Gorgeously animated, beautiful score, and emotionally resonant. The opening where the dino family were farming was very clever. The relationship between Arlo and Spot was lovely, and shows silence can be golden. It was rather intense; the poor little dino is beat up and trodden on so often, that he's left with scrapes and bruises. I cringed whenever he got hurt, seeing him struggle to get up.
There's a number of poignant scenes which work very well, such as the scene where Arlo explains what family is to Spot using twigs, and Spot does the same, only to bury his parent's twigs, showing he's an orphan. Then he shows Arlo how to grieve through howling. The scene where Poppa Henry dies, although I knew it was coming, was so sudden; his look of defeat as he looked at his son... the part where Arlo sees his ghost and is beside himself with joy made me cry.
The scene where Spot and Arlo go their separate ways surprised me; I thought it'd be something cliché, like he just realizes he has to go, hugs Arlo and leaves. Instead, it's Arlo that persuades Spot that he should go with the humans. The ending with Arlo's family is simple and not overwrought.
This movie is very quirky in its humour and style. People say it's too childish and I can't disagree more; "The Good Dinosaur" is one of those important family films. It is VERY different to "Inside Out." Do yourself a favour, and try not to compare the films going in, for it'll be like comparing chalk to cheese. I reckon if "Good Dino" had been released earlier, it may not be as snubbed as it is. It's kinda suffering from Lion King-itis; you know how after "The Lion King," every other Disney movie was compared to it? Well, IMO, "Inside Out" blew people's minds so much that this little movie has a lot to live up to. (Side note: I love "Inside Out," but "Ratatouille" is my favourite PIXAR movie, "The Lion King" is my favourite movie of all time).
As someone who suffers from OCD, I am terrified of my thoughts and of the future etc. This movie tells kids, and adults, that it's 100% natural to be scared, and if you aren't then something isn't right. This, is the movie "Brave" wanted to be. I enjoyed "Brave," but it was disjointed and cluttered in places. "Good Dino" is also imperfect; one would have to only glance at its production history to know that, but it still works. I think it's the work and love that went into the years trying to make the film as good as it could be. Besides, there's something about this quirky boy and his dog tale that seems so familiar and yet so different; there's genuine threat, real terrible fear, our main character gets battered and bruised and is left for dead. The movie takes a lot from "Lion King," but it's still a separate movie. The farmer and cowboy dinos are so out there and inspired, how'd they come up with that?! The characters are so likable, and the antagonist is terrifying; it's nature, and fear itself. There's a genuinely creepy addition with a pterodactyl cult that gave off a weird vibe, as well as a funny oddball voiced by the director, but even though those elements are strange, they add to this bizarre world.
This film will possibly become a cult classic, and that odd one out of the PIXAR bunch that is so familiar yet so different, that it comes across as brilliant.
Go see it.
8/10.
There's a number of poignant scenes which work very well, such as the scene where Arlo explains what family is to Spot using twigs, and Spot does the same, only to bury his parent's twigs, showing he's an orphan. Then he shows Arlo how to grieve through howling. The scene where Poppa Henry dies, although I knew it was coming, was so sudden; his look of defeat as he looked at his son... the part where Arlo sees his ghost and is beside himself with joy made me cry.
The scene where Spot and Arlo go their separate ways surprised me; I thought it'd be something cliché, like he just realizes he has to go, hugs Arlo and leaves. Instead, it's Arlo that persuades Spot that he should go with the humans. The ending with Arlo's family is simple and not overwrought.
This movie is very quirky in its humour and style. People say it's too childish and I can't disagree more; "The Good Dinosaur" is one of those important family films. It is VERY different to "Inside Out." Do yourself a favour, and try not to compare the films going in, for it'll be like comparing chalk to cheese. I reckon if "Good Dino" had been released earlier, it may not be as snubbed as it is. It's kinda suffering from Lion King-itis; you know how after "The Lion King," every other Disney movie was compared to it? Well, IMO, "Inside Out" blew people's minds so much that this little movie has a lot to live up to. (Side note: I love "Inside Out," but "Ratatouille" is my favourite PIXAR movie, "The Lion King" is my favourite movie of all time).
As someone who suffers from OCD, I am terrified of my thoughts and of the future etc. This movie tells kids, and adults, that it's 100% natural to be scared, and if you aren't then something isn't right. This, is the movie "Brave" wanted to be. I enjoyed "Brave," but it was disjointed and cluttered in places. "Good Dino" is also imperfect; one would have to only glance at its production history to know that, but it still works. I think it's the work and love that went into the years trying to make the film as good as it could be. Besides, there's something about this quirky boy and his dog tale that seems so familiar and yet so different; there's genuine threat, real terrible fear, our main character gets battered and bruised and is left for dead. The movie takes a lot from "Lion King," but it's still a separate movie. The farmer and cowboy dinos are so out there and inspired, how'd they come up with that?! The characters are so likable, and the antagonist is terrifying; it's nature, and fear itself. There's a genuinely creepy addition with a pterodactyl cult that gave off a weird vibe, as well as a funny oddball voiced by the director, but even though those elements are strange, they add to this bizarre world.
This film will possibly become a cult classic, and that odd one out of the PIXAR bunch that is so familiar yet so different, that it comes across as brilliant.
Go see it.
8/10.