
Release date: October 30, 2024 (France)
Director: Gints Zilbalodis
Language: English
Distributed by: UFO Distribution
Box office: US$6.8 million
Latvian: Straume
Music by: Gints Zilbalodis; Rihards Zaļupe
Missed this one upon release however with this title winning best animated movie for the golden globes I had to check it out.
Flow is a beautiful movie not only in visuals but in its heart and soul. Flow sets us up with an introduction to this cute cat shown in the image above. Very quickly we’re introduced to an array of characters that either serve as a threat or established entity in this world.
When a natural disaster? Occurs we find ourselves in a world that continues to flood. Higher and higher the water level rises and the journey that flows ahead of us is a journey of our cat and companion animals that shows even your enemies can be your closest friend.
Loved this journey, however I’d give it a solid one of watch with maybe a repeat viewing down the road. Worthy of praise but to beat Wild Robot! COME ON haha, but seriously it’s really good. Better than Inside Out 2 for a 1 time watch but couldn’t imagen checking this out again.
With no dialogue anyone can watch this title and enjoy the visuals and story on screen.
I’d give it an 8.5/10 but could be an 8 with how much I’d like some information established that goes unanswered along the way.

Release date: December 20, 2024 (USA)
Director: Barry Jenkins
Distributed by: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Adapted from: The Lion King
Box office: $481.6 million
Music by: Dave Metzger; Nicholas Britell (score); Lin-Manuel Miranda (songs)
Doing a double batch here as these titles came out last year. Doesn’t mean I didn’t want to talk about them specially with the Oscars coming up and Flow maybe among them?
I had no interest with Mufasa, however an annoying but catchy song/saying was in my mind. I always wanted a brother…..I always wanted a brother…. I always …okay okay I get it. Let’s watch this thing and give it context.
This was a rollercoaster of a score / experience. On one hand, when it’s hitting your nostalgia play this title felt so good but played on it so cheaply. If it wasn’t for the epic journey ahead this title wouldn’t have been as good. Hmmm kind of feels like Furiosa doesn’t it with Fury Road.
Loved the mini sequel that starts this title. Kind of lost me when we went into the backstory. That was until we meet Mufasa and his brother Taka. I thoroughly enjoyed the “Evil” lion tribe the white lions. These were awesome and actually had my favorite song “Good Bye” :D. Felt like a threat and gave so much weight to Mufasa and his actions.
Mufasa felt like such a giga Chad which was cool to see. Loved his journey and despite Taka being a cowardly entitled character. Loved the switch into his Scar alter ego which we’ve known from the original Lion King.
I’d give Mufasa a solid 7/10 but that’s mainly due to Nostalgia and with how the movie ended making me want to watch the original once more. I never saw the “Live Action” version of Lion King so I look forward to checking it out now. Will a sequel come from this ? Unsure.
If they re-wrote or cut like 30minutes from this title a potential 8 could have been scored for Mufasa but sadly the lows and ehh moments kept it from being great and just a solid good. Better than I expected that’s for sure.
Thank you all for coming by Popped.blog and checking out this latest batch. We come nearer to the Oscar nominations and I’m excited to see what outcome comes for 2024 movies.
Looking ahead for 2025, tomorrow I’ll be checking out Better Man and curiously hopeful to have A Complete Unknown experience but we’ll have to wait and see.
Until next batch, enjoy The Popped Cast and look forward to a Wallace & Gromit “Review” real soon :D.