 Being a teenager is not easy. It’s full of awkward changes that help shape us into, hopefully, wise and caring adults. You could say it’s a transformative time for all of us, and in Pixar’s latest animated feature, they take that concept to the extreme.
Turning Red is about a young girl named Meilin, who has just become a teenager, and the weirdness that starts to happen during this stage of her life. In addition to what you’re probably thinking about, she has to deal with another weird change in her life–becoming a giant red panda every time she gets emotionally excited. Despite the silly premise that sounds like a Hulk story but for younger audiences, the movie has some surprisingly resonant themes throughout. As you learn more about the red panda shape shifting ability, you begin to realize what the true meaning behind the film is, and it might end up being a bit of a tear jerker for some viewers. I will avoid discussing the plot further in order to save the surprises of the film for you and just say that I was quite surprised by some touching scenes. I wish those scenes happened more frequently though. This is a movie that isn’t necessarily for me. From some of the physical humor to its teenage inappropriateness, I just didn’t find this movie really funny. It didn’t click for me, and that’s ok because I know it will make someone laugh and bring them great joy. For me, I found a lot of it a bit cringy. I guess I have a certain expectation whenever I see the Pixar lamp jump across the screen before a movie begins, and sure, they’ve made comical and sometimes extremely campy movies before. This one definitely feels like one of them, except this has a bit more heart to it. I can’t argue against the emotional resonance that’s at the center of this story, but I feel as though the movie leaned a bit too much towards the goofy comedy aspects rather than finding a nice balance between the silly and the serious. By the time the movie got serious and showed us what the story was really about, I almost didn’t care because I halfway expected another joke about puberty to show up any second. Looking back, I do like those serious moments, but the overabundance of gags and shenanigans made the movie less impactful for me. Turning Red has its charms and will undoubtedly have its fans due to its uniqueness in the animation world, but the style and execution may vary based on the artistic taste of the viewer. Visually, Turning Red takes on an aesthetic inspired by other art styles and blends it with the high quality we've come to know from Pixar. I am really loving how Pixar has been mixing different styles to help make their movies stand out from other animated features. This movie takes on more of an anime look, with some elements of a modern 2D television series, such as the rebooted Ducktales series. This gives the animators plenty of opportunities to exaggerate the characters and their emotions in extreme ways. From enlarging eyes to colorful blasts bombarding the screen, the childhood cartoon vibes are on full display. Not only are the characters very eye-catching, but the environments are a well-executed blend of Asian art and western structures. As someone who loves Asian art, this was a visual treat for me, and because Pixar loves showing off how powerful their computers are, there was a ton of detail in each environment. It's a captivating world filled with multicultural inspirations, which creates one of the more unique looks to be seen in an animated movie. Like the very expressive characters, the voice cast demanded your attention. This is where I think some audience members may vary in their enjoyment. Let me be clear that no one did a bad job. I bet watching these actors record their lines was an absolute blast. I can only imagine they had the time of their lives behind the mic, but like the television inspirations this movie takes after, the cast did a lot of yelling, a lot of loud breathing, and noises that probably sound extremely silly without context. At times, it reminded me of Teen Titans Go! and how the characters just screamed and raised their voices all the time. Again, the cast didn't do a bad job. When the script decided to be serious, the actors did a great job portraying the heavy emotions, but that only happens a few times. The voice direction is definitely different this time around for Pixar. Like the movie's style, the voice work is loud, crazy, fun, and sometimes obnoxious. Turning Red gave me mixed feelings. On the one hand, I admire the creativity and artistry on display, as well as the heartfelt message of family and generational pain. On the other, I didn't laugh at most of the jokes and felt as though I was watching a lower budget television show. Of course, this could just be reflective of my taste in humor. I can see this being an absolute delight for younger, more modern viewers, and that's ok. Not every movie Pixar makes has to be a gut puncher like Up, Inside Out, and Toy Story 3. Sometimes, it's ok to let loose and be a goofball…or a red panda in this case.
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 To be honest, I’m a bit scared of the ocean. Beneath the dark depths could be anything, including sea monsters that we haven’t discovered yet, and who knows what they’re capable of! Leave it to Pixar to take a concept like this and make a cute adventure out of it.
Like Monsters, Inc., Pixar takes the fear of monsters lurking out of sight and uses it to tell a heartwarming story about friendship. Luca tells the story of a sea monster named, uh, Luca, overcoming the challenges of living life among humans. The center of the tale revolves around him and the two friends he meets: Alberto (another sea monster) and Giulia (a daughter of a fisherman), as they get ready for a race in town. It’s a simple story and wonderfully blissful. There’s nothing extremely deep or complicated about it. It’s merely new friends learning to get along and enjoy life together, and that plays to the narrative’s strengths and weaknesses. The movie’s strength lies within the simplicity. The main setting is a small seaside town, yet because of the tightly woven narrative between the protagonists, it’s highly memorable. Excuse the odd comparison, but this reminds me of the early Assassin’s Creed video games (bear with me). In Assassin’s Creed II, you went on a grand adventure across Italy through several decades, but in the follow up game, you are strictly placed in Rome throughout the adventure. The setting of Rome stood out more than any of the locations in the previous game because of how intimately you came to understand the location. The town of Portorosso is like that for me. Even the wandering and unimportant civilians stood out, with their charming mannerisms and reactions to the shenanigans around them. You get but a glimpse of the townsfolk, but it’s just enough to make you want to get to know them and their little community more. However, the small-scale tale is hindered by, well, its smallness. Pixar is known for out-of-the-box ideas when it comes to their stories. From looking at reality differently through the eyes of toys and bugs to taking us beyond our world, such as alternate dimensions and even into the metaphysical realm of our psyche, Pixar challenges themselves to think creatively. Unfortunately, this isn’t a creative movie. You can easily spot inspirations from other films, such as The Little Mermaid, and as a result, you may experience a sense of deja vu and know exactly what to expect as the story progresses. Despite that, Luca is a nice, relaxing getaway that just makes you feel good while watching it. I talked briefly about the characters and their charm, and a major part of what makes them charming is the absolutely gorgeous animation. Pixar movies have been pretty breathtaking in terms of visuals in the past, but this one dares to be artistic. It’s like a blend of Peanuts and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. It almost has a Genndy Tartakovsky feel, and I love it! The animation is silky smooth, and it allows the overexaggerated designs and expressions to pop much more than previous movies. Remember how the emotions of Inside Out were animated a bit more over-the-top than the humans? It’s like that, except it’s literally every character. Additionally, in line with the characters being more cartoony, the environment takes on a more colorful and overly saturated aesthetic. Ok, yes, the water still looks photoreal (Pixar really likes their water technology.), but the props, buildings, and the seafloor have such vibrant colors that, like the childlike endearment of the story, it makes you feel good watching it. I guess it’s like a warm and inviting painting that captures your attention in a museum. The wonderful mixture of colors and shapes and lighting all culminate in a visual delight, and your eyes will thank you for watching it. As expected, the voice work is fantastic. They are well directed, and the performances are just as cheery and warm as the visuals themselves. However, there’s one voice in particular I felt was a bit out of place with the rest of the cast. As great as Jack Grazer did as Alberto, his voice reminded me too much of Sokka from Avatar: The Last Airbender. This honestly wouldn’t have been a problem, but the rest of the cast used very strong Italian accents, which made Grazer’s voice sound more like an early 2000s American high schooler in comparison. Overvall, the joyful script provided some delightful voice work that compliments the already gleeful movie. Despite the relatable characters and universal story about childhood experiences, Luca doesn’t hit quite the same way as previous Pixar films. It’s a charming story filled with childish whimsy, but unlike other stories, this doesn’t explore the themes as deeply as it could have. Nonetheless, Luca is a nice escape from the stress of the world and allows us to remember a time when life seemed simpler and more fantastical.  Fun Fact: since the Marvel Cinematic Universe started in 2008 with Iron Man, there has not been a director to fully complete a trilogy in the enormous franchise. Jon Favreau directed the first two Iron Man movies, with Shane Black taking over the third one. The Russo Brothers took the reins away from Joe Johnston and Joss Whedon and made the final two Captain America and Avengers films respectively. And Thor…well, let’s say it’s a surprise to see Taika Waiti returning for the next installment. Spider-Man: No Way Home concludes the Home trilogy, and Jon Watts managed to direct all three. A big congrats are in order for him. Not just for his dedication to the franchise, but for making one of the best superhero movies of all time.
Everyone loves Spider-Man. A good reason for this is his relatability. He’s a superhero that has to keep his grades up, pay bills, deal with bullies, face hardship and heartbreak. A lot of people feel like they could be Spider-Man because we all get down on our luck sometimes, yet we push on through because we have responsibilities to uphold. In Spidey’s latest big screen outing, things haven’t changed much for the wall-crawler. He's preparing to head off to college, but the public hates him for the events of the previous movie. Just another day in the life of the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man! And after a failed attempt to manipulate reality to fix Peter's life via Doctor Strange, chaos erupts, and it's up to webhead and his friends to ensure the universe doesn't collapse. There's more to it than this that carries a lot of emotion and heart, but to say more would be a disservice to you. All I can say is this is one of my favorite Marvel films to date. Everything we love about the character and his stories is fully embraced here, and it's a thrilling and heartfelt ride from start to finish. What I can talk about are the actors, and with an A-list cast that features Tom Holland, Zendaya, Marisa Tomei, Benedict Cumberbatch, and many others, it's no surprise we get some amazing performances. This is probably the most heavy and emotionally intense Spidey film since Spider-Man 2, and everyone knocked it out of the park. Just about every joke landed successfully, but at the same time, the cast managed to get the audience I was with both cheering and weeping. Seriously, this is a great movie, and it's because of the spectacular performances that the story works so well. Another element that worked very well was the special effects. Spider-Man was one of the earliest examples of how special effects could bring comic book adventures to life, and Spidey's cinematic exploits continue to push computers to their breaking points. Sure, a lot of the swinging and spellcasting is merely animated, but with well-done choreography and camerawork, it's a blast. In fact, there are some moments that are actually aesthetically pleasing. There's one particular shot of Spidey swinging at sunset that is wallpaper worthy. Also, most movies have a definitive shot that is the best of them all--the "money shot." Honestly though, Watts and his team were so creative and had so much fun putting this crazy thing together that I'm not sure which is the money shot. There are so many to choose from! A lot of passion went into the visuals of this, which results in an artistic movie that oozes with creativity. From the script to the technical prowess, Spider-Man: No Way Home is a success. It's a movie that celebrates the character's legacy while also paving the way for a new era of super-heroic adventures. Ultimately, this is an amazing fantasy that will continue to capture the hearts of audiences for generations to come.  They say there’s truth in myths. Perhaps ancient tales of gods and monsters happened but from the perspectives of mortals trying to process the events before them. Instead of magical deities, they were aliens with technological wonders. This is the interesting premise of Marvel’s latest superhero epic, Eternals, but unfortunately, the rest of the film is neither interesting nor epic.
The pitch for Eternals is fantastic. A group of alien warriors with superpowers come to Earth during the dawn of ancient civilization, and their names go on to inspire legends such as Icarus and Athena. Meanwhile, they hide among us, helping the human race achieve great and terrible things, awaiting the day to fulfill their long gesting destiny. It’s a really neat concept, but however, it’s a bloated mess. Think about (and bear with me) a pie. It’s a very delicious pie, and you can’t wait to dive in. However, we need to cut the pie up into pieces. There’s a piece of the pie that has Sersi’s love story with Icarus. There’s a piece of the pie that’s about the origin of the Eternals. Another piece has the origin story of their adversaries. Another piece is about the “band getting back together.” Another piece has a mental health subplot. Another is about the bombing of Hiroshima. Oh, and there’s another piece that contains a subplot of an unintelligent life form finding consciousness and meaning in its place in the cosmos. And the main plot of the story is in all of that somewhere. Basically, there are so many slices of the pie that the pieces become extremely thin, and when you get a taste of it, it’s hardly anything and unsatisfactory (Thanksgiving is coming up, and food has been on my mind, ok!). This movie had the potential to be a superhero film unlike any other, but with all of the subplots mixed together, it feels like a 22-episode season of a TV show wrapped into 2 and a half hours. It reminded me of The Last Airbender movie, where it fast forwarded through roughly 20-episodes worth of stories, resulting in one of the worst movies I’ve ever seen…and yes, the same fate was given to Eternals as well. What could have been a very well-prepared pie turned into an unsavory serving that isn’t worth anyone’s time. Sometimes bad movies can at least be somewhat enjoyable if the cast appears to be having fun. Unfortunately, the cast seemed just as bored as I was. Some may say their lack of emotions is a part of their alien characteristics, like Spock. Unlike Spock, none of them seem to embrace the oddity of their characters and are just going through the motions until the director yells cut and a paycheck is handed to them. Even the usually great Angelina Jolie surprised me by how much she didn’t seem to care. Her character is one of the more interesting ones due to a very mature and admirable theme. Instead of an Oscar-worthy performance, Jolie acted as if she was having a staring contest most of the time. The only one out of the bunch that entertained me was Kumail Nanjiani as Kingo. He was the only one that the script allowed to have any sense of fun. He managed to get a chuckle or two out of me, and I had a sense that he was trying to really make the character his own and very memorable. I say it worked. I remember the character very positively. The rest of them I just don’t care about at all. I sincerely believe these actors are extremely talented, but with a bloated script that doesn’t allow much room for great acting opportunities, the cast just comes off as robotic, which is saying something considering the robots of Marvel are some of the most memorable characters in the whole franchise. Is there any praise I can give this movie? Actually yes! This is one of the most visually pleasing Marvel movies to date. Instead of bombarding your eyes with visuals cooked up on a computer, this movie instead admires the warmth and beauty of our world, even with its rough edges. This comes as no surprise as director Chloé Zhao has a talent with capturing wonderful shots showcasing environments, documentary-style. It’s refreshing to see a big-budget blockbuster feel more “down to earth” because it’s showing, well, the earth itself. There’s some great artistry here, no doubt, and it’s something I hope comic book movies embrace a little bit more in the future. To be honest, I do think there was great potential here, but this movie is a perfect example of putting too many eggs in one basket. There's a great book about writing screenplays called Save the Cat, and in it, there’s a discussion about simplifying your movie and not overstuffing it. Otherwise, you fail to deliver a great story that people will remember. Something like this probably would have worked better as a Disney+ show, but alas, this movie went way too big, so you should stay home.  The first Venom is an anomaly to me. I can’t wrap my head around why so many people paid hard earned money on that movie and told other people to do the same. There were several people who told me to watch it and defended its poor quality, to which I did watch it and never listened to their recommendations again. Yet somehow, Marvel’s symbiote infected many moviegoers, and now we have a sequel. Ugh, someone get me some Tylenol.
As teased in the original film, this story focuses on Carnage, a fan-favorite maniac that Spider-Man fans love due to how extremely dark and twisted the character can be, but since this is a PG-13 movie, Carnage, or the person that houses him Cleetus Kasady, never does anything too outlandish. His ultimate evil plan is to…kill Eddie Brock and Venom. There’s also a weird love story crammed in there too, but that’s the gist of the overall plot. Speaking of love stories, Eddie and Venom are having a bit of a relationship problem and are trying to find a way to live in a harmonious, symbiotic life together. If you think it’s weird that I’ve mentioned love stories and relationships an odd number of times while discussing the plot to a Venom movie, I too think the same as you. This movie is weirdly a romantic comedy with the outer coating of an action/sci-fi monster movie. Needless to say, it’s weird. But I think that’s one thing this movie has that one-ups the previous one. It knows what kind of a movie it wants to be, and it sticks to its guns--no matter how strange it gets--and fully embraces its goofy premise. It’s level of quality will probably depend on your sense of humor. I believe there were more comedic moments than dark and violent ones, so don’t expect an action-packed thrill ride. It’s a bold move from the previous film, but whereas I think that filmed failed due to its lack of vision, this movie fails from understanding what the audience wants. I would have much preferred a darker, more horror-themed movie, especially with a monstrous foe such as Carnage, but to me, the story felt disappointing with its odd choice of direction. I don’t think this is a bad time per se (It’s only an hour and a half long, so I wasn’t completely offended that I wasted my time with it compared to the last one.), but it’s certainly an odd pairing of genres that created something unique, that may or may not be to your liking. With director Andy Serkis at the helm this time around, we were bound to get some cool performances with special effects. Why do I say that? Because Serkis performed the motion captures for Gollum in the Lord of the Rings, King Kong in…well…King Kong, Caesar from the latest Planet of the Apes trilogy, and many more. The man has lived in the world of visual effects, and he shows off his knowledge of the craft in this film. There’s a fun interaction between Eddie and Venom in an apartment that is a personal highlight for me. Speaking of fun, I’m pretty sure that’s what Serkis told every actor in every scene–"just have fun!" In the first installment, I felt as though there were many actors who were going through the motions, not entirely sure which direction to take their characters. Here, everyone gets to be goofy, and they roll with it. I wouldn’t say there are any stand out performances, since the script isn’t the most intelligently written screenplay (to put it mildly), but everyone appears to be having a good time, especially Tom Hardy and Woody Harrelson. Hardy absolutely loves the character, and it shows. Like last time, he plays both Eddie and voices Venom, and the interactions this time around have more playfulness to them, which results in some quite funny physical humor and dialogue. Harrelson surprised me the most, because I originally scoffed at the idea that he would play one of the most sinister and downright evil villains in the Marvel comics, but he brought out his crazy side and impressed me. I wish he was given a bigger role or at least a grander motivation other than “I need to kill the hero because I’m a killer and that’s what I do”. But nonetheless, he did a good job. Despite the lackluster script, the actors put on a good performance and made the audience laugh quite a bit, and if anything, this movie is a good time to be had, especially with friends. With Serkis directing, I had high hopes for some really unique visual effects. Unfortunately, I felt as though this movie didn’t fully realize its potential. Outside of a funny sequence of Venom causing havoc in an apartment, there wasn’t anything too impressive here. The ending felt similar to the finale of the last movie, where it’s just two CGI blobs duking it out, although I will give it more credit since the setting of the climax was a little more unique. There are two scenes of Carnage going on a rampage that unfortunately felt lacking for me. Because of the PG-13 rating, Carnage pretty much just grabs stuff and throws them at people, or he grabs people and throws them at stuff. Nothing he does makes him feel much different from Venom aside from a different color and a slender look. I’m not saying the visuals are bad per se. Effects artists definitely worked many long, hard hours on this movie, but there wasn’t a moment that wowed me with its spectacles. Most of the visuals were so cartoony and used for ridiculous scenarios that none of it felt tangible. From Venom giving the middle finger in his stringy pile of goo form to his antics at a party, this felt more like something I’d see on an adult animated show rather than a must-see blockbuster. The idea of a movie based on one of Spider-Man’s most iconic frenemies is a good one, but unfortunately, both films fail to stick a superhero landing. This sequel shows signs of improvement and addresses some of what I didn’t like about the original. However, even with the small improvements, Venom: Let There Be Carnage is venomous to your time and money.  There are two types of movies I'm a sucker for: superhero and martial arts. Now imagine how gleefully surprised I was when Marvel announced Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, a movie that combines both of the styles of films I listed. I have been eagerly anticipating this one, awaiting to see if Marvel's experiment of genres was successful.
You can probably guess from the title that a man named Shang-Chi is going to come across ten legendary rings, and you're right. However, there's a lot more mysticism and fantastical elements than your typical martial arts flick, though this is to be expected since Shang lives in the same world as the Avengers. Speaking of our star, his story is told very well. We see him in his prime as a martial arts master, getting glimpses of his training through brief flashbacks. I appreciate this because superhero origin stories are a dime a dozen, and it's refreshing when the filmmakers try to do something a little different when explaining how a hero becomes super. What I think makes Shang stand out is the fact he's not necessarily superpowered. He's a regular guy, albeit with a crazy family that has an army of assassins at their beck and call. The leader of said assassins is his father, the Mandarin. As an old school Marvel fan, I was so excited to learn that we would be getting the "real" Mandarin, after the disappointing version we saw in Iron Man 3. And the wait was worth it. Mandarin is now one of my favorite MCU villains, which is great news to viewers since most of the villains are pretty forgettable. I think the father-son dynamic between the hero and villain works well here, especially since both have flaws and redeemable qualities. Neither character is perfect, and they sort of desire the same thing. It's what drives their actions that sets them apart. It's an enjoyable story from start to finish, with plenty of heart and humor that balances each other well. Of course, memorable characters aren't memorable without great performers, and the stars of this movie did an amazing job. Simu Liu was a great choice for Shang. The actor nailed each scene he was in, and I could sense he had a lot of passion driving his acting. This is a relatively unknown character, but with this being Marvel's first Asian led superhero adventure, Liu had a lot of pressure to ensure that this movie would stick the landing, hopefully encouraging Hollywood to put more faith in Asian led movies. Along for the ride is actress Awkwafina, who serves as a great comedic side kick. Most of her jokes landed well with the audience, and I still crack a smile thinking about a couple of them. Meanwhile, adding in the seriousness is Tony Leung as Mandarin. This guy nailed it. He delivered a great performance that wonderfully combined rage with regret and sadness, making the character more sympathetic. He never portrayed the character as completely mad with power (except for at the very start) but merely a man with a mission and a die-hard determination. The other supporting cast did very well too, though a couple of them I wished had more chances to show us more emotional depth. Like most recent Marvel movies, Shang-Chi is filled with actors and actresses that seem to be excited to be in this legendary universe, and their enthusiasm helps fuel the sense of fun that this story runs on. Not only was the acting great, but the cinematography was also a positive element in this movie. From the well-choreographed fight scenes to the epic final battle, the filmmakers did a fantastic job capturing every moment in all of its splendor. Take for instance the fighting. A lot of fight scenes, even martial arts films, struggle to capture great shots of the choreography. Some movies like Ip Man do a great job of showing off the amazing prowess and skill of its fighters, whereas Mortal Kombat doesn’t capture that same sense of awe in its shots. Thankfully, director Destin Cretton knows exactly what I’m looking for in these types of movies and showed off the martial artists in some creative and memorable sequences. Some of these involve really good use of both practical and special effects, though there is a heavy reliance on CGI at the end, which was a bit disappointing, but before that, some of the fights are quite impressive and, I imagine, quite dangerous to pull off. The ambition of this movie is admirable, and the craft of it conveys a sense of fun, excitement, and passion, resulting in a well-made movie across the board. I hesitate to get excited about movies anymore. Too many times I’ve gone into the theater expecting to have a good time, only to leave regretting the money that I spent. This time, my excitement paid off. Marvel’s experiment created a wonderful product that I’m sure will put a smile on the faces of many people, and another comic book character will undoubtedly become a household name.  In Disney World, there’s a ride called Jungle Cruise. On the ride, you leisurely sit in a boat and go down a river, listening to some of daddiest dad jokes to have been joked. And that’s it. That’s the ride. Somehow, someone found inspiration to make a blockbuster movie out of this. And you’re a"boat" to find out if it’s good or not! If you’re planning on watching this movie, you’d better get used to these puns real quick.
The story of Jungle Cruise is about a smart alec captain and a swashbuckling lady who flirt and fight each other as they pursue a treasure that will grant immortality. If this sounds like the plot to Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides to you, I wouldn’t blame you. From start to finish, I feel like this movie could have been in that very franchise. From its tone to its mystic atmosphere and to its naval combat, this feels like we sailed into familiar waters. I say this because your enjoyment of this movie will be reliant on your enjoyment of the Pirates franchise. If you enjoyed them, you’ll find this fun (I personally did.). If you couldn’t stand those movies, you will find this one very obnoxious (This was expressed by someone I know who also watched this movie.). I had a good time with it. I’m a sucker for fantastical stories, especially if there’s magic and ancient ruins and other such tropes, and this movie has them all. It’s definitely a story inspired by instead of based on the Disney World ride. All of the elements of the theme park attraction are there, but it’s not near as family friendly. With its action-packed river ride and a script that embraces its goofy premise, it’s an enjoyable time, but much like rides and attractions, it certainly isn’t for everybody. One of the reasons why I found this movie to be fun is the cast. Dwayne Johnson looks like he’s having a grand ole time in every scene. I don’t know if it’s because of his odd obsession with jungle sets or if he’s thinking about how his daughter will react later when she hears all of his dad jokes. Emily Blunt plays a character I personally haven’t seen her play before, but she certainly seems to be having a good time. This may be because I’m used to Blunt playing much calmer, more wiser characters in the past, but I felt as though the spunky, fearless, and overconfident character that she plays here could have been done better by another actress. She didn’t do a bad job, but the role didn’t feel as natural for her compared to Dwayne Johnson, who admittedly is playing himself as usual. The rest of the cast does a fine job too. Even minor roles, like some of the natives and the antagonists, are directed well and played without any noticeable flaws. The only acting choice I questioned was Paul Giamatti’s accent. I felt as though it was a bit overly exaggerated for, what I presume, added goofiness for the children that undoubtedly watched this. Overall, I had a sense that every actor had fun in their respective roles, and when the actors have fun in the movie, I have fun watching the movie. I brought up Pirates of the Caribbean earlier, and the similarities between that movie and Jungle Cruise isn’t limited to the story–the visuals are comparable as well, despite taking place in different parts of the world and at different time periods. There’s a tropical feel to this flick, along with hues of yellow, green, and brown. Though Pirates used a slightly different variation of coloring in its visuals, the texture on screen seems to reflect the caribbean adventures on the high seas. Now, I’m not criticizing Jungle Cruise for taking inspiration for its look and visual aesthetics, but I merely wish to convey a sense of caution for parents with children. There are some surprisingly disturbing imagery, despite having a lighter and more childish tone than Jack Sparrow’s escapades, and I suppose that’s one critique I can offer about the visuals: the tone of the movie can go to both ends of the extreme and is a bit jarring. The visuals would indicate that this romp through the Amazon is dark, mysterious, and a bit scary, but the script is chock full of jokes and characters that more or less belong in a cartoon show. The visuals and the fight scenes are very much impressive, but for a movie with gags and goofs aplenty, it feels like the artistry would have served better in another movie aimed towards an older audience. Disney's latest attempt at adapting one of their rides into a movie will be successful among many viewers but not so much with others. If you enjoy action, fantasy, and Dawyne Johnson being cheesy, then you'll most likely have an enjoyable time here, but I imagine many will take one look at it and pass it by to find something else to amuse them. Jungle Cruise, like the ride it's based on, is an amusing timekiller that lets you sit back, relax, and get a few chuckles in, but once you exit the ride, you’re more than likely not riding it again and moving on to something else that you’ve had on your mind since you stood in line.  At long last, Marvel returns to the theaters, and their new phase of movies kicks off this month. Was the return worth the wait? Should fans be excited about the future that awaits the cinematic universe? In short, yes.
Most of you will probably go see this movie without even reading a review, and I don’t blame you. It’s been over a year without getting together to go see the next chapter of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and now we can gather together again and leave the theater with smiles beaming on our faces. For the most part, Marvel’s latest outing, Black Widow, is exactly what we remember these movies being, and despite the uniqueness of Black Widow and her thematic elements, this movie plays things safe, which is good because I predict the next few Marvel movies are going to get weird. Though this movie disappointingly feels similar to other superhero adventures, this is nonetheless a good time. Set in between Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War, we get to see Natasha Romenoff take center stage as her past comes back to haunt her, and she must face it head-on and put an end to it once and for all. Though it has the ingredients for it, this does not end up being the political spy-thriller that one might expect. It’s a well-paced rollercoaster ride as Natasha goes around the world, from one action scene to the next, with nice, slow moments of reflection sprinkled throughout. The one part that doesn’t feel fully fleshed out is the third act. Unfortunately, Black Widow doesn’t make a superhero landing with a satisfactory resolution. This being a prequel may have messed with that part of the story, since we know what comes after these events, but I personally feel as though that’s not a valid excuse. Marvel’s legendary writer Stan Lee gave great advice to comic book writers: always assume the reader hasn’t picked up a comic book before. Meaning, make your story as captivating as possible in each issue. This movie seems to assume you’ve seen the other 20-something movies and will continue to keep up with the series moving forward. Aside from a lacking ending, this is a great return to the merry Marvel universe. It’s so wonderful seeing Scarlet Johannson take the lead after all these years since she first donned the black and red costume back in 2010. As always, she just absolutely nails the character. From her confident poses to her witty banter, Johannson continues to make the character a powerful figure and someone who you want to get coffee with at your local Starbucks. Speaking of hanging out, Black Widow has some new (or, in terms of the story, old) friends to join her on the journey. We get to meet Yelena Belova, played by Florence Pugh, and the Red Guardian, played by David Harbour. These two characters are welcome additions, and much like the lovable mischiefs of the Guardians of the Galaxy, you’ll love these troublemakers, despite their flaws. Like Johannson, they bring their A-game when it comes to both being dramatic and silly and help sell each scene’s themes. Harbour is no “stranger” to “things” that balance humor with high-stakes drama, but Pugh was a standout. She easily got the biggest laughs out of the audience but also, I imagine, will become a fan-favorite very quickly. Heart and humor are staples for every great Marvel character, and the character of Yelena uses both arguably better than the leading lady herself. It’s a terrific cast that makes this movie so much fun to watch. Another factor that makes Marvel movies so much is the super-heroic stunts and effects. This one in particular tries to change things up by implementing some influences from spy thrillers like Mission: Impossible and Jason Bourne. Those action scenes are the standout ones, because of their use of practical stunt work. It’s engaging and absolutely thrilling. However, the third act suffers from its ridiculous premise and high reliance on CGI. I know it’s a comic book movie, and I am quite the sucker for its goofy sci-fi elements. Though I must admit, I was a bit disappointed in the final action scene because, compared to the earlier ones, it wasn’t nearly as exciting, despite its explosive and bombastic cinematography. It went from believable stunt work that reminded me of better James Bond films, like Skyfall, to the campiness of the worst James Bond films, like Moonraker. Marvel movies have been criticized for years for their fake-looking third acts, and this one will not break the trend. I wish the final part relied more on practical effects, like the ending to Mission: Impossible Fallout. The final fight of that movie made great use of tangible vehicles and sets with good usage of CGI. Unfortunately, Black Widow did not take note of this and falls into a predictable and lifeless final confrontation that had so much potential. Despite its flaws and Marvel’s repetitive trends, Black Widow is a great return for Marvel and theatergoers. Its fun espionage plot coupled with flawed yet memorable characters create another fun story set in the ever-expanding cinematic universe. I fear though that this movie may not be recognized as one of the better chapters in this saga, but undoubtedly, it will be a big hit with fans. And honestly, that’s why going to see these movies are a blast; the audience gets so thrilled seeing their favorite characters on the big screen time and time again. I, for one, hope this won’t be the last time we see Natasha Romenoff or her compatriots. I truly do hope we will be able to spend a couple of more hours with these characters sometime in the future.  Another year, another Disney remake of a beloved classic. I have not been a fan of Disney’s live-action treatments of their older movies, and so I had little hope when I went to see their latest attempt at reinventing a beloved childhood tale. But hey, this is the third time they’ve adapted 101 Dalmatians into live action. Third time’s the charm, right?
To my pleasant surprise, yes, this movie had some charm. Instead of being a remake of the story we all know, this is a prequel, showing us why Cruella became a villainous dog-napper. It’s a villain origin story, much like Joker, except this won’t give your kids nightmares. It’s actually a very compelling arc that had me sympathize with Cruella. If I didn’t already know how terrible of a person she will be in her future, I would say she’s an “underdog” (haha) anti-hero worth rooting for. It does drag on for quite a while, though. Even though it’s just over two hours, it felt like almost three. Scenes were drawn out and paced very slowly, either to ensure you got your money’s worth or the editor didn’t feel like leaving anything on the cutting room floor. It’s not always the most compelling thing to watch, but I certainly felt intrigued enough to wade through a few boring moments to see how this chapter of Cruella’s life would end. An origin story about a villain can’t happen without a brilliant actor, and Emma Stone was a solid choice for the role. Though her accent doesn’t feel authentic, her performance nonetheless demands your attention. Every frame she’s in she commands with charisma, confidence, and a hint of sorrow. From her body postures to her eye movements, I feel as though every second that Cruella is on screen is like a well-choreographed dance. It flows in a way that’s both calculated and feels completely natural, all the while captivating. The other performers did a phenomenal job too. Paul Hauser and Joel Fry as Horace and Jasper respectively made me chuckle and care for the wellbeing of the characters. Emma Thompson puts on a dastardly good show as the demeaning and selfish Baroness. Though not as memorable as the other performances, she certainly had her moments that seemed to indicate she enjoyed playing the bad guy. Clearly, the cast had a lot of fun bringing these classic characters to life, and in turn, it’s a lot of fun watching them. The look of the film reflects Cruella’s character–dark, twisted, boisterous, and flashy. Combining the rustic look of an older London with the rebellious flair of the 70s was a great choice. It has both a timelessness feel to it and a groovy sensibility. Aside from the time and place, the real showcase in this movie was the costume designs. We all know Cruella has an outlandish fashion sense, and the costume designers of this movie took that as an opportunity to go nuts. Some outfits were striking, some were dazzling, and others were quite strange. However, this very much compliments the story and helps carry the themes and emotions of each scene. I never thought I’d say this about a movie, but the brilliance in the clothing really helps the story succeed. Out of the live-action remakes that Disney has bombarded us with, this is certainly one of the better ones. Its artistic expressions through its setting and designs make this an excellent and unique take on a property that is rather well known, but this offers a compelling narrative that is fun and heartfelt towards the source material. This shows that Disney is capable of crafting good remakes; I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks.  You know, movies share a lot of similarities with video games. Pretty visuals. Imaginative worlds. The lack of originality and an over-reliance on rebooting financially successful properties to play on people’s nostalgia in order to drain their wallets dry. Especially that last part! The Mortal Kombat video games were rebooted back in 2011, and after that game made a lot of money, someone in Hollywood said, “Let’s do that, too!” And so, here we are again, watching pretty visuals form an imaginative world that’s devoid of originality.
I’m just going to go ahead and say this: the opening to this movie is freaking amazing! No joke! I was so hooked after the prologue…and then I was quickly reminded that I’m watching a video game movie. The story is merely an excuse to introduce a full fighting game roster of characters to us and get plenty of fights in. If you're looking for something with emotional depth or some glimmer of a life lesson, look elsewhere. This is Mortal freaking Kombat. There is fighting. There is yelling. There is blood. Moral of the story? Punch your way out of your problems. Oh, and love is important too or something like that. To be fair though, as far as video game-based stories go, this isn't the worst one. It certainly establishes the world and its nonsense in a comprehensible fashion. As someone who hasn't played any of the games outside of the original arcade machines, I followed along just fine, but I definitely had to tell myself to turn off my brain and enjoy the carnage before me. Speaking of, the whole point of Mortal Kombat is to pit two expert fighters and have them beat the brains out of each other--literally! So how are the fights? Honestly, outside of the first and last fight, I wasn't too impressed. Don't get me wrong, though. There were definitely some cool and absolutely brutal moves thrown around, but I felt like I needed a better view. In some of my favorite martial arts movies, you can see the intricacies and masterful movements done by the actors, and it can be mesmerizing watching them block, counter, and evade each other. That certainly happens here but, unfortunately, not enough. Most of the time, the fights are so claustrophobic that the camera angles can't showcase the talent in the choreography. There were a lot of over-the-shoulder shots and close-ups that hid a lot of the technique in the moves. A punch isn't merely a punch in martial arts. It's an extension of so many moving parts, and you can't admire the bodywork if the camera is hiding behind a shoulder. The fights could have been showcased better, but I think the filmmakers can do better next time, now that they've had some practice in the making of this movie. As for the punches and kickers, everyone did a good job…with the script they were given. I never thought anyone did a bad job acting, but I can see some people being turned off by some of it. It's like the games themselves–over-the-top, edgy, and cheesy. I found it appropriate for the tone of the movie. Everyone basically is so serious that it comes off campy, which resulted in more or less a fun experience. They even keep their faces straight when saying catch phrases while being broody. Basically, the actors are fun to watch, despite the dialogue being absolutely ridiculous at times, if you don't mind being reminded of Saturday morning heroes fighting obnoxious villains that laugh as they make their getaway. As far as video game movies go, Mortal Kombat can safely say that it's not the worst one. In fact, my wife, who knows even less about Mortal Kombat than I do, watched it with me (as payback for having me watch every Tinker Bell movie), and to my surprise, she had a decent time with it. I don't think she'll ever watch it again, but she didn't hate her time watching it. It's not a flawless victory, but it won the fight that it set out to win. Just by a smidgen.  Years from now when the next generation emerges, I bet some kids will ask what the Covid-19 pandemic was like and what the first thing we did once it was safe enough to go outside. My kid will be told I went to the movie theater to watch Godzilla vs Kong…three times. That was my grand return to the outside world, and you know what? I’m ok with this. I love this big, dumb movie!
Let me make this perfectly clear. Godzilla vs Kong is no way a great movie. It’s about giant monsters beating the absolute heck out of each other, and it doesn’t get much deeper than that. There’s technically a "story" to give the beat ‘em up scenes reason to exist, but for the most part, it keeps the momentum going. The bits between the action scenes reminded me of those campy “story” videos that play before you get on a ride at a theme park, and then once the ride takes off, the boring minutes that you waited in line listening to random ramblings pay off. It’s like that! There are even shots in the fight scenes that could easily be incorporated into a 4D ride. Essentially, it’s a roller coaster of a movie, and when you get off the ride, you will either feel great or throw up from the experience. I usually try to critique or complement the actors in movies in my reviews, but really, why bother? The actors spouted out nonsense to each other and reacted accordingly to the scenes. Nothing to write home about. Everyone did fine. Well, I will praise the little deaf girl. Played by Kaylee Hottle, Jia is the most interesting and honestly well-done character in this whole thing. She’s a deaf native from Skull Island, which, in my opinion, is a great idea that expands on Kong’s mythos. The filmmakers certainly took great care to let her shine and be the heart of the movie. She helped make a few scenes truly emotional, and since this isn’t really a type of movie that cares about tugging at the heartstrings, her ability to do so here is commendable. Bringing together two of the most towering titans in movie history was no small feat, but director Adam Wingard managed to handle both callosal creatures with great care. Sticking true to each of the monsters’ strengths and weaknesses, he managed to direct the movie in a way that fans of both franchises can enjoy. In fact, I think anyone can enjoy this movie…as long as you don’t really think about what’s happening. Most certainly viewers will notice the massive amounts of detail in the CGI characters and landscapes. Like I said before, this movie could work as a 4D ride, with vast scenery and colorful particles bombarding your senses. There are even some great shots that showcase the colossi from the perspective of the ground, really showcasing the grand scale and spectacle of this monstrous world. Mr. Wingard has an eye for capturing awesome and exciting action through his usage of camera angles and dizzying animations, and the wild ride that he’s created is one worth getting on. After months of being cooped up at home, it was nice to be able to go to the theaters and hang out with friends again. Like I said, I’ve seen this movie three times. Did it change my life or give me a new perspective on philosophical concepts? Absolutely not! But it’s a fun, dumb ride that I have enjoyed going on with several friends now, and, as strange as it is, this movie will forever be memorable for me.  I can’t believe it. I can’t believe I watched Justice League again; the original was an eyesore and a blunder of a story. I also can’t believe it’s four hours long now (It’s not every day I have to use the bathroom more than once while watching a movie.)! But out of all of the things I can’t believe, I can’t believe how good this is, and I am so glad I gave Zack Snyder’s cut of this movie a chance!
The tale behind the making of this version of the Justice League movie is one that has been well documented across the nerdy spectrum of the Internet, and if you were wondering why this director’s cut is so special, I highly encourage you to investigate. It’s heartbreaking, and the road leading up to this finished product is full of bumpy roads and winding paths. However, this is definitely a great and satisfying ending to that tale, and I have to congratulate director Zack Snyder and the hundreds of people that worked on this massive blockbuster on a job well done. I have not been well pleased with DC Comics’ big screen stories as of late. Though I will admit the more recent Aquaman and Shazam! movies were fun, colorful adventures, there hasn’t been anything that has topped Wonder Woman in my opinion. However, this movie has restored my faith in DC’s storytelling abilities, more so in Zack Snyder admittedly. Within the four-hour runtime, Snyder managed to take the characters that felt awkward, silly, and uninteresting in the original version of this film and craft them into something that better resembles their iconic comic book counterparts. You see, the Justice League and its members are characters that have gone through many developments in their decades of publication, and so, they’ve become quite complex and intriguing heroes. They are treated as such here. We get to see their fears, their hurts, and their desires that they wrestle with inside of them. In what would be an otherwise by the numbers comic book special effects extravaganza, we get to witness humanity within these gods. The final fight is more than just a booming smackdown; it’s a moment of triumph for the heroes’ personal journeys. The grand spectacles are meant to emphasize the emotional depth at play here, and with Snyder and crew seemingly able to put their artistry at the forefront with no limitations, there are some truly amazing moments on display, both visually and emotionally. Despite the intricate and crazy amounts of stories intertwining, the movie manages to pull it all off, which was greatly mishandled in its previous incarnation. And this couldn’t have been possible without the incredible cast. After the original version of this movie came out, it took a solo movie for Jason Momoa to prove to the world he was the right choice for the role. For Ezra Miller and Ray Fisher, they were still questionable choices. This isn’t their fault; they were given a bad script and bad direction. However, I no longer feel like we need to see a Flash or a Cybrog movie to see these actors nail these characters, because they get moments in the spotlight, and they take full advantage of these moments to show the world why they were chosen for these roles. Even those with brief appearances still linger in the back of my mind and make me ponder what Zack Snyder’s full vision for these characters–even the background characters–could have been. It’s so satisfying to see so many of these characters I read about as a kid get treated with the utmost respect from the cast and crew, and it’s so exciting to see where they go…unless Snyder doesn’t get to make a sequel to this, which would be a darn shame. Snyder’s films have always been known for their visual flair. Say what you will about his storytelling abilities, his movies never fail visually, and this movie is no different. In fact, it’s surprising how this cut of the movie–despite it going directly to streaming–looks so much better than its theatrical counterpart. A couple of noteworthy examples include the redesign of the main antagonist Steppenwolfe and newly added scenes. The recreated Steppenwolfe is a much more intimidating menace this time around, and his new, shiny armor actually looks good despite reflecting light all around it. One would think the original design would hold up better due to its simplicity, but nope, this update is very well done and surprisingly blends better into the scenes. And speaking of scenes, there are several new ones, and some of them feature stellar visual effects. One scene in particular probably confounded the artists and animators on how it could be pulled off, yet they managed to do it with quite the impressive result. Though some may be put off from the dark and dreary tone and coloring, it’s hard to say hardly any negative comments towards the overall visual fidelity. It’s purely a matter of subjective taste whether people admire or disdain the look of the movie. No fake upper lips here! Zack Snyder’s Justice League is a movie that will stick with me. Not just because its existence is an anomaly, but because of how it reignited my childhood love for this universe and the characters that inhabit it. It’s a confident movie that takes its risks as a personal challenge and overcomes them with stride, and with a strong team–both offscreen and on–to back up this production, it makes me excited for future endeavors by directors who, too, wish to see their art brought to life in glorious fashion.  Because my fiancé obliges to see all of the nerdy action movies with me, I figured it was only fair that I watch one of her favorite film series…and I might as well have some fun and make a rapid fire review out of it. And what did I have to sit through to show my love for my beautiful bride-to-be? The Tinker Bell movies. Not gonna lie...I was not thrilled with this idea, but with faith, trust, and pixie dust, I got through them all. Here are my thoughts on them.
Tinker Bell–Admittedly, I was quite impressed with the voice acting here, and it turns out they hired some very talented actors to be in this. Aside from that and some pleasant imagery, I found watching my fiancé watching the movie to be more captivating. She’s so purty! Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure–I zoned out so much that I completely forgot what the treasure was, how it got lost, and if it was found. I just had to keep telling myself to get through it because the real treasure was making my lovely lady happy, by sitting through this with her. Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue–I appreciated the nods to the classic Peter Pan movie in this. Nostalgia is a cheeky way of getting on my good side, but I prefer the old movie instead of this one. Tinker Bell and the Secret of the Wings–At first, I thought this was just cashing in on Frozen’s success with the similar theme of sisterhood and snowy visuals, but as it turns out, this came out before Frozen! And like that movie, I admittedly enjoyed my time with it, but I wouldn’t say I have a desire to watch it again. Tinker Bell and the Pirate Fairy–I'll admit this: I liked their approach to Captain Hook. He’s just a great villain, and I did enjoy seeing a younger and more conniving version of him. Alright, Tinker Bell movies, you have my attention now. Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverBeast–Two things that took me by surprise: 1) This is not really a Tinker Bell movie; her friend Fawn (Oh crap, I’m starting to learn their names…) is more of a lead in this. 2) I swear this is a crossover with Alice in Wonderland. Someone, please verify for me that the NeverBeast is from Wonderland, because that’s all I could think about while watching this. Anyway, I did appreciate the risk they took by allowing a side character to have the spotlight and the darker tone overall. Surprisingly, this series showed a lot of promise towards the end. Alas, the studio behind these movies was shut down. It’s sort of sad really, because I can see that there was a lot of passion and hard work that went into these movies. Though I may not be a fan, I do appreciate the great effort into making these low budget films just as impactful as their larger budget siblings. And there you have it! A loving boyfriend sat through six (I’m in awe there’s that many.) Tinker Bell movies and didn’t lose his sanity. Are you proud of me? What’s been your experience with the Tinker Bell movies? Did you watch them voluntarily, out of obligation to a loved one, or were you forced? Let me know your experience and whether or not you enjoyed watching them.  Years ago, I wrote a review that praised the Wonder Woman movie starring Gal Gadot and how much it impacted me. It still remains one of my favorite films from DC Comics, and needless to say, I was looking forward to more adventures with the Amazonian warrior, seeing what wonderful stories and lessons could come from the world’s most iconic female superhero. At long last, we finally have a sequel, but does it invoke inspiration and hope as the first movie did?
Unfortunately, this sequel was not worth the wait. In fact, we probably would have benefited if the movie used more time to fully develop its plot hole filled narrative and iron out some really rough and painful edges. The story features two famous villains from the Wonder Woman comics, Maxwell Lord and Cheetah, but neither character was used to great effect. Whereas Ares made Wonder Woman question her faith in the human race, these villains just seem to be merely nuisances to her, not challenging her personally. It’s a shame because the actors that play these antagonists are very talented and have done great work in other projects. Here, they feel like they jumped out of a Saturday morning cartoon, being overly dramatic and cheesy to the point it’s sort of an eye sore. Additionally, Diana’s dilemma is dealing with her loss of Trevor. She wishes him back into her life...only to bring him back! This presents an interesting issue for her, and admittingly, it produces a couple of emotional scenes that force Diana to make tough decisions in order to be the selfless hero we adore. However, it’s hard to ignore a very bad and glaring fact about Trevor’s return that really detracts the emotional weight. Trevor comes back only consciously, not physically. Trevor’s mind/soul/essence possesses the body of another man, and Diana has some *ahem* fun with the man without consent. Why Patty Jenkins, Geoff Johns, and the other storytellers of this movie decided to do this is inexcusable. They make it very clear that the wish granting rock that drives the whole plot can pretty much do whatever you want it to do, and Trevor could have just resurrected without possessing anyone--simple as that. There are many glaring issues with this story that just get overlooked and ignored, but this is probably the most insulting one. It really saddens me to see so many stupid moments in this movie, because the Wonder Woman franchise is capable of greater things. Speaking of underutilizing potential, this movie takes place in the year, as the title implies, 1984, a time in history when the king of pop thrilled us and kids were told they would shoot their eyes out with BB guns. The 80s are looked back on fondly, and many kids today still enjoy the music, movies, and culture of that time. It was a unique and exciting decade, but you wouldn't know it from this movie. Aside from the clothing and the President of the United States, this movie could have taken place in almost any decade after WWII. And no, you won't be bopping your head to classic songs. Instead, you may be lulled to sleep with operatic music instead. The underutilized setting made me question why the movie bothered having 1984 in its title. The one saving grace in this movie are the lead actors. Gadot and Pine are once again an adorable on-screen couple, and their chemistry provides for some fun interactions and funny moments. You can sense that they really care about their characters and strive to connect to the audience as much as they can. They help sell the awe, wonder, and heartbreak that their characters experience. It’s just a shame they weren’t able to showcase their acting chops with a more robust script. Wonder Woman 1984 leaves much to be desired and is not a satisfying continuation of the iconic hero. There are a lot of promising ideas at play here, but unfortunately, they aren’t as fully realized as they could have been. Despite this disappointing entry, I still look forward to further adventures with the Amazonian warrior, and I sincerely hope the next movie focuses more tightly on its theme and its messaging, as well as leaving no plot hole unfilled. I know the Wonder Woman franchise is capable of better stories, and I remain optimistic that we will get another movie that showcases the character and her legacy in a more wondrous way.  Saint Nicholas. Kris Kringle. Father Christmas. Santa Claus. We all know this jolly resident of the North Pole, but do we know where these tales of the bearded legend come from? Though not historically accurate, Klaus explores the origins of Santa Claus, and it’s quite the unexpected gift from Netflix.
You would think with this movie being animated that we would see Rudolph, elves, and talking snowmen, but surprisingly, the movie is grounded and doesn’t show anything magical. It’s quite the abhorrent take on Santa Claus, but it’s a welcome one. With this being an original film about how Santa came to be, you are left to wonder what will happen in this movie. It’s refreshing to meet new characters that we get to know for the first time and watch as they grow internally through the course of the film, and because they’re brand new with no connections to our understanding of the Santa mythos, we are left to wonder where these characters will end up. The story starts off simple enough. We’re introduced to a prideful and arrogant mailman who is assigned to deliver a certain number of letters in a village that makes the Hatfields and McCoys look like friendly neighbors. The village is full of people that hate each other and refuse to talk to each other, and it doesn’t seem like the mailman will meet his quota...until he meets a mysterious woodsman, who has a heart for the children of the village. And it’s here that things start to deepen and become a movie that I will never forget. Just writing this review is giving me goosebumps. It’s an incredible Christmas story that made me laugh and, admittedly, tear up at times. I didn’t know what to expect as the story unfolded, but I certainly wasn’t expecting it to become one of my favorite holiday movies of all time. I’ll move on from praising the story because I don’t want to spoil anything, and I’ll discuss the visual beauty of this movie instead. For a while now, I have pointed out to friends and family members that animated movies all look too similar, and it doesn’t help the fact that animators will jump between Disney, Dreamworks, Pixar, and the other studios too. I honestly thought how cool it would be if Disney took their experimental short film Paperman and expanded the techniques into a movie. Well, this movie does just that! The movie was made by Sergio Pablos Animation Studios. Never heard of them? Neither have I, but I am definitely keeping them on my radar because they have some very talented artists and animators. The combination of old-school hand-drawn animation and modern CGI-effects was put to great use, making this a visual standout even amongst other animated films this year including the gorgeous Toy Story 4. The characters are so expressive, and their movements reminded me of classic cartoons like Looney Tunes. It’s such a unique blend of old and new that those who enjoy animated films will undoubtedly get a thrill of watching the artistry unfold. Of course, animated characters not only require good animation to help convey their personalities, but they need good voices to help make them flourish and lovable. The filmmakers understood this and got some great talent for the film, with starring roles going to Jason Schwartzman, J.K. Simmons, and Rashida Jones. Even the less famous members of the cast do a great job of giving the characters unique sounds and fluctuations. Some of the characters--mainly the antagonists--sound like something out of classic Hanna-Barbera cartoons from the 60s and 70s, but it’s never too annoying. Thankfully, the script has Schwartzman acting alongside either Simmons or Jones, and all of them work well together and even made me chuckle with their performances. These actors knew how to handle comedic and serious scenes well, and they helped make the story so incredibly impactful. When you ask someone what Christmas means to them, you’re bound to get a different answer from each person you ask. It's a holiday that carries a lot of memories, special moments, and sometimes pain. It’s a holiday with a lot of weight and depth, both good and bad--even in the Nativity story that started the holiday to begin with had some good and bad moments too, but much like this movie, it’s special because we’re reminded of the importance of giving and the magic that comes from the love we all share together. |
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