Animated: The Best Clayman Flick Ever

## Who ever knew Popeye had a chum bucket of spinach on his head?

Yes, and aside from Popeye not knowing where else his spinach is, SpongeBob is actually revealed to be a soap opera singer and Donald Duck being the chef responsible for the deliciously overcooked rotisserie chicken served at the famous Cartoon Inn, home of Mickey Mouse and some of the world's most recognizable animated characters. And as we see Tom & Jerry chasing each other as usual, Bugs Bunny delivers what is perhaps his most iconic catchphrase... "sup, duck" as he talks to both Donald & Daffy Duck. These lovable creations simply known as cartoons appear in this 2021 Clayman flick partly directed by the ingenious Lord & Miller duo and featuring everyone's favorite lump of clay as well as his own creator, Mark Andrews... who gets turned to a Clayman clone like how Kuzco got turned to a llama.

### "*Animated* is the one movie that stays true to its name, in the form of just being what it's supposed to be: a cartoon made for everyone who loves Clayman and his overly wacky antics."

**-*The New York Times***

So, we all know who Clayman is exactly - he's appeared in several shorts collectively known as well, *Clayman Shorts,* on the ABC channel before - as well as *The Clayman Show* and having his roots of concrete traced back since 1939. His beloved creator, Mark Andrews (aka the Walt Disney of Marcanese animation, voiced by Ryan Reynolds), has been skewed to computer animation in hopes of getting a better life of fortune with his simple drawing of clay. You see, here in this animated version of New York City, the value of cartoons are exchanged for money, and Mark loses his luck when the not-so-Good Ol' Mr. Cracker (James Coburt) dissents arrogantly with his unique Picasso art. This causes Mark to become indifferent with those around him, even his sweet neighbor Lou (Dana Gaier), and throw Clayman (Tony Hale) into the garbage can. Suddenly, the very next day, something out of the blue happens: Clayman comes to life and transforms Mark to another Clayman, much to his utter shock. And as the two prepare some road trip to an awards ceremony, Lou accompanies them and together they make the most out of Mark's miserable life. Lou & Clayman attempt to cheer him up by slurping reddish cotton candy at Cartoon World, having a nice sleepover at Cartoon Inn afterwards, and playing cards at Lobby's Diner: where Mark encounters Sally (Kathryn Hahn), the lovely restaurant owner who dances to Elton John music, to the tune of "Stronger Than I Am". Things get even better in the second half where the trio get called back to save Mickey and Bugs Bunny and everyone else, by disguising themselves as buddy cops in order to thwart down Sir Clay Moriarty (Ben Mendelsohn), who's been plotting to take down his longtime arch-nemesis Clayman for once with the coolest version yet of the Mega Gun. While all this chaos ensures, Mark soon learns to enjoy the little things in life and wins every heart at the ceremony, which leaves him starting a new family while staying as the Clayman he never wanted to be.

As mentioned earlier, the reason I am comparing Mark & Kuzco is simply because, they were both apathetic to everyone's needs and only cared about themselves. Or let us say Mark is more of Joe Gardner, since he only cared about getting fortune through his most valued passion: drawing simple cartoons. Mark might be the best role model here, but the best thing about this film is for sure Clayman himself. He's really funny, sometimes weird, and puts all his manic energy in this animated cop comedy simply titled... *Animated.* Despite the film's unoriginal title and the fact that *Animated* could've also worked better in live action mode, this film had the need to recognize many animated features that did something extraordinary through its funny opening scene. It also made Clayman even more lovable as a supporting character, and returned him to the silver screen after 25 years. Lou is the most adorable thing about this film, Sally is for sure the prettiest chick, and Sir Clay is one intimidating antagonist who wants to get rid of lovable cartoon characters and our nostalgia with them. This is also one of those movies that adverts expectations, remind us about the happy things in life and sketching some more, and even going as far as breaking the fourth wall. You see, this film serves as a whole tribute to animation in patricular: not only does it expand the road trip haul with cops and donuts, but it also makes us care about the art of animation. The whole New York City thing has been done several times in movies, but here it shines with *Marco* style photorealism that's eye candy, accompanied with marvelous jazz reminiscent of the 60s from Mark Mothersbaugh. The film's amazing concept echoes the 1996 classic *My Cartoon Self* but in a more directly *Looney Tunes* way, providing the funniest moments such as Mark's transformation and the "What A Wonderful World" chase scene in which our heroes ride the Mystery Incorporated van back to New York. *Animated* also knows the art of *Marco* movies - which consist of drama, comedy, action, and some suspense - and blends them all uniquely. Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this Paramount release saw the biggest opening weekend at the box office this February, and I'm very glad to see Clayman once again.