Movie Review: Where The Wild Things Are

Movie Review: Where The Wild Things Are                                                                               1-30-16

Based on the beloved children's book by Maurice Sendak, Where The Wild Things Are tells the story of a young mischievous boy named Max, who likes to live on the wild side. When Max bites his mom when he ignores her, he runs away, hitches a ride on a boat, and sails to sea. Max ends up on an island inhabited by monsters and is declared king by them. The Wild Things were built at Jim Henson's Creature Shop, who previously built animatronic/puppet characters for movies like The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, Teenage Mutant Turtles, The Flintstones, and Babe, as well as TV shows like The Storyteller, Dinosaurs, and Farscape. The monsters were brought to life faithfully and look just like how they did in the book, the most beautifully and faithfully adapted Henson-related characters since Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas, which was also based on a children's book. Where The Wild Things Are will pull at your heart strings and tame the beast inside you.

Rating: The perfect raging of 5 stars

Movie Review: Pooh's Grand Adventure: The Search for Christopher Robin

Movie Review: Pooh's Grand Adventure                                                                               1-25-16

Don't worry! This will be one of only two direct-to-video movies I will review.
Between 1997 and 2008, DisneyToon Studios, a division of the legendary Walt Disney Animation Studios, was forced to make countless (and pointless) direct-to-video sequels to classic animated Disney movies. However, as of January 2016, there are only ten movies from DisneyToons that were released theatrically in the US. Today's movie happens to be their first direct-to-video movie: Pooh's Grand Adventure: The Search For Christopher Robin. It's the last day of summer, and Christopher Robin is concerned that his friendship with Pooh Bear won't be able to last forever. Tomorrow happens to be the first day of school for Christopher Robin, but he doesn't have the courage to tell the silly old bear. He simply tells Pooh that he is braver than he believes, smarter than he thinks, and stronger than he seems. However, because Pooh Bear's head is full of fluff, he doesn't seem to remember it all. The next day, it was the first day of autumn, and Pooh Bear finds a jar of honey on his front door with a note on it. Since Pooh Bear can only think about honey, he seeks the help of Owl. The note, smudged with honey, stated that Christopher Robin is going to school, but owl interprets it as skull, and sends Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, Rabbit, and Eeyore on a dangerous adventure through the darkest parts of the Hundred Acre Wood. Pooh's Grand Adventure is different other movies starring the silly old bear because this movie is noticeably darker. There are many scenes in which the characters are in peril. However, that doesn't stop the movie from telling a heart-felt story the entire family can enjoy.
Rating: 3 1/2 stars out of 5

Movie Review: Cars

Movie Review: Cars                                                                                                                 1-4-16
 
Pixar's seventh animated feature takes place in a world where everyone and every animal is an automobile, and tells the story of a cocky race car named Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson), who only cares about racing. When his truck Mack accidentally lets Lightning loose, he stumbles across a small town in Route 66 called Radiator Springs. Lightning must now pay the price by doing community service. McQueen has to re-pave a road that he accidentally wrecked. Cars is considered by fans, myself included, the weakest Pixar movie. Lightning McQueen is an unlikable protagonist, and acts like a at times. There is a fair amount of filler/scenes that feel unnecessary, like McQueen having a daydream about a furious lawnmower winning the Piston Cup, McQueen sponsoring an anti-rust product, and McQueen and Mater tipping tractors instead of cows, among other scenes. Seriously, how does the tractor tipping scene effect the story? Also, Cars is ridiculously long, having a running time of 116 minutes (an hour and 56 minutes). I am aware that some fans complained that Happy Feet, which was released the same year, was unnecessarily long, but at least almost each scene affects the plot in some way! The only thing I appreciate about Cars is the animation and the music. Cars is perfect for younger kids, despite having some adult humor, but for older kids, like me, Happy Feet is a better choice.
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Movie Review: Inside Out

Movie Review: Inside Out                                                                                                  12-26-15

Like I said in my review of The Good Dinosaur, I thought Pixar lost their magic touch. However, six months ago, Disney/Pixar's Inside Out, which is already claimed a masterpiece, premiered in theaters and got glowing reviews. Directed by Pete Doctor, who also directed Monsters Inc and Up, Inside Out tells the story of what goes inside the head of an 11-year-old girl named Riley Anderson. Riley's emotions, Joy (Amy Pohler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Fear (Bill Hader), Disgust (Mindy Kaling), and Anger (Lewis Black), help Riley out through her lifetime. When her family moves from Minnesota to San Francisco, California, Riley spirals into depression and cries in front of her new classmates. Things get worse when Joy and Sadness get sucked into the labyrinth of long-term memory, and without Joy, Riley can't be happy. Inside Out of Pixar's most original movie since Up and their best since Toy Story 3. And since this is about emotions, expect the movie to get emotional at times.
Rating: The perfect rating of 5 stars
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