The jokes are clean and allow Horror Tonight! to be accessed by the whole family. The old-school computer animation, harkening back to what was cutting-edge in the early ’90s, is jarring at first but grows on the viewer quickly. The minimalist nature of the style actually enhances the depth achieved by the clever ways it is utilized. While simple in its design, this CGI format is stretched to unseen limits due to the brilliance of Anselmo’s movie-making skills.
The first thing that slaps you across the face is the amazing arrangement of colors and how they pop out of the darkness. Anselmo also puts a sheen on the curves of the animated forms, adding an extra-dimensional shine that is mesmerizing. What really makes this film stand out is that Anselmo is a genius when it comes to impressive cinematic showcases. This is a filmmaker who has popcorn butter flowing through his veins.
“…Anselmo is a genius when it comes to impressive cinematic showcases.”
Sequence after sequence in the movie reveals Anselmo to be a true master in the language of big-screen spectacle, with angles and actions that approach Spielberg in the intensity of love for film. Along with looking great, there is an emotional connection made that will have the viewer completely invested by the big finale, which could rival the one in Speed Racer.
For those who were alive and aware during the last century, Horror Tonight! is going to be a delicious heaping helping of nostalgia on a stick. The love shown for the soon-to-be extinct world of TV shines very bright, right down to the fake ads, which are fun. All the sentimentality is spun into gold by the amazing flying eyeball story, one of the most intricate and touching pieces of animation I have ever viewed. This is exactly the jam you need to spin this Halloween, as you can both share it with your kids by day and party to it with grown-ups at night.
Horror Tonight! is exactly the kind of indie wonder that rises out of nowhere from the sheer propulsion of the atomic rocket talent the filmmaker possesses. If you love or even have loved the magic of movies, then make this your next watch.
"…rises out of nowhere from the sheer propulsion of the atomic rocket talent the filmmaker possesses."
