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Whether it was a new installment in a pre-existing franchise or a standalone project, there’s a lot of quality to be found among the best anime movies of 2022. 2022 is coming to a close, and it was undoubtedly a standout year for anime. Old favorites like Attack on Titan, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Urusei Yatsura, and Bleach returned and took their strongest qualities even further. At the same time, it also saw the premiere of new shows like Chainsaw Man, Spy x Family, Bocchi the Rock!, and Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury, all of which managed to leave their mark thanks to their stellar stories, art, and animation.

Naturally, it wasn’t just anime shows that stood out in 2022, as there were plenty of great anime movies in 2022, as well. Most of the listed entries are available on Amazon Prime, Crunchyroll, and other streaming services, and every entry has been included for their story,...

Disney's upcoming pulp sci-fi animated film "Strange World" is only two months away from release. In the film, a family of explorers heads out into a strange new territory, where odd creatures and plants wait to be discovered. /Film's own Vanessa Armstrong had a chat with "Strange World" Heads of Animation Amy Smeed and Justin Sklar about the creation of characters and how the team came up with their looks.

According to Sklar, the creation of the Clade family and the film's style was a group effort, with everyone "approaching it from a different direction." He said:

"I think [director Don Hall and co-director and writer Qui Nguyen] had a very specific vision about how we're going to approach the pulp thing and that became something for Jin Kim, who was drawing the characters, because it became this kind of French comic thing — there's a little bit of Miyazaki in there...

The upcoming Disney animated film "Strange World" lives up to its title. The world that the Clade family visits is, indeed, strange. And the creatures that inhabit that world are, if it's possible, even stranger.

Even though there's a lot of weirdness in the film, all of those odd creations are still relatable and, dare I say, even adorable at times. During a press event at Disney Animation Studios last week, I had the chance to sit down with "Strange World" Heads of Animation Amy Smeed and Justin Sklar to talk about their work on the film. We chatted about their approach to creating creatures unlike anything we've seen before, but also how they approached crafting the plain ol' human characters in a way that fit with the rest of the film.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

'We Were Just Chasing The Idea Of Fun And...

August is here, which means summer is winding down and the options at your local multiplex are starting to become a bit slimmer. Not to worry, though, because a bevy of new titles are streaming this month, offering a ton of new movies — both newly streaming films and genuine new releases — to enjoy from the comfort of your own home. Below, we’ve rounded up a list of some of the best new movies to stream in August, which runs the gamut from a new “Predator” prequel to a vampire action comedy to a pair of brand new animated films.

Belle Studio Chizu

August 1, HBO Max

One of last year’s very best animated features, “Belle” hails from Japanese filmmaker Mamoru Hosoda. A 21st century take on “Beauty and the Beast,” “Belle” concerns a young girl who refashions herself as a pop princess in a virtual space known as the U.

Belle, the latest anime sensation from Oscar-nominated director Mamoru Hosoda will be released on DVD, Blu-ray, as well as a special feature-packed 4K Uhd Blu-ray Collector’s Edition that includes the film’s beloved soundtrack on 27th June. To celebrate, we are giving away a Blu-ray!

An original story inspired by the realisation that his own children will grow up in an increasingly online age, Hosoda’s Belle is the story of Suzu, a country girl who becomes a music sensation in the virtual world of “U” with the mesmerising avatar Belle. When her fame attracts the attention of a fearsome yet mysterious user known only as “Dragon”, Suzu will discover where the line between the online and offline self really lies.

Premiering to a historic 14-minute standing ovation at the 74th Cannes Film Festival, Belle released in cinemas across the UK and Ireland in February to critical acclaim, with...