Footrot Flats: The Dog's Tale

Footrot Flats: The Dog's Tale is a 1986 New Zealand animated comedy film based on the comic strip Footrot Flats by Murray Ball, who also co-wrote directed it.

Plot
Set in rural New Zealand outside the fictional town of Raupo, it features a series of vignettes amongsts the town's residents; Wal Footrot attempting to the woo Cheeky Hobson from Spit Murphy, Dog doing the same with Jess, Wal trying to make the All Blacks rugby union team, and Pongo Footrot and Rangi Jones saving Cooch's prize stag from the Murphy's dogs and croco-pigs.

Good Qualities

 * 1) It is highly faithful to the comic strip given that Murray Ball was involved in the making of it as co-writer and director with complete creative control due to New Zealand's liberal film industry.
 * 2) Brilliant animation for a film from Oceania that is actually on par with Disney, Don Bluth Productions, and Studio Ghibli where it meshes well with the cartoonish looking characters and props with the beautiful landscapes.
 * 3) Likeable characters such as Wal, Rangi, Cheeky Hobson, Pongo, Aunt Dolly, and especially Dog.
 * 4) Excellent voice acting, especially from John Clarke, Peter Rowley, Rawiri Paratene, Fiona Samuel, Billy T. James, Brian Sergent, and Marshall Napier.
 * 5) Awesome comedy, especially from Wal and Dog.
 * 6) It manages to focus on many of the characters without taking the spotlight from Dog.
 * 7) Amazing score from Dave Dobbyn as well his songs, especially Slice of Heaven which became a hit in New Zealand and Australia where it also became the former country's most popular song to the point of being regarded as its unofficial national anthem.

The Only Bad Quality

 * 1) The plot is mainly a series of vignettes for most of the film until the main plot begins towards the end which felt rushed.