Tag: Disney

Zootropolis 2

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Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) are now partners in the police force. Because they are a rabbit and a fox, they feel like they still have to prove themselves amongst the stronger animals. When a new case presents itself, Judy and Nick must do whatever they can to save Zootropolis and clear their name in the process.

It has been almost ten years since the first Zootropolis, or Zootopia, film hit the scene. The highly anticipated sequel is finally here and it was well worth the wait! I did not think this one could be as good as its predecessor, but I was wrong. There was so much that I enjoyed and it left a massive smile on my face.

A big part of what makes an animated film so good are the voice talents. Goodwin and Bateman are back and better than ever. Their friendship is beautiful and I loved how each character was given more depth. We were also introduced to some new faces. Ke Huy Quan starred as Gary De’Snake who was probably my favorite of them all. His dedication to bringing his family home was so inspiring to watch. Fortune Feimster was Nibbles Maplestick, a beaver who joins forces with Judy and Nick. She was hilarious and had me laughing every time she was on screen. Quinta Brunson portrayed Dr. Fuzzby. Although she wasn’t featured as much as I would have liked, she still stole the scene she was in. Danny Trejo perfectly encapsulated Jesus, a wise lizard who Judy and Nick meet on their journey and helps put them on the right track. They were all brilliantly casted and really helped elevate this world for me.

The animation was visually stunning. The world of Zootropolis is filled with various nooks and crannies. Being introduced to Tundratown and Reptile City was so cool. They were so intricately designed and every detail down to a tee. This just goes to show that there are many more places to explore in this world and I would totally be up for that.

It’s not a proper Disney film if I’m not laughing out loud one minute and then crying in the corner the next. Every single joke landed. They weren’t just funny, they were whip smart. The blink and you missed them ones like the ‘Hungry, Hungry Hippos’ reference and the Pixar were so smart to incorporate. This franchise has always been known for its strong messages too. Community and harmony between species was at the forefront this time and while it was never in your face, the way in which it was handled was perfect and still hit the mark. It is also so topical in today’s day and age.

Zootropolis 2 marked a return to form for Disney. The film captured all the magic from the original while also building upon it. With its beautiful animation, fabulous voice talents and a well done story, it had everything I could have ever wanted. I hope we get more from this universe because I need it in my life.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️.5

Freakier Friday

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Twenty two years ago, Anna (Lindsay Lohan) and Tess Coleman (Jamie Lee Curtis) swapped bodies. Now Anna has become just like her mom and is trying to raise her teenage daughter Harper (Julia Butters). When Anna falls in love with Eric (Manny Jacinto) and the two decide to get married, Harper is less than thrilled. Eric has a daughter named Lily (Sophia Hammons) and the two girls cannot stand each other. After an encounter with a physic at Anna’s bachelorette party, history ends up repeating itself.

Twelve year old me loved the original Freaky Friday back in 2003. Not only did I see it more than once in the cinema, I wore out that VHS tape! I knew each line and all the song lyrics. I wanted to be Lindsay Lohan and I was in love with Chad Michael Murray. Upon my rewatch I was pleased to see that it still holds up. While news of the sequel was no surprise, I didn’t think it was necessary. What did surprise me was how much I enjoyed it!

It felt like no time had passed with Lohan and Curtis reprising their iconic roles. You can tell that they are having the time of their lives. Playing teenagers made for some hilarious hijinks. I was in absolute stitches at the scene where Harper as Anna is taking to Anna’s former flame Jake (Chad Michael Murray) in the record shop. Butters and Hammons are welcome additions who mix things up. They had just as much fun eating junk food and zipping around LA on scooters.

Plenty of other familiar faces have returned as well. It was so nice to see the likes of Mark Harmon as Ryan, Lucille Soong as Grandma Chiang and Rosalind Chao as Mama P., Ryan Malgarini as Harry and Stephen Tobolowsky as Mr. Bates again. Pink Slip is back too with Christina Vidal and Haley Hudson as Maddie and Peg giving yet another brilliant performance of Take Me Away. In fact, there are so many little easter eggs scattered throughout that makes it so much fun.

I was not expecting to get so in my feels. Not only did the film once again focus on mother daughter relationships, it also threw in themes of found family, loss, grief and acceptance. Lily losing her mother hit too close to home and I sympathised with her for not wanting to open her heart up again. On the other hand, Anna and Harper on stage in the final act almost had me full on sobbing. If you know you know.

Overall, Freaky Friday did not need a sequel, but I’m glad they made one. Fans of the original will be happy while newcomers will be able to fall in love with the franchise right away. Lohan and Curtis are in top form while the Butter and Hammons are worthy additions. Somehow Disney was able to completely up the stakes making for another brilliant outing.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️.5

Elio

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Pixar’s latest offering follows Elio (Yonas Kibreab), a space fanatic whose life has been upended after the death of his parents. He moves in with his aunt Olga (Zoe Saldana), but the two don’t exactly see eye to eye. Elio can’t help but feel like he doesn’t belong and when he’s beamed up to a planet in the sky he’s hopeful that he’s finally found his place.

I’ll admit that I wasn’t overly excited for this film. Maybe that’s because there was little to no marketing for it. This was a pity because it had a lot of things going for it. It may not be one of the best Pixar films ever, but it was still solid.

Let’s start with the voice talents. While I was unfamiliar with Kibreab before, I felt like he perfectly encapsulated the titular character. Elio is someone you want to root for. He feels misunderstood and like he hasn’t found his purpose which is just so relatable. Saldana is similarly just as relatable as aunt Olga; nothing could have prepared her to look after her brother’s son and the fact that she gives up her dreams of becoming an astronaut to do so shows that she cares. In the Communiverse we meet an array of unique characters voiced by the likes of Brad Garrett, Jameela Jamil, Matthias Schweighöfer and Shirley Henderson, all of who gave their best to the performances.

The film is filled with some beautiful animation. It’s bursting with rich colors and zany designs. From there it almost seemed like an entirely different story which isn’t necessarily a bad thing – if anything it helped set aside the difference from Earth.

Perfectly blending humor, emotion and action, Elio was an enjoyable enough film for the whole family. Dealing with themes of loss, grief and the desire to belong, it’s unfortunate that not a lot of people seem to know about it. I’m sure the delayed release didn’t do the film any favors and I definitely think it’s still worth checking out.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️

Lilo and Stitch

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Lilo and Stitch follows the story of a young girl named Lilo (Maia Kealoha) who lives with her sister Nani (Sydney Elizabeth Agudong). Following the death of their parents, Nani has stepped into the motherly role trying to keep it all together while Lilo is more lonely than ever. When an alien crash lands on earth and the two meet, a friendship forms.

The 2002 animated version of the film is one of my all time favorites. Now that Disney has given it the live action treatment, I’ll admit I was hesitant it would be a let down like so many of the others have been. In the end I was pleasantly surprised and couldn’t believe how wonderful it truly was.

Let’s get the obvious out of the way: Stitch is the CUTEST. From the moment those first photos of him dropped, I knew I was just going to fall in love with him. Reprising his role once more, Chris Sanders jumps right back in the game bringing the destructible yet lovable alien to life. The relationship that forms between Stitch and Lilo is just as special in this version and I loved seeing all their adventures together play out on the big screen.

Unsurprisingly there were some changes made to the story. Sometimes these can be good and sometimes they are just unnecessary, but I understand that they are needed. I actually thought the upgrades worked. Having the focus more on the sisterly bond between Lilo and Nani was a smart move; it added so much more heart to the film and really made me feel emotional. I also liked how the character of Cobra Bubbles was essentially split in two characters with Bubbles (Courtney B. Vance) as the secret agent and Tia Carrere as social worker Mrs. Kekoa. The inclusion of Amy Hill as Tutu was a welcome one and I liked how Jumba (Zach Galifianakis) and Pleakley (Billy Magnussen) were portrayed.

Lilo and Stitch is hands down one of, if not the best, Disney live action remakes yet. It stayed true to the original while also bringing the story into today’s day and age. With a talented cast and the adorable Stitch, Disney has a new hit on its hands.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️.5

Snow White

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Disney’s latest live remake offering comes in the form of Snow White, the first princess. In this updated version, Snow White (Rachel Zegler) was forced by her evil stepmother (Gal Gadot) to become a servant after the death of her parents. When she learns of the Queen’s plans to kill her, she flees and teams up with some dwarves and bandits to liberate her kingdom.

There has been much controversy surrounding this film. Casting choices and misuse of CGI hindered people’s opinions long before the release. To be completely honest, I didn’t think the film was as bad as everyone was expecting it would be. There were some things I enjoyed, but it ultimately fall flat.

Zegler was born to play Snow White. She certainly looked the part and she has the singing chops to boot. I loved how they gave our heroine more of a backbone too. Additionally, the prince wasn’t even really a prince. Instead, he was a bandit by the name of Jonathan (Andrew Burnap) who has a properly fleshed out character. The romance between the two was actually warranted and they had great chemistry.

Unfortunately I cannot say I was sold by Gadot’s performance. She’s stunning, don’t get me wrong, and she rocked those costumes. I just didn’t think she was convincing enough as such a menacing villain. Her song wasn’t impactful and she doesn’t have the best singing voice, not to mention the fact that her transformation into the creepy old woman wasn’t as scarring as the animated version (that used to give me nightmares as a child). I also can’t leave out the CGI dwarves who of course caused so much controversy behind the scenes. I’m not sure why Disney made this particular choice. Dopey (Andrew Barth Feldman) may have been cute, but I still don’t think this was the right call.

Overall, Snow White wasn’t completely awful, but it wasn’t a home run either. I wasn’t surprised with the updates to story and for the most part I thought they made sense. It added depth to some of the characters. I also liked the new songs. However, it did lack that Disney magic that was evident in 2019’s Aladdin and 2015’s Cinderella.

Rating: ♥️♥️.5

Moana 2

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The long awaited sequel to 2016’s smash hit Moana hit theatres this weekend. When Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) receives a call from her wayfinding ancestors, she must embark on a quest unlike any other. Together with Maui (Dwayne Johnson) and her crew, they must rescue a forgotten island to save their people and to find others who are just like them.

One of my favorite aspects of this franchise is its beautiful animation. From the island vibes to the impossible blues of the ocean, it is indeed a feast for the eyes. This time around the audience were introduced to some new places like the inside of a clam and the harsher waters of the ocean which made for a different yet still satisfying color pallet.

Another thing that I love is the score. The haunting chants are almost spiritual and they fit perfectly with the tone of the film. Unfortunately the soundtrack itself is not as epic as it was in the first film. Lin Manuel Miranda’s absence is felt and while I enjoyed most of the songs in the moment, none of them really stuck out and I couldn’t even tell you their names.

Cravalho and Johnson are a great team once again as Moana and Maui. They have an effortless friendship with one another; it was just a pity they were only reunited in the third act! I enjoyed the addition of some of the other characters like Moana’s sister Simea (Khaleesi Lambert – Tsuda) and the crew that Moana recruits for her voyage Moni (Hualalai Chung), Loto (Rose Matafeo) and Kele (David Fene). And who could forget the likes of Pua and Hei Hei, Moana’s pet pig and chicken? They provided a lot of laughs! I would have loved to learn more about Matangi (Awhimai Fraser) however, but maybe we’ll get her story in the inevitable third part.

Though Moana 2 wasn’t as great as the original, there is still a lot to like about it. Moana’s journey upped the stakes and I was intrigued the whole way through. With many laughs and heartfelt moments between family and friends, this is a great time for the whole everyone to enjoy.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️.5

Wish

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In celebration of one hundred years of Disney comes Wish. In the city of Rosas, people’s wishes are given to King Magnifico (Chris Pine) for safe keeping. When Asha (Ariana DeBose) learns that Magnifico is not what he seems, she makes a wish so powerful that it is answered by Star. Together with Star and her goat Valentino (Alan Tudyk), Asha must save her kingdom.

While reading up on what others have thought about the film so far, I was surprised with all the negativity. Disney has had so many home runs over the years, it’s hard for me to fathom a flop. That being said, I wasn’t put off by what people were saying as I knew it was important for me to see it for myself. I’m so glad that I did because I loved it!

Firstly, there was no other choice for Asha than DeBose. Bringing this now iconic character to life with her determination and angelic voice was brilliant to witness. The fact that she never gave up no matter obstacles were thrown in her way was truly inspiring and I’m sure youngsters will be able to look up to her. I didn’t know what to think of Pine taking on the role of the villain initially as I’d never seen him in something similar. He completely made Magnifico his own. The charisma he put into the character and his decline was done perfectly. Additionally, Tudyk was hilarious as Valentino. I appreciated the fact that he didn’t oversell his performance and instead picked his moments to shine.

Another aspect I found so well done was the use of Easter eggs littered throughout the story. These callbacks to previous Disney films from Snow White, to Sleeping Beauty and Bambi gave the film a little more magic. I liked how some were very obvious while others were a little harder to identify. I already want to go back and pay attention to these details to see if I can find anymore!

Wish is epitome of Disney. It showcases the importance of family, friendship and being true to yourself. It really bums me out to hear that so many people didn’t see what I did. While most will say the film is generic and missing that spark, I have to disagree. An instant classic to me for sure.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️

Haunted Mansion

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I went to Disneyland Paris last year for Halloween and refused to go on the Haunted Mansion ride. The whole thing just gave me the creeps. When I heard that the 2003 film was getting a reboot, I felt like I’d be able to qualm my fears and, of course, to see what all the fuss was about.

Single mom Gabbie (Rosario Dawson) moves into a house that she’s pretty sure is haunted with her son Travis (Chase Dillon). She decides to hire a tour guide (LaKeith Stanfield), a psychic (Tiffany Haddish), a priest (Owen Wilson) and a historian (Danny DeVito), in hopes of exorcising the house before its too late.

While the film may feel a bit all over the place and is on the longer side, it did what it set out to do. The atmosphere of the house and the many ghosts that inhabit it had me jumping left, right and centre. The mystery was also interesting enough to keep me engaged more or less the whole way through even if it took awhile to get there.

With an ensemble cast as big as it was, some characters didn’t get as much focus as they should have. As brilliant as Stanfield was brilliant as our protagonist Ben and how outlandish and hilarious Haddish as Harriet, I wanted to learn more about the others too. We may have touched on Kent, Bruce and Gabbie, but not as much as they should have been. I also would have liked for Madame Leota (Jamie Lee Curtis) to have more screen time. At least we know we can always count on an unrecognizable Jared Leto to ham up a performance.

This updated version of Haunted Mansion has been getting a lot of flack and I don’t really understand why. It’s the perfect adventure flick the whole family can enjoy with some small jump scares and a lot of heartfelt moments. Has it convinced me to finally check out the ride? Yes, I think it may have…

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️

Elemental

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Welcome to Element City where Earth, Wind, Water and Fire live together in harmony. Well, not really Fire who were always feared by everyone else. That doesn’t bother Ember (Leah Lewis) though. Her whole life has been planned out for her – take over her family’s shop The Fireplace. But everything changes when she meets Wade (Mamoudou Athie). Suddenly her perfect path may not be so perfect anymore.

Let’s start with the outstanding visuals. The different element characters are created in such a unique way. I love the little details, like how Ember’s flames would be constantly moving and how Wade’s body was constantly ebbing and flowing. I wish we’d had more time with Earth and Wind because it would have been cool to see their characteristics too. Similarly the location itself was stunning and so incredibly different than anything I have seen before. It made me want to pack up my bags and go live there too.

The voice cast were good enough boasting big name talents such as Catherine O’Hara as Wade’s mom Brook and Wendi McLendon-Covey as big boss in charge Gale. Joined by Lewis and Athie as our two leads, I wasn’t aware of them previously but thought that they fit in well.

I understand why the turn out for Elemental hasn’t been as great as some other projects in the past. Since the pandemic, Disney and Pixar started putting their films directly on streaming, a move that made these titles more accessible to families. Now that these films are trying to make a comeback on the big screen, I can imagine that people aren’t exactly ready to change what they’ve gotten used to.

As for the subject matter itself, while there may have been some overlapping themes that we have seen before, it was done in a fresh, new way that kept it interesting. The love story was adorable and I really enjoyed the importance of family. There were so many scenes that hit me right in the feels, I had to stop myself from bursting into tears.

Overall, Elemental may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I truly think it’s one of the better films that Pixar has done in awhile. I only wish more people would go out and see for themselves the beauty of this story.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️

Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny

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Growing up with three brothers, I was exposed to movies that I otherwise wouldn’t have watched on my own. Indiana Jones was amongst them. It seemed like they were always on in my house and I felt like I owed it not only to myself, but to my family who introduced this hero to me, to witness this final adventure.

Indy (Harrison Ford) is struggling to fit in with the new era as his retirement looms near. When an all too familiar evil returns, he is thrown back into the life he thought he’d left behind to prevent an ancient artefact from falling into the wrong hands.

There’s been a lot of talk about the de-ageing technology that was used in the first portion of the film. In order to set up the plot, we had to go back in time to see a young Indy in 1939. Instead of recasting the role, they decided to go the CGI route. I have to say that for the most part it worked – seeing Ford in his prime again was quite something though it certainly wasn’t perfect.

With every Indy film comes fight sequences and chase scenes galore. Just when I thought they couldn’t outdo themselves, another would come along and knock the other off its feet. It’s important to suspend some disbelief here, but that’s part of what makes these films so fun. The subway chase and the whole third act were really cool!

The additions of Phoebe Waller-Bridge as goddaughter Helena, Ethann Isidore as Helena’s sidekick Teddy and Antonio Banderas as old friend Renado, were excellent and fit right along the rest of the cast. While I didn’t find Mads Mikkelson’s Dr. Voller to be very menacing, he does a great job at portraying the villain so I almost didn’t even mind it. And with returning faces Jonathan Rhys-Davies as Sallah and the incomparable Ford himself, I had a great time.

To think that Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is supposed to the last of the franchise doesn’t seem real. It has meant so much for so many people and although Ford says it’s time to hang up the hat, I think the legend of this character will live on forever. Is this film perfect? No, of course not. But it’s filled with a ton of nostalgia that fans will appreciate and that’s all that really matters.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️