Philip and Lara discuss 'The Substance' written and directed by French Filmmaker Coralie Fargeat. Fargeat and 'The Substance' won best screenplay at the festival, and the film has since received many accolades and has earned strong word-of-mouth buzz for its incisive storytelling and its iconic visual style. This sci-fi-infused horror film makes heavy use of practical makeup effects and vibrant production design, and won the Oscar for Best Makeup and Hairstyling. Demi Moore stars as Elisabeth Sparkle, an actress and TV personality who is ending her career has an exercise show host. Devastated by the prospect of aging out of a life of being celebrated for her physical appearance, Elisabeth turns to an experimental "substance" that purports to alleviate some of the difficult aspects of aging. This has a highly disruptive effect on Elisabeth's life, but the lure proves too difficult to resist, and the substance takes hold with the potential for innumerable unforeseen consequences. Follow The ThawedCast: Conversations About Animation: twitter.com/thawedcast and instagram.com/thawedcast. instagram.com/partoflarasworld, instagram.com/laraakal, instagram.com/philipehlke. Visit thawedcast.com

Philip, Lara, Jodi, and Bridget discuss the new Disney animated sequel, 'Moana 2'. Moana returns to screens after eight years since the original. Set a number of years after the first film, the heroine has embraced her role as a wayfinder and is searching for other inhabited islands in an attempt to establish contact with the outside world. After receiving a vision from her ancestors, Moana sets out to an island that once served as the hub of her civilization. There are dark spirits and frightening creatures standing in her way, so it is bound to be a perilous voyage, posing tremendous risk to Moana and her newly formed crew. Follow The ThawedCast: Conversations About Animation: twitter.com/thawedcast and instagram.com/thawedcast. instagram.com/partoflarasworld, instagram.com/bridget5246, instagram.com/philipehlke, tiktok.com/@jodipolasky47. Visit thawedcast.com

Philip and Elliott discuss the most recent Star Wars series from Lucasfilm and Disney Plus, 'Skeleton Crew'. Four kids growing up in the suburbs have their life planned out on the seemingly unremarkable planet At Attin. At Attin's place in the galaxy is shrouded in mystery, however, due to its secretive role as a Republic mint holding countless credits in its vaults. Fern, KB, Wim, and Neel discover a crashed pirate ship and are taken on an an adventure with the help of pirate droid SM33 and the roguish Jod Na Nawood. Their desire to return to the safety of home is complicated by their home planet's vulnerability should its location ever be discovered by their pirate pursuers. Follow The ThawedCast: Conversations About Animation: twitter.com/thawedcast and instagram.com/thawedcast. instagram.com/ellimundo, instagram.com/philipehlke. Visit thawedcast.com

Jodi, Bridget and Philip talk about 'Spellbound' (2024), a new animated musical from Netflix and Skydance Animation. This is the second animated feature to come from Skydance after 'Luck' (2022) and is directed and co-written by 'Shrek' director Vicky Jenson. The film takes viewers to the enchanted, or rather, cursed, kingdom of Lumbria, ruled by King Solon and Queen Ellsmere. Their daughter, Princess Ellian, must determine whether to become queen, since the king and queen were transformed into feral monsters and have been hidden away in the palace for a year. Ellian manages to contact two oracles who are unable to reverse the enchantment but point her toward a possible solution. She must guide the two lizard-like monsters on a journey to a lake of light, but must contend with the fact that this perilous quest will likely leave her, her kingdom, and her family forever changed. Follow The ThawedCast: Conversations About Animation: twitter.com/thawedcast and instagram.com/thawedcast, instagram.com/bridget5246, instagram.com/philipehlke, visit thawedcast.com

Philip and Lara discuss the new film from Focus Features and Robert Eggers, a remake of the 1922 German silent film 'Nosferatu.' Eggers brings his signature austere style to this classic Gothic horror story, originally an unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker's 'Dracula.' Key details were changed from the book, but that didn't stop the original film's legacy from being threatened by the forcible destruction of all prints due to copyright infringement. Thankfully the film lives on and Max Shreck's iconic portrayal of the corpse-like Count Orlok would go on to inspire generations of vampire enthusiasts. Bill Skarsgård provides a unique take on Count Orlok as he haunts and seduces his unwitting victims, such as the newlywed Thomas and Ellen Hutter and their friends Frederick and Anna Harding. This dark, atmospheric film evokes the previous works of Eggers whose obsessive attention to detail transports you to 1830s Germany, where the fear of plagues and sorcery were ever-present, often requiring tremendous sacrifice to thwart the evil that infects the world. Follow The ThawedCast: Conversations About Animation: twitter.com/thawedcast and instagram.com/thawedcast. instagram.com/partoflarasworld, instagram.com/laraakal, instagram.com/philipehlke. Visit thawedcast.com

Mele Kalikimaka as the ThawedCast covers 'Moana,' the monumental 2016 film from Walt Disney Animation Studios, directed by longtime Disney Animation dynamic duo John Musker and Ron Clements, and co-directed by Don Hall and Chris Williams. Bridget, Lara and Philip revisit the mythical ancient Polynesian world of Moana of Motunui (Auli'i Cravalho) and her adventures with the demigod Maui (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson). Moana--a princess of sorts as the daughter of the chief--is faced with inheriting the leadership of an insular island nation that has abandoned its seafaring roots. However, she must learn to sail in order to restore the Heart of Te Fiti, a magical relic bestowed on her by the ocean. Failing in her mission would doom her island to a growing famine. Guided by her grandmother's spirit and the power of the ocean, she first seeks out the aid of the shapeshifter Maui. He reluctantly agrees to accompany her, first to retrieve his magical fishhook, and then to potentially face the perils posed by the demon Te Kā, who has corrupted the influence of the nature goddess Te Fiti. Follow The ThawedCast: Conversations About Animation: twitter.com/thawedcast and instagram.com/thawedcast. instagram.com/partoflarasworld, instagram.com/bridget5246, instagram.com/philipehlke. Visit thawedcast.com

The ThawedCast celebrates the release of ‘Wicked: Part I’ from Universal Pictures, 21 years after the Broadway musical made its sparkling debut. Jodi, Lara, Bridget, and Philip discuss the new 160-minute film which concludes at the intermission point of the stage version. This ‘Wizard of Oz’ prequel began as a 1995 Gregory McQuire novel depicting a darker, more adult take on the original mythology conceived by L. Frank Baum. The film doesn’t shy away from borrowing heavily from the imagery of the seminal 1939 Judy Garland film, but it certainly provides a different take on the characters, positioning Elphaba, future Wicked Witch of the West, as the main hero of the story. Elphaba’s widowed father only grudgingly allows her to leave home in order to help care for her paraplegic younger sister, as the two enroll at the prestigious Shiz University. There, Elphaba meets Galinda, future Good Witch of the North. This iconic pair embark on a fateful rivalry that evolves heavily over the course of the film. Follow The ThawedCast: Conversations About Animation: twitter.com/thawedcast and instagram.com/thawedcast. instagram.com/partoflarasworld, instagram.com/bridget5246, instagram.com/philipehlke, tiktok.com/@jodipolasky47. Visit thawedcast.com

Jodi, Bridget, and Philip convene prior to Thanksgiving to sneak in a quick episode about a holiday classic (Passover, in this case)--2019's 'Uncut Gems,' directed by brothers Josh and Benny Safdie. Adam Sandler plays Howard Ratner, a jewelry dealer in Manhattan's Diamond District. He and his associates, Demany and Julia (LaKeith Stanfield and Julia Fox), work together to attract a high-profile clientele. Kevin Garnett stars as himself as an interested buyer of a mysterious black opal recently obtained by Howard. Set during the 2012 NBA Eastern Conference semi-finals, 'Uncut Gems' imagines an outcome to the series perhaps influenced by Garnett's connection to the opal, as he feels drawn to it. Howard first needs Garnett to win the opal in an auction where he hopes to gain a large enough profit to pay off a gambling debt. When this plan falters due to the opal's poor valuation, Howard sneakily uses the reduced earnings to place a bet on Garnett, now in possession of the opal, hoping KG will score big in game 7. This Rube Goldberg mousetrap of a film sees Howard go from a failed family man pleading with his wife (Idina Menzel), to uptown playboy renting helicopters, to cornered con fending off loan sharks. Follow The ThawedCast: Conversations About Animation: twitter.com/thawedcast and instagram.com/thawedcast. tiktok.com/@jodipolasky47, instagram.com/bridget5246, instagram.com/philipehlke. Visit thawedcast.com

In celebration of Wicked Month, Philip, Bridget, and Lara discuss the 2015 LucasFilm animated feature, 'Strange Magic.' Featuring the voice talents of Evan Rachel Wood, Alan Cumming and Kristin Chenoweth, this fairytale combines the fantasy romance of ‘A Midsummer Night's Dream’ and the musical tastes of George Lucas, who curated this jukebox musical's all-pop soundtrack. The musical selections range from the titular song by ELO and the main protagonist's eponymous "C'mon Marianne" by The Four Seasons to more recent hits from Beyoncé and Kelly Clarkson. Marianne is a fairy princess who abruptly ends her engagement to the self-obsessed knight Roland. Presumptive heir to the fairy kingdom, she must follow her destiny to protect her kingdom from the Dark Forest as well as from the scheming Roland. Follow The ThawedCast: Conversations About Animation: twitter.com/thawedcast and instagram.com/thawedcast. instagram.com/partoflarasworld, instagram.com/bridget5246, instagram.com/philipehlke. Visit thawedcast.com

Samara and Philip review and discuss the found-footage horror film from directorial sibling duo Cameron and Colin Cairnes, 'Late Night with the Devil.' This re-creation of a 1970s late night talk show, the fictional "Night Owls" with Jack Delroy, depicts one night of the show gone horribly wrong, as the broadcast becomes infiltrated by an evil force. Desperate to rise to the top of the ratings, Delroy pulls out all the stops for his 1977 Halloween special, bringing on a colorful panel of guests culminating with a psychologist and her patient. Each round of guests successively leads the show down the road toward a hellish outcome, providing a spectacle that confirms the old adage for Delroy: Careful what you wish for. Follow The ThawedCast: Conversations About Animation: twitter.com/thawedcast and instagram.com/thawedcast. instagram.com/samara_ehlke9, instagram.com/philipehlke. Visit thawedcast.com

Philip and Elliott chat about 'Transformers One,' the new animated film from Paramount Animation depicting the origins of the Autobots and Decepticons and their respective leaders, Optimus Prime and Megatron. These central characters within the Transformers franchise begin as humble miner bots on Cybertron, a planet ravaged by conflicts that have depleted its key natural resource, Energon, needed for life to exist on Cybertron. In order to become Transformers, miner bots would need to acquire a "cog," which are also scarce. The ambitious miners simply known as Orion Pax and D-16 hatch a plan to attempt to raise all miners' status within Cybertronian society, all while attempting to unlock the secrets of their world's mysterious past. Follow The ThawedCast: Conversations About Animation: twitter.com/thawedcast and instagram.com/thawedcast. instagram.com/ellimundo, instagram.com/philipehlke. Visit thawedcast.com

Hayao Miyazaki directs the latest film from Studio Ghibli, 'The Boy and the Heron' (2023). This Oscar-winning film serves a magnum opus for a venerated animator nearing the end of his career, reflecting on his early life in this quasi-autobiographical fantasy. Mahito Maki leaves his home in Tokyo following the death of his mother in a World War II firebombing. Raised in a wealthy family, Mahito struggles to get along with his peers at his new rural school. He spends his time exploring his maternal family's palatial estate, including an abandoned tower that holds a profound secret. A mysterious gray heron beckons him to enter the tower, and when it appears his aunt-turned-stepmother has gone to the tower as well, Mahito hurries after her, plunging headfirst into a glimpse at destiny itself. Join Philip, Jodi, and Bridget as they discuss this animated epic. Follow The ThawedCast: Conversations About Animation: twitter.com/thawedcast and instagram.com/thawedcast. instagram.com/jodipolasky, instagram.com/bridget5246, instagram.com/philipehlke. Visit thawedcast.com

Philip and Bridget discuss the 1984 film from Hayao Miyazaki 'Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind,' the film that kick-started the animation output of Studio Ghibli, co-founded by Miyazaki in 1985. Based on a manga series by Miyazaki, the film takes place in an environmentally ravaged word a millennium after a major apocalyptic event. The remaining human population struggles to survive alongside vast expanses of inhospitable toxic jungles and the giant insects that inhabit them. Nausicaä, the adventurous Princess of the Valley of the Wind, gets caught up in the tribal struggles of two adjacent kingdoms; one of which has awakened an ancient weapon it foolishly hopes can ward against the various existential threats to humanity. Follow The ThawedCast: Conversations About Animation: x.com/thawedcast and instagram.com/thawedcast. instagram.com/bridget5246, instagram.com/philipehlke. Visit thawedcast.com

Philip and Samara discuss the latest film in the 'Alien' franchise, 'Alien: Romulus.' This new release from Twentieth Century studios and director Fede Alvarez delivers sci-fi thrills and chills as a group of young colonists attempt to escape their bleak circumstances. Their opportunity comes when a wayward research station is pulled into orbit above their hazardous mining planet. Follow The ThawedCast: Conversations About Animation: twitter.com/thawedcast and instagram.com/thawedcast. instagram.com/samara_ehlke9, instagram.com/philipehlke. Visit thawedcast.com

Philip, Jodi, and Lara discuss the 90s blockbuster 'Twister' and growing up in the 1990s in rural environments. Also discussions on modern blockbusters and introducing kids to media. Follow The ThawedCast: Conversations About Animation: twitter.com/thawedcast and instagram.com/thawedcast. Find us at instagram.com/laraakal, instagram.com/philipehlke. Visit thawedcast.com

Philip and Bridget discuss the latest film from Pixar Animation, Inside Out 2, the smash hit sequel to 2015’s Inside Out. Riley Andersen is on summer break just as her emotions, Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust, are forced to reckon with a major renovation to their Headquarters. The upgrades, a.k.a. puberty, have resulted in the creation of all-new emotions: Anxiety, Embarrassment, Envy, and Ennui, much to the Original Five’s dismay. These newer, more complex emotions clash with the old over control of Riley’s mind, especially when it becomes clear that the new emotions were never meant to replace the old ones. Visit thawedcast.com

Jodi, Philip and Bridget discuss the sequel to 'Dune' from 2021, concluding Denis Villeneuve's adaptation of the original 'Dune' novel by Frank Herbert. After the massacre of House Atreides on Arrakis, the Harkonnens have retaken their stronghold over spice and resumed their war with the Fremen. Paul Atreides and his mother, Jessica, enlist the help of Fremen leaders to organize a resistance capable of crippling the Harkonnens and commanding the attention of the Emperor. Follow The ThawedCast: Conversations About Animation: twitter.com/thawedcast and instagram.com/thawedcast. instagram.com/jodipolasky, instagram.com/bridget5246, instagram.com/philipehlke. Visit thawedcast.com

Philip and Jodi discuss the 2022 film from Jordan Peele and Universal Pictures, 'Nope', an alien-abduction tale with a few genre twists. OJ and Emerald Haywood are a brother-and-sister duo who experience strange phenomena on their horse ranch and attempt to capture images of what they believe to be a real UFO. They enlist the help of Angel, a security camera technician and Antlers, a cinematographer, to capture the ultimate "Oprah shot" of the elusive craft. Follow The ThawedCast: Conversations About Animation: twitter.com/thawedcast and instagram.com/thawedcast. Visit thawedcast.com

Philip and Elliott discuss some recent animated offerings from the Star Wars universe, 'The Bad Batch' and 'Tales of the Empire'. Both series depict the transition from the era of the Jedi and the Republic into the tyrannical Empire secretly controlled by the evil Sith. The Bad Batch follows a select group of clones with desirable mutations who have formed their own mercenary team following the events of Order 66 and the Clone Wars. 'Tales' follows former Nightsister Morgan Elsbeth in her embrace of imperialism after witnessing her people massacred by separatists. The series then switches perspectives midway to former Jedi Barriss Offee on her path to joining the ranks of the ominous Imperial Inquistors. Follow The ThawedCast: Conversations About Animation: twitter.com/thawedcast and instagram.com/thawedcast. instagram.com/ellimundo, instagram.com/philipehlke. Visit thawedcast.com

Philip, Bridget, and Jodi chat about musicals, film franchises, motherhood and other entertainment hopes and hangups in the ever-evolving 2024 media landscape. Will new throwback franchise installments like 'Twisters' inject some much needed life into the box office? Or will new properties like 'The Fall Guy' and 'IF' provide a sense of originality that audiences are craving? Plus some thoughts about the upcoming 'Wicked' adaptation and 'Wish' on Disney Plus. Follow The ThawedCast: Conversations About Animation: twitter.com/thawedcast and instagram.com/thawedcast. instagram.com/jodipolasky, instagram.com/bridget5246, instagram.com/philipehlke. Visit thawedcast.com