10 Underrated Animated Movies You Haven’t Seen or You Forgot About (and Why You Should Watch Them)5/4/2020 By Laura Huskey - Staff Writer Whether you like animated movies, children’s movies, or both, it’s always easy to be entertained by gorgeous frames and simple storytelling hidden with important lessons. There are many underrated animated movies across the globe that don’t receive as much attention as they rightfully deserve. Here are 10 gathered together, in no particular order, so you can make a decision for your next movie night.  1. Song of the Sea This tale, based on Scottish and Irish folklore surrounding selkies, is an adorable and heart-warming movie. The beautiful and wistful animation fits the story perfectly. A young boy and his younger sister travel together on a journey to free the fairy creatures that have been trapped in the bustling modern world. This movie will play with your emotions. Be prepared to cry. Rated PG. Available on Vudu, Amazon Prime and YouTube.  2. The Breadwinner Based on the book of the same title written by Deborah Ellis, this film’s simple but stunning animation spins a sad tale about the subtle horrors of war and life under an oppressive power. The movie follows a young girl who must disguise herself as a boy to feed her family. Using different styles of animation for storytelling, this movie will keep your attention and have you on the edge of your seat. A haunting but beautiful tale. Rated PG-13. Available on Netflix.  3. The Little Prince This film is based on the book by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. The story follows the life of a young girl who is encouraged to only work and study. She loses sight of what it means to be a kid, before meeting an old aviator who tells her stories of his travels where he met a Little Prince. With gorgeous animation in a range of styles and a beautiful soundtrack, this movie tells a bittersweet tale of growing up while remembering to have fun. Rated PG. Available on Netflix.  4. Kubo and the Two Strings Claymation is an incredibly difficult art to master, but Laika Studios worked hard to deliver a seamless animation and story. This movie follows the life of a young boy who takes care of his ill mother. Soon enough, he is hunted by both gods and monsters as he goes on a journey to find a magical suit of armor. Along with a gorgeous soundtrack, this fun adventure will keep your attention. Rated PG. Available on Vudu and iTunes.  5. Treasure Planet This early 2000s Disney film is one of the less appreciated movies from the studio. With an incredible blend of fantasy and sci-fi, this movie goes on a fast-paced adventure throughout the galaxies. A boy comes across a map that leads to a legendary treasure that would change his life forever. This story is full of flying pirate ships, imaginative character designs and smooth animation. Dramatic but heart-warming. Rated PG. Available on Disney+, YouTube, Amazon Prime, Google Play, Vudu and iTunes.  6. The Book of Life Based on Mexican folklore and culture, “The Book of Life” follows the lives of three children, focusing on one boy in particular. This boy grows up, eventually having to travel through multiple worlds in order to return back to the one he loves. Although the dialogue is more on the silly and humorous side, the animation of the film is styled beautifully and uniquely. An entertaining watch. Rated PG. Available on YouTube, Google Play, Vudu, iTunes and Amazon Prime.  7. Abominable This story follows three kids as they journey to get a yeti back to its home in the Himalayas. Beautiful scenery, a touching storyline and calming music all come together to create this heart-warming tale. Even if there were some out of the blue character development, it was still a touching movie, obviously made for kids. This is definitely a feel-good movie, but if you’re easily emotional, you just might cry at the end. Rated PG. Available on YouTube, Google Play, Vudu, Amazon Prime and Hulu.  8. Atlantis: The Lost Empire A classic Disney film following the adventure of a group of scientists and explorers attempting to find the legendary Atlantis. This film is more on the slow side, but the world and the story are carefully crafted to deliver a dramatic tale. Tentatively, this would be more on the adult side of animated movies. If you like adventure and sci-fi, this is the one for you. Rated PG. Available on Disney+, YouTube, Google Play, Vudu, iTunes and Amazon Prime.  9. Pachamama Two young children journey to recover an item sacred to their people and to the earth. This movie has an incredibly unique animation style that serves its story well. A tale from the perspective of the Indigenous people of the Andes that covers the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors, along with teaching how love for the earth and others remains most important. Rated PG. You can find this on Netflix.  10. Brother Bear
This movie is a beautiful classic from Disney. One of the top contenders for the most gorgeously animated Disney movies. It follows a young man, intent on finding revenge, but turned into a bear in consequence until he learns what his life is truly about. Along with an incredible soundtrack with tracks from Phil Collins and Tina Turner, this film entertains with an emotional rollercoaster of a story. Rated G. Available on Disney+, YouTube, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu and Amazon Prime.
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By Leah Irwin - Multimedia Editor Disclaimer: Some games on this list have mature ratings. Please check the game’s rating and themes before playing.
By Tyler Hays - Staff Writer
By Tanner Pipins - Entertainment Editor The earliest reference to the bidet dates back to the early 1700s of French royalty. The invention of the bidet is credited to a French craftsmen who installed a porcelain bowl (filled with water) into a wooden chair that would be
placed near their noble’s chamber pots. “Bidet,” which translates in French to “small horse” or “pony,” refers to the way you would straddle the bowl, similar to riding a horse. Since it was, at that time, more labor-intensive to gather enough water to fill the entire bathtub, servants would fill a bowl and place it bedside so the French aristocrats could “spot clean” smaller areas. Somehow between then and now, Americans have remained out of touch with the growing technology of bathroom hygiene. However, globally, areas like South America, Europe and Asia embrace and even accessorize their porcelain thrones. In NPR’s Newsletter you can find an excerpt from “Why America is Losing the Toilet Race” where reporter Greg Rosalsky describes toilets in Japan as “marvels of technological innovation.” A Japanese toilet company known as Toto, prides itself on being the world’s largest toilet manufacturer and leading the race on bringing comfort and functionality to the commode. Features like: heated seats, air deodorizers, backrests, remote controller and motion activated lids are just a few of the items that come standard to approximately 80% of the homes and hotels in Japan. On the higher end of Toto’s showroom you can purchase toilets that also feature night lights and a sound panel known as the Otohime or “The Sound Princess.” This panel is fully customizable and can emit white noise to ensure relaxation and privacy during your go. Toto’s newest dual flushing toilet comes with all the bells and whistles and is currently being sold for about $17,000. By Beverly Agbor - Staff Writer Netflix has a treasure trove of terrific movies to stream right now, but if you are looking for more than just a two-hour commitment, Netflix also has a boatload of great television shows to delve into for weeks on end. Below, we have rounded up the Top 10 most binge-worthy shows on Netflix right now. #10 - The Office  The Office is one of the most rewatchable and popular sitcoms in history. Steve Carell plays an annoying, occasionally offensive, boss of a paper company in a small town. This show gives Carell one of the best performances in television history. #9 - El Dragon: The Return of a Warrior  The Spanish language crime drama series shows the return of a warrior. It follows a handsome, charismatic and successful businessman who suddenly has to uproot his calm life in Japan to take over the family cartel in Mexico. #8 - Better Call Saul  This original series is a prequel to the events of Breaking Bad that chronicles how the scrappy Jimmy McGill eventually became Saul Goodman. #7 - Locke and Key  This long-awaited adaption of the graphic novel Locke and Key follows three siblings who move in with their mom following their father’s murder, only to discover her ancestral estate holds various doors and abilities. #6 - Gentefied  This original series follows three Mexican-American cousins who struggle to keep their grandfather’s Los Angeles-based taco shop open in face of gentrification. #5 - Narcos  This series explores the illegal drug trade in Mexico and takes place in the 1980s. #4 - She’s Gotta Have It  Nomi is an artist who doesn’t play by anyone’s rules while juggling three lovers in this Spike Lee series. #3 - Family Reunion  This series shows how a family moves from their hometown to the country in order to live with their grandparents and the different challenges they face. #2 - Pose  This show explores different segments of life in the LGBT community. #1 - Love is Blind  The buzzy Netflix original reality series Love is Blind puts men and women together to look for love and get engaged - all without meeting in person.
 Gollum, played by Andy Serkis in the movie "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey." (Illustration courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures) By Laura Huskey - Staff Writer 1. Being small allows you to be good at hide-and-seek
Hobbits have an average height of 3’6”. Imagine being small enough to hide in the most remote places. You would easily be the hide-and-seek champion of the year. 2. You won’t have to buy shoes Hobbits have no need to wear shoes. The amount of money you could save if you didn’t have to constantly buy shoes would allow you to spend money on other things you enjoy. 3. You will be able to have a small, adorable home Hobbits often live in hillsides, and in the case of the Shire, they decorate their homes to give them a quaint and cottage-like feeling. Not only would your home likely be cool in the summer, but it would also be the envy of all of your friends who have normal homes. 4. You get to eat multiple meals a day Hobbits eat seven meals a day, which never leaves time to be hungry. Starting from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., almost every other hour is devoted to eating a well-deserved meal. Hobbits are all about comfort. 5. You will be able to live sustainably Despite hobbits being focused on comfort, they know how to farm and grow their own food. By doing so, they keep a social community and know where their food is coming from. If we were to do this more often, we could improve the status of our own Earth. 6. You get to relax and have celebrations almost constantly Hobbits celebrate Highday on the seventh and last day of every week, with evening feasts. Not only is there something to look forward to every week, but birthdays are always in high demand as well. When you know everyone around you, you are always invited. There’s always a reason to celebrate. 7. You experience the joy of giving gifts Gift-giving is an important aspect of being a hobbit. Gifts are often given as a form of payment. On birthdays, the birthday celebrant is the one who gives gifts to everyone else. Because of this, hobbits are always happy to give and to receive. |
