Well, everyone, welcome to yet another session of movie reviewing, as well as yet another month of me taking a film from the vault of either Walt Disney Animation Studios, or Disney/Pixar, and either watching it for the first time ever, or rewatching for the first time in years. In today’s case, it is me doing the latter thing. For this month, we will be reviewing a film from Walt Disney Animation Studios that was released during the Disney Renaissance period that occurred from 1989-1999, and was the fourth film (after 1989’s The Little Mermaid, 1990’s The Rescuers Down Under, and 1991’s Beauty & The Beast) to be released during particular time period in Disney’s animation history. What’s more is that this Disney animated film is the third one to have music composed by Alan Menken, and partly by Howard Ashman before the latter died of AIDS sometime during production of this film, and got replaced by lyricist Tim Rice as a result. One other thing that I should mention is that this Disney film that was released around the beginning to middle of the Disney Renaissance period was the second of three films that was released during this time period of Disney to be directed by film directing duo John Musker, and Ron Clements (the other two films that were directed by this duo being 1989’s The Little Mermaid, and 1997’s Hercules). Ladies, and gentlemen, I now give you my review of the popular Disney film from the 1990s that featured a cast that included Scott Weinger, Jonathan Freeman, Linda Larkin, Gilbert Gottfried, and Robin Williams as the favorite character to many people for this film, the Genie. It is the one, and only, Disney’s 31st animated feature, from 1992, Aladdin.

Plot: When a street rat named Aladdin (Scott Weinger), and his pet monkey, Abu (Frank Walker), discover a magic lamp in a magical cave by the name of the Cave Of Wonders, they find out that the lamp contains a magical blue Genie (Robin Williams), who can grant anyone three wishes. Aladdin decides to use his first wish by making the Genie make him a Prince in order to impress the Princess of the mythical city of Agrabah, Princess Jasmine (Linda Larkin), who, by order of her father, the Sultan (Douglas Seale). Now, as he gets to know Jasmine better, he must learn to deal with that situation, along with having to deal with an evil sorcerer named Jafar (Jonathan Freeman), and his parrot sidekick, Iago (Gilbert Gottfried). If he is to prevent Jafar, and Iago, from taking over Agrabah by defeating them, can Aladdin learn to be himself even around Jasmine, despite his status as a poor street rat?

Now, when I reviewed this film during my earlier years of movie reviewing before I got this blog made, I think I gave this film a B+. Rewatching this film again almost ten years later, is that still the case? Well, though Aladdin is not quite an A+ film, Aladdin is still a good film that is at least better than B+. Let’s at least start with the film’s issues, shall we? First of all, the way that Jasmine was designed, I’m not sure that it was probably the best clothing design for her unless that’s how females in royal society in Arab culture were dressed? I don’t know, somehow, it would seem as if Disney likely seemed to believe in over-sexualizing main females during this particular time period. If that’s the case, then Disney seemed to squander an opportunity to portray Arabic culture in this regard. The other issue that Aladdin has is that for a film that seemed to going for a comedic type of film, Jafar might have been a little too serious of a villain, and could have maybe been a little more comedic like say his bird sidekick, Iago. Honestly, it would seem as if later Disney films like 1997’s Hercules (which, again, also directed by Musker, and Clements), or 2000’s The Emperor’s New Groove (that one being directed by Mark Dindal in that case), both of which were obviously also trying to go for a comedic type of film, like Aladdin, seemed to do a better job of making the villain, and villain sidekick duo, more equally comedic.

But now, let’s talk about the positive aspects. Honestly, there are quite a few things to appreciate, including things that I don’t recall talking about last time that I reviewed this film. First of all, the music, and score by Alan Menken was great, along with most of the songs by lyricist Howard Ashman, along with lyricist Tim Rice, who stepped in after Ashman passed away. I’m not sure how much Tim Rice contributed to the songs after Ashman died. Well, however much he did, he did really good. I mean even though “One Jump Ahead” might not have been quite as memorable as the others, it was at least decent. Other than that, “Arabian Night”, “Prince Ali”, and, of course, the love song that won the Oscar for Best Original Song that year, “A Whole New World”, how could you especially not love that one?

Then, there are the characters. Starting with Jasmine. Yeah, though the animators could have done better with her clothing design, she was still a well developed character. She’s willing to stand up for herself, and willing to defy traditions. Yeah, it would seem same could be said about many Disney princesses from films that were released during this time period. She’s also willing to take risks, as well as let others into her life regardless of background, status, and more. Yeah, because of many Disney females being well developed during the time that Disney films were released in the late 1980s, and 1990s, Disney females like Jasmine, or Belle from Beauty & The Beast (which came out a year before Aladdin) really paved the way for females being done right, and having really great character development. Side characters like Abu, Genie, and even Iago, had some really great personalities in the own way. Iago was especially a great villain sidekick, and comic relief done right. It wouldn’t be surprising if characters like Iago, Panic, and Panic from Hercules, or even Kronk from The Emperor’s New Groove, were considered favorites among others as far as villain sidekicks go. Abu, again, for not being a talker, still has great personality of his own. Then, there’s the Genie. First of all, how could you not love his personality? He’s fun, lovable, and more. How could you not want to jump into the screen, and give him a hug, especially when he’s working for Aladdin? Also, it’s a shame that actors Robin Williams, and Gilbert Gottfried, who voiced Genie, and Iago, respectively, passed away within almost a decade of each other. They shall both be missed. Anyway, there’s also the villainous sorcerer, Jafar. Despite likely being a little too serious of a villain in this comedic Disney film, he is still well developed, is crafty, and will do whatever it takes to get what he wants. Also, in addition to Jafar being the villain, and Aladdin being the hero, those two are polar opposites of each other in other ways as well. And speaking of Aladdin, that brings us to him as well. Honestly, Aladdin had some lessons to learn over the course of this film, most notably the fact that he would have to be himself even around royalty like Princess Jasmine. Still, there are other great qualities about him as well. I mean yes, he may have had to steal food to survive day to day. Still, deep down, you know that he has a heart of gold. First of all, there’s the fact that he cares about others like Abu, and Jasmine. But what’s more is that he has love, and compassion for others as well, to the point that he’s willing to give his own food to young children who don’t have food, and/or may starve to death otherwise, or would even get in the way by stopping someone like a stuck up prince from whipping children as well. Honestly, for reasons such as these, it’s easy to understand why a lot of people love this film, and why Aladdin has been considered a true classic in the Disney animation film library.

Finally, not only do we have fun songs, along with memorable characters, great animation, a great score by Alan Menken, along with songs by Menken, and Tim Rice, but there are some great lessons to take away from this movie. One obviously being the lesson about learning to be yourself. But I think the other lesson that not nearly as many people talk about is the whole deal about being willing to put the needs of others above your own more often than not. Case in point, Aladdin being willing to give his own meal to children, or other people period that might not have had food otherwise, saving Jasmine from certain danger at one, or two points, and more. Honestly, because of this, whether you watched this film as an adult for the first time, or even watched it once as a young kid, and then again as an adult years later, you’ll probably find even more things to appreciate about this movie as you get older. Truly, it’s very understandable as to why Aladdin was one of the Disney films released in the 1990s to be very popular, and remains that way even today.

And that’s my review for Aladdin. Yeah, rewatching this well-known Disney film again years later, it’s understandable as to why many people love this Disney film, along with The Little Mermaid, Beauty & The Beast, and The Lion King. It has fun songs, great animation, likable characters, great lessons to take away, and more. If you still have yet to see it, get on with it. This film has many things from comedy, emotion, and more that most people will love about it. So yeah, see Aladdin, and see what you think!

Final Rating: 9/10

Alright, everyone! Today, we review the newest film from Universal & Illumination. Not only that, but, apparently, it is, thus far, the highest grossing film of 2026. Oh, and it is the sequel to the 2023 hit, The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Presenting to you all my review of the animated film that was made by Universal, Illumination, and Nintendo, it is the one, and only, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, starring Chris Pratt, Charlie Day, Anya Taylor-Joy, Jack Black, and newcomer to this film series, Glen Powell, to name a few in the cast.

Plot: When Princess Rosalina (Brie Larson), the long lost sister of Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy), gets captured by Bowser’s son, Bowser Jr. (Benny Safdie), one of Rosalina’s friends, a creature called the Luma (Michael Jelenic), circumstances cause Peach, and Toad (Keegan Michael-Key), and later, Mario (Chris Pratt), Luigi (Charlie Day), and newcomer Yoshi (Donald Glover), to get back into action. Now, can they stop Bowser Jr. from carrying out his evil plans against Princess Rosalina, and the galaxy?

Well, though this new Super Mario sequel did somewhat improve from some of the flaws of the 2023 hit, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie still does end up having flaws of its own. First of all, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie might have still had a little too much going on for it. Granted, not quite as much as the first film, but still. Also, there were times when The Super Mario Galaxy might have been a little too dark for an animated film, especially for young kids. To the surprise of some of the audience, there was some CGI that probably didn’t quite blend in with some of the rest of the animation in this film. I know it might be hard to explain unless you’ve seen this film already. Still, let’s just say that some of it was weird at times. Oh, and this film doesn’t seem to provide the best example of lessons. There are some good lessons incorporated in. It’s just that there are some potential lessons that maybe don’t seem to set the best examples for kids in the process. Finally, and this is probably the biggest flaw of them all, some of the writing for this film didn’t work as well, most notably with how some of the characters were written, and/or handled in this sequel. I won’t go into details, but let’s just say that there were one, or two, of the famous Nintendo characters in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie that especially could have been handled better.

Still, in the midst of these flaws, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie does have more high points. First of all, the story, though still somewhat scattered, does also feel stronger. Seeing as there is less going on, and there are less things thrown in, that is most definitely saying a lot. In addition to all of this, though there were one, or two characters that felt a little underdeveloped, the rest of them definitely seemed more fleshed out this time around. Seeing as character development didn’t seem quite as strong in the first film, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, that helped this sequel improve from the first, and was one way in which this sequel ended up being even better than the first film. One of the ways in which this ended up being the case was that, let’s just say that there were some unanswered questions from the first film that seemed to be clarified this time, especially when it came to how certain things happened with some of these characters. What’s more is that the world building not only felt expanded upon more, but also felt more strong as well. Then, there is the voice acting. Yes, we have Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Chris Pratt, Keegan-Michael Key, Kevin Michael Richardson, and, of course, Jack Black, to name a few. This time, we have newer cast members such as Benny Safdie, Donald Glover, Brie Larson, and Glen Powell, to name a few, joining this animated film franchise. Let me tell you, it is definitely a great cast, especially Glen Powell. I won’t say who he voices for those of you that have yet to see this film. However, let’s just say that you’ll likely find it shocking for who he does voice. In addition to all of this, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie boasts of some really great animation, including some 2D anime-like animation at one point. Pretty cool, if you ask me! Finally, even if there were some lessons that weren’t the best for a family film like this, there were one, or two good lessons to take away from this film.

And that’s my review for The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. Even though neither this one, or the first film, may be the best films to come out of Universal, Illumination, and Nintendo, it does have some very good things to go along with it. Still, it did have the potential to be a better sequel. Yes, it still was better than the first film. It’s just that it could have been a better sequel even more if the filmmakers might not have seemed to try too hard to stick as closely to the games, but maybe could have taken liberties a little more than they did. But hey, for what we got, it’s a film, and sequel, that’s worth seeing, for the fairly better character development, good animation, good action, and more. Definitely see The Super Mario Galaxy Movie if you’re into either movies, or video games, or even both, and/or if you’re okay with not necessarily great, but at least good film!

Final Rating: 8.5/10

And now, everyone, today, we review a romantic comedy that was just released last month. Starring Halle Bailey, Rege-Jean Page, Marco Calvani, and more, I give you all my review of You, Me, & Tuscany.

Plot: After an aspiring chef puts her dreams on hold, following the death of her mother, Anna Montgomery (Halle Bailey) has had the gig of being a house sitter. However, she loses a really big client of hers in the process. Afterwards, she meets an Italian man named Matteo Costa (Lorenzo de Moor), who, after spending a night with her, and Anna sneaking into Matteo’s phone, and sending pictures of his home, and address to her phone, he apologizes to her for leaving, and leaves a note for her the next morning that tells her to chase her dreams. After this, she flies to Italy, meets taxi cab driver named Lorenzo (Marco Calvani), who takes her to Matteo’s villa in Tuscany, Italy. After being discovered by Matteo’s, she pretends to be Matteo’s fiancee to avoid getting arrested. As she gets to know people like Matteo, her cousin Michael (Rege-Jean Page), the latter whom she actually begins to develop feelings for, can she have a better outlook on life, and remain accepted by Matteo, and Michael’s family? Or will the truth about her past be revealed, and her having to get shunned by the new family that she’s grown fond of, and have to spend time in jail?

Well, I will say that this was a very fun, and charming. In fact, if you want a potential romantic comedy that’s probably one of the better ones to come out from Hollywood in more recent years, then I can guarantee that you’ll find yourself enjoying You, Me, & Tuscany. However, there are at least a couple flaws with the film. First of all, there was some crude language in the beginning of the film before main Anna makes her trip to Tuscany, Italy. Thankfully, there’s barely any language like that of the sort once the man character makes her journey out of the U.S. Anyway, the other flaw is that some of the writing could have likely been done better. There were some situations in this film that probably seemed like a cop out in this film. This seemed especially to be the case when it came to dealing with certain situations of characters, getting some of the characters developed, and things like that.

But, thankfully, that is where the flaws end. So what does make this film work really well? Well, again, this being one of the more decent romantic comedies to come out in recent years. Seeing as there have been a lot of films of this type where there has been more coarse language, more sensuality, you name it, it is nice to have a film where a film can just be a mostly overall gun watch. Also, how could you not love the acting in this film, especially from Halle Bailey, Rege-Jean Page, and the rest of the cast in this film? Seeing as Halle Bailey is one of those people who seems to choose films with better quality in them (case in point, films like the 2023 remake of The Little Mermaid, and the remake of The Color Purple), it is really cool to see her in a movie with things like a better humor, and a better quality storyline in it. Anyway, the storyline was also really fun. Though it could potentially come off as cliche at first, in spite of some flaws in the film, the story really knows how to also be fun, creative, and as engaging as possible.

Additionally, there’s some really great comedy in this film. Whether it be one of the characters saying something hilarious, or someone doing something awkward, or stupid, there are a lot of comedic moments to enjoy in this film.

The characters themselves are also really likable. Whether it be characters like Lorenzo, Michael, Matteo, or even Anna herself, you’ll probably find yourself finding a character that you consider a favorite in this film.

Finally, if you want a film with excellent cinematography, then all the more reason to see this film. Honestly, it wouldn’t be surprising if people find themselves wanting to maybe go to either Tuscany, or possibly any other part of Italy. So there you have it!

And that‘s my review for You, Me, & Tuscany. It is definitely one of those movies that has come out in recent years that, due to having better quality things in it than many other films of this type that have come out in recent years. Because of that, it is more than likely that more people are bound to enjoy this film. If you want that kind of film, along with a film with likable characters, good relationships, you name it, then all the more reason to see You, Me, & Tuscany. So, once you see this film, see what you think!

Final Rating: 8.5/10

Hi, everyone, welcome to another session of movie reviewing, as well as this month’s episode of Flight Into The World Of Walt Disney Animation Studios & Disney/Pixar! This month, we are going into the library of Disney/Pixar. Oh, but we’re not just reviewing any Disney/Pixar film. No, no! This time around, we will be reviewing the newest addition to the Disney/Pixar studio. But that’s not all. This newest addition is said to play a significant role for the studio for a couple reasons. One being that it is considered to be one of Disney/Pixar’s best works since 2017’s Coco. The other one being that it is also Disney/Pixar’s first successful original film, critically, as well as financially, since that particular Disney/Pixar film. Think that’s all? Well, no! In fact, it gets better. This newest addition to the Disney/Pixar world ends up being a landmark in this case, thanks to the fact that this is Disney/Pixar’s 30th animated feature. Ladies, and gentlemen, with all of that said, I present to you all my review of Disney/Pixar’s 30th animated feature, the one, and only, Hoppers, starring Piper Curda, and John Moynihan, and others to go along with the cast of this film.

Plot: In Beaverton, Oregon, a female named Mabel Tanka (Lila Liu as young Mabel, and Piper Curda as 19-year-old Mabel) grows up with her grandmother (Karen Huie), who teaches her to listen to the sounds of the forest, and respect nature overall. Years later, when Mabel reaches 19, Beaverton’s mayor, Jerry Generazzo (Jon Hamm) decides to replace a glade that Mabel grew up loving with a freeway. This infuriates Mabel, and, thus, decides to do whatever it takes to save it, despite the animals deserting it as of recently. Though unsuccessful, she discovers from her biology professor, Dr. Sam Fairfax (Kathy Najimy), and Dr. Fairfax’s colleague, Nisha (Aparna Nancherla), that a technology, known as Hoppers, can transport a human, and it’s personality into a robotic animal of any kind, whether it be a robotic beaver, or any robotic animal of any kind. After discovering that, along with the fact that the robotic animals can also communicate with other actual animals, Mabel ends up using the technology to transport herself, and her personality, into a robotic beaver. Now, with the help of new animal friends that she meets in her new robotic body, including beaver King George (Bobby Moynihan), can Mabel somehow find a way to stop Mayor Jerry from getting rid of the glen, and building a highway over it?

Now, from the premise described above, it probably sounds like Hoppers may not exactly be one of the most original ideas to come out of the Disney/Pixar library. In fact, it may yet sound like the story seems a little similar to films of the past such as Avatar. I mean for those of you who saw some of the earliest trailers for this film, you may recall that the main character, Mabel, made a reference to that particular movie. Don’t believe me!?! Watch, or rewatch, the teaser trailer in particular, and it will all make sense. Anyway, yes, Disney/Pixar’s Hoppers is one film that does seem to bear resemblance to some other movies. Those especially being Avatar, Brother Bear, and The Wild Robot.

Let’s start with the obvious one, Avatar. In both movies, the main character gets himself/herself transported into another animal, or creature, and then begins to slowly, but surely, learn the ways of the culture.

Next, there’s the 2003 Walt Disney Animation Studios film, Brother Bear. Now, this one is more minor, but still likely worth mentioning anyway. That being in the case of these films, the main character is human. Then, when they’re each turned into an animal, a bear, and beaver, respectively, they can then start talking to other animals that they come across. Granted, there are major differences with the two cases, as well as the fact that the circumstances are much more different, but still. Oh, and did I forget to mention that before each of the two human characters are turned human, the animals around them have black beady eyes, and then, once the main characters are each turned into an animal, the animals around them are animated with having eyes like those of a human being with the black eye in the middle, the iris, and then all the white surrounding the rest of the eye? Yeah, pretty interesting, if you ask me.

Finally, with DreamWorks’ The Wild Robot (which was just released two years ago, in 2024), without really, really giving anything away, let’s just say that you can spot some scenes that could potentially come off as similar between The Wild Robot, and Hoppers.

With all of that said, does Hoppers still have some originality? Well, again, though not as original as many of Disney/Pixar’s other works of the past, it still does have a great deal of creativity, charm, and depth to its story. First of all, Hoppers hardly, if ever, has any political agenda of any kind. Truly, it just does its best to focus on having depth in it’s story, having depth for its characters, and more. Even in spite of there being quite a few characters being in a film like this one, each of them ends up being very well developed to one degree, or another. Surprisingly, yes, that includes the more minor ones that have as little as around ten to fifteen minutes of screen time. Yes, the story can be somewhat of a simple one. However, much like many of Disney/Pixar’s other entries, there are quite a few mature themes to gain from Hoppers. What’s even more is that even when Mabel goes from human to beaver, the story hardly, if ever, feels lackluster. Yes, in quite a few family films, when a human gets turned into an animal, audiences may have found themselves enjoying the first, and third acts the best, and thought the middle act to be just okay. In Hoppers, however, that is not the case. The whole movie, from beginning to end, will end up being strong, fun, and engaging. Plus, there are plenty of jokes for all age groups contained in this film. I’ve heard a lot of reviewers that Hoppers may yet be one of Disney/Pixar’s funniest films yet. You know what, yeah, though I probably go back, and watch some of Disney/Pixar’s other films prior to this one to for sure make that call, that may yet be the case here. Sometimes, people may yet find themselves thinking that Hoppers could have easily been a DreamWorks film, since many of DreamWorks’ animated films had oftentimes been well known for the comedy in their films. What’s more is that even though Hoppers may come off as being another film about taking care of the environment like Fern Gully, Avatar, and films like those, this animated movie is much more than that. Hoppers ends up having so much creativity, and heart to it that you may find yourself forgetting about the fact that this film may beat any similarities to any other films at all. Yeah, definitely a good sign, wouldn’t you say?

Next, this film does end up incorporating some realism in it. I know it would be a little hard to explain as I’m writing this review. However, let’s just say that unless you’ve seen this film, or even watched some trailers for this film here, and there, it would be a somewhat hard to explain how this can have some realism in it when it is an animated films that involves talking animas in it. Well, let’s just say that you’d be surprised how these elements work very well together in this film.

Next, there are the characters themselves. I mentioned that both the major, and minor ones, are developed very well, yes? Well, again, these characters will probably some of Disney/Pixar’s more memorable characters yet. Starting with the beaver King George, who is also known as the Mammal King, and thus, king of mostly mammals, plus some fish, and reptiles as well. He is probably one the most hilarious , and likely more sympathetic of these characters, aside from likely Mabel herself. Then, there’s Tom the Lizard. King George may be one of the more funny characters in this film. However, Tom the Lizard is probably the one comic relief character that really does steal the show. His lines are quotable, and he almost feels like he’s basically the Genie, Mushu, you name it, of Hoppers. Then, there’s the main character herself, Mabel. First of all, she undoubtedly does have a character arc as this movie progresses. Mabel may come off as rude at times, and as a rebel overall, especially when she has to deal with people like Mayor Jerry, whom she goes against a lot, especially when it comes to trying to stop him from building the highway over the glen where the animals live. Still, deep down, you know that she means well, and only tries to do what’s right. What’s more is that even though she may act feisty at times, Mabel deep down also has a good spirit consisting of kindness, humility, and more. Plus, how could you not like love the relationship not only between her, and the animals that she encounters along the way, but also the relationship between her, and her grandmother Tanaka? Truth be told, their relationship will likely serve as a reminder of why it’s only great when kids have a good, and close, relationship with their parents, but also a close one with their grandparents as well due to the love, kindness, and wisdom that they tend to pass down to their kids, and grandkids. Anyway, there’s also Mayor Jerry. Now, he could come off as the villain for his actions. However, he doesn’t so much being a straight up villain, as he does just end up being misguided on his beliefs on what he thinks is best for others. I won’t give away who the actual villain is. However, when you see this film, you’d probably be surprised by who the actual villain ends up being. What’s even better is that it’s not your typical cliche twist villain that’s been going on in animated films for the past decade, or so. The way that the villain is written this time ends up working way better compared to Disney villains in more recent films released by that company in particular. Lastly, the rest of the characters, be it Ellen the brown bear, Diane the great white shark, and any fish, and reptile characters, and any of the human characters, as mentioned before, they’re all likable as well.

Additionally, there’s the animation. Wow, this animation serves as proof of how far companies like Disney/Pixar, and maybe even Walt Disney Animation Studios, have come over the past few decades. Let’s look back to when Disney/Pixar first started. Basically, any of the characters, be it humans, toys, bugs, maybe even fish, or monsters, many of them seemed to have the texture of a plastic toy, or something like that. Compare that to movies like Hoppers, or even more recent films like 2023’s Elemental, or 2025’s Elio, where the animators have improved in their animation techniques since then. It just shows how far the animators have come over the past three decades since the studio first came out with Toy Story, and after. The animation on the human characters is really good. However, it’s really the texture of the animals that truly stands out. Because of the fur of say any deer, or the bears, beavers, you name it, it doesn’t end up being quite as noticeable that the animation done on these characters was done by Disney/Pixar, the same company responsible for films like Toy Story, A Bug’s Life, Monsters, Inc., Cars, and more. Additionally, the animation is also a highlight when it comes to scenes that help make this one of Disney/Pixar’s more creative films.

In addition to all of this, there’s the score by Mark Mothersbaugh. The score can, at times, have a bit of a 1980s vibe to it. Even when the score has a more modern vibe to it, it helps incorporate the emotion, and heart to this film. Plus, how can you not like the original song, “Save The Day”, when that song plays?

Finally, Hoppers have some really great messages to take away. Whether it be about learning to care about others, seeing things from the points of view of others, or listening really carefully to things around you, the potential messages of this film can be really great takeaways as well. Truly, the message especially about learning to be still, and listen to what goes on around you is one that can serve as a great reminder. Especially since there’s a the Scripture in Psalm 46:10 about learning to “be still, and know that God is God”, the similar message in Hoppers about that subject can be a good allegory to such a message, and others similar to it in real life.

If there were any potential criticisms for Hoppers, it would be that there were points where the film seemed to go from super funny to dramatically serious in some cases. Thankfully, it wasn’t exactly quite a bad habit on this film’s part. Still, it seemed as somewhat close to a recurring one. And hey, at least this aspect was overshadowed by pretty much everything else that made this film more memorable.

And that’s my review for the latest Disney/Pixar film, Hoppers. It is truly a remarkable films with lovable characters, a story with excellent storytelling, and heart, great animation to go along with making this one of Disney/Pixar’s more remarkable films. Could this film win the Oscar for Best Animated Feature come next year? Well, we’ll have to wait to see if DreamWorks’ Forgotten Island, or Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Hexed end up being just as good, or even better, as well. However, Hoppers most definitely is worthy of being nominated in that category, especially for its uniqueness, and creativity. We shall see. So, the question remains at this point, is it safe to say that Disney/Pixar at least is back on their game at this point? Well, seeing as Hoppers has been considered one of the studio’s better films since say 2017’s Coco, it is probably hard to tell. However, if there’s anything to take away from Hoppers, it would be that Disney/Pixar is starting to take some steps in the right direction compared to a few years ago. Honestly, if Disney/Pixar learns from making Hoppers, and takes things a step further with future films like next year’s Gatto, or other films afterwards, not only could it start a potential Disney/Pixar Renaissance sort of deal for the studio, but it could also serve as proof that Disney/Pixar doesn’t need to rely on sequels, and franchises to be a successful studio. Hopefully, the same can be said about other studios like Walt Disney Animation Studios, DreamWorks, and other companies as well in future years as well. Anyway, if you still have yet to see Hoppers, and it’s still playing at a theater near you, definitely go see it before it leaves theaters. Even in the midst of films like The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Michael, Project Hail Mary, and films like those playing currently, Hoppers is most definitely one of those films that you want to make a point to see. Trust me when I say that you’ll be glad that you made it to the theater for this particular animated film, or particular film period. So, again, go see Hoppers, and see what you think!

Final Rating: 9.5/10

Everyone, today, we review a faith-based film that was based on a true story in American history. Presenting to you all my review of the one, and only, A Great Awakening.

Plot: Benjamin Franklin recounts how minister George Whitfield (Jonathan Blair) was kicked out of the Church Of England, then immigrated to America, and then, after that, Franklin, and Whitfield encountered each other, and how Whitfield helped create revival for America, and that helped incorporated prayer in the 1789 Constitutional Convention.

Wow, yes, what an excellent film. Again, it is a shame that this film hasn’t been performing better. Whether it has to do with this film having the Christian faith that belonged to this film, and the events that this film is centered around, or some other reason, A Great Awakening isn’t as popular as it should be. Well, regardless of it’s amount of popularity, A Great Awakening is a really well done movie. The way that is set up, sure there were quite a few flashbacks throughout the course of the film. However, because of the reason that that is the case, let’s just say that it seems to work very well in this case. I won’t go into details as to why, but let’s just say that there is a reason that it works well that way. Anyway, the acting was really great in this film. Jonathan Blair, and John Paul Seed especially are great as George Whitfield, and Benjamin Franklin respectively. Quite honestly, it is particularly interesting how John Paul Seed basically seems to embody the look of Benjamin Franklin, if Franklin did in fact seem to look like that in real life, or close that. In addition to all of this, you really do get to have a better understanding of what both characters lives were like back then. Is there any way that both of those main characters, and the story overall, could have been well developed as they were in less than 2-2 1/2 hours? Somehow, I wouldn’t be so sure of that. In this case, it might have been for the best that A Great Awakening had a runtime of 2 hours, and 9 minutes. Then, there’s the cinematography. Man, the cinematography, from scenes involving lightning, to shots of the ocean, and even the way some of America looked back in the days of people like Benjamin Franklin, they are all just really beautiful shots. In an age where movies use a lot of CGI in their movies nowadays, it’s really great to see this film use as many real shots as possible. But best of all, this movie wasn’t even afraid to show the faith side of this story, especially since Whitfield did apparently become a minister to the multitudes. This movie did great with portraying how Whitfield did well with standing up for his faith, even if it would cost him, and how he was a strong man of the faith. It was also great to see Benjamin Franklin grow as a character over the course of this film as well. Then, there’s the music as well. Man, the music was really great too. It was specifically great to see some old songs, and hymns incorporated into this film as well. Finally, A Great Awakening also works really well because of all the history behind what took place during this time, the people that helped shaped history, the spiritual awakening that took place during the time of people like George Whitfield, and Benjamin Franklin, and more.

And that’s my review for A Great Awakening. It does well with showing some of the history behind the earlier days of the U.S., the spiritual revival that was led by people like George Whitfield, has great depth, and character development, and so much more. If you still have yet to see A Great Awakening, then know that it is most definitely a must see, especially if you’re a Christian, are into studying history, or all of the above. So, go out, and see this movie, and see what you think!

Final Rating: 10/10

Ladies, and gentlemen, today, we review a science fiction film that has, thus far, been the third highest grossing film of 2026 (behind a film called Pegasus 3, and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie). Not only that, but it is also directed by Phil Lord, and Christopher Miller (whose works include The Lego Movie, 21 Jump Street, 22 Jump Street, the Spiderverse films, and other films as well). Starring Ryan Gosling, I give you all my review of the newest sci-fi film that has been really popular these last few weeks, the one, and only, Project Hail Mary.

Plot: When scientists discover that a microorganism called “astrophage” is running amok on the Sun’s surface, causing the Sun to dim slowly, but surely, they discover that if this succeeds, there could be a global cooling on Earth within thirty years. Wanting to prevent this from happening, Eva Stratt (Sandra Huller), who is the head of a space project called Project Hail Mary, and a group of international task force engineers behind that project decide to recruit scientist Ryland Grace (Ryan Gosling) to be an astronaut, and go into outer space to investigate this matter, and hopefully put a stop to it. With the help of an alien that Grace encounters in space, whom he names Rocky, due to him being made of rocky material, can they both find the source of the astrophage, and put a stop to the material wrecking the Sun once and for all?

Well, at first, when I first heard that this film made around $80 million at the box office during its first weekend in theaters, I found myself rather intrigued by those numbers. It honestly made me wonder if this was more unique than many other sci-fi films that take place in space. After seeing this movie, to my surprise, it might as well be.

First of all, there is a great deal of action throughout the course of this movie. Yeah, with this film having the feel of films like say Armageddon, Gravity, or Interstellar, for instance, that’s likely to be expected. However, to have plenty of heart, action, and a very well-developed story all rolled up into one, that helps make this film be all the more enjoyable. Yes, having this movie be around 2 1/2 hours long, as well as the film being based on a novel from 2021, definitely did help for making this film a fun ride (pun intended). However, the direction that directors Phil Lord, and Christopher Miller take this film, it shows that a good director most likely means good storytelling. I mean to have these directors go from directing mostly more family films (minus the Jump Street films) like the Spiderverse movies, The Lego Movie, Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs, to now a more adult film like Project Hail Mary, wow, what a likely bold move on their part. But you know what, it worked, and it shows. Oh, and the way that the film is set up, it almost makes you think of maybe some older films that were directed by someone like Quentin Tarantino. Okay, the setup was not exactly like that. Still, at times it had the feel of any film that Tarantino directed at times.

The characters were also really well done too. Yes, it was Ryland Grace, Rocky, and even Sandra that really had a lot of the spotlight. Still, the other characters were good too. The bond between Ryland, and Rocky was also really cool too. It almost felt a little similar to that of maybe WALL-E, and EVA from the Disney/Pixar film, WALL-E, for instance, but with just a friendship, since, well, both Ryland Grace, and Rocky are males. Still, their dynamic was really cool, and plays out well throughout the course of this film.

And oh man, there is really great cinematography in this film. Whether it be outer space, parts of Earth, and places like that, there are just amazing, and vibrant colors that are scattered throughout the course of this movie. Honestly, for those that have seen Project Hail Mary, and saw it in 3D, I definitely wouldn’t be surprised if they said the same, and likely were in even more awe of the visual effects in this movie.

Finally, Project Hail Mary ends up teaching some valuable lessons, most notably the lesson about being willing to do the right thing even if it might be hard to do. Also, another valuable lesson that serves as a reminder to us is how even if one might be qualified to take on certain tasks, or take certain risks, to be willing to do so anyway. Yeah, there does seem to be the subtle lesson about taking leaps of faith from time to time incorporated in Project Hail Mary as well. All to say that that’s another reason to enjoy this film.

Honestly, if there was one criticism for this film, it would probably be that the film’s ending could have maybe been a little longer. Maybe not too long, but still long enough to feel even a little bit rushed.

And that’s my review for Project Hail Mary. It has some great characters, excellent heart, and action, and provides valuable lessons as well. Truly, we are in a time where original stories are starting to make a comeback slowly but surely. Honestly, if we have more original stories like Project Hail Mary, likely Hoppers, Goat, and more, there are more valuable lessons that can learned, and hopefully studios will realize that people do want more original stories, and that their work is more appreciated. All to say, if you still have yet to see Project Hail Mary, I would highly recommend it. You’ll be glad that you did. I can guarantee you that. So go see it, and see what you think!

Final Rating: 9.5/10

Everyone, today, we review a film that was just released around the middle of this past month, in March. Presenting to you all my review of a romance film by the name of Reminders Of Him.

Plot: After serving seven years for a car accident that involved the death of her boyfriend, Scott Landry (Rudy Pankow), Kenna Rowan (Maika Monroe) tries to find a job, but without much success, as well as try to reconnect with her daughter, Diem (Zoe Kosovic), she is unable to see her daughter without Scott’s parents (Bradley Whitfield, and Lauren Graham) trying to prevent her from doing so, due to them blaming Kenna for Scott’s parents. In spite of these obstacles, can Kenna find a successful job sooner, or later, as well as reconnect with Diem?

Well, Reminders Of Him may yet be one of the more interesting films to fall under the American Romance film category. I mean from the cover, it may look like a more lighthearted comedic film that involves main characters Kenna, and the late Scott Landry’s best friend Ledger Ward (Tyriq Withers), yes? Well, interestingly enough, Reminders Of Him ends up being more that. I mean here you have a film that deals with not only a love story, but also one that incorporates some serious subjects such as trying to get a job after being in prison, dreams to see family in spite of there being obstacles on the way, and things like that.

Next, there is some really good cinematography included in this film. Whether they be awesome mountains, beautiful roads, and more, this movie includes some wonderful scenery that will make this movie really cool.

In addition to that, the characters are really well done. Yes, it is really main characters Kenna, and Ledger, who are developed the most. However, people like Scotty’s parents, some of the police officers, and other supporting characters as well. Something else that makes the characters stand out is that even though we, the audience, don’t agree with some of the motives that some of the characters have for certain decisions that they make, at the same time, you have a good understanding of where they’re coming from anyway. Because of that, Reminders Of Him serves as a reminder as to why not everything in life is always black, and white, you know? What even helps make this movie even more enjoyable is how characters like Kenna, along with some of the other characters end up having some emotional growth from certain experiences that they experience in their individual lives. This especially seems to be true for the main character, Kenna.

Finally, for positives in this film, there are some valuable lessons to be gained from this movie. Whether they be lessons about not being so quick to judge others by their actions, being willing to hear the other person’s side of things, not giving up on goals in life, you name it.

But there are some negatives from this film too. First of all, there were some plot holes in this film. Second, though the main character Kenna was a very likable character more often than not, there were also times in this movie where she did seem to come off as rather rude, and ungrateful at times. Yes, again, it might have been understandable as to why she acted the way she did at times, but still. Finally, what’s even more is that there were situations in this film that probably could have been handled, or done better.

And that’s my review for Reminders Of Him. If you haven’t seen this film yet, I would say definitely go check it out if you can. Though this film may have some issues, it is an overall very well done film that does well with depicting life, and the struggles, and hardships, that people go through from time to time. So yes, definitely go see this movie, and see what you think!

Final Rating: 8.5/10

Well, everyone, welcome back to my new monthly segment that I just started on this blog a couple months ago, called Flight Into The World Of Walt Disney Animation Studios/Disney/Pixar, a segment that I’ve added to my movie reviewing set in which, once a month, I take an animated film from one of those two animated film libraries, whether it be an older film, or a newer one, and review it. Now, for those of you that have seen a certain newer Disney/Pixar film that was just released earlier this month, or at least aware that that one’s already out, I bet you’re all wondering why I haven’t seen, and/or am reviewing that film this month. Well, fear not, for I am saving that review for next month, since I was planning to see that one closer to the time of my birthday that occurs then. Anyway, in the meantime, for this month, we are going to be reviewing a Disney animated film that was released during the time that this animation company was simply known as Walt Disney Pictures. Of course, keep in mind that this was just a couple years before the Walt Disney Company bought out Pixar for $7.4 billion, and John Lasseter renamed this animation company Walt Disney Animation Studios, and, thus, became the Chief Creative Officer of both Disney/Pixar, and Walt Disney Animation Studios for a long while. Just two years before all that transpired, however, the Walt Disney Company released a lesser known Disney animated film that ended up being infamous for one thing in particular. That being that this Disney animated film was a flop. As a result of this film, along with a string consisting of a few other Disney animated films released shortly before it, being flops as well, except for Lilo & Stitch, and likely even Brother Bear, it ended up killing off hand-drawn animation for the next five years, until Disney, again, under new leadership, released The Princess & The Frog in 2009. So now, let’s go back to 2004, when Disney was still under the era of Michael Eisner, before he apparently got ousted from Disney over a year later following this film’s release. Ladies, and gentlemen, I present to you all my review of Disney’s last hand-drawn animated feature for the next five years, the one, and only, Disney’s 45th animated feature in the Walt Disney Animation Studios canon, Home On The Range.

Plot: Shortly after Maggie the cow (Rosanne Barr), is taken to a farm by the name of Patch Of Heaven, Pearl (Carole Cook), the owner of the farm, is informed by Sheriff Sam Brown (Richard Riehle) that her farm will be auctioned off in three days, unless she can somehow pay the bank $750 by then. After Maggie hears of a way in which one can collect that same amount, she, along with two other cows, Mrs. Calloway (Judi Dench), and Grace (Jennifer Tilly) set out to save the farm. With the help of some newer friends that they encounter along the way, such as an egotistical horse named Buck (Cuba Gooding Jr.), and a rabbit named Lucky Jack (Charles Haid), can they either get the reward, and/or stop a greedy outlaw named Alameda Slim (Randy Quaid), and his henchmen trio, and nephews, the Wiley Brothers (Sam J. Levine), who want Patch Of Heaven for themselves, from secretly buying the farm out?

Now, I’ve seen Home On The Range on many Disney animated feature lists, and ranked as one of the company’s worst Disney animated films on many of those lists. I even remember giving this film a D- when I did my Disney marathon just ten years ago, when doing movie reviewing mainly on Facebook. So, after rewatching this film again this time around, is it safe to say that I still stand by that grade/rating? Well, though not quite that low this time around, Home On The Range still does end up being one of Disney’s weaker films. First of all, I’m not sure if Disney decided to just not try as hard with this film due to previous recent releases of theirs like The Emperor’s New Groove, Atlantis: The Lost Empire only being modest successes in theaters, or the fact that Treasure Planet bombed st the box-office, or if Disney was just trying to look for any, and every excuse to make the move into making future films computer animated like the films of Disney/Pixar, and DreamWorks, for instance. Or, maybe Disney that this film would have been successful with its audience like with many other films before it? Yeah, I’m sure there’s plenty of speculation as to why Disney decided to make Home On The Range the way that they did. Anyway, I remember first hearing of Home On The Range when going on vacation with family, and friends, and briefly seeing drawings, and posters of it while at the former Disney animation studio at MGM/Hollywood Studios in Orlando, Florida. Basically, we were having a tour at the studio, and seeing the process of them making the upcoming Disney film, Brother Bear. Anyway, during that time, they showed sketches, and drawings of Home On The Range, as that was the film that would follow Brother Bear, and said it would come out in 2004. Then, when some family, and I saw Brother Bear when that got released in theaters in November 2003, we saw the preview for Home On The Range. I will say that I wasn’t as excited for it as I had been for many other Disney films. Nevertheless, because I was one that continually saw Disney films that would get released, I was willing to give Home On The Range a chance. After seeing the film when it got released in April 2004, I didn’t think it was exactly horrible, but definitely not one of Disney’s best works either. Well, I hope you guys didn’t mind me incorporating the story of my experience with this Disney film, as it is likely a fairly long one to tell. Now, on to the actual review itself!

So why is Home On The Range not exactly one of their best works? Well, though there are a few good things going for it, the way that this film is executed story wise is not exactly the best. For one, the film was probably a little too short. Yes, it was around an hour, and fifteen minutes. Now, let me clarify. I haven’t minded especially animated films having such a fairly shorter runtime like that, as even Disney’s older animated works like Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs, and Sleeping Beauty also had similar runtimes like that. However, in a case like Home On The Range, that didn’t seem long enough to flesh it’s characters out, for the most part, and there didn’t seem to be as much heart to this film as a result. I mean there were relationships that felt way too rushed, some character arcs that almost came out of the blue, and even some potential twists that either truly felt like twists, or you kind of saw coming from the beginning.

In addition to all of this, there were a lot of burp, and fart jokes that didn’t exactly seem to land quite as well. Crude jokes like those may chance landed well, and been done with class in films like The Lion King, or Shrek, for instance. However, not quite as much this time around. Additionally, there were points where this film felt a little childish, corny, and a little cheesy at times. There were some cute, and funny moments that will be enjoyable, but a lot of those will be somewhat far, and between.

Then there are the characters. Honestly, the only standouts will probably be the cow trio Maggie, Mrs. Calloway, and Grace, Buck the Horse, or the rabbit Lucky Jack. Oh, and the villain, Alameda Slim, he was a decent one, but, again, probably not going to go down as a memorable Disney villain like most other villains in the Disney animated feature canon. And his henchmen, the Wiley brother trio, oh my gosh, though they tried to be hilarious, they were really corny, and stupid. Some lines from them were hilarious, but, again, they were okay characters overall. Overall, the characters were okay, but they probably won’t leave as much of an impact on children, and adults the way that many other fictional Disney characters have seemed to over the years.

With all that said, what are the strengths of Home On The Range? Well, to begin there’s some of the music by Alan Menken, and lyricist Glenn Slater. First of all, there were at least one, or two good songs, like “You Ain’t Home On The Range”, and “Will The Sun Ever Shine Again?”. The rest of the songs were okay. But the villain song that Slim sings, “Yodel-Adle-Eedle-Idle-Oo”, again, just decent, but hard to take seriously. Still, definitely was good to incorporate some pieces of classical songs in that one, like Yankee Doodle, and Ode To Joy, for example. In addition to that, it was also cool to have a nice Old Western score similar to what one hears in many films that were set in the Old West. Don’t get me wrong, Alan Menken may have had better songs, and scores for films like The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Hercules, and the like. Still, Menken has always used his talents to draw audiences into any story, especially Disney ones. Home On The Range is no exception. One other thing I will say is that even if Home On The Range didn’t seem to fare well with audiences, or even at the box office back in 2004, at least Disney was willing to give Alan Menken, and Glenn Slater another chance to make better songs, and a better score six years later, when Disney released Tangled. And boy, did that seem to pay off.

Then, there’s the animation. Even if the animation could have been a little better, how could you not love the scenes in which the Old West was drawn? I mean the landscape of farms, the animation of deserts most likely in Arizona, the way that characters were designed, how could you not like them to one degree, or another? What’s more, if you liked how realistically characters were drawn in other Disney animated films like say The Hunchback Of Notre Dame, or Atlantis: The Lost Empire, for example, chances are you’ll probably like how realistically most of the characters are drawn in Home On The Range are drawn up as well.

Additionally, there’s some of the characters. Honestly, though the cow trio that consisted of Maggie, Mrs. Calloway, and Grace, was good, and had some highlights, it’s most likely the side characters that will probably be the bigger highlights of the film. Whether it be Lucky Jack the rabbit, Jeb the goat, or especially Buck the horse, they will have probably most of the memorable that one could think of during most scenes that involve them. Especially if you liked Cuba Gooding Jr., he voices Buck. If you thought he was hilarious in other films that he was in, chances are you’ll probably liked seeing him in this film when voicing this character. As for Lucky Jack, part of me wishes the movie was more about him somehow. But hey, for what we got, this film was alright in that regard. Again, though the main characters could have more well written, and more memorable because of that, at least they were alright for what we got from them in the end.

Finally, there’s the storyline. As mentioned before, it could have been structured much better. The first, and second were alright. There were some hilarious moments even in those parts, especially a really hilarious moment that occurs shortly after the cows leave their farm. However, when the third act occurs, that’s really where things pick up, things come together more, and the climax occurs. It’s just too bad the first, and second acts didn’t see quite as good as the third act.

And that’s my review for Disney’s Home On The Range. It was a decent Disney animated film to say the least. Still, personally, for now at least, I would rather spend more quality time with Kenai, and Koda from Brother Bear, Kayley, and Garrett from Warner Bros. Quest For Camelot, or Sinbad from Sinbad: Legend Of The Seven Seas. Yes, a revisit at least of Brother Bear will be coming sometime in the future. Still, for those of you that read my review for Sinbad: Legend Of The Seven Seas last year, you may recall me mentioning that that film had problems, yes? But would I rather watch that DreamWorks one more so than this Disney film? Absolutely. Yes! True, Sinbad: Legend Of The Seven Seas had issues story wise, pacing, the way some characters were developed, and things like that. However, that film still had a better storyline, felt more epic, had better, and more likable characters, and had more heart in its storyline. Now, keep in mind that I’m incorporating Sinbad: Legend Of The Seven Seas in this review due mainly to the fact that that was the last hand-drawn movie from DreamWorks. Not to mention that Sinbad was released in theaters in 2003, just a year before the release of Disney’s Home On The Range. Home On The Range, on the other hand, lacked many of those qualities, and ended up being very lackluster for a Disney animated film as a result. All to say, Home On The Range, it was okay, but could have been way better, especially for being a Disney film, or Disney’s last hand-drawn film for the next five years. I would say only see Disney’s Home On The Range if you want a Disney film with some comedy, decent animation, if you’re okay with subpar songs, or if you are on the trail to seeing every Disney film, animated, or even live-action, that’s been made. Otherwise, maybe skip this one. I’ve heard some people that have seen both 2004’s Home On The Range, and 2005’s Chicken Little thought that the latter was worse than the former. Is that actually the case? Well, I will plan on being the judge of that when I revisit, and review Chicken Little on this blog either in the near, or distant future on this blog.

Final Rating: 6.8/10

And now, ladies, and gentlemen, today, we review the sequel to the 2018 Faith-based hit, the one, and only, I Can Only Imagine 2.

Plot: Bart Millard (J. Michael Finley), and his band, MercyMe, have begun to have success out on the road ever since their song “I Can Only Imagine” hit #1 charts across the U.S., and across the world. But things begin to take a turn for the worst when Sam (Jagger Amor as younger Sam, and Sammy Dell as adult Sam), the son of Bart, and Shannon (Sophie Skelton, replacing Madeline Carroll from the first film) begins to suffer from seizures, and is diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Thus begin the circumstances that led Bart, and the band to write their song, “Even If”, including Bart, and the MercyMe meeting, and teaming up with Tim Timmons (Milo Ventimiglia) for concert tours, and more.

Okay, first of all, as I’m sure some of you may recall, the first I Can Only Imagine film $83.4 million in the US, and $1.8 million in other territories, adding up to a total of $85.2 worldwide. And that was against a budget of $7 million. Yet, it’s sequel, simply titled I Can Only Imagine 2, and which just got released last month, supposedly had a budget of $18 million, and, thus far, only grossed a domestic total of $18,077,281, and a worldwide total of $18,204,729. Why am I bringing up the figures for how much money this faith-based sequel has made in theaters thus far, you may ask? Well, I do so because I believe that begs the question of how it is that 2018’s I Can Only Imagine was really successful, while it’s sequel that got released eight years later, and just this past month, hasn’t even come close to matching the success of it’s predecessor. Do people living here in the US not give faith-based movies as much of a chance nowadays? Did the box-office popularity of more popular films like Wuthering Heights, or animated films like Sony Pictures Animations’ Goat, or even Disney/Pixar’s Hoppers ultimately give I Can Only Imagine 2 a run for it’s money? Did the subject matter feel a little too heavy even for Christians this time around? Or, was this sequel not advertised as much as its predecessor? Well, you know what, I’m sure there is speculation of different kinds as to why I Can Only Imagine has been less popular thus far? Well, one way, or the other, I Can Only Imagine 2 definitely is worth seeing for quite a few reasons.

First of all, like with the first film, this sequel does well with developing the relationships, whether it be Bart’s relationship with his wife, Shannon, and his kids, especially Sam, or even his relationship with Tim Timmons, who would become a great friend of the Mercy Me band. What’s more is that when it comes to scenes that involve Bart Millard, and Tim Timmons conversing with each other, J. Michael Finley, and Milo Ventimiglia work well off of each other. Plus, hearing from a bio of Ventimiglia’s that he feels honored to even be in the role of Tim Timmons, that’s really cool too.

Then, there’s the music, and score. First of all, the score was great, and helped make this film even more moving, and touching. In addition to that being the case, it is also great to hear a little bit of some of Mercy Me’s other songs that were published between songs “I Can Only Imagine”, and “Even If”, be it songs like “The Hurt & The Healer”, and some others throughout the film.

In addition to these factors, the cinematography was also really great. Regardless, of where you live in the US, how could you not see, and appreciate the beauty of places that this film takes us to, particularly the arches, and spires of Red Rocks Amphitheater, and more? Even when it comes to the venues that Mercy Me, and Tim Timmons perform at, or seeing stormy nights, those are also sights to behold.

Lastly, what really is the selling point of I Can Only Imagine 2. First of all, why is this film only given that title? Why not call it I Can Only Imagine 2: How More Big Hits Like Even If Came About, or The Aftermath Of I Can Only Imagine, & The Origins Of Even If, or some title like that? Maybe it’s just me, but maybe just calling this film I Can Only Imagine 2 might not have been the best idea in this case. But hey, what do I know? Anyway, this sequel did really well with showing the emotions of the characters, the struggles that people like Bart, Sam, and Tim Timmons especially went through that’s depicted in this movie, and more. When it comes to scenes where characters like Bart, or even Sam feel frustrated, and/or are struggling, and struggling hard, this movie was not even remotely shy to show that even in the slightest? One other thing to mention, as well as truly appreciate about I Can Only Imagine 2 is that this sequel was not afraid to show that even people of faith will go through struggles, sometimes even question why God allows certain trials in our lives, even the lives of believers, and how we need to learn to trust God even when circumstances in our lives prove to be difficult, and more. Though Christians do realize like these, I Can Only Imagine 2 does well with serving as a reminder of this.

And that’s my review for I Can Only Imagine 2. Honestly, as great as this movie is, it is mind-boggling to see this sequel perform less than its predecessor did in theaters eight years ago. Does this mean that there won’t be an I Can Only Imagine 3 in the future? It would be tragic if that was the case. Well, maybe the filmmakers were planning to only make two movies in this series anyway? You got me! Anyway, I Can Only Imagine 2 is a great film due to having great characters, excellent cinematography, and has some great messages to go along with this film. It’s just a shame that this will likely be the last I Can Only Imagine film due to it not performing as well as the first film did. Regardless, if this movie is still playing in theaters near you, I would say definitely make a point to see it ASAP. For how great of a movie as it is, as well with the scope of the film, those are definitely noteworthy reasons to see this film on the big screen rather than waiting until it comes to On Demand. If you can see it in theaters, and do, you’ll probably understand why I say that. Anyway, go see I Can Only Imagine 2 in theaters if you can. It is most definitely worth seeing. So yeah, again, see it, and see what you think!

Final Rating: 10/10

Ladies, and gentlemen, in preparation for certain a sequel that just got released recently, we review a faith-based film that was centered around pole the most popular Christian songs in recorded music history. Presenting to you all my review of 2018’s I Can Only Imagine, which stars J. Michael Finley as the main star of MercyMe, Bart Millard!

Plot: The movie takes us on the journey of Bart Millard (Brody Rose as young Bart, and J. Michael Finley as adult Bart), from his abusive childhood, his meeting with his future wife, Shannon (Taegan Burns as young Shannon, Madeline Carroll as adult Shannon), and more that ultimately led him to writing one of the most popular Christian songs that got on many #1 charts, his, and his band’s hit song, I Can Only Imagine.

Now, of course, I saw this film back when it was first released back in 2018. And yes, I reviewed it just on Facebook too. Still, watching it again, it hit home a little different for me. While I may still say some of the same things that I did back then, I may still yet add some things as well. First of all, it was both interesting, and tragic, to hear that Bart Millard grew up with an abusive father, and had a very rough childhood because of that. Now look, let me clarify, I’m not normally a person that enjoys watching movies in which main characters have an abusive parent, spouse, you name it. And yeah, I’m sure quite a few people feel the same way. However, because of this film in particular being a faith-based, and because of the redemptive events that came out of Bart’s childhood, that definitely makes this film worth your time. Plus, since songs like “I Can Only Imagine” apparently hit many #1 music charts when it first became publicized, how could one not want to hear the origins of how that particular song came about, you know? The movie also does well with showing the genuine, and, I will add, complex side of Bart’s relationships, most notably those that he has (or had) with people like his father Arthur, and his girlfriend/future wife, Shannon. Additionally, this movie was really great at showing that you can forgive someone, and yet not trust those particular people that hurt you. If none of that seems convincing enough to see this film, then get especially this. I Can Only Imagine the movie does well at showing, in a variety of ways, how God allows certain events, and circumstances, to happen for a purpose. Now yes, the Bible itself does well with portraying that message too. However, films like this one especially can serve as a reminder of that. And yes, the cast was really great too, from J. Michael Finley, Dennis Quaid, Madeline Carroll, Trace Adkins, you name it. Finally, if you want a film that not only deals with themes of forgiveness, redemption, and really good qualities like those, but also one in which both Christians, and likely even non-Christians can somehow connect with too, then all the more reason to see I Can Only Imagine.

And that’s my review for I Can Only Imagine. Yes, nearly a decade later, this movie does well with holding up. Sure, Christians will have more of an appreciation for this film than non-Christians. Still, hopefully non-Christians, if they even give this film a chance, will have a desire to know Jesus after hearing a story like Bart Millard’s through the eyes of this movie in particular. Not only will it be cool to hear the origins of the song itself, but it will be great to see a wonderful setup, with genuine characters, great music, and more. I would say that if you still have yet to see I Can Only Imagine, then please, make it a point to. In the end, I’m sure you’ll be glad you did. But again, go see this film, and see what you think!

Final Rating: 10/10