Hi everyone, welcome back! Today, we are going to be back in time, over a decade ago, to a time when Fox & Blue Studios was still in business, and was coming out with either Ice Age sequels, or coming out with original films every three years, and then started going down to every 2-2 1/2 years after that. Today’s film was in the every three year time zone before Fox & Blue Sky Studios would be cranking out films a little more frequently. The company that made Ice Age (2002), Robots (2005), Horton Hears A Who (2008), and the film that we are reviewing today, Rio (2011). So let’s head to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, shall we?

Plot: When it is discovered that the blue Spix macaw species is on the verge of extinction, a Brazilian ornithologist named Dr. Tulio Monteiro (Rodrigo Santoro) travels to Moose Lake, Minnesota to ask Linda Gunderson (Leslie Mann), and her Spix Macaw parrot, Blu (Jesse Eisenberg), who doesn’t even know how to fly, to travel down to Rio with him in an attempt for Blu to hopefully mate with a female Spix macaw named Jewel (Anne Hathaway). Will Blu, and Jewel fall in love? Will Blu finally learn how to fly? Additionally, can Blu, and Jewel, along with some new wisecracking bird friends like a toucan named Raphael (George Lopez), a red-created cardinal named Pedro (will.i.am), and a yellow canary named Nico (Jaime Foxx) keep themselves from becoming captive, and being sold on the black market by a trio of smugglers (Carlos Ponce, Davi Vieira, and Jeffrey Garcia) that want to sell the two Spix Macaws, and a bunch of other exotic birds in Rio for their own profit?

Now, as many of us know, Fox & Blue Sky Studios is no longer making animated films, likely thanks to Disney buying out 20th Century Fox a few years ago (darn you, Disney!). Still, of the films that the company made for around twenty years, is Rio one of those animated films from the studio that holds up around a decade later? As a matter of fact, yes it is. I mean, for one, the animation is gorgeous to see. I don’t know how many people saw this film in 3D when this film was in theaters, or just saw it in the regular format then. However, I will say that whoever did see Rio in 3D must have been really lucky, and possibly even glad that they did. Again, I didn’t see Rio in 3D when it was in theaters. However, I will say that I wouldn’t have been surprised if some of those shots were amazing in 3D, like when Blu, and Jewel are hanging on a glider, the birds in the rainforest end up singing, you name it. I heard a lot of people say that when Fox & Blue Sky Studios first got off the ground, the animation in their films wasn’t all that great. Yeah, with films like Ice Age, and, to a degree, maybe even Robots, the animation might not have been the best, but it still seemed to get better every time. Well, Rio certainly served as proof that even Fox & Blue Sky Studios is capable of making the animation in their films as good, if not better, than that of big animation companies like Disney, and DreamWorks, for instance. Hard to believe!?! Well, all the more reason to see this film, and you’ll know what I mean. Oh, and before moving on, who wouldn’t enjoy seeing the view of Rio de Janeiro, or even the statue of Jesus while watching this film? Just a thought! Next, there is the music, and songs. First off, John Powell, he is such a great composer. I was stunned to discover that Powell’s works included composing for animated films like Kung Fu Panda 1, Shrek, and How To Train Your Dragon (which, oddly enough, was released just the year before this film). He has been a musical genius in anything he’s composed for. Rio is no exception. Something to take note of in the films that he’s composed in is that he understands what kind of music plays, and how the music in that culture works. This is proven in films like the 2010 DreamWorks film, How To Train Your Dragon, with the Scottish/Viking music that played during that film. Well, with Rio, he helps to capture what Brazilian culture is like, and the kind of music that plays there. Oh, and did I forget to mention that as far as the songs go, the songs are mostly original? Yeah, I like films like Ice Age, or Robots, which had songs that many of us had heard before, or Horton Hears A Who, which had maybe one original song near the end of that film, Rio has multiple original songs this time around. Okay, yes, Rio did at least have the Lionel Richie song, “Say You, Say Me” featured at one, or two points briefly. However, that’s it. I’m not sure if the filmmakers put in the amount of original songs that they did in order to develop competition with companies like Disney, which, for the most part, had gone back to making musical type films at this point, or for some other reason. Either way, you can tell that with the songs, and other elements, they were really trying to go all out with this film. Next, there are the characters. Wow, let me just tell that not only are nearly all of them memorable, but some of them, especially the animal characters, end up being metaphorical for personalities of human characters as well. This seems true specifically for the main parrot character, Blu. Honestly, any person who has been an introvert, or has just struggled with the idea of stepping outside his/her comfort zone will especially relate to this character. Trust me, you’d be surprised to discover how so as you watch this film. Anyway, although the trio of bird smugglers will probably be the least memorable of all the other characters in this film, the rest of the characters stand out, and have mostly good character arcs. Blu, and Jewel’s relationship is also well developed, and cute. Sure, their relationship might have felt a little similar to someone like Naveen, and Tiana’s relationship from Disney’s The Princess & The Frog, and Raphael might basically be similar to Louis the alligator from that film, and Luis the bulldog, Pedro the red cardinal, and Nico the yellow canary being Ray the firefly from that film as well. However, unlike The Princess & The Frog, Rio has no magical elements, and ends up acting like a more realistic film. That is aside from the animals talking, of course. But, you know, this is an animated film. So, of course, most animated films have been known to have main animal characters talk, with rare exceptions like DreamWorks Spirit: Stallion Of The Cimarron, for instance. Oh, and this film is really, really funny, and hysterical. This film really balances it’s dark, and tragic moments with the hilarious ones. In fact, the hilarious times in this film outweigh any of the few sad moments that may occur in this film. Finally, as far as the pros go, Rio can provide good lessons about how we must be willing to step outside of our comfort zones, be willing to accomplish impossible tasks, and to think of others more than ourselves.

Are there any downsides to Rio? Well, there is one thing that keeps the film getting an A+. That being that even if Blu has a fairly good character arc, especially near the end, his arc could have maybe been handled better. It wasn’t bad by any means. It just could have been handled a little better than it was, but not by much. As for Jewel, she could have maybe had a better reason to hate, and mistrust humans besides the fact that she got captured, and imprisoned by them. Thankfully, we seem to have a better understanding of where she comes from once Rio 2 came out three years later. But more on that when I rewatch, and review that film sometime down the road. Oh, and another thing! Nigel the cockatoo’s villain song, “Pretty Bird,” was a decent villain song. Again, not bad, but could have maybe been a little better.

And that’s my review for 2011’s Rio. Honestly, as good as this film, I just wonder why the film didn’t at least get nominated for Best Animated Feature, while other films from that year like Rango, and Kung Fu Panda 2 did, you know? Okay, they were good films too. Still, Rio probably deserved to get nominated, and maybe even win more so than Rango at least did. Oh well! Regardless. If you want to see an animated film that really goes out, and beyond, especially by Fox & Blue Sky Studios standards, then all the more reason to see this film. The music is mostly good, the characters are memorable, and relatable, humans, and animals alike, it is incredibly funny at times, and the animation is amazing. You can easily tell that the filmmakers really stepped up their game in nearly area from their previous films. For reasons such as these, if you haven’t seen Rio yet, then definitely make a point to watch it on a streaming service, rent a DVD copy of it, or something like that. You won’t be disappointed. In fact, you’ll probably be blown away by how fun this film is.

Final Grade: A-

Well, everyone, hope you all are ready, or close to ready, for the Christmas season, with it being close to that holiday. Well, today, we are going to be reviewing a Christmas-themed film that will be reading it’s 30th anniversary come November 2024, but turned at least 28 years old as of November 11th of this year. Not only that, but it stars well-known actor Tim Allen, and spawned not only a couple sequels, but a series on Disney+ as of recently. It is the one, and only, The Santa Clause, from 1994. So let’s go sleigh riding with Scott Calvin/Santa Clause, his son, Charlie, and the gang, shall we?

Plot: When an incident causes Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) to become Santa Clause, his son Charlie (Eric Lloyd) becomes thrilled to do stuff like go to the North Pole with him, and things like that. However, due to Scott’s ex-wife, Laura Miller (Wendy Crewson), and her new husband Neil Miller (Judge Reinhold) being skeptical of the idea of the existence of Santa Clause, will this cause a rift between Scott, Charlie, and Charlie’s mom, and stepdad, or will Charlie’s mom, and stepdad come to the realization of the existence of Santa Clause? Also, will Scott Calvin remain Santa Clause to the end?

Now, after being absent from this Christmas classic , from Disney, does it hold up? Well, for the most part, absolutely! Granted, The Santa may have one, or two weaknesses. But more on those a little later. For now, what does make The Santa Clause a fun film to watch especially around Thanksgiving, or Christmas time? Well, for one, there’s the star of this film, Tim Allen. I mean how can you go wrong with putting him in a film especially like this one? First off, the fact that Tim Allen is a Christian, yeah, we need more of them with the negative direction that Hollywood has been going in recent years. Second, Tim Allen has done phenomenal in nearly everything he’s done, from shows like Home Improvement, and Last Man Standing, to films like Jungle 2 Jungle, and Wild Hogs, for example. The Santa Clause is no exception. The film is also creative with how they make Santa go down chimneys by having certain places that don’t have fireplaces turn into fireplaces for a few moments. Honestly, when I was a kid, and believed in the existence of Santa in real life, I actually believed that even any home that didn’t have a fireplace would actually turn into a one temporarily when Santa needed to deliver presents. It wasn’t until I was around teenager, or maybe even pre-teenager, that I realized that that was just a fake thing that they put in a film like this one. Wow, the crazy things that some of us believe as kids. First, I believed that, and believed in the existence of Looney Tunes, and other cartoon characters living underground? Darn, I still can’t believe that I originally believed either to be the case, when they weren’t, you know? Happens! Anyway, how was the rest of the cast? Well, they were great too, from Wendy Crewson as Scott’s ex-wife, and Charlie’s mom, Laura Miller, to Judge Reinhold as Laura Miller’s newer husband, Dr. Neil Miller, and, oh yes, David Krumholtz as the Head Elf of the North Pole, Bernard. Man, let me tell you, while all the elves are really fun, Bernard is the one that stands out of them all because, well, for one, he’s of course Santa’s second-in-command. The other reason he stands out is that he knows how to treat kids really well. I mean this guy is probably in his teen, or adult years, and he knows how to treat others well, especially children. I mean the fact that he doesn’t pick on him, but does nice things like call him sport, or things like that, that’s really cool. I would say that especially more teenagers should have, or should take notes from this character so that they don’t get caught up in acting cool, or stuck up in their own ways, you know? So yeah, Bernard serves as a great example of humbleness, and treating others as equals. The other characters are also great, and seem to surprisingly be well thought out. It’s great how memorable most of them are. Not to mention that you get a good understanding of where they’re coming from, whether those characters are in the right, or in the wrong. In addition to all of this, The Santa Clause could serve as a potential fable for real life in terms of there being those people who choose to believe in, and follow God, and those who don’t. As a result, people, especially Christians, could most likely draw parallels between the movie The Santa Clause, and real life. Additionally, even if this film does have fantasy elements in it, there still ends up being a really good sense of realism as well. Truthfully, this is one of those films, that takes place in modern times (especially the 1990s back then), and does well with balancing the fantasy elements, and the realistic ones very well. Another thing to mention is that the film ends up doing well with being parallel to life, despite the fantasy elements that occur. Oh and finally, you’d like the arcs that some of the characters go through in the process.

But are there any negative aspects of this movie? Well, for one, there were one, or two times where the humor seemed to be a little crude at times. And another thing! Charlie seemed to act a little too impulsive with his choices from time to time. Yes, I understand that he’s only a child. Still, when he’s asked not to do certain things, and he sometimes goes against those rules, not the best idea. Maybe we might be missing something, but still.

And that’s my review for The Santa Clause. If you want a really great comedy, with a mostly well-written story, fun characters that are memorable, and some good morals, and messages, along with good parallels to real life, then all the more reason to see The Santa Clause. Also, again, how could you go wrong with Tim Allen? Well, definitely see The Santa Clause if you’ve never seen it, or have yet to rewatch it after being absent from the film for years.

Final Grade: A-

Well, everyone, hope you’re all ready to go into the world of dinosaurs. Now, as we know, a lot of people seem to be interested in dinosaurs despite those creatures becoming extinct either sometime before, or after the Flood. So much so that there have been countless movies about dinosaurs from the 2000 Disney film, Dinosaur, a BBC show called Walking With Dinosaurs, and a popular film franchise that began almost thirty years ago by the name of Jurassic Park, the first two films, of which, were directed by popular film director Steven Spielberg. Many of you know of Steven Spielberg, yes? However, just four, and a half to five years before 1993 kicked off the Jurassic Park/Jurassic World franchise for almost three decades, Steven Spielberg, and George Lucas (who we know for directing films like most, if not all, of the Indiana Jones films, and the original, and prequel trilogies of Star Wars) collaborated with animated film director Don Bluth to directed two animated films that both from Universal Pictures; 1986’s An American Tail, and 1988’s The Land Before Time, the latter of which came out four and a half to five years before the first Jurassic Park film, and featured characters that were dinosaurs. So now, let’s review the Don Bluth/Steven Spielberg/George Lucas directed animated film, The Land Before Time.

Plot: When a great famine begins to cause a scarcity of green grass, and leaves from the trees, several herds of dinosaurs must now migrate to a green paradise called the Great Valley, including an Apatosaurus (or long-neck as the species is referred to in this film) named Little Foot (Gabriel Damon), his mother (Helen Shaver), and his grandparents (the grandfather, who at least speaks, and is voiced by Bill Erwin). During the journey, when a great earthquake splits the land, and Littlefoot’s mother is killed by a T-Rex (or Sharptooth, as they’re referred to), can Littlefoot, with the help of new friends that he meets along the way such as Triceratops named Cera (Candace Hutson), a Saurolophus named Ducky (Judith Barsi), the non-talking Stegosaurus Spike, and a Pteranodon named Petrie (Will Ryan), still successfully make his journey to the Great Valley while facing numerous dangers of different kinds?

Now, I surprisingly remember The Land Before Time being one of those films that I absolutely loved as a kid. There are a couple instances that I can recall, in particular, as to why. One being that my cousin, Shannon, had told me that she observed me me watching this film plenty of times when I was really, really young. The other reason being that there was an incident that occurred with this film, and me, when I was 5 1/2, maybe 6 1/2 years old. Anyway, it was Christmas of, I believe, 1993, or 1994, if I recall correctly, on this incident. Back around then, my family, and I were going to a church called Hope Chapel for the next year, or two, before transferring to another church called Grace Community Church. Anyhow, while still at Hope Chapel, an incident occurred in which one of the leaders had my sister, me, and some other kids watch a Christmas-themed short film by the name of A Charlie Brown Christmas. However, for some odd reason, not fully realizing back then why we were watching it, I asked, and begged, the leader, and the kids that we watch The Land Before Time. Years later, I have now found myself wondering why. Did I not understand that it was Christmas time, and that we ended up watching that Charlie Brown short for reasons like that? Did I end up being so obsessed with The Land Before Time that I was solely interested in watching that film even at church? Or was it just me thinking about my own feelings, and perspective that I didn’t take the time to think about the perspectives of the leaders of Hope Chapel, and/or the kids that also went to that church? Honestly, it’s possible that it was likely for all of those reasons, and maybe even more, but that may just be speculation. Well, long story, short, I got my wish, and we watched it, even though that’s an incident that I’m not exactly proud of. That being said, I watched this film quite a bit more throughout most of the 1990s after that. Years later, part of what made me a little more eager to revisit this film was that one, I wanted to see if it holds up even today. The other reason is that, much like with Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Angels In The Outfield, A Troll In Central Park, and, soon, the popular 1994 Santa Clause movie that stars Tim Allen, I also wanted to rewatch The Land Before Time because of all five of these movies being released in years like 1988, and 1994 especially, when June 24th was on a Friday, November 18th was also on a Friday, December 21st (the official first day of Winter) on a Wednesday, December 25th (Christmas Day) on a Sunday, and so on, and so forth.

So, with all that said, does The Land Before Time hold up even today? Well, for the most part, it does. First of all, with the animation, even if there might be one, or two aspects of it that may feel slightly dated, it is still absolutely beautiful. I mean with films like this, Anastasia, The Secret Of NIMH, and An American Tail especially, Don Bluth must have taken some top quality animators with him, when he, and his group left the Disney animation studio, because he most definitely proved how colorful, and crisp you can make animation even back in the 1980s. Next, there is the script. Like, you know how, in the plot section, I mentioned that T-Rexes were referred to as sharp tooth/sharp teeth, and apatosauruses as long necks? Well, directors Don Bluth, George Lucas, and Steven Spielberg not only come up with creative names for theses creatures, but also for creative phrases for different objects that appear in this film, rather than calling those objects by their actual names (i.e. phrases like “the mountains that burn,” or “the big bright circle”). I mean even if this story was just a novel by someone else, it hopefully shouldn’t be too hard what phrases like those would be referring to. Yeah, you’d be surprised by how enriching the language ends up being at points in this film. Oh, and how could one not think it clever that Cera, the Triceratops character, is spelled C-E-R-A, as opposed to say S-A-R-A-H? Just a thought! Additionally, how shocked would you guys if I were to tell you that the characters of this film would most like make really good friends with characters of other animated films like 2000’s Dinosaur (which, of course, is a given), 1994’s The Lion King, or 2016’s Zootopia? How so, you may ask? Well, with Dinosaur, obviously because of both films featuring dinosaur characters, and having somewhat similar storylines, but defecting from each other in some aspects, and making them more different from each other than similar. With Zootopia, besides both The Land Before Time, and Zootopia having only animal characters in them, there’s also the issue of prejudice, and racism that both films tackle for different reasons. Okay, granted, Zootopia put a much bigger emphasis on those topics than The Land Before Time did. Still, it’s interesting how those topics are handled in The Land Before Time. Now, with The Lion King, wow, it’s very surprising how similar these films seem to be yo each other. I mean, if you think about it, both films have a main character who loses one of his parents at some point, and we witness them mourning the parents, dealing with that loss, and struggling with it along the way, making new friends along the way, as well as having a mentor that basically convinces the main character to press on in the midst of a hardship like that. In The Land Before Time, that mentor briefly appears in the form of an elder dinosaur named Rooter (who is voiced by Pat Hingle, and also narrates throughout this film). I will say that even if he didn’t have as much of an involvement in The Land Before Time as Rafiki the baboon (who, of course, was a mentor to Mufasa, and, later, to Simba) did in The Lion King, what little screen time he does have still greatly impacts both the main character Littlefoot, and us, the audience, in a positive way. Seeing as The Land Before was released five and a half to six years before Disney’s The Lion King would begin the trope of the main character losing a parent, and having to deal with it in at least a few Disney films that followed it, that kind of makes this situation a little more special for The Land Before Time, does it not? So, did these elements make The Lion King a rip-off of The Land Before Time? I wouldn’t so high say that as I would say that Disney’s The Lion King at least seemed to take some inspiration from The Land Before Time. Plus, Lion King went a more different direction than The Land Before Time, you know? Oh, and one more thing! Did I forget to mention that both films include the phrase, “circle of life?” Sure, Lion King seemed to put much more of an emphasis on that, but still, very interesting, is it not? Well, anyway, we then have the characters themselves. They all stand out, and are very well written to one degree, or another. What’s even more astonishing is that, much like 2016’s Zootopia, the minor characters, though having only a brief amount of screen time, end up still being memorable in the scenes that they are in for different reasons. The five main characters that consist of Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Spike, and Ducky have superb character arcs, Littlefoot, and Cera in particular. And yeah, for those of you who haven’t seen this film, and are now curious to know why, let’s just say that you’d be surprised to find out why. Oh, and one more thing about the great character development in this film. It is amazing how Littlefoot is willing to press on in his journey, whether he has to brave the journey alone, or ends up taking the journey with friends of his. Another thing to note is that there are scenes, like the beginning, that are visually pleasing to the eye. I won’t spoil as to why, but for people who are Christians, let’s just say that Christians may find themselves picturing the very, very beginning likely being similar to what the Garden Of Eden might have been like, aside from meat-eaters already being in existence in this story, while carnivores didn’t exist quite yet before the fall of man, and Eden. Speaking of Christian aspects, if you want to see a film that could have some potential underlying Christian messages, and potential Christian symbolism in it, all the more reason to see The Land Before Time, since, much like Mufasa in The Lion King, we have a character that acts like a spiritual figure to especially the main character. There is also really great, and creative symbolism in other areas of this movie as well. Oh, and there is also the deal about having faith, and believing that a person, or place exists, even without seeing, or witnessing it. Very good parallel to the whole deal about God’s, yes? And yeah, there are additional good messages about being willing to press on, and not blaming yourself for situations, especially when a situation gone wrong wasn’t your fault, you know? Finally, James Horner has a surprisingly great score. I don’t recall hearing about him winning an Oscar for Best Original Score. Still, the score is most definitely worth listening to. And let’s note that Diana Ross sings a song that’s surprisingly also really good called “If We Hold On Together,” that’s sung during the end credits. I would probably listen to that song again sometimes fairly soon.

The only shortcomings that The Land Before Time has are that the storyline might have felt a little underdeveloped at times. Thankfully, it doesn’t detract from the film’s enjoyment. Still, was it hard to maybe ask for an extra ten, if not twenty minutes? Well, hey, at least the movie still ends up being mostly well done. Also, there are times, especially when “Sharptooth” is onscreen, when Land Before Time could probably be a little dark, and scary for really, really young kids.

And that’s my review for The Land Before Time. I mean, even if films like The Lion King, and Zootopia might have been a little more well done in terms of slightly better storylines, The Land Before Time also still has a great story that will be timeless, and memorable. Well, let me put it to you guys this way, both The Land Before Time, and Disney’s Oliver & Company were apparently released on Friday, November 18th, 1988. Although I’m a somewhat hardcore Disney fan, even I won’t deny that while Oliver & Company was good, Universal’s The Land Before Time ended up being the more magical, and memorable film. The Land Before Time has well-written characters, a script that’s both brilliantly, and even hilarious at times, stunning animation, and a really great score. Honestly, if only Don Bluth could have collaborated with Steven Spielberg, and George Lucas with at least a few other films instead of only An American Tail, and The Land Before Time. Still, at the same time, I suppose Don Bluth needed to have space, and make a few mediocre films before making a temporary comeback years after The Land Before Time was released. Anyway, if you want to see a dinosaur film that was released five years before Jurassic Park, and a mostly well done film, I would highly recommend it. If you haven’t seen The Land Before Time yet, let’s just that you’d be surprised by how good it is. So, if you haven’t seen The Land Before Time yet, I definitely think you need to. You’ll have a great time with it even if it’s a non-musical animated film. So yeah, definitely watch The Land Before Time, or rewatch it for the first time in years, and see what you think!

Final Grade: A-

Well, everyone, hope you all had a happy Thanksgiving almost a couple weeks ago. Anyway, today, we are going to be diving into Disney’s latest animated film, one that is Disney’s first attempt at science fiction since the 2000s, when the company had other science fiction animated films like 2001’s Atlantis: The Lost Empire, 2002’s Treasure Planet, or 2007’s Meet The Robinsons. So now, let’s dive into reviewing Strange World.

Plot: In the fictional world of Avalonia, a farmer named Searcher Clade (Jake Gylenhaal), and his family become farmers, and farm a new green plant that he discovered on an expedition years before called Pando. One day, Callisto Mal (Lucy Liu), who was an old friend of Searcher, and his father, Jaeger Clade (Dennis Quaid) informs Searcher, and his family that the Pando plant is beginning to lose it’s magical power. Now, as the family embark on a new mission with Callisto, and her crew, will they discover why Pando is losing it’s power, or will it remain a mystery, and cause Avalonia to land in a world of hurt, and devastation?

Wow, Disney, you really hit a new low with this film. First of all, it is tragic that Disney has, for some reason, decided to make gay, or lesbian characters in films like this one, or Disney/Pixar’s Lightyear, or films like these. However, after seeing this film, I can confidently say that Lightyear, while having a minor lesbian character, can still be appreciated more. And here’s why. First of all, at least with Lightyear, yes, it was tragic that a female was lesbian, and managed to have a kid with her partner somehow. However, at least that one generally focused more on the story than that lesbian deal for Lightyear. Now, how about Strange World! This film does somewhat focus a little more on the story. However, you have some things that should not be in a film that’s geared for both children, and adults. One most notable example is a scene when a character, who IS straight, encourages one of the main characters, who is sadly gay, to pursue a relationship with someone that is of the same gender. I’m sorry, but that is sending some convoluted messages, especially to kids, wouldn’t you say? Not only that, but this film also has additional convoluted messages about “exploring your feelings,” and other bull crap like these as well. Honestly, I will say that I was glad to not have kids quite yet when seeing a film like Strange World, as I would have probably not seen this film after hearing rumors about the gay deal being in this film. Even then, Strange World suffers from having additional flaws as well. One of the film’s main problems is that this Disney animated film suffers from having a story that turns out to be very lackluster. I don’t if this is a result of there being a change of leadership at Disney within the past few years, there being creative differences, this film probably being rushed, Strange World likely focusing a little to much on advertising propaganda, or creating an antenna of some kind, or some other reason. Well, whatever the reason is, Strange World doesn’t live up to the amazing creativity that was found in many of Disney’s other films like Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs, The Lion King, or even more recent films like Zootopia, Raya & The Last Dragon, and Encanto, for instance. Don’t get me wrong. There is still some emotion, and heart to this story, especially when it comes to some of the main relationships, and some of the world building of Avalonia. However, compared to the world building that was found in many of Disney’s other animated films, especially their more recent ones, the amount of depth, and heart is lacking by a long shot here in Strange World. In addition to all of this, the characters, namely the side ones, seem to be very one-noted, and not all that memorable because of that. Yes, you’ll like Searcher Clade, and his father, Jaeger Clade, and even Searcher’s son, Ethan, even though it’s tragic how Disney decided to write his character up. Oh, and there are a couple of fun side characters that come in the form of a tripod dog named Legend, and a gooey shaped figure named Splat.

But are there some upsides? Well, as mentioned before, there is some heart to the story, the characters, and a little bit of the world building. Strangely enough, when you see the end of this film, you may find yourself thinking that there should be a sequel, even though that won’t be the case, considering how poorly Strangle World has performed at the box-office. There are also some fun side characters that stand out with the dog, Legend, and the gooey creature, Splat. In addition, to these, there’s the score. Henry Jackman composes. I will say that even though his musical score is not quite the best for this one, it is still very good, especially around the beginning of the film. Also, how can you go wrong with having the cast include people like Dennis Quaid, and Jake Gyllenhaal?

And that concludes my review for Strange World. I would say that unless you are able to see movies for free at either AMC theaters, or Regal theaters, definitely skip Strange World. I hate to say that especially as someone who has loved Disney’s animated films for most of my life. However, because of there being convoluted messages, and other issues, Strange World doesn’t even come close to loving it’s full potential. Honestly, this film should have either been a longer live-action film, or gone through one, or two more rewrites, and be rid of any political statements as well. Oh, and before I wrap things up, I would like to say something for the Disney company for nowadays. So here it goes! Disney, you need start being more careful about caving into certain groups, and being people pleasers. That is especially since places like China, parts of the Middle East, and other regions have begun to ban your more recent films as a result of you putting things like LGTBQ material in some of your newer films, and things like that. So please do learn from films like this, and Lightyear, and not out that kind of stuff in future films again, and return to the old roots that Walt Disney would have wanted. Because Disney, if you don’t learn your lesson, and finally get the message, your animation department will likely go bankrupt, and you will be remembered for destroying Disney, and it’s animation industry, rather than what Walt’s legacy for animation was all about in the first place, beginning with Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs, and onwards. So, ask yourselves, “Is that what you want?”. Anyway, that being said, pretend like last year’s Encanto is still Disney’s latest animated film, and skip Strange World, and leave it underground where it belongs.

Final Grade: C-

Well everyone, today, we are going to be reviewing a film that a friend, and I saw earlier this week that was, let’s just say, for now, different than I expected. It stars Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Fiennes, Nicholas Hoult, John Leguizamo (whom I’m sure quite a few of us animation fans know for voice acting in animated films like Titan A.E., the Ice Age film franchise, Encanto, and likely other films as well), Hong Chau, and quite a few other people as well. Oh, and it is a movie with a premise that involves food, and an island. Presenting to you all my review of a film called The Menu.

Plot: When a businessman named Tyler (Nicholas Hoult), his companion Margot Mills (Anya Taylor-Joy), and some other businessman that includes George Diaz (John Leguizamo), Felicity (Aimee Carrero), Richard Liebbrandt (Reed Birney), among some others, travel to Hawthorne to meet food critic, and celebrity chef Julian Slowik (Ralph Fiennes), and try his food, they discover that the restaurant ends being run more like a restaurant, and a prison. So, will the new customers be able to escape Hawthorne before they get themselves in potential trouble with both the shady food, and the psycho paths that run the place?

Here is an example of expecting one thing from a film, and getting something different from your expectations. Please let me explain! When I first saw trailers for The Menu, I was expecting something like a mystery thriller type of movie, or something along those lines. Instead, what I got was a film that was more like a horror film with more violence, and gore than should have been either in here, or in any other fictional film for that matter. Okay, I get that blood is real, and that violence is real too. I mean movies that were based on actual events like 1995’s Braveheart, or 2000’s The Patriot, for instance, are good examples of this. But when you have too much blood, and gore, and you’re putting it in there just for the sake of just showing it too much, and maybe even for entertainment, that’s likely a problem, wouldn’t you say? Putting that aside, the characters aren’t really all that likable. I mean even when it comes to the good characters, except for the main one, Margot Mills, they really don’t seem to stand out all that much, and/or be likable, or memorable. Yeah, the film obviously tries to flesh them out as best as they can. However, either because of pacing issues, whether the story seems to drag at some points, or ends up being too fast-paced at others, the characters don’t seem to stand out, except for Margot Mills, Julian Slowik, and maybe even Tyler. Some of the characters end up being downright sleazy as well. Okay, again, twist villains, or things like that are cool. Still, the way that some of the situations with some of the characters were handled in a case like this weren’t exactly handled the best. Finally, there’s the storyline overall. Let me tell you, the story feels rather convoluted, and sometimes even sickening as well. I mean you may, or may not be surprised how things turn out throughout the course of this film, and, sadly, more in a negative way than a positive one. So the film feels more like a downer than uplifting because of that.

Are there any positives for this film? Well, despite the mostly negative aspects about this movie. Well, even though Julian Slowik may basically be the villain of this film, he also has a complex side to him as well, especially around the middle, and near the end for reasons that I won’t explain as to why. Oh, and Ralph Fiennes did an excellent job as that character. If you liked his role in films like Prince Of Egypt as Ramses, for example, chances are you’d like his role for Julian Slowik in this film. The other thing is that Margot Mills ends up being the only character in this film that thinks critically about situations, especially when she, and the others are at Hawthorne, and the whole food deal is going on. She does well with distinguishing truth from deception, and knows how to make situations work to her advantage. Because of that, that is one of the additional rare to few things that you’ll find yourself enjoying about this film.

And that’s my review for The Menu. Is the film entirely horrible? No! The Menu does at least have a couple saving graces. That is especially when the main villain, and the main heroine being the main standouts of this film, along with some good acting. Still, because the storyline can feel convoluted, there being more violence than necessary, and some other mostly unlikable things in this film, The Menu is definitely not the best thing to see. I would say that only if you have the AMC, or United Artists/Regal deal, where you can see a certain amount of films a week for free, then maybe see it. Otherwise, probably just go see Devotion, Lyle, Lyle Crocodile, or some other film instead of The Menu. So, if you wish to have a friendly discussion about The Menu, then feel free to do so.

Final Grade: D+

Well everyone, for my final film review of the week, we shall review the latest Disney/Marvel superhero film. It is basically the sequel to 2018’s Black Panther, as well as apparently the last of the Phase Four of the Marvel movie series, if I heard right. It is the one, and only Wakanda Forever, which stars Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong’o, Angela Bassett, Martin Freeman, and some other people.

Plot: When the citizens of Wakanda are accused of committing crimes by the Grand Jury, following mysterious attacks by a group of blue people that the government believes Wakanda to be a part of, it is up to Queen Ramona (Angela Bassett), her daughter Shuri (Letitia Wright), and the rest of their kingdom to find the people that are setting them up, and bring peace, and prosperity back into the world, once, and for all.

Well, right off the bat, Wakanda Forever is a very good film. First of all, having blue colored people in this film was a very creative concept. It just makes you wonder if there will somehow be a connection between them, and the blue creatures of Avatar, despite Avatar not being connected to the Marvel superhero movie series. We shall see, I suppose. Anyway, the visuals are also really good. There’s also the score by Ludwig Goransson. Man, does he do a very good job with comparing the score here. Not quite Oscar worthy but still commendable. The action is also really good, especially near the end of the film. In addition to all of this, how could you not like the acting in this film, especially from the main characters. There were also a few funny parts, even if there could have been more. The villain is very well developed, and you get a good understanding of where he’s coming from. Same can be said about some of the other characters. Finally, it was great to see the filmmakers honor the life of Chadwick Boseman, the actor that played the male Black Panther character in the original Black Panther film in 2018.

However, even if those are all good things, this film is probably not quite the best. First of all, did this film really need to be around two and a half to three hours? Somehow, that could have been cut down by 15-30 minutes less, could it not? If I’m wrong, please inform me as to why. Thanks! Anyway, the movie, overall, seems to feel a little too dark, and depressing at times. I mean yeah Disneys film like Tarzan, or even Brother Bear, for instance, were sad as well, but at least those couple films found ways to be a little more uplifting, and lighthearted as well. Okay, maybe that’s not quite the best comparison, but it still shows how much more enjoyment one can probably get from watching those than say here in Wakanda Forever. Oh, and there were some times where the writing was not quite the best, and could have been handled better. Not to mention that some of those scenes could potentially send some rather mixed message to the audience. Strangely enough, the same can probably be said about moments like the climax near the end of Wakanda Forever as well. Finally, the movie doesn’t seem to feel quite as uplifting as it could have been. It was decent, but could have been better.

And that’s my review for Wakanda Forever. It has some good things in it. Still, I’m not sure if this film was the best one to end the said Phase 4 portion of Marvel. But hey, on the brighter said, at least one can take it over something like last year’s Eternals, since this one at least doesn’t have gay elements in it, especially not thrown in your face. I would say still see it, and see what you think! However, probably see it at a cheaper price, or something like that, if you can.

Final Grade: C+

Alright, everyone, today, we are going to be diving into the 2000s animation era, particularly the mid-2000s, when hand-drawn animation became much more scarce, and computer animation became a much newer medium. Not only that, but we will be going into the world of DreamWorks animation, when DreamWorks, starting around maybe 2004’s Shrek 2, and on for many years, began releasing successful after successful animated films at least in the summer time. Yes, of course the company would release animated films in the fall, around October, or November (mostly the latter month). However, the difference between the summer, and fall seasons was that DreamWorks seemed to have more success with their animated films that were released during the late spring, or early summertime (i.e. with films like Madagascar, Over The Hedge, and Kung Fu Panda) while the animated ones that were released in mostly the month of November in those years ended up being hit, and miss (i.e. ones like Flushed Away, and Bee Movie). That being said, one could possibly argue that DreamWorks basically had their own version of the Disney Renaissance that Disney had going on in the late 1980s, and all through the 1990s, but had the summer DreamWorks Renaissance, with pretty every film released in the summertime starting from 2004, and spanning for quite a few years after that, being successes. So, let’s discuss one of these DreamWorks animated films that were released during the “Summer DreamWorks Renaissance Era,” the one, and only film that features our friends Alex The Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe, and Gloria the Hippo, Madagascar.

Plot: When circumstances occur that cause former New York zoo animals Alex the Lion (Ben Stiller), Marty The Zebra (Chris Rock), Melman the Giraffe (David Schwimmer), and Gloria the Hippo (Jada Pinkett-Smith) to be shipwrecked on the island of Madagascar, they must try to find a way to get back to the zoo of New York City, where they originally came from. Will they find a way to leave Madagascar, and return to New York City, or will they be stuck on the island of Madagascar for the rest of their days?

Okay, I will start things off by saying that this film is incredibly funny. I mean even if the story could drag a little bit at times, it makes up for it with incredibly hilarious moments, and jokes. As far as jokes, it is surprising how well most of the jokes land throughout this film. Not only that, but the jokes are also clever, and even symbolic at times. Don’t believe me on that? Well, then all the more reason to see this film, if you haven’t, and you’ll likely see what I mean. Anyway, Madagascar serves as proof to not judge a book by it’s cover, or a movie by it’s trailer, or poster. Why do I bring this up, you may be wondering? Well, on the surface, this DreamWorks film may looks like a film that’s aimed more for young kids than adults. However, unlike with 1994’s A Troll In Central Park (which was originally distributed by Warner, but became a 20th Century Fox film for some reason), which clearly was aimed for the really young audience, Madagascar has something for all ages, children, teenagers, and adults. It is surprising how much adults can even relate to basically any one of the four characters in one way, or the other. What’s even more is that this movie can honestly feel like a story like The Flight Of The Phoenix, or Cast Away, for instance. Okay, just please enlighten me for a moment. For those of you who are familiar with that film, you know how the crew that was on that flight ended up crash landing in a desert, and had to learn how to survive in rather unfamiliar territory because of that? Same with Cast Away, except for learning how to survive on an island, and near the ocean in that case? Well, Madagascar seems to have that similar type of story, but the difference being that at least the four main animal characters in this movie end up getting marooned on the island of Madagascar for reasons that I won’t go into do that you can see this film for yourself. Oh, and how could I not discuss the score by Hans Zimmer? Yes, you heard that correctly. The guy who composed for Disney’s The Lion King, and a few of the DreamWorks animated films that were released before this one, composes for Madagascar as well. Did his score land? Well, even if it’s not quite as enriching as it was in some of the other animated films before this one, it’s still very good, especially when it comes to the scenes that take place in the wilderness. Oh, and Ben Stiller, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Chris Rock, and David Schwimmer real knock it our of the park with their respective characters, along with the rest of the cast that plays their respective characters, especially Chris Rock. Finally, who doesn’t like to dance to the song, “Move it, move it!”?

But are there any negatives in this film? Well, let’s see! One, even though Marty, and Alex are very fleshed out in this movie, Melman, and Gloria could have probably been fleshed out a little more than they were in the end. Thankfully, they seem to have more of that in the 2008 sequel. Sole of the animation can feel a little dated st times too. Not to mention that the movements with some of the characters can feel a little choppy at times, and feel like something out of an episode of Veggie Tales, or something line that. Finally, some of the side plot with the penguin characters can be a little distracting at times, and take away from the main focus of the film because of that. Don’t get me wrong, they have hilarious moments too. It’s just that they might take up a little chunk of the film.

And that’s my review for 2005’s Madagascar. Yeah, even if not quite one of DreamWorks strongest films, one could easily have seen this movie winning an Oscar for Best Animated Feature. Then again, the Wallace & Gromit movie won, and I still have yet to see that before making such a judgment call. Anyway, Madagascar is fun, hilarious, and knows how to be an overall clever film. If you haven’t seen it yet, watch it Peacock, go check it out from the library, or something like that. So yeah, see Madagascar, and see what you think!

Final Grade: B+

P.S. I’m not sure if reviews for the second, and third films will be coming this year, or not. Well, if not this year, you guys will most likely see reviews for Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, and Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted sometime next year. Anyway, just thought I’d throw that out there!

Well everyone, today, I have a surprise for all of you, as we are going to be reviewing an older film from decades ago, apparently 1960 to be exact. It is an old classic Western film that starred Steve McQueen, Yul Brynner, Eli Wallach, and quite a few other stars. Not only that, but it is surprisingly a film that I became eager to see almost a decade ago when I first heard about it (more on that in a bit). So now, with that said, let’s discuss the old Western classic, The Magnificent Seven.

Plot: When a gang of bandits, led by the villainous Calvera (Eli Wallach), raid a poor Mexican village, three of the citizens of that village, the elder leader of the village (played by Vladimir Sokoloff) encourages some of the citizens to leave the village, and seek help from anyone who may know how to use guns, and other weapons against their enemy. Finding aid from a Cajun gunslinger named Chris Adams (Yul Brynner), will Adams, and some other new recruits that he helps the Mexicans hire, will the Mexican village have the courage to fight against Calvera, and his gang, and be rid of them once and for all?

Alright, so, part of what made me eager to see this film as if about a decade ago was when I was on YouTube, I started watching a video reviewing series by the name of Animated Look Back. Basically, a YouTuber named Lazerdude99 (aka Ken) started this video series, in which he reviewed, and analyzed (and still does so over a decade later) animated movies, mostly older ones. Anyway, in his original intro for those episodes (which the music changed a few years later for some reason), he played the main musical theme, which maybe a couple years later, I asked him where that music was from. He then told me that the music was from 1960’s The Magnificent Seven. Well, I still never saw it until just this past weekend. So, was it good. For the most part, yes it was. First of all, how could you not love the theme song/music for this film. It is catchy, upbeat, and surprisingly one of those times where, even if this film is NOT a musical, the score is still very memorable, and bound to stick in your head for a long time to come. Somehow, with films like this, or 1963’s The Great Escape, for instance, Elmer Bernstein knows how to make very memorable scores for films that he has scored in. If he’s not listed as one of the best composers for films just like Hans Zimmer, James Horner, John Williams, or some of them, then he should be. Next, there are most of the characters. Some of them may not have been given much screen time, and maybe could have been a little more, especially some of the members of the Magnificent Seven group. Yes, most of them are fleshed out. Still, there were maybe one, or two that could have maybe been given their due a little more in the film than they were in the end. Additionally, how could one not appreciate the fact that there is very little blood shown in this film? Okay, I understand that when say a person gets stabbed, shot, you make it, then of course blood will show. But when you compare the violence in older films like The Magnificent Seven, or even The Great Escape, where people get shot, and/or killed, then compare that to newer shows, and films like The Matrix, and the newer Hawaii Five-O, you’d be surprised by the amount of violence shown in both cases. I mean at least in older films like The Magnificent Seven, even if someone got killed, either no blood, or very little blood was shown. Yet, in newer shows like Blue Bloods, the amount of blood, and gore is basically thrown in your face to show that the person is dead. Somewhat bothersome, wouldn’t you say? Anyway, the acting is also outstanding. Steve McQueen, Yul Brynner, James Coburn, and Eli Wallach are especially great to watch onscreen during this film’s showtime. You can also tell that the chemistry, and banter between the characters is perfect, and that they seemed to enjoy working together onscreen? As for the special effects, even if those may not be the best especially by today’s standards, they’re still very fun to watch, and listen to, especially when it comes to hearing the gunshots in a film like this one. And another thing! It was great that the Mexicans were willing to seek outside help, and do whatever it took to protect the people that lived in their village. Finally, it was also great that some of the characters were willing to step up to the plate, and try to be the best leaders possible, no matter how easy, or difficult that seemed to be. Honestly, that could be a good lesson to each of us in real life to be willing to do things that we may feel uncomfortable with from time to time, you know?

And that’s my review for The Magnificent Seven. It is a really fun film with very good lessons to learn, and/or be reminded of, an excellent score that should have won an Oscar, really fun characters, and things like those. If you really are into Western films, and you haven’t seen this one yet, I would highly recommend it. You are definitely bound to have a fun time with it, and enjoy it. Again, definitely see it, and see what you think!

Final Grade: A

Well, everyone, I have a final movie review for you guys at least for this week. Today, we are going to be reviewing a historical drama that takes place in the 1950s, when racism was much more common in the US, especially in the south. so now, let’s talk about a historical drama by the name of Till.

Plot: The film depicts a cruel event that occurred back in 1955. It shows the life of Mamie Till (Danielle Deadwyler), and her 14-year-old son, Emmett (Jaylyn Hall). After the latter gets brutally wounded, and murdered by some white people while spending the summer with other family members in Money, Mississippi, Mamie decides to try to find Justice for the death of her son, even going so far as being an activist in the Civil Rights Movement that began shortly before this, and lasted through 1968.

Wow, what an excellent film that this is. Till does not shy away from the types of cruel treatment that white people showed towards n black people especially in the southern US. I mean from the way that white people violently treated blacks, and things like that, it just makes you wonder, why did white people especially in America treat black people so horribly? Did they have something against the skin color being different from theirs? Were they afraid that black people were going to have a negative influence on them? Or did white people in the south become so cruel, and hateful towards people of other races that they took pleasure in their cruelty? One can only guess. One way, or another, if you are not familiar with this point in time of history, then all the more reason to see Till. You would be surprised to hear how events like this contributed greatly to the Civil Rights Movement. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if Martin Luther King Jr. contributed to this big movement in America, in part, due to incidents like the one that was depicted in this movie. Additionally, this film comes to show corrupt our government, and justice system had become even shortly before the 1960s, when God was taken out of public schools (what a tragedy that was, regardless). Anyway, I’m not sure how accurate this film was to the actual event that occurred. One way, or another, the film is well told, and, as I said before, the violence, and brutality at this point in time in history seems very accurate. Truth be told, part of me was a little surprised that Till didn’t receive an R-rating. Well, I suppose maybe it could have been much more violent, and gory than it was in the end. In addition to all of this, the acting is superb. If there aren’t any nominations for best Actor, or Actress, or something along those lines, then there will be something run with the people that run the Academy Award ceremonies. This film is so well casted when it comes to the actors, and actresses that play each, and every single one of these characters. Oh, and of course there is really good cinematography. Oh, and one final thing to note is that Till hardly, if ever, drags when it comes to the story. This film had a running time of two hours, and ten minutes. I’m not sure that it needed to be any longer, or shorter than that.

And that’s my review for Till. If you haven’t seen this film yet, it is a must see. It does a well done job of showing the harsh realities that occurred with the black people in the south. Not to mention that you’ll get to learn the additional motivations of the Civil Rights Movement. The acting is phenomenal, and the characters are so well written. Again, go see this film, if you haven’t, and see what you think!

Final Grade: A+

https://m.imdb.com/title/tt8618654/mediaviewer/rm1342611969/?ref_=tt_ov_i

Family, and friends, welcome to another session of movie reviewing! Today, we are going to be reviewing a documentary that was recommended to me just a few days ago, and that I decided to watch this past weekend because of that. It is a documentary that was released on Netflix back in 2020, when COVID was an even bigger deal than it is now. So now, let’s talk about a documentary called Kiss The Ground.

Plot: The movie talks about how farming has ended up working, and how our soil has become harmed, and things like that due to us using chemicals like pesticides, and other harmful ones that have begun to harm our soil, our crops, and things like that.

Wow, after seeing this film, I was surprised by how much our American soil had become poisoned for decades. I mean using chemicals like pesticides, mercury poisoning, and things like that since around the 1930s, or 1940s, wow. I was also surprised to find that something like this was one of the main causes of the Dust Bowls that happened around that time period. Don’t believe me? Well, see this film, and you’ll learn why. It’s also interesting to discover how planting soil, and crops can help create moisture in the atmosphere. Again, watch the film, and you’ll find out why. It’s also cool how, at different points, there some aspects of farming that seem to be taken from a Christian perspective. Additionally, if you want to see a documentary that features actors like Woody Harrelson, and Rosario Dawson, along with some environmentalists, and farming experts, then that’s another reason to see this film. In addition to all of this, hopefully people will desire to want to farm without having to use pesticides, mercury poisoning, or whatever else, and just farm the way that God wanted it to be done back when the Bible was being written. The only downside to this film is that there are a couple scenes when someone calls the Earth Big Mama (which seems to mean Mother Nature).

And that’s my review for Kiss The Ground. If what I mentioned in this review isn’t convincing enough for you to go see it, then I’m not sure what will be. Hopefully, after people do see this film, then we can agree to work together to slowly, but surely go back to farming the way that it was supposed to be done before pesticides, mercury poisoning, and all those items got imported into the US, and started being used on the American soil, and maybe even some of the other nations in the world. I would say that if you haven’t seen Kiss The Ground, and you have Netflix, definitely see it whenever you can. It will be eye-opening as to how much our food has become harmed, and why diseases like cancer have become much more common nowadays. Well, definitely see it, and see what you think. And hey, I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if, after watching this film, more people would desire to farm, and do it the right way.

Final Grade: A