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Reviews
It (2017)
one of the most well done horror films I've seen in a long while
"IT" is a Horror, coming-of-age film directed by Andy Muschietti, and stars Bill Skarsgard, Jaden Lieberher, Wyatt Oleff, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Sophia Lillis, Finn Wolfhard, Jack Dylan Grazer, Chosen Jacobs, Nicholas Hamilton, and Jackson Robert Scott. It's about a group of children living in Derry, Maine who are constantly terrorized by a creature in the form of a clown named Pennywise. in order to end this terror, they decide to confront pennywise in the sewers, whilst dealing with bullies and their own personal demons in the process.
I'll start by saying that I've never read a book from Stephen King in my life. since I'm fifteen now, beforehand I've only learned of his stories through the movies adapted from his books. I've learned of the best movies adapted and the worst ones adapted from his stories. seeing as how this is another adaptation of the book of the same name, with the last adaptation was in 1990 in the form of a TV miniseries which is seen now as more of a joke than an actual film to be scared of. does this new version of Stephen King's famous novel fare better than the miniseries? or is it just as much of a joke?
I'll be happy to say that this movie exceeds on every expectation I had for this movie and it is even better when you think about it often enough to see it again.
however a review is still a review and I must give pros and cons no matter how much I love this film.
so what do I like about it?
- first off: Bill Skarsgard as Pennywise is Friggin Fantastic. this could be his best role to date. every scene works whenever he's on screen and it always pays off. not a single dull moment with this performance as well as this character and you know what- I'm actually scared to see him sitting in the corner of my bedroom before I head off to sleep fully knowing all this is fictional. if a character sticks in your head like that after seeing a movie because of the performance, you know It works.
- the child actors are especially amazing. watching them, you actually do get the feeling of their friendship within the losers club or the insanity sweeping over the scenes with Henry Bowers. much like Bill Skarsgard, there's never a dull moment with these actors and their performances and everyone in the losers club gets a moment of heroism in saving each other from the dangers they face and every emotion just works.
- the scares while not scary (and we'll go back to that later) are still frightening and creepy. from the first scene where we meet pennywise, to any scenes with him in it, to any scenes with the bullies, to any scenes taking place in the sewers. it's creepy and it always pays off, while not in the way that you'd think it'll work.
- The cinematography is beautiful and completely makes you feel uncomfortable in certain scenes, and more intrigued in others.
- The music from Benjamin Wallfisch also adds to the uneasiness and intrigue of the movie and it works in every level. I still hop onto youtube just to listen to some of the tracks.
What don't I like about this movie?
- well, I guess the only gripe I have with the movie is that While it is creepy and some scares work well enough to traumatize viewers, the film is never like so scary you just can't take it. a lot of the scares are very easy to handle if you're a lot older to see a movie like this like if your above 13 or 14 (cause obviously anyone underneath the age of 10 cannot handle movies like this unless they got the heart of a lion). movie isn't scary-scary but it still works as a tense filled movie and the fears driven within it work to it's advantage.
So overall, The movie is AMAZING. I encourage you to go see it. even if your not a fan of horror, you'll walk out of the theater very happy you saw a great horror movie such as this one like I did. if not, well film is subjective cause everyone has a different opinion and I understand if you think differently.
go watch it and see what you think but trust me you won't be disappointed you saw IT.
The Hitman's Bodyguard (2017)
A comedy surrounding a Hit-man and his Bodyguard...How is it?
"The Hit-man's Bodyguard" is a comedy action film directed by Patrick Hughes, and stars Ryan Reynolds, Samuel Jackson, Salma Hayek, Gary Oldman, and Elodie Yung. it is about a Hit-man (Jackson) who is tasked to speak as a witness on behalf of a ruthless ruler (Oldman) in court, and must travel across the country to be there, whilst being Protected by his Bodyguard (Reynolds), as the two travel together, hating each other.
I'll start by saying that Reviews for the film weren't good, as it sits on a 39% on Rotten Tomatoes, despite being a significant hit at the box office. however, where does this film stack up for me?
here's what I dislike about this film:
-The main plot while serviceable takes itself way to seriously in a comedy like this. the transitions between a comedic scene and a dramatic scene happen very abruptly very often, and whenever it does it's always boring to watch.
-the villain played by Gary Oldman is good, but he belongs in another film. he tries his best, being the outstanding actor that he already is, but he tries way to hard to be threatening here. and it's understandable as he is supposed to be playing a character who slaughters anyone to get what he wants. which brings up another problem.
-the change in tone is not good. it always keeps coming back from being lighthearted and funny to an attempt at being intense, dark, or thought provoking. which brings up another problem.
-there's also a predictable romance that the film also centers on a lot, which is nothing but arguing and fighting, which does brighten up towards the end, but it's all pointless. you know these two will get back together, and yet you still have to sit through it.
by reading this you probably now think that this movie offers more bad than it does good. well it's a messily made story, which nearly jeopardizes the film for me. however...
here's what I did like about this film:
-the chemistry between Ryan Reynolds and Samuel Jackson is worth the price of admission. they both work really well together, and every time a joke hits them both, their delivery is always perfect. the acting sells it with them together performing these gags and laughs, and it's funny. which brings up another praise.
-Salma Hayek...my god what a surprise. She's a tough prison woman who has a personal connection to Samuel Jackson, and she nails every scene she is in. she curses in English, she curses in Spanish, and she's really brutal, especially in a really funny fight scene during a flashback sequence. she's one of the best parts of the film and I was always entertained by her energy and comedic timing.
-the film has some very well made and well choreographed fast action sequences. this is coming from the same director who did the most recent Expendables film so you would know how much of a good job he does here in terms of the action. it's very fast and full of grit in some parts considering how it's more grounded in reality. however, these scenes do whatever they can do with the limitations they're provided with, and almost every action scene is polished well enough to be highly entertaining.
-also the acting is really really good here. there's not a single actor who doesn't give a bad performance, with the exception of one hired Hit-man who is assigned to capture and/or kill Reynolds and Jackson. almost everyone here gives a good performance, especially our two main leads who are fantastic as the dynamic duo here.
reading this now you're probably thinking that I find this movie to be a mixed bag. however that isn't the case.
The stuff that's good is really good and completely overshadows any negatives I have of the film, even more so when I saw the film a second time. the first time I liked it but not a lot. however the second viewing I enjoyed a lot more because there were a lot of good moments I was waiting to see people's reaction to in the theater. and when those moments hit I heard more laughter in this viewing than I did the first viewing, which made a better experience for me.
in my final word for this movie, I will say that you can go see this film. you just need to know what kind of movie you're watching. with the film's first official poster and teaser trailer, you'd think you would be watching a spoof of Kevin Costner's "The Bodyguard", or a spoof movie in general. but this in a lot of peoples eyes (including my own) is just a run of the mill comedy. don't walk in expecting something great, just know what kind of movie you're gonna be watching and hope that you'll walk out enjoying what you saw. if you don't enjoy it, people like me would understand, after all film is very subjective. full of different opinions on a number of films.
overall, go see it. you'll probably like it. just don't expect an award winning comedy, just expect a comedy and you're probably going to walk out liking it.
Hacksaw Ridge (2016)
a film that understands the brutality of war
Hacksaw Ridge is a film directed by Mel Gibson and stars Andrew Garfield, Vince Vaughn, Teresa Palmer, Sam Worthington, and Hugo Weaving. It is about a young soldier named Desmond Doss who is a young man enlisting into the army by saving lives instead of taking them at the battle of Okinawa at Hacksaw Ridge. this film is as passionate about it's characters and it's source material as it does about it's violence. that's how good it is.
after you are immediately drawn into the film, it takes you back to when he was little to when he signed up for war. each moment of this film just loves to pull you into the story which makes you feel present in every situation that Doss comes across. it feels real and raw and worthy of praise. this is a film that not only can show how much of an effect that war can have on a human being but, it shows war, blood, death, ad all the violence you in saving private Ryan times a billion.
the war in this movie is gritty and you will leave the theater shocked at what you saw. limbs are flying everywhere, guts are exploding from stomachs, blood is everywhere, bodies are left to rot in dirt and ash. you feel as if every time a gun is fired, death comes immediately after. it's incredibly brutal, and effective, and painful to look at. when someone is shot you feel as if they're getting shot at. it's very effective and you will watch every explosion on screen without breathing just like the soldiers did in this movie. it's intense.
the characters are characters that you will grow attached to. Andrew Garfield as Desmond Doss pulls off an Oscar Worthy performance as the man that saved 75 lives on that field. every emotion coming from him is real and it's emotional. you want him to make it out alive and you want him to succeed. every time he saves a life, your fists will pump in the air. Vince Vaughn as Sergeant Howell is another Oscar Worthy Performance that shows a ton of humanity into all the spit he brings to each soldier's face as he screams at them. Hugo Weaving does a great job as the alcoholic and abusive father that needs to deal with a troubling past, and Teresa Palmer whom I've never been a fan off pulls a great performance as Desmond's wife. Mel Gibson got really talented people to play the parts he has handed out and it shows.
This movie is an incredible war film of faith, heart, humanity, and Violence and what it can do mentally to people. Mel Gibson has really outdone himself and I will be happy to see him be recognized as a great director once again.
Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)
The best stop motion animated film I have seen in a long time
"KUBO & THE TWO STRINGS" is a stop motion animated film directed by Travis Knight and stars Charlize Theron, Matthew Mcconaughey, Ralph Fiennes, Rooney Mara, George Takei, and Art Parkinson.
Set in ancient japan lives a young boy named Kubo (Art Parkinson) who can make origami creations move under music played from his shamisen. when he accidentally brings a vengeful spirit from the past to life, he must go on a quest with Monkey (Charlize Theron) and Beetle (Matthew Mcconaughey) to defeat the creatures that lurk within his grandfather, the moon king.
this movie is not only rich in lore and mythology, but it exceeds expectations in terms of story, characters, and especially animation.
so what's good about this movie? starting off this review, we'll go into the voice work, because it is great. Art Parkinson plays kubo who could lend his voice to anything and it would sound interesting. he was a great choice to play a boy growing up to be a man as he continues on this quest of discovery. Charlize Theron lends her voice to Monkey who is also amazing. she can go from serious, to upbeat, to angry, to sadness so seamlessly that you just forget that charlize Theron is even there. Matthew Mcconaughey lends his voice to beetle who might just surprise you in this film. like charlize, you'll be so invested into the character that you'll forget who is behind the character's voice. he is another show stealer, again like Parkinson and Theron. Rooney Mara is creepy as the mask wearing sister #1 and #2. she can make anything sound creepy in that voice and boy does it work.
the animation is breathtaking, making this film one of the coolest movies of the summer. all the technical achievements soar above and beyond the common, standard, 3d animation (although when done right, that's amazing too). like every film released from laika, the character models are done by hand. giving each character a sense of realism every time they are used on screen. but every frame put together creates a sense of wonder and imagination. every frame feels new and fresh as does laika's other films. being stop motion, it creates something truly imaginative with every size and scale topping every scene in the film. the sets that you see in the film are also hand built but they don't feel like that, much like the models. of course the film uses cgi whenever someone is flying or under water, but it works within the film. the breakout stop motion scene is when a giant skeleton (like what you saw in the trailers for the film) attacks the main characters: what's interesting about it is that there were two models- one for when the skeleton is holding the characters in it's hands, and one for some close up shots which is bigger than the other model. stuff like that is great and (like I said before) gives the film a sense of imagination due to it's incredible animation.
the story is just as original and inventive. not to give anything away, but it's clever. based on the synopsis that you read early on, this film is gleaming with inventive characters, amazing action scenes, and it is all due to a great well put together story that has a message that is just as timeless as something from a recent animated film also known as "Zootopia". not to give the message away, but it is epic, sad, and heartwarming at the same time giving an entire purpose to each character and each layer of story told on screen. it is a beautifully told tale dealing with many serious themes that your child might not pick up on, but as soon as he or she gets older, they will appreciate it and feel just as emotional as I have felt mentally.
bottom line, this film is simply amazing. not only is it my favorite film from laika, but it's also my favorite animated film, one of the best films of the year, and is also one of my favorite films of all time. parents will love it, kids will love it, I loved it, and I'm pretty sure that's about enough information I can give.
GO SEE KUBO!
Finding Dory (2016)
An extraordinary sequel that manages to be just as good as it's predecessor
"Finding Dory" is a 2016 animated film directed by Andrew Stanton and stars Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks, Ed O'Neil, Ty Burrell, and Kaitlin Olsen. it's a sequel to 2003's "Finding Nemo", and it tells the tale of a fish with short term memory named Dory (who was one of the main characters of the first film) as she one day remembers her parents and decides to go find them while bringing marlin and nemo (the main characters of the first film) to help her find them while meeting new memorable characters as well.
This movie is a great movie. it shows how much effort can be put into a sequel to a movie that was just simply amazing. all the effort pays off to show us a heartfelt film that manages to capture the humor and beauty of the first.
the story is a good story, and while it copies the first film in terms of a journey, the all around theme is very original. while I will not spoil the message I will say it's a serious topic to carry a plot and it works here.
the animation soars here and you can see how much PIXAR has stepped up their game with their craft and it shows. everything looks perfect to the character animation from the way the characters move and how the ocean looks in it's best. it's incredible to look at and beyond amazing and it brings out the best of PIXAR's craft.
the characters here are just as memorable as they are in the first film. we have dory the main character of the film and she has to be the most developed character in the entire film as we see her backstory in this movie such as how she spoke whale, to where she learned the song, "just keep swimming". it's an interesting and sometimes sad look at her disability in the movie, that being she has short term memory loss. we have other characters as well: a septopus named hank who is a grumpy octopus that helps dory try to find her family, a whale shark named Destiny who can't see very well and has trouble swimming, a beluga whale named bailey who can use echolocation to see things from far away, and two sea lions named Fluke and Rudder who sit on a rock and rest away. all these new characters are memorable as they are funny, since they are provided voices from a good cast. they shine here and they make this movie.
while it can copy certain elements from the first film it does it in a way that is spectacular and it is a great example of how a sequel can be just as amazing as it's predecessor. it's a great film and people who love the first film should go check it out.
Glory (1989)
the greatest civil war movie ever made
"GLORY" is a war film directed by Edward Zwick and stars Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman, and Andre Braugher. it tells the story of the 54th soldier regiment consisting of only black men who sign up in an all white soldier regiment to fight for their freedom. this movie is not only a good war film, it is a great film, period. allow me to elaborate on that:
the performances: Matthew Broderick as Robert Gould Shaw is one of his best performances in a feature film, where in most movies that I have seen him in, he was bland and uninteresting. Denzel Washington as private Trip was a great performance showing how tough he is to the whites but caring and passionate towards the freedom of blacks which gave him a well earned Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, Morgan Freeman was excellent in the movie, given that he can do no wrong, it clearly shows here. since this was his major film debut, Andre Braugher was great not only as a soldier fighting for freedom, but as a friend towards his companions and his general.
the story: this is a moving piece of art that not only captures the spirit of freedom from segregation, but the hardships these men had to endure before they could gain the respect that they deserved. it is a tall tale about sacrifice and the goodwill towards men that not only gives this film an action edge, but an emotional one as well, making it a great historical story that remains accurate the source material that it took place in.
The action: it is epic. it not only captures the brutality of war, but the coldness of it and how sad war can end up being. but when the action kicks in, it kicks into full gear giving us some spectacular moments that do kick plenty of butt. with the brilliant acting and the spectacular camera work and sound editing/mixing, it not only gives the film an epic edge but a highly accurate edge as well.
final verdict: I was shown this in my history class and thought nothing of it at first. but as I watched it, I not only realized how engaging, epic, and moving that this film was, but how it also managed to sneak it's way onto my top 10 most favorite films ever.
The Angry Birds Movie (2016)
An animated movie based on a game that isn't that bad
The Angry Birds Movie is an animated film based on the mobile app of the same name and stars Jason Sudeikis, Josh Gad, Danny McBride, Peter Dinklage, Maya Rudolph, Sean Penn, and Bill Hader.
it's about an island inhabited with happy smiling birds. one of the birds named Red (played by Jason Sudeikis) is not happy at all, in fact he is an angry bird. due to this, the judge sends him to an anger management class where he meets Chuck (played by Josh Gad) and Bomb (played by Danny McBride). during one of the classes, a ship filled with pigs docks the island and starts showing off inventions and gadgets the birds have never seen before, to distract them so they can take their eggs that they lay and eat them back at home. Red Chuck and Bomb discover this and rally the birds to get angry and steal their eggs back from piggy island, via giant slingshot.
getting to the basics are my initial thoughts on the film:
This movie isn't bad by any means necessary, but it isn't great hence the above average rating. it does have a lot of Pros and a lot of Cons.
Pros: the animation is perfectly done, the voice acting is good and i did get some chuckles here and there and the climax is amazing and it's where the movie truly shines in it's animation.
Cons: things happen and it has no place in the story, it can be unnecessarily noisy, and a lot of the jokes fall flat. the rendering on the animation isn't that strong, and the story is all over the place. Mighty Eagle is an annoying stupid clichéd character that has been done to death. I hate him a lot as well as a lot of the birds that give Red such a hard time. too many sex jokes that doesn't really seem suitable for children and aren't even "wink-wink do ya get it" kind of jokes.
More cons than pros on a very entertaining video game movie, which is saying a lot. your kids will probably like it, but outside of that it's an average film for families.
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
The the best superhero movie that is the most mature out of all the marvel films
"Captain America: Civil War" is an action/adventure movie directed by the Russo brothers and stars Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Renner, Chadwick Boseman, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Tom Holland, and Paul Rudd. The Story centers the Avengers whose worlds are turned upside down when a Political interference in the Avengers' activities causes a rift between former allies Captain America and Iron Man.
This Movie is not only the best Marvel movie ever, but it is also the best Superhero movie ever made. It's very thought-provoking, emotional, action-packed, and very Mature. right off the bat you get the impression that this movie is going to be a very serious film with dark images, and very shocking scenes in terms of an emotional drama. this movie throws an argument in the story that is very relevant to the plot and crucial to not only this movie but to past marvel films as well. it isn't very one sided and you do see both sides of the argument coming from both Captain America and Iron Man. that is only a piece to the brilliant movie that has a very realistic and gritty tone.
Visually it's spectacular. the CGI does very well at blending two things together and making the fight scenes more believable. Speaking of fight scenes, The action segments in the movie are amazing to look at especially the airport fight scene which is filled with moments of awesomeness.
The characters are very well developed here just as they were in the comics. Two characters that steal the entire show are Black Panther and Spider-Man. Black panther (played by Chadwick Boseman) does a very great job at playing a character that feels like he lost everything and is looking for vengeance. he did a great job and will probably get awarded someday for such a talent. the real winner is Tom Holland as The Amazing Spider-Man. He shines in this role and not only brings something new to the character but he brings plenty of old and nostalgic parts to his character as well, such as the costume. the actor did a great job at portraying a teen which is what Peter Parker is supposed to be. The rest of the Avengers all have a moment to shine especially Scarlett Witch (who is much better developed here than in Avengers: Age of Ultron). Iron Man and Captain America are very well developed and directed when the emotional moments kick into high- gear. The villain, while very relate-able is pretty forgettable.
Overall this movie is amazing and is very incredible. I highly recommend it if you want to watch a great film. Watch it.
The 40 Year Old Virgin (2005)
A very funny movie with a great cast and some memorable characters
The 40 year-old virgin is a romantic comedy film directed by Judd apatow and stars Steve carell, Seth rogen, Paul rudd, and Catherine keener. it is about a man Andy Stitzer (Steve Carell) who is an amiable single guy working at a big-box store. Living alone, 40- year-old Andy spends his free time playing video games and curating his action- figure collection. Despite his age, Andy has never had sex, so his friends, including the laid-back David (Paul Rudd), push Andy towards losing his virginity. While attempting to get over his awkwardness around female customers, Andy meets local shop owner Trish (Catherine Keener), and they begin a tentative romance.
this is a very funny movie that i haven't laughed so hard at in a long time. right off the bat it has a good character development. everyone has a backstory that you can see or can't see, and it all concludes with a happy ending for each of them. what's great about this film is Steve carell, the supporting cast, the humor, and the writing. it all blends together to create a funny and sometimes heartwarming film about having whoopee cushion. it has great timing and solid comedic performances from the likes of Paul rudd, and Seth rogen just to name a few. you laugh with Steve carell and you yell at the screen saying, "don't do this" or "don't do that!"
the love triangle is very believable and very real. it is there and it isn't forced at all. Catherine keener and Steve carell have great chemistry and it never outstays it's welcome. it's sweet and very romantic. you really get the feeling that they're in love, and it's a great romance.
what this movie does well is that it's aware that it's a comedy and it takes that advantage and makes a said comedy with it. watch it. you'll have a fun time with this movie if you're single, or on a date night.
Zootopia (2016)
One of Disney's best and flawless animated films
"Zootopia" is Disney's 55th full length animated feature. it is directed by Rich Moore, and Byron Howard. it stars Ginnifer Goodwin and Jason Bateman as a bunny named Judy Hopps, and a fast talking scam artist fox named Nick Wilde.
the film takes place in an animated world where predator and prey live together in peace and harmony in a city known as Zootopia. Judy Hopps (played by Ginnifer Goodwin) is the first bunny officer in the Zootopia police department or ZPD. when an otter goes missing she has to team up with a fast talking scam artist fox named Nick Wilde (played by Jason Bateman) who is a key witness to the crime, in order to solve the case.
I'm gonna tell you right off the bat that this movie is Flawless. it is an amazing movie with great characters, a great story, great writing, great jokes, and great animation. it even has lessons about prejudice, racism, and the judgment of other people based on what they are or what they look like. it covers every problem facing our world today and the way the filmmakers did it is perfect, but I'll talk more about that later.
The characters are amazing and the way they work off each other is amazingly well done. Judy Hopps is a great female character, as well as Nick Wilde who is a great male character and the way they work off each other is fantastic. Their back stories very well tie in with their character and how they operate in this world from the past to the present. the other side characters are great and have a purpose to be in the story. there is a villain reveal in this movie, and I am not telling you who the villain is because that would be a spoiler but he/she is a great villain with a great diabolical plan. The story is very original and to recall, I don't think Disney has ever done a story relating to prejudice and racism before in their animated features, which is a tough subject to successfully pull off, and they did it very well here. it touched on every subject to seriously talk about that's happening to this world.
The Animation is very well detailed, rendered, and animated and the designs don't feel out of place in the world that they live in. it's amazing to watch and beautiful to look at and easy to identify characters with their design. The soundtrack is very well composed as it is written by Michael Giacchino who composed other Disney works like the incredibles and ratatouille.
to end off on a high note this movie is one of Disney's perfect animated films that succeeds in every level of creativity. 10/10-5 stars out of 5 Disney's best animated film.
Gravity Falls: Take Back the Falls (2016)
A great ending to a great series
Gravity falls has been my favorite show from Disney channel ever since the pilot episode. And now that the show has finally ended, I am more than satisfied, but very happy.
what's the story? taking place right after weirdmageddon 2, the show's most memorable characters and creatures band together to take down bill cipher and save gravity falls once and for all.
as much as the idea sounds exciting it really is. this episode ends on an emotional high note as everyone's story arc has finally been fully developed and has wrapped giving everything a satisfying conclusion. from beginning to end, this episode has kept my interest, held me to the edge of my seat, and has pulled my heart strings in it's most emotional episode ever.
the characters are just as memorable here as they were in previous episodes and they all have their moment to shine, even Larry king's wax figure head. they even have their most funny moments in this episode. for example when everyone in the giant bill pyramid has to stand inside a bill cipher wheel to defeat him, they all step on the icon that matches their personality. so when Robbie has to step on his icon (a broken heart) it has always been on his hoodie which he then says, "whoa, Destiny hoodie!" Bill was a great villain and when he had to be defeated it was very satisfying. the animation is just as beautiful here as it was in previous episodes and it shines bigger, brighter, and better than ever. bringing in some big and epic battle scenes in the finale. the epilogue is emotional, very well written, very well animated, and very well voice acted. it was the most tear jerking moments in the show and it almost made me cry.
this series never failed to lose my interest and since we've finally reached the end of it, I am happy to say that the finale was pitch perfect. I am glad that the series ended now and not 25 seasons from now. it new just exactly when to hit the right notes and it became a masterpiece of a show. all loose ends have wrapped up and we couldn't be happier. I couldn't be happier.
Gravity Falls, My #1 most favorite animated show ever.
The Good Dinosaur (2015)
A fun and entertaining and often touching family film
The Good Dinosaur is another Disney Pixar film released in 2015, the first one being Inside Out. after watching the movie on opening day with high expectations, I got what I wanted. It is a fun family film with good characters, a good story, and great animation. so what's good about this movie is it a hit or a miss? well we will see after the review.
The good stuff: I have to say that first off the animation is INCREDIBLE! everything has it's own little detail, plants, trees, bushes, rain, etc. even the environment that the dinosaurs live in is breathtaking and it is beautiful to look at. the character animation isn't bad either, every character in this movie has some great animation to them.
I like the characters in this movie. they have good qualities to them and are very well voice acted. the human cave boy named spot and his relationship with the good dinosaur himself, is where the heart of the movie is. there is not a dull moment whenever the two are on screen together. The father of the good dinosaur is a good character and you learn to like how much of a good character he is until he dies early on in the movie.
The bad stuff: the story at times seems to drift away from the movie a bit and we run into characters that we never see again. there is a scene with a triceratops where he tries to keep spot after seeing him in action and after the good dinosaur gives him a name the triceratops just runs off when one of the animals he carries decides to run away. there is also a scene with a family of tyrannosauruses that take the plot to a different story. while a good segment you never hear from them again or see them.
some parts of the story has been used before in a Disney movie. but it's used well here.
Final verdict: the good dinosaur in terms of story is not their greatest attempt, with some unique characters, some great animation, and a well executed coming of age story, this is a family film worth viewing this thanksgiving.
8/10: pros- great animation, good characters, well executed plot
cons- certain points of the movie draw away from the main
narrative, used clichés.
Inside Out (2015)
a new Pixar classic
This a great movie, probably one of the best that I have seen from Pixar studios.
the story: a girl named Riley is uprooted from her old home and has moved into San Francisco. her emotions: joy, sadness, anger, fear, disgust are the emotions that try to help her get through her new life in the big city. but one day when joy and sadness go missing, it's up to anger, fear, and disgust to keep things in control while joy and sadness try to find a way back to the center of Riley's mind.
this movie is not only the most funniest film from Pixar but also the most inventive and imaginative. you watch the movie and you just say to yourself "genius." let me talk about the story first. the story is just creative in the best way possible. it keeps heading down a road where the twist and turns that you make are the right ways to get to your destination. it tries to be inventive and funny and it succeeds on every level. the characters are not one dimensional as you would expect. sometimes the emotions have emotions like joy can be sadness or sadness can be joy. the voice acting is great. I simply adore Amy poler as the voice of joy. Richard king is in this movie and he plays Riley's imaginary friend named Bing bong, who is made entirely of cotton candy but also is part cat and part dolphin and Richard king does a great job as the character. the other emotions are great too with similar superior casting such as bill Hadar playing fear, Mindy Kalina playing disgust Lewis black playing anger, and Phyllis smith playing sadness. the animation is amazing. the way the characters move, talk, and act are some of the most expressive I have ever seen.
Though that this may be a kids film, it's also a deep movie, having themes such as: running away, crying at school, growing up, lying, losing friends, etc. one scene, as well as a few others, almost made me cry. props to the creators for achieving such a high point.
so on a whole, this movie is awesome. the characters, the story, the animation, the themes, the parts that make you cry are all done well. if Pixar's next movie "the good dinosaur" then there may be some competition at the 2016 Academy Awards.
The Boxtrolls (2014)
not really what i expected, sadly.
everything kind of felt slapstick. it wasn't really trying to be a film that'll make your eyes flood with tears. all was slapstick. just slapstick. but, not at the first act of the film where the box trolls steal a baby and have a box put on him and the animation was very good by the first act.
the animation is what steals the show the most. This film would be Oscar worthy about it's animation as it's first two films were, (in which they were better than this movie).
I wanted to enjoy this film, but I think only slapstick and stuff that didn't make sense. could entertain your little rascals but probably not you very much.
Big Hero 6 (2014)
a fun animated, Oscar worthy, film too lovable to be missed!!!
Big hero 6 is the story of a Boy named Hiro Hamada who lost his brother to a fire and is left with his creation, a huggable healthcare robot named Baymax. when they both discover a villain that stole Hiro's inventions to get revenge, they form a superhero team of robotic nerds, to save the day. so, what do I like about this film? it has a great story, great cast of characters, a great villain, great animation, a great crossbreed of two big cities, and the greatest character ever made by Disney. it also has a good message about getting over loved ones but still holding them dear to your heart. and it has a great twist halfway into the movie.
This movie is Oscar worthy. I'm predicting it'll win best Animated feature film at the 87th Academy awards.