Cartoons, Clay, and Chaos: Exploring the Magic of Animation on Kanopy

Streaming video - 2025

Think animation is “just for kids”? Kristy and Jeff unpack why this medium often tells stories live action never could. Turning a dismembered hand into a hero, retelling true crime with emotional clarity, or weaving folklore into modern storytelling. Welcome back to THE FILM LIBRARY, a Kanopy podcast where we spotlight hidden gems, cult favorites, and movies that linger in your mind long after the credits roll - no film degree required. This week, hosts Kristy Puchko (Entertainment Editor at Mashable) and Jeff Rauseo (film lover, animation admirer, and self-proclaimed nostalgia junkie) dive into the endlessly creative world of animation. From eerie stop-motion nightmares to hand-drawn Irish folklore, and even a certain Nickelodeon class...ic that defined childhoods, this episode proves animation isn’t just for kids. It’s for dreamers, weirdos, and anyone who loves when movies push the boundaries of reality! Kristy brings bold picks that blend real life and fantasy, like the animated true-crime documentary My Old School, the breathtaking artistry of The Secret of Kells, and the moving friendship tale Robot Dreams. Jeff counters with the school shooting documentary Tower, the hauntingly original Stopmotion, and his early-2000s obsession Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius. Together, they explore how animation can be funny, terrifying, heartbreaking, or all three in a single frame. more