10 Awesome 90s Movies You've Probably Never Seen

The greatest injustice behind criticism of Cool World is the inevitable comparison to Who Framed Roger Rabbit? The achievement of live-action animation had been realized some 70 years prior, but Roger Rabbit and Cool World offered it as something not for kids for the first time since the Looney Tunes of the 40s.

When it comes to plot, yes, Cool World is flawed. In the first 15 minutes, Pitt and his mother are killed in a drunk driving collision, and he's transported to the animated world, immediately playing the hard-boiled dick--no sign of grief. The artist behind the Cool World comic, played by Gabriel Byrne, is also just sort of sucked immediately into things without exposition.

But then, cartoons are more memorable for their gags and visuals after all, and Cool World is no exception. The painted backdrops are enormous, foreboding, and beautiful: dark, twisted towers, and grimy tower blocks. Partially animated pillars and other objects add many planes to the visual field, and satisfying depth.

The film makes strange choices: cut-and-paste ghosts float across the screen during important dialogue, with no explanation. Some critics did not enjoy this aspect, but it's hard to deny such artistic choice is at least unusual for a commercial release. Once standout moment is when Pitt bums a cartoon cigarette from a tough.