“Maleficent: Mistress of Evil” Review
The good news is that the sequel to 2014’s Maleficent has some notable improvements. It’s more colorful, magical, features a more solid story and a significant reduction in rape allegories. In its place, however, is a more milquetoast fantasy of familiar elements that comes off as Ferngully meets Guess Who’s Continue Reading
“The Addams Family” (2019) Review
The Addams Family is a premise that seems as though it’d be perfect for animation. A comically creepy family living in a haunted house with all manner of monsters lurking about would be suited well for a medium where anything is possible. But when mired in the current framework of Continue Reading
“The Lion King” (2019) Review
As the second Disney film directed by Jon Favreau to feature computer-generated animals, The Lion King plays things relatively safe with the perfected formula of the studio remaking their animated classics. Is there any deviation from the 1994 animated classic? Nope. Are the familiar songs all there? Yep. Does it Continue Reading
“Toy Story 4” Review
Only the saga of Toy Story could be bold enough to charge into a fourth film after 24 years and still have that same engaging edge that only grows grander with age. I haven’t outgrown these toys as they always seem to bounce back with more to say and something Continue Reading
“Aladdin” (2019) Review
It’d be too easy to look down on Guy Ritchie’s Aladdin as being inferior to the classic 1992 animated film. Of course it’d be inferior. Nobody can top Robin Williams. No amount of computer graphics in live-action can topple the magical wonderment of hand-drawn animation. And nothing could top that Continue Reading
“Missing Link” Review
The Laika animation studio continues to churn out some of the most original and boundary-pushing of stop-motion animation. Their previous works include the culturally creative Kubo and the Two Strings and the exciting horror ParaNorman. While Missing Link isn’t quite the same level of a masterpiece, it does go to Continue Reading
“Dumbo” (2019) Review
Easily one of the most powerful scenes from 1941’s Dumbo is the scene where the big-eared, titular elephant longs for his mother’s touch. Locked behind bars, Dumbo’s mom can still reach her son by extending her trunk out of the window and gently cradle her child. The sweet melody of Continue Reading
“How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World” Review
After nearly a decade, the saga of How To Train Your Dragon comes in for a landing with the third film to supposedly close out the trilogy. And so it’s time to say goodbye to the familiar characters of the meek-turned-leader Hiccup and the beast-turned-friend dragon Toothless. Oh, and you’ll Continue Reading
“The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part” Review
2014’s The Lego Movie was such a groundbreaking animated take on toy-based property films that a sequel would not be easy to craft. So it’s not the least bit surprising that The Lego Movie 2 treads and fairly safe ground, taking care to stick to what made the first film Continue Reading
“The Kid Who Would Be King” Review
As a fantasy that manages to be blunt with its message and light with its adventure, The Kid Who Would Be King fits snugly into the familiar armor of a plucky kid-oriented adventure just for young fantasy seekers. There are no in-jokes for the adults nor a surprise for the Continue Reading