REVIEW: The Emoji Movie

The Emoji Movie is about as dumb as you think it is. There. I spared you the pain of reading this full review, and hopefully, spared you the hour and a half of this stupid film. This dated, unoriginal, predictable, unfunny, product of the times.  How do you come up with a film like this? Who looks at their phones, texts whoever it is they're texting, brings up these face icons, and suddenly thinks "Hey, I can make a movie on this! A good... relevant... charming movie about text icons..." Well for those of you still reading, I might as well say it,  yes this film is as dated as it sounds. It relies on forgettable humor revolving around smartphone apps and whatever stupid jokes your kid can come up with using emoji on your phone. Along with anything the internet might find amusing. Hey, you like cute cat videos right, we got one of those in the movie! You like Spotify? It's in our movie!  Facebook? Instagram?  Is Just Dance still a thing? We're so relevant.

So what's the premise of this movie? Well... it's actually pretty creative. All your smartphone emoji live inside your smartphone, they have one sole emotion. And that's obviously what they're expressing. Happy face is happy all the time. Meh face is meh all the time. Sad face is sad all the time. Poop is...poop, and everything it says is either a poop joke or poop pun. Say for one Star Trek reference because Patrtick Stewart. You get the point. Here's the problem. This concept is actually... pretty cool. I could totally get behind a good well told story about characters limited to one emotion. I mean heck, the world they make is certainly creative enough and with the right creative thought pattern, a really brilliant movie can be made from this!

Oh wait. It exists.

You've probably heard this movie compared numerous times to Pixar's Inside Out.  And that's because this film can shamelessly rip it off to a t. And that movie, for as simple as it is, is one of the better films of recent years to really take command of such a concept and make something incredible. This film barely even tries. It's a generic outcast story, with a generic sidekick, who goes on a generic coming of age tale, while his generic parents try to find him before generic villain does, and he is involved in a generic romance and it's about as predictable as you'd think. If you've seen Inside Out, you can watch this, point to certain scenes, and say, "yup there's that scene from that good movie". They don't do anything new, or if they do, it's bland and uninteresting. But if Inside Out wasn't enough to rip off, they also manage to take elements from plenty of other films as well, like Wreck-It Ralph, and even things like The Little Mermaid. So where's the actual story come in?

Well... our phone owner is having girl problems, and since this movie thinks no one uses actual words anymore, he relies on emoji to try and express himself. But he uses our main emoji, a malfunctioning meh face and it sends his phone haywire. Chaos ensues. And its up to our hero emoji to try and fix his glitch before phone owner goes and gets his smartphone erased at the store.  Here's the problem. This films message. It's dull. Might as well say "emojis make your world go round, use them more". At the end of the film when boy phone owner and girl phone owner get together, she says she likes how expressive he is... after using emoji. Sorry girl, you're in for disappointment if you think emoji are what you gotta use to express yourself. The guy is still socially awkward and shy. But hey he's got one radical emoji! I guess everything's okay. I wanna say more. I really do. But... I just can't...

Have I mentioned how trendy this film is? I can't remember. Have I? Because it won't have a very long life. I don't care what the target audience is. If you liked this film at all, it won't last. Guarantee you'll forget about this film before too long. This film is a product of the times and nothing more. It won't age well, it won't ever know the word "timeless", and it won't ever be worth more than five dollars in the bargain bin. I can't even recommend it for the young young viewers because frankly, there just wasn't much going on in this film. The theater I was in was eerily quiet in laughter. Because the humor was very dull. Why does Hollywood seem to think that these trend or fad films can succeed?  If the Emoji Movie doesn't serve as one of the many nails in the coffin for these films, I don't know what will.

I'm having a hard time properly describing this film. Maybe because I think this is the first corporate film I've ever really experienced. A film I knew I wouldn't like. And yes, I made the mistake is looking at reviews prior to watching it, but I don't think it would matter. This film just doesn't have any life. I'll be surprised if anyone is on the theater watching it next week. There's nothing worth noting to go back to. Nothing at all. I'm struggling to give this a rating because I just don't have the proper words to describe how dumbfounded I am. Am I losing the ability to critique these films? I don't know. But what I do know is that this movie sucks, and it's getting no mercy from me.

The Emoji Movie is a monument to look up at when it comes to dated pieces of garbage in Hollywood. Similar to films like The Lorax, Sing, or other films desperately trying to stay relevant. These are films doomed to failure. The thing that separates those movie from this however, is that those films had at least some saving graces. The Emoji Movie lacks any of that. Laughter was scarce. The animation isn't impressive. The music is what you expect to hear on your mainstream radio stations. This should very much be Exhibit A on the definition of a dated film. The fact that it had to go to other better films for its life blood is just insulting to its audience, that I can't help it. I'm going to give it the lowest of the low. It deserves it. I don't care if it didn't piss me off as much as other films have. It didn't give me one reason to try and convince me that it could have had any potential at all. Shame on this movie.  It gets one big frowny face.

Am I being too harsh? Will some kids like it? I'm sure they will. Just do me a favor. Show them Inside Out first. They may thank you one day.

Please feel free to request any film you'd like to see me tackle in the near future. Leave a comment down below on your own thoughts to the film. And as always, thanks for reading.

Final Verdict: 0/4

REVIEW: Sing

Sing is a predictable, but cute, and fun little production that gave me more charm than I originally expected to be completely honest. That's not to say it's one I'll flock to see again, but from what I thought it would be in the trailers, it was enjoyable enough. Again, even if it is a you know like the back of your hand. It's full of clichés you've seen a thousand times, they lead to plot points you can see coming from miles away, that honestly feel like they're more tacked on than anything. But a likable cast, fun music, and charming jokes that even had me chuckling now and then help you look past a few of these things the duration of the film.

The film focuses on this guy (and I do mean guy, despite the fact that he's a koala bear but more on that later) named Moon, who owns a stage theater, and is facing rough times financially because he just can't seem to draw in the crowds, so he decides to put together a singing contest which he hopes will put him back in the business. However due to a typo, his grand prize draws in hundreds of singers hoping to get their hands on the advertised $100,000 dollars, and you can probably see where this will end up. Everything kinda revolves around this "Liar Revealed" plot that doesn't really have that big a payoff. In fact once it happens, it's almost kinda just glossed over.  It's not a terrible story by any means, but I do feel that they don't really do much with it. In fact, by the end, I'm not sure I'm supposed to care because no one seems to learn anything.

What I mean by that is this film has a whole lot of characters. In fact as they introduce them all in the opening sequence, I couldn't help but wonder if I was in trouble with the sheer amount of characters, all facing common life problems, there were. You got a housewife pig who isn't fully appreciated at home, this street mouse that's a self centered egotistical jerk, this gorilla egos the son of a criminal mastermind who doesn't wanna be in his gang, this shut elephant who lives singing but isn't confident in herself, this porcupine ego isn't fully appreciated by her boyfriend, look it's all been done before, and they do nothing new with it. There is no twist, there is nothing you can't predict, it's all practically given away in the trailers for God's sake. By the time the big payoff happens, and each character's story comes to a close, I couldn't help but feel that there was nothing accomplished. The pig is suddenly appreciated because she sings and dances really good, the mouse is still a self centered, arrogant jackass...and he actually kinda comes out on top (nice message to teach the kids, be a huge jerk, be rude, be dishonest, and you'll still come out on top!), there really isn't a whole lot of closure in this film. The only sense of closure I felt was really there was Meena, as her story actually had a sense of buildup. But as she isn't exactly the focus of the movie, I found it rather underwhelming. Everyone else is just kinda there, and things just happen, because movie. Why does the pig's husband suddenly appreciate his wife more? Does the porcupine's boyfriend realize after seeing his girlfriend's talent how arrogant he'd been with her? Why did the gorilla's father have a sudden change of heart after simply seeing his son performing on a television from prison? These are just a few of the questions left unanswered.

I guess one thing I actually found I really enjoyed was the music of the film. The cast does a very nice job of singing some of the bigger hits of recent years, or even some of the classics from back in the day.  Even if a lot of the music is stuff I don't normally care for. They do a good job singing things from Katy Perry to Frank Sinatra of all things. I also really enjoyed an original song from the film sung by the porcupine character, "Set it All Free", which she writes to help cope with the breakup with her boyfriend. And I will say that the way they animate her as she sings it in the movie is really good. There's a certain emotion to her face that is really convincing.

And I also like the films climax to an extent. In a way it actually reminded me of the ending of a movie I like, entitled "Be Kind, Rewind". The way it's setup, the way it's executed, it gives off a feeling similar to that movie. It doesn't end exactly like that movie by any means, but for what it was, I liked the similarity. Even if the payoff isn't as strong, and is seen from a mile away. Makes me almost wish that it did end similar to that movie.

But one thing I feel the need to say is that I just don't see the reason for this movie's existence. What I mean here is that when I first saw the trailer for it, and the trailers really didn't do a good job of advertising this I might add, I couldn't help but just see a movie that was trying to cash in on a craze started by "Zootopia". I loved Zootopia. It was my favorite film of 2016. But one of the reasons I loved it so much was because in this world of anthropomorphic animals that they created, they made the world feel alive. They had fun creating their characters, making them so similar in behavior and traits to their actual animal counterparts here in reality, that it raised my bar for what I expect in these movies that feature anthropomorphic animals. Sing just didn't do that for me. It didn't even come close to those expectations. They didn't have much of a reason to be anthropomorphic. The only time I can remember in which they actually kinda acknowledge they're  animals, is in a few...bad puns. Like when Mike is singing "My Way" by Frank Sinatra, he replaces the word "man" with "mouse". The only real smart thing they did with any of these characters is that when the porcupine for excited or emotional, she could accidentally start shooting her quills out in random directions. That's it. They don't have fun with this concept. Unlike Zootopia, you could have easily taken all these characters out, and replaced them with humans, and you'd have the same story practically.

I'm giving Sing a two and a half star rating out of four. While it's not exactly terrible, and while I did have fun, some of my suspicions on this film were clarified upon watching it. I'm happy it gave me the fun it did, I'm happy I laughed when I laughed, even if a lot of the humor fell flat for me, and I'm happy I saw it. To be honest, it's probably more a film for the youngsters than it is for me, and I'm sure they will have plenty to enjoy in this film. But aside from some nice music numbers, and colorful animation, I would not exactly say this is one for the adults to look in too much on.

Please feel free to suggest any movie or film you'd like me to have a look at. Leave a comment down below expressing your own thoughts and opinions on the film, as they are most appreciated, and as always, thanks for reading.

Final Verdict: 2.5/4

REVIEW: Finding Dory

So I didn't get to see this in theaters, but I've finally seen it regardless. The sequel that no one asked for is here, and I will say I'm maybe slightly underwhelmed by it. Finding Nemo remains one of my absolute favorite Pixar films, and I knew right off the bat that this sequel would not have an easy time topping its predecessor. Why? Because honestly, I couldn't see much of a story happening in it. Finding Nemo gave us a definitive beginning, middle, and end. All solid. Here, I'm sorry to say that despite the fun story they present, there is a bit that feels like they took some steps backward in their storytelling, because there are a lot of plot points and whatnot that mirror the first film. Particularly towards the beginning.

What I mean to say there is that there are characters that behave way too similarly to how they behave in the first film. Particularly Marlin, who at the end of the first film learns to be a bit more lenient and not so overprotective. Yet here, he is almost just as paranoid, if not straight up insulting towards those he cares about. The reason I guess I don't mind this so much, mainly because in this movie, Marlin and Nemo don't really have much of a role in this film. They're honestly just kinda there. In fact, while it's on my mind, the vocal performances here really don't sound that enthusiastic to me. There's no driving sense. At times, they all can sound very uninterested in their roles.  While there can be some important plot involving Marlin and Nemo towards the beginning, they don't really contribute to this story. In fact, towards the end, Marlin and Nemo kinda have this deus ex machina moment that comes nearly out of nowhere. And that's not the only moment this can happen. The plot at times can be incredibly convenient in the spur of the moment from fish jumping into tanks of water perfectly lined up with one another, or other crazy occurrences that honestly could have been executed better. One of those being the echolocation of the beluga whale. I can't claim to be an expert, but I do know that echolocation doesn't work as well outside water as it does in water. Yet here, it doesn't really have much of a limitation. 

Which brings me to my next criticism. The sea life. A lot of the time, I really don't like how certain creatures behave or whatnot. One thing that comes to mind is that there's very little hostility. The only creature in this film that shows any interest in eating our main characters is this squid which only had one short scene in the very beginning. While I understand that this film isn't nearly as hostile a journey as the first film, there are times I feel that the opportunistic predator behavior is dropped completely, despite being completely hinted at. Like with the sea lions. Marlin talks about how they're known to be predatory animals, yet throughout the film, they have absolutely no signs of such behavior. It's little things like this that make me feel very underwhelmed with a lot of these characters. Even the octopus, which feels more like an excuse to potentially bait another sequel to this series, I didn't find that interesting. He says he wants to avoid the ocean because...reasons. Let me make a quick comparison to Gill from the first film. Despite knowing not as much about him, we were given glimpses into his past to connect with him better than we could this octopus. Hank just isn't as developed as the minor characters of the first film were. Heck, despite being fun, all the minor characters here could have had better development.

My final really big criticism to this movie comes from the fact that the environment of this movie isn't as immersive or played with as in the first film. What I love about Finding Nemo is how they set up the ocean and how life under the sea works. Little things that film does, from fish not knowing how to read, to taking a breath of water before exposing themselves to the air really make this world feel alive. Even in the aquarium of that film. But almost all these things they did in that film are dropped here. Reading seems to be a simple to most fish (even Dory struggled slightly in the first film), we see the fish expose themselves to the air quite often, and they even know how to use certain human objects. Granted that the octopus in real life is indeed a very intelligent animal, very capable of flipping a switch, or whatnot, but it being strong enough to push a stroller, or...minor spoiler alert...drive a truck, seem rather far fetched. Heck, there are times the octopus is exposed to the air for large amounts of time and it doesn't suffer at all.

However, despite all this, despite this film taking so many identical plot moves the first film did to get to its story, despite all these annoyances, once the ball is rolling, there is plenty of fun to behold. Despite being so very over the top in so many ways, I found it impossible not to laugh. Despite the weaknesses of the minor characters, there is plenty of times I laughed at Destiny's near-sighted weaknesses. I had a good laugh at Dory's carefree memory loss moments. I had a fun laugh at the sea lions constantly yelling "OFF!" at that one sea lion trying to get on their rock. The film does have some life in its blood, despite getting a lot of things off or wrong. Though I'd have loved to hear Dory mess up Nemo's name more, it's impossible to say that her journey to find her family is not well executed, if not straight up emotionally touching at times.

I'm giving Finding Dory a three star rating out of four. It does fall short of Finding Nemo. By a long shot. But I kinda saw it coming honestly. It's not a sequel that could have easily topped that film, especially since that film did so much right when it did. With that said, I do hope that we don't see another film in this series. There's just not much else to tell with these characters. The same life blood that gave the first film so much to go off of is no longer there. Sorry Dory. Is it fun? Sure. But it just doesn't compare.

Please feel free to suggest a film you'd like to see reviewed. Leave a comment down below expressing your own thoughts on the film down below, and as always, thanks for reading.

Final Verdict: 3/4

REVIEW: Kubo and the Two Strings

Kubo and the Two Strings is a fun, and unique story that is absolutely gorgeous to watch. There I said it. Go watch it. Okay I'll get serious. I had very little expectations going into this movie. I didn't exactly know what to expect. The only reason it really caught my attention was that the animation in the trailers looked absolutely stellar. That and it had George Takei, and my inner Star Trek Nerd said I had to go see it. So I did. And I liked it. I guess I also liked how it was based on the culture of old Japan. I still have a bit of a samurai geek inside me.

Right off the bat, this movie wows you with its absolutely incredible animation. This movie uses its 3D rather well, so I'd recommend the viewing as such. And while some character models can appear rather dull at times, the constant movement in the environment and atmosphere of this film can be absolutely phenomenal. The movement of grass, the papers, and action are just so wonderfully done. It's some of the best stop motion I've seen, and the movie actually gives us a little glimpse at how they did it in the end credits. It's a little treat to stay for in the end credits. I also gotta say that the excellent blending of CGI and Stop Motion is practically flawless. I daresay this is the best animation of 2016, even beating out my beloved Zootopia in that retrospect.

I will also say that the casting is pretty well done. Though unless you're one of the main characters, you don't get a lot of screen time. So if you're a Takei fan, his part is very minor, and you might find slight disappointment there. But I did have a hearty chuckle when I heard them expertly throw in a classic "Oh my!" line. But each voice fits absolutely wonderfully with this movie. Not one voice sounds like it doesn't belong, and coming from a film portraying Japanese society, that is actually really well done.

The story, while fun, can at times be kinda predictable or hard to follow. One of the things I was asking myself by the film's...slightly underwhelming climax was why things happened in this film. That's not to say that the film doesn't do a good job explaining the here, now, or why, but one thing I would have liked out of this film would be a longer run time. At times the story feels rushed, or like it's explaining the full details. One thing I asked myself was who the Moon King was to the people. The villagers really aren't given much of a reason to fear the Moon King of the film, especially since the Moon King only seems interested in the young protagonist. But I must say that the antagonist's goals are actually pretty unique in a fairytale sort of way. Is it slightly clichéd? Sure, but it's not a bad thing here.  What shouldn't work, does manage to work, and despite the few questions I still have about the movie itself, it was wonderfully done. And I will say, the ending is open to interpretation, though it can be slightly deus ex machina.

However, for a movie, which has a bit of a focus on a musical instrument, one thing I had to ask myself was would the films music deliver? I tend to focus a lot on the film's soundtrack because despite it being a background thing, the music can absolutely carry a film's mood, and tone. The greatest moments of fun need an appropriate soundtrack. And I'm proud to say that this film's soundtrack is an absolute treat to listen to. The instrument they feature, called a shamisen, is energetic, and never dull. It creates one hell of a backing soundtrack. And during the credits, despite my tenancy not to care for these updated covers, they do throw in a nice rendition of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps". It makes for one surprisingly fitting closing song.

With everything said and done, Kubo surprised me in more ways than one. I was kinda nervous going into this one. I'm not familiar with Focus Pictures and honestly wasn't sure what I was getting into with this. But once things start rolling with this film, it's absolutely dazzling. The action is surprisingly fun, the story is charming, the animation and soundtrack are absolutely stellar, Kubo and the Two Strings I am sad to say will be a gem that people will overlook this year. Is it flawless? No. As far as animated movies this year are concerned, I do believe Zootopia left me on a much bigger high, mainly due to the messages in that film, and stronger characters. But this is still very well done, and if you're reading this, do yourself a favor.

Kubo and the Two Strings earns a solid three and a half star rating out of four. The absolutely incredible animation and music more than makes up for the few shortcomings I feel it had in its story. The characters, though underdeveloped are still fun, and by the end of it all, you're left with a smile. It's been a while since I've seen a story with a fairytale feel like this and I have to say I'm very impressed with what I got. This will undoubtedly be nominated for the best animated feature this year.  And it well deserves it.

Feel free to request any film you'd with for me to review in the future. Leave a comment deceiving your own thoughts about this film, and as always, thanks for reading.

Final Verdict: 3.5/4

REVIEW: Bolt

Well, I'm excited for Star Trek Beyond tomorrow, but right now, I'm on kind of a Disney/Animated movie kick, and today, I came across a lone copy of a movie I haven't seen in a long time. And when I did watch it, it was in bits and pieces in French Class in High School.  I couldn't remember much about it, but hey, having been watching a lot of Disney's recent animated films lately, such as Wreck-It Ralph, and Big Hero 6, both good films, and of course this year, we had Zootopia, which I absolutely adored (Part of me actually wants to do a second review of it, or a followup of a sort, but for now I'll hold off), I decided to pick this up, and give it a much needed second viewing. I'd not picked it up before and I'll. be honest why...the name Miley Cyrus turned me off.  I'm no fan of hers, but I guess I shouldn't let a name be the sole reason I close the door on a movie...unless that name is Michael Bay. Because screw that guy.

Bolt is...well...Bolt is cute. What can I say? From the opening scene, you are treated to this absolutely adorable puppy in the pet store, which is being swarmed by all sorts of other cute little puppies, and he's getting battered around as he plays with this silly carrot toy, and it's just one big giant fluffball of adorableness that is impossible not to like. At first I thought this was going to be a story similar to that of the Ugly Duckling or something, but right off the bat, we see our white puppy picked up and adopted by a litle girl, and I then predict that it'll be one of those tales about a girl and her dog.  And it kinda is, but not nearly in the way that I predicted. Straight out of nowhere we get this plot that is as if another movie just trainwrecked its way into this one, and the little white dog, now named Bolt is enhanced with incredible powers, and his owner, a girl named Penny, is playing Spy Kid, as she looks for her father, and fights off hordes and hordes of goons under some forgettable man with a green eye (the guy doesn't even have a name), with the aide of her puppy of steel, who is pretty much the dog version of Superman. Does this sound crazy yet? I knew you'd say yes, and if Disney actually did this, I'd be scratching my head.

While all of what I just wrote is true, the thing is, that this whole superdog, spy kid thing is just a big TV show.  However, Bolt thinks that the TV show, is actually a real thing, because the prodcers have come up with a clever idea, though I will say highly improbable, to keep him isolated from the real world, so that as they film him, he isn't acting so much, as he is working. So basically what they did on 1998's "The Truman Show" only with a dog instead of a person.  But with low ratings, and the need for a fresh story, they decide that in the show, Penny will end up kidnapped. Which is a bit of a mistake because Bolt flips out, and in his fear of losing her, knocks himself out and is accidentally shipped off halway across the country.  From there he meets a cat he mistakes as a cat of the green-eyed man, and decides that she will help him get back to where Penny is.  From there, it pretty much becomes "The Incredible Journey", minus one dog, and adding on a Hamster who joins them later on.

The setup and concept of this film is comedy-gold, with a hint of Plato's Cave (for those of you who enjoy a little philosophy). I'm a huge fan for comedy that involves misunderstanding, and with Bolt (who is excellently voiced by John Travolta) having never been introduced to the world outside the studio he knows, there are plenty of chances at this happening, which are executed brilliantly.  I absolutely love how he fears styrofoam packing peanuts, as he feels they make his powers incredibly weak.  Watching the cat hold him up with it is worth the laugh. Also the Pidgeons of this film are easily one of the best things of the film, always recognizing Bolt, and acting as rabid fans, brimming with ideas, or whatnot. Bolt's interaction with the real world, while still under the impression that he's still living the actual show is absolutely well executed, though I will say there are times I felt a little more could have been done. For example, when we're introduced to a hamster who watches Bolt's show, and sees him as the real superdog, almost immediately afterward, Bolt is told the harsh truth about him being part of a TV show. And is thus, revealed to the light outside the cave. How does he react?  Well of course he tries to deny everything, but reality hurts and the film does a good job of portraying him as he slowly comes to terms with it.

And though his coming to terms with it is also maybe a little rushed, I gotta say that sequences that follow, in which Mittens teaches Bolt how to be a dog, are some of the cutest moments of the film.  I had a good laugh when Bolt first stuck his head out a window of a moving car. It's these little moments that can just carry this film in ways I normally wouldn't think possible. It can be funny, and at times, it had some genuine heart-touching moments.  The ending of tis movie is one of the warmest Disney endings I've seen in a long time. I won't spoil it for those who haven't seen it, but I will say that it can tug a bit at the heart-strings. It's one of those movies, but what more can you expect from a film about a girl and her dog, and how that dog will go through mud and water to get her back?

Bolt earns a nice three and a half star rating out of four.  Yes, despite the occassional clunky narrative, this film is coherent and tells a very fun story.  It's fun, warm, surprisingly action-packed (and it's very well done action), and just one of the best movies I can think of that tackles the special bond a human and a pet can share. It's one of those films I can legitly say "I laughed, I cried" to. And from my understanding, it was one of the first films to come out recently, to really give Disney a kick in the rear with the success it's found lately.  With other films to follow such as Tangled, Frozen, Big Hero 6, Zootopia...etc all coming out lately, to a lot of acclaim, I can't help but wonder if we're in the middle of yet another DIsney Renaissance.  I would certainly welcome one in a period where almost everything else Disney is doing is either Marvel, Star Wars, or remakes. Disney is showing some very strong ground in their animation department lately, and this was a good way to start it off. So don't be like me.  Don't let a simple name turn you off to this movie if you've let it.  It's one fun adventure...it's a fireball of cute.  See for yourself.

Please feel free to request any movie you'd wish for me to review, and I will do my best to get to it. Leave a comment down below expressing your own thoughts of the film, and as always, thanks for reading.

Final Verdict: 3.5/4

THROWBACK REVIEW: Balto

My childhood was full of movies I can point out by name, each one having a bit of a special place in my heart.  Balto...was not in my childhood. Nope, Balto kinda came into my film collection about twenty years after its release. And I didn't even know it existed until a friend I have drew some art of it. I didn't really know anything about it, but finding it for about five dollars at Walmart?  I decided to check it out. So...what do I think of this movie? Well....I like it.  But let's just say it's got it's fair share of flaws.  But the pros outweigh the cons.  It's a simple story, that is stronger than I probably give it credit for. When an outbreak of diphtheria breaks out in the small town of Nome, Alaska, it's up to a team of dogs on a dogsled team to rush essential medicine to the town when extreme weather prevents other methods of delivery.  Based on the real serum run that occurred in 1925, the movie does a fun job of giving its own elements of story to make it a fun movie to stand out on its own, and that's a good thing as historically speaking, this movie isn't accurate at all. 

So how does the film hold up? I guess the first thing that I notice about this film that I don't particularly care for, is the amount of filler that this film can have.  Particularly between Balto, and the secondary character Boris.  While it can provide for some silly moments that I'll admit made me chuckle, they ultimately serve no purpose to the story.  And it doesn't help that in the beginning of the movie, there's a scene on a ship with the two that lasts three to five minutes which is just completely filler. We understand that Balto is a little down that the other dogs harass him, but was the sequence of Boris doing...dog-things needed?  Or dancing?  It's just little sequences like this that kinda make this film slightly tedious to watch at times.  Those two polar bears don't exactly help the situation either. They serve only, and I mean only as comedy relief that is very hit or miss...and it misses most of the time. 

Another thing I don't particularly care for is the clichéd, and kinda forgettable villain in Steele. Now I understand that for this movie to likely have worked, some sort of conflict was likely needed, which meant transforming Balto into a hybrid of dog and wolf breed, that the other dogs don't exactly look favorably upon.  In a way, it actually gives off a similar, but more subtle message of acceptance in ways that Zootopia did, and we all know how much I loved that movie. But with Steele and some of the other dogs as well, the dialogue that is spoken is just silly.  There are scenes that aren't necessary where Balto is just bullied by these dogs.  And you can't help but wonder why these scenes were included when half the time, most of the dogs do a 180 and start talking about Steele behind his back. It kinda kills the message they're trying to convey because half the time you don't even know who's side the dogs are on. You'll also notice how I haven't mentioned their names, and that's because of the animal characters, I can name four off the top of my head. You have Baltor, his romantic interest Jenna, the Russian goose Boris, and the villain/jock dog Steele. Every other animal in this movie is entirely forgettable.

But when you are over the things this movie doesn't really get right, the movie is actually a very fun movie. Though limited, there is some action in this movie that not only is tense to watch, it's on the borderline of brutal. In fact I can't help bit feel that the central human dog musher and a few other dogs should have died in a few scenes (kids movie I guess). The animation of this film can be near flawless at times, with certain stances, or sequences that look damn near real. One sequence that immediately comes to mind is when Balto is fighting a bear about midway through the movie. Of course a bear has the upper hand, but watching the bear pressing down on his body into the snow, squeezing the life out of him, and seeing him so helpless in that situation is actually depicted incredibly well. It's these little things that make Balto one heck of a visual experience. Off the top of my head, I cannot think of one disappointing scene visually.  Even the Polar Bears, who seem a bit more....fluid than they should be are animated well enough to the point that I can't dock points for that. 

One thing I also found very surprising was just how dark this film could be. While it's not the first time we've seen a children's story in which someone was on the verge of dying, most films by Disney and other kids stories are pretty tame on the subject of death, especially when it comes to the deaths of younger characters. Yet in this movie, all sorts of children are on their deathbeds and lay helpless with their sickness, and we even see a scene of an adult building several child-sized coffins. The first time I saw that, it took me by surprise. Not too many films have guts like that. Now granted no one dies, but imagery like that can hit home with me in more ways than one. 

Another good thing I'll say about the film is the films subtle, yet central message of accepting who you are inside. While we see Balto ashamed to be a wolfbreed of dog, in the film, especially towards the end, he embraces that other side and uses it to the best of his advantage. But the film isn't in your face about it. It's just kinda nursing at you with this message, and I actually kinda like it that way. When Balto has that sense of acceptance, and does everything to get the medicine home, it can be a very powerful scene, combined with already gorgeous animation. As far as storytelling is concerned, it's got plenty of clichés that have been done a thousand times, such as the jerky villain getting left in the cold when the hero comes home, but by the time the hero returns, and the day is saved, you get a most happy feeling, and we even see the verbal human character as a grandmother, remembering Balto. While not the best scene ever written, it is good for the movie, and leaves you with a smile on your face. 

Balto is a solid three star rating out of four. Though I didn't grow up with it, it's safe to say that watching Balto, I could see why it had an audience, and I'm glad to be part of that audience. Despite the flaws in storytelling and character it can have, when it his the target, it can be one of the most fluid films I can think of in animation. The fast racing, the occasional action, and dramatic shots carry this film in ways no other film can. And even when it's off target, there's always something redeeming to find that will keep your interest. Pity I can't say the same for the bad sequels that would follow this movie. So if you're in the mood for a fun film in animation, and you can find this little gem? Give it a watch. Guaranteed you'll find something you'll like. 

Please feel free to request any movie you'd like to see me review. Leave a comment down below telling me of your own thoughts or feelings on this movie, and as always, thanks for reading. 

Final Verdict: 3/4

REVIEW: Zootopia

I'm a huge fan of anthropomorphic characters.  I think they can capture the imagination in more ways than one, they have tons of potential, and they can tell a story in ways human characters just cannot do.  I enjoy anthropomorbphic characters so much, that in my free time, I've personally created a few of them, and even in my free free time, made a cheesy story for them. And there are times, I feel these characters get way too much negative rep.  No doubt some of you have heard many of the stereotypes surrounding furry fandom or whatnot, and I will say from experience, a lot of these fans are very nice people.  But I digress.  I'm here to talk about a movie.  And I hope you don't mind my sudden intermission from my Star Trek reviews.  Insurrection will be out Monday. Let's talk about Zootopia.

How do I begin this review?  Screw it.  I love this movie.  If I remember right, It's the first movie in Disney history since Robin Hood to have a full character lineup to be completely anthro (Not counting Pixar films). But unlike Robin Hood, Zootopia takes advantage of this anthro lineup in so many clever, fun, and downright funny ways, that it's impossible not to love.  Each and every character for the most part has a very fitting personality, from the sly fox, to the stern bull, to the slow sloth.  And even when the personality doesn't seem so fitting, it's executed in a manner so very clever, that it's just impossible not to like.  Yes, character in this story is a strength, I dare say, one of the strongest character movies that DIsney has ever done.  And you can try and argue that they only seem fitting due to silly animal stereotypes and whatnot, and I will just say that it doesn't hurt the overall experience this film has.

And ironic enough, while the story continues, it actually plays with these stereotypes in some very surprising ways.  There are a couple jokes I won't lie that make me raise an eyebrow, such as when our lead character, the rabbit Judy, who dreams of being a police officer, says that rabbits are "Good at multiplying". Ha ha.  But it's these silly jokes and the overall surprisingly darker tone that this movie starts to take on at the end of the film that gave me the feelings I got when watching Pleasantville for the first time. There is some simple, yet clever social commentary here, and even if it's not exactly relatable to us as a society, it can very much resemble certain things that are growing issues right now. Looking back, I'm wondering if some things in this movie, were on purpose meant to symbolize the behavior of our society when thinking of groups of people in our country, such as Muslims. With the whole Trump drama and his plans on dealing with Muslims, part of me wonders if this was in fact trying to show a potential dark message for us.  Am I overthinking things?  I don't know, but that is a gutsy move by Disney.

As far as the actual story is concerned, I was surprised I enjoyed it as much as I did. I went into this theater, not exactly sure what to expect.  I didn't know what I was going into.  Well...how does the story hold up?  It's a traditional buddy-cop story, but man is it told well.  In fact, in many ways, it reminded me of the cop-comedy Hot Fuzz, which is a favorite film of mine.  Now granted, it doesn't get anywhere near as ridiculous as Hot Fuzz, but the twists that come up in this film are twists that I didn't always see coming.  Was I able to predict a few things? Sure.  But there were twists and turns in this movie that I legitly didn't see coming, and it kept me guessing! If you're able to do that, I have a lot of fun! And while it does pull out some of the typical clichés you've come to expect from Disney, I barely noticed, because they were just executed so well, that I kinda find it hard to hold against this film.

You know, I'm trying to find a problem with this film...but I can't.  While I could nitpick certain things, like for example, I feel the Shakira cameo seemed forced in areas, and whatnot, the good in this film just heavily outweighs anything bad, and if there is anything major that would have hindered my experience....I can't find it.  From the fun characters, to the exciting adventure, to the absolutely incredible animation.  If you get a chance, IMAX this movie, it's well worth the money. 

Disney's newest film surprised me in more ways than one, and gave me fun that I didn't think I'd have. It's filled with adventure, action, comedy, and nonstop fun.  Disney takes advantage of this material in ways that will have you laughing with the rest of the theater, and will make you want to see this again, which is why I am pleased to award Zootopia, with the fullest rating I can give.  Zootopia earns the ful four star rating out of four.  This is a film for all ages.  Fom the young minds to the more adult minds, there is something for everyone in this film.  It captures the imagination in more ways than one, and the result is beyond satisfying.  I'm already trying to find people to see it again with.  That should say something.  If you are trying to find a movie to go see, put this on the list, because again...it's well worth the money.

Please feel free to suggest any films you would wish for me to take a look at.  Leave a comment down below telling me your own thoughts on the film, and as always thanks for reading.

(Star Trek: Insurrection will be out Monday)

Final Verdict: 4/4

THROWBACK REVIEW: The Great Mouse Detective (1986)

Everyone knows the great detective, Sherlock Holmes.  Whether you were introduced to him in the recent 2009 film, the CBS Series, his book series, or even an awesome episode of Star Trek (I'm not joking there either), chances are, you've at least heard the name, and know that he's regarded as one of the best, if not the absolute best detective in mystery fiction.  My first take on the great detective however came in the form of a Disney cartoon, and when I first watched it, I didn't know the name Sherlock Holmes.  Some of you may be able to share the same experience.  "The Great Mouse Detective" is a very charming take on Sherlock Holmes, and probably one of the most underrated films of the Disney animated movies.  There are many things in this movie that make me smile, and just so many things that are done right in this film.  From the charming adaptions of the Sherlock and Watson roles, to the mystery, to the villain.  It's all done splendidly.  

The film takes place in London, 1897, where we follow the case of a disappearing father.  Though originally just shown to be a classic case of a parent gone missing, the film pulls a classic "it's not as simple as you think" card on the viewer and goes into a case that involves the fate of the entire Kingdom...or "Mousedom" and the Queen herself.  One can look at this and say that it's been done a hundred times before, and that it's probably been done better, but with the fast-paced yet very followable storytelling, and nonstop thrill ride, it is a mystery movie that is very much fun to witness.  Several points attribute to this.  The film knows how to show a scene in which quiet is needed.  The film knows how to pull a surprise that no one expects.  And the film knew how to cast.

The only character that I thought was a bit out of place was the voice of the eight-year-old mouse of the film, Oliia.  She is voiced by Susanne Pollatschek, and I do believe she was a child voice actor.  As such, some of her lines I feel were out of place at times.  They were still believable, and her character was easy to relate to, but you can't help but wonder if maybe she spoke a little too loud into the microphone during some takes or whatnot.  Barrie Ingham does a great job at voicing Basil, really bringing the life out of the character.  His emotions, to despair, to joy, to sheer annoyance are so well done.  And the stuttering personality of Dr. Dawson is portrayed wonderfully by Val Bettin.  But let's be honest here...the real star of the voice acting goes to none other than the late great Vincent Price, who you can tell had a lot of fun voicing the film's antagonist, Professor Ratigan.  

Ratigan deserves a paragraph all on his own.  He is easily one of the best villains I've ever seen out of Disney.  I don't know if that's because of Vincent's phenomenal voice acting in the character, or whatnot, but he's such a unique villain.  He even made the number 3 spot on my all time favorite Disney Villains list (behind Ursula from "The Little Mermaid" and Claude Frollo from "The Hunchback of Notre Dame").  He's always fun when on screen, which is something you can't say about villains a lot of the time.  A lot of Disney movies will portray their villains as devious evil masterminds, who would make your skin crawl.  And though the film does a good job of describing Ratigan as such, on screen, he's always so suave, unafraid to crack a joke, be a gentleman, and then in the blink of an eye, he can transform into a terrifying intimidating character that makes you wanna jump out of your skin.  Vincent Price himself said that playing Ratigan was probably his most favorite role he ever did in his career.  And it really does shine in this.  With not one, but two songs in which he sings, and just amazing tones in his dialogue, it's probably one of the most memorable voice performances in a Disney movie.

Another thing that really keeps this movie rolling is the music.  Now I will say that some of the musical numbers in this film, I feel didn't need to be included, such as a number that is done in a low-life pub, in which a drugged Dr. Dawson accidentally starts off a drunken brawl, but the score in this movie is energetic, and easily fits the film's pacing.  That opening theme after we see the disappearance of Olivia's father, is beyond catchy, and can easily get stuck in your head.  The theme is played in various styles in the movie, quiet in the quiet scenes, and fast during a wonderfully done, even if a little over the top chase scene.  

The final thing I wanna point out about this film is the climax.  This climax I highly believe is probably the absolute best climax scene that a Disney movie has ever done.  I will not spoil too much of it, but even if this movie wasn't as fun to watch, this climax would have made it alone worth watching.  It starts immediately after Ratigan's vessel crashes in to the face of the famous Elizabeth Tower, home of the famous Big Ben clock tower.  You are transported to the inside mechanics and gears of of the second largest four-faced chiming clock in the world, and a conflict between Basil and Ratigan begins, which is wonderfully paced, and very thrilling to watch.  Each blow that is struck sounds like it hurts, it sounds real, and the visualization of the gears and the clock tower just really sets this climax at a higher level than any other climax I've ever seen in a Disney movie.  It is 5 minutes that make up for ANY shortcomings this film has to offer, and there really aren't that many that I can find.  And it leads to an ending that can pull at the heartstrings just a bit.

"The Great Mouse Detective" is a very fun film for both children and adults, and a great way to perhaps get introduced to the Sherlock stories.  I'm not the biggest follower of the great detective himself, but I cannot deny that the writing of his mysteries is very much always a treat to watch, read, or whatnot.  This film is no different.  Is it maybe a bit simpler, with some plot elements we've seen before?  Yeah, but none of that detracts from the quality of this film's writing, and performance.  There is life in this film, beyond the animation drawings and voice talents.  Life that in many other disney movies, just isn't there.  It's a true gem to have come out before the Disney giants that we're all familiar with today.  And many people who worked on this would go on to help make those great movies we all know from Disney.

All of this put together makes this film near legendary in my own personal opinion.  A masterpiece.  An underrated masterpiece.  There is something for everyone to enjoy in this film, and it's not hard to find.  That is why, I am awarding this film, the highest rating I can give, a full on four stars out of four.  Again, there may be some shortcomings in this film but nothing so bad that it would detract the quality of some clever mystery writing, that is easy to follow for all ages, and memorable characters that are brought to life in more ways than one.  Coming from a time when Disney movies were coming out of an era that was not that strong, that really does hammer the point for me.  While many films of the disney era before this or even slightly after this were forgettable, this first step was a great step in the right direction to giving us some of the many films we know and love by Disney today.  And it still holds up today.  A jolly good show indeed.

Feel free to request a movie for me to watch and write my thoughts about.  Leave a comment expressing your own thoughts on the film here, and as always, thanks for reading.

Final Verdict: 4/4