Adventures in Plymptoons! (2011) User Reviews

Enjoyable if you are a fan--otherwise, perhaps this isn't your best introduction to the man.

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 3 January 2013]

For fans of his work, this film about Bill Plympton's work is a definite must-see. It celebrates his work and gives you some insights into the man's formative years (though nothing about his life today). However, for folks who are NOT familiar with it, perhaps it isn't the best introduction. Part of it is because you only get small snippets of his films and part of this because the sexual drawings might scare you (though if you saw them in their entirety, most are pretty innocent). I'd watch a few of his films first, such as "Guard Dog", "Guide Dog" or "One of Those Days". And, part of it might be because without knowing Plympton's sense of humor, they may not realize that many of the interviews are fake! For instance, there are some funny ones with Ed Begley Junior and Terry Gilliam in which they say NOTHING nice about the man! There's also a funny bit with a bald bearded guy who HATES Plympton's work--and it's all a put on.

Well worth seeing and I like the film's unusual style. Clever and unique--just like Plympton! And, probably NOT a film for the kids!

Genial, enjoyable, but not very deep documentary

[runamokprods · 7/10 · 4 December 2014]

Genial, enjoyable, but not very deep documentary portrait of gonzo, wildly creative (and twice Academy award nominated) independent animator Bill Plympton.

Director Anastasio takes a jokey tone, as if trying to find the documentary equivalent of Plympton's unique, absurdist style. Right up top, Terry Gilliam pronounces very seriously he's only doing an interview about Plympton to get paid, and Ed Begley Jr. deadpans that he thought he was there to do an interview about Bill Clinton, not Bill Plympton, and gets up to leave. That sort of sets the tone as the film becomes various short pieces about Plympton's history, philosophy, art and humor.

We only see short bits and pieces of Plympton's work, which can be frustrating, and might make the uninitiated wonder what the fuss is about. To me, Plympton's cartoons are often about nothing as much as the build. The slow repeating of variations on a joke until the very repetition is part of what make it so funny. That's hard to capture in an 85 minute documentary.

Plympton himself comes off as an extremely likable, eccentric character, who seems to have inspired a lot of friendship and good-humored admiration from the many worked with him or befriended him. And there a lot of fun moments here, along with some interesting stories about his life and work. I just wish it felt a little bit less like a celebrity tribute show/comedy roast, and more an exploration of an artist's work.

Something missing?

[ritera1 · 8/10 · 23 February 2014]

Overall an enjoyable piece, it benefited greatly by Plympton's work (and dwelled on that a few times) and was hindered by some clunky editing and limited camera coverage.

Ideally I would have liked to see two cameras on the interviews. Using the backdrop of the Plymptoons was interesting but it was essentially the same thing over and over and over. It was a treat to see Ralph Bakshi but was surprised what little there was with Lloyd Kaufman.

Although I personally find very little to be critical about when it comes to Plympton's films, I was a bit surprised that it wasn't more in- depth and critical. Nothing really personal about the man. I was wondering if he was heterosexual or gay. Another reviewer has suggested the one critic of Plympton was a fake. I would hope so since that guy was relatively foolish. But there has to be others to feature that would be touchy about his work.

For me, the editing at times was clunky. A couple times the flow of the interviews was interview-breath-interview instead of a better flow of such. Specifically I don't know why the home movies weren't cropped as there were strange green lines on the side of the screen. Also the "How to make a movie" segment was actually very little on that subject.

I would have also liked to see the details of Plympton's "business". How he makes his money and how his films are seen. How he gets by especially in the face to monoliths like Disney and Pixar.

But I wasn't there. I don't know what resources and access were available to the director. For the fans of Plympton, it was preachin' to the choir. But being that the man is in a niche business, I'm not sure there was much interesting to a person who generally enjoys documentaries and not specifically Plympton.

Great way to get to know Bill Plympton

[Movie_Queen51 · 10/10 · 22 September 2012]

I was blown away by how much I learned about Bill from this documentary. From how he started out to where he ended up, Bill Plympton's story is told using humor, sarcasm and the occasional animation that Bill is known for. Alexia Anastasio brings a refreshing look at a persons life by interviewing the man himself ( Bill Plympton) as well as many others who have worked with him in the past. With the vibrant drawings and ideas Bill has created as well as photographs from his youth, you really get to know why Bill does what he does. If you love documentaries, animation, or just love Bill Plympton, this is the film for you. It is not often that you get to meet a personality like Bill and Alexia is fierce enough to dive in and get to know everything that makes him tick and then share what she finds in a brilliantly edited masterpiece.

Inspiring Documentary about a Master

[educalvet · 10/10 · 27 March 2015]

Bill Plympton is probably one of the world's most important animators alive. He has been nominated twice to the Academy Awards, and the list of trophies in festivals is nothing less than amazing: more than 30, including the top prize in Annecy four times, between 1998 and 2013. His unique style is an inspiration to young filmmakers that search for beauty, humor and significance on their work.

The documentary 'Adventures in Plymptoons!' gives us the opportunity to find out more about his life and work, filling one's hunger for this real master. Alexia Anastasio, the director, conducts us in a movie that every independent animation lover should watch at lest once, and not only because all data and artist's curious facts. The movie itself is full of jokes that reminds the audience about Plympton's singular style of directing. The interviews both inform and amuse ranging from fans, colleagues and film critics. Excerpts from many of the director's movies are there to be appreciated. And Plympton himself is just as eccentric as admirable.

For sure, an inspiring documentary to every person linked to animation worldwide. A film not to be missed, that proves itself as inspiring as any of the director's animations.

Simplistic and slow, the director misses while the viewer quickly loses interest.

[wvmotown · 3/10 · 3 February 2019]

The idea behind the story is good- Plympton shoud be classic art film fodder. But the energy is missing. Created by an uber-fan, this doc only elevates to "garage band" status . Terry Gilliam skypes in his corny sketch, Carradine and others sing theirs. Fuzzy audio and blurry backgrounds flush it down the drain. Good for napping if you keep the volume low.

A gem of a flick

[kriosem · 10/10 · 16 August 2017]

First things last: Miss Anastasio has done an impressive job capturing the accomplishments of a fine (successful) artist. Anybody walking the lonely, unbeaten path of independence, owes it to themselves to watch this flick... as for independent animators, watching is a must!

In the age of the animation renaissance, Mr. Plymoton is a holy beacon of hope, the lone wolf standing proud on his own, and setting the standards for the next generation to come.