Another Early Oscar Contender for Animation

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MOVIE REVIEW
Goodbye, Don Glees! (Gubbai, Don Gurîzu!)
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Genre: Animation, Adventure, Drama
Year Released: 2022
Runtime: 1h 35m
Director(s): Atsuko Ishizuka
Writer(s): Atsuko Ishizuka
Cast: Adam McArthur, Nick Wolfhard, Jonathan Leon, Victoria Grace, Atsushi Tamura, Rino Sashihara
Where To Watch: Limited theatrical release 9/14

What a gorgeous film, honestly, although at this point, that’s more or less my standard for any film distributed by GKIDS! These films give me that fulfillment that Disney and Pixar lack; there’s something magical to me about the look/feel of hand-drawn animation. While I’m sure more of this is done on a computer than I know, it still has that feel that takes me back to so many animated classics. While anime has its look and feel separate from Disney’s golden age, it still delivers on that feeling I remember.

The film wasn’t perfect; I think that certain parts may have been rushed, but overall, that was a minor flaw. The film is a condensed coming-of-age story, so much so that director Atsuko Ishizuka even mentioned STAND BY ME as an inspiration. That’s a high bar for a directorial debut; however, I don’t think anyone can question the success here. This won’t likely go down as one of the “best” anime films of all time, but it was another brilliant addition to the genre.

Something unique about anime compared to American animation is that anime also prides itself in the film being part of the story. You may have some pretty backgrounds in a Disney film, but the entire movie is generally realized through dialogue and the characters delivering it. In anime, you are part of this world; there are often shots of landscapes that are awe-inspiring. They become part of the story and move it forward like the characters.

I’m unfamiliar with many movies or shows from the studio that created this film; Madhouse, Inc. is based in Japan. I recognize a handful of their movies, but they’ve been making series and films since the late 70s and have an extensive listing of projects they’ve been responsible for. I love learning about new animation companies I wasn’t familiar with.

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