Going with “Flow” (2024)
Not to put too fine a point on It, but Gints Zilbalodis’ Flow is one of the most beautiful animated features I’ve seen in a while. Yes, I loved The Wild Robot , but Flow appeals to my seven of simplicity in storytelling and the inhabiting of the wordless world of animals. Our initial and main protagonist is a black cat whom we encounter exploring the woods around a house with a garden populated by giant cat sculptures. She - it’s not clearly delineated what orientation the cat is, but “she” feels right right now - is out exploring when she comes across a pack of dogs fighting over a fish that she nabs and runs off with the canines in hot pursuit. They chase her and she loses them but we quickly see them returning ahead of a flock of deer fleeing from some great terror. That little drama of how will she get out of this becomes, dear God, it’s a tsunami. It ins’t long before she finds her way to the house and we see a workshop where a drawing of a cat be...