed its "musical" label. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @jodipolasky, @hannahleigheverafter, @dawsondelwinehlke. Shadow of the Conqueror on YouTube
Christopher Nolan's latest film, Tenet (2020) is a surreal, sci-fi epic resting on the frame of a traditional espionage thriller. Philip and Dawson review this globetrotting, heist-pulling actioner and attempt to make some sense of the unique time-travel physics that this film introduces. Never one to disappoint on a concept, Nolan once again teams with expert physicists to weave scientific phenomena into high-stakes drama. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @dawsondelwinehlke.
Animation legend Don Bluth released his 9th film, Anastasia, in 1997. Co-directed by longtime collaborator Gary Goldman, this historical fantasy was the first feature produced by Fox Animation Studios and represents a high point for hand-drawn animated musicals. The film follows the amnesiac Anya a.k.a. Anastasia, a Russian princess who embarks on a journey to reunite with her sole-surviving family member. Nominated for two Academy Awards, Anastasia represents one of the few successful attempts at replicating Disney's success before CGI animation rose to prominence. Find us: @philipehlke, @hannahleigheverafter, @dawsondelwinehlke.
Philip and Jodi discuss the direct-to-video prequel to Anastasia (1997), Bartok the Magnificent (1999), directed by Don Bluth and Gary Goldman. The film establishes the enigmatic Bartok as a mystical creature whose history dates back well before the rise of the USSR. In a world where talking, street-performing bats (and bears) are nothing too out-of-the-ordinary, the task of rescuing a beloved prince from the mythical Baba Yaga falls to Bartok, whose bravery and wit may just allow him to succeed. The film teaches the importance of perseverance through adversity, and that friends come in the unlikeliest forms. Find us: @philipehlke, @jodipolasky.
Jodi, Hannah, and Philip discuss The Secret of Nimh, (1982) the gritty, fantastical adventure film about a mother protecting her young. Director Don Bluth's first feature, this landmark animated film adapts the mind-bending 1971 novel from Robert C. O'Brien about enhanced laboratory rodents. Mrs. Brisby is the widow of one of the escaped test subjects and enjoys simple farm life until her home is threatened. The neighboring lab rats agree to help her out of gratitude to her late husband, but the task comes with some unexpected complications. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @jodipolasky, @hannahleigheverafter,
Dawson and Philip discuss one of the first animated features ever made in Canada, Rock & Rule (1983) from Nelvana. Plagued by its weighty ambitions and difficulty finding a target audience, this high-voltage musical barely saw a theatrical release. It now lives on as a curious relic of the 1980s, filled with nostalgic callbacks to the music of artists as such Lou Reed, Blondie, and Cheap Trick, all of whom appear in the film performing original songs. Set in a fantastical, war-ravaged future, this operatic tale follows an upstart band of four youths, one of whom is courted by a megastar with devious intentions. The remaining members must race to save their band-mate before her life is put into jeopardy. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @dawsondelwinehlke.
Jodi, Dawson, and Philip review one of the darkest entries from Walt Disney Animation, The Black Cauldron (1985), a film that had a troubled journey to the big screen. In order to avoid a PG-13 rating, the film was delayed and a substantial amount of completed animation was cut from the film. Despite its dissonant tone and truncated runtime, The Black Cauldron is a spectacular tale of heroism and sorcery, with a charming cast of characters including the brash young Taran and his band of adventurers whom he meets along his journey. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @hannahleigheverafter, @dawsondelwinehlke.
The ThawedCast returns to Arendelle as Hannah, Jodi, and Philip discuss the new short film now available on Disney+, "Once Upon a Snowman." Set during the events of Frozen (2013), this 7-minute short from Walt Disney Animation Studios depicts the moment the snowman Olaf comes to life, chronicling the events between the song "Let It Go" and his encounter with Anna and Kristoff the next morning. And if it seems morning comes a bit too quickly, just remember that in a northern country like Arendelle, the nights are much shorter in summer. *Correction: I say Finding Dory when I actually mean Finding Nemo -Philip. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @jodipolasky, @hannahleigheverafter,
Dawson, Philip, Jodi, and Hannah review and discuss Over the Garden Wall, a 2014 musical limited series from Cartoon Network. Created by Pat McHale and Katie Krentz, the story originated as an idea McHale conceived in 2004. A veteran of animated shows like The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack and Adventure Time, McHale's concept of a pair of brothers on a journey through 19th-Century Gothic fantasy was realized as a 10-part miniseries, a first for the network. The show won two Primetime Emmys and continues to be a beloved staple of the fall/Halloween season. Follow @thawedcast on Twitter and Instagram. Email: genresavvypodcast@gmail.com. Find us: @philipehlke, @jodipolasky, @hannahleigheverafter, @dawsondelwinehlke.