Strictly as a documentary it’s conventional and a bit snoozy, but animation geeks will revel in the chance it affords to learn more about Vinton, a mostly genial chap who nevertheless had some sharp corners to his character.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Nov 15, 2022

This doc does a splendid job of really making the case for why Vinton’s life was just as eye-opening as his output. It avoids hero worship to really find the honest truth of what this guy was able to do, and in that, you get all the admiration you need.

| Nov 10, 2022

I'm glad this doc exists, even if it's a bit aimless, because it offers everyone a chance to learn the truth about who Vinton was, and hear in his own words the story of his studio and his dream to tell stories entirely with clay.

| Original Score: 8/10 | Sep 21, 2022

It’s juicy show-biz stuff, for sure, but Vinton makes a point of turning what was obviously an incredibly devastating blow into something positive.

| Sep 14, 2022

Even handed in its somewhat disjointed presentation, Claydream acknowledges Vinton’s apparent inability to express his emotions as he finds release in his work.

| Sep 1, 2022

With their dreamlike imaginative flourishes and stunning fluidity, these clips showcase Vinton’s artistic vision more accurately than anything a talking head could possibly put into words.

| Sep 1, 2022

[Vinton is] portrayed more as a being in perpetual motion than as someone whose imagination can be unpacked. Granted, that appears accurate, according to the many interviews conducted by director Marq Evans... but it leaves frustration behind.

| Original Score: 2/4 | Aug 18, 2022

Claydream is a reminder of a master artist and visionary who revolutionized an art form... watch in wonder.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Aug 18, 2022

A fascinating saga, especially for fans of animation.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Aug 16, 2022

This is very well-intended, but it's very scattershot and disorganized... It really can't decide what it wants to say.

| Aug 12, 2022

Evans’ take on Vinton is sympathetic, but his film’s strength is its attention to the complexities of a man who was closed off from his own feelings.

| Aug 12, 2022

A well-edited, insightful and captivating documentary about an artist who deserves more recognition. It also serves as an illuminating glimpse into the complex and challenging crossroads between art and commerce.

| Aug 12, 2022

Though the story can easily be thrown on the pile of another about the joy of creation clashing with ego, it is ultimately a sadder tale of lost opportunities with turns that are surprisingly more pleasant than aggravating.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Aug 10, 2022

Using a mix of interviews and lovely archival footage, the film provides an even-handed look at capitalism and corporate realities while also capturing Vinton's creative genius and enduring legacy.

| Aug 5, 2022

Claydream isn't the most polished doc I've seen lately, but there is something about the subject matter and the way the film is pieced together that make it wildly fascinating and something you devour instead of simply watch.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Aug 5, 2022

It was a real blast from the past to see so much of [Vinton's work] on-screen. That Evans can keep things somewhat objective despite his goal to ensure Vinton comes out smelling as nice as possible only adds to the documentary's appeal.

| Original Score: B | Aug 5, 2022

“ClayDream” is a cleverly packaged oral history exercise, centered on an interview with Vinton himself, who evolved from long-haired hippie to a kind of real-life cartoon character, with his bald head and circus mustache.

| Aug 5, 2022

Through copious clips of studio work and bittersweet interviews with Vinton, his former colleagues, and his family members, we get a sense of both his strengths and weaknesses.

| Aug 4, 2022

If the work mattered most to Vinton, maybe some answers to the man can be found within it. [Director Marq] Evans does find them...

| Original Score: 3/4 | Aug 4, 2022

The career-highlights structure is perhaps overly familiar, but “Claydream” benefits from extensive interviews with Vinton and his many associates, and from the fact that Claymation is an engaging onscreen subject.

| Aug 4, 2022