Saturday, May 16, 2020

Movie Review: Scoob!

Movie Review: Scoob!                                                                                                                5-16-20
Scoob! Poster
Based on the famous Hanna-Barbera cartoon characters, Scoob was originally supposed to be released in theaters worldwide. Because of the Corona Virus outbreak, however, Warner Bros decided to release the movie on VOD (Video On Demand), available from websites like Amazon Prime, Fandango Now, YouTube, and Vudu. So, is this movie worth the wait? Let's find out!
Scoob tells the story of how Scooby-Doo (Frank Welker) and Shaggy Rogers (Will Forte) first met and how they joined with young detectives Freddie Jones (Zac Efron), Velma Dinkley (Gina Rodriguez), and Daphne Blake (Amanda Seyfried) to form Mystery Inc. Now, with hundreds of cases solved and adventures shared, Scooby and the gang face their biggest, most challenging mystery ever: A plot to unleash the ghost dog Cerberus upon the world. As they race to stop the global 'Dogpocalypse', the gang discovers that Scooby has a secret legacy and an epic destiny greater than anyone imagined.
Scoob is a charming movie with top-notch animation, a story that sticks true to its original source material, and a strong message about friendship and loyalty.

Frank Welker and Iain Armitage in Scoob! (2020)
Mark Wahlberg also does a good job as Brian, son of the legendary superhero the Blue Falcon.

Mark Wahlberg and Kiersey Clemons in Scoob! (2020)
If I were to complain about one thing, I would say that Will Forte and Zac Efron aren’t the best choices for Shaggy and Freddie. If I were a casting director for the film, I would’ve gone with Matthew Lillard and Frank Welker, their original voice actors.
Matthew Lillard Picture
Lillard played Shaggy in both live-action and animated incarnations.
In conclusion, while Scoob may not be as good as other animated comedies I’ve seen, but it’s something to cheer up to during this uncertain times.

Rating: 3 stars out of 5.

Saturday, May 2, 2020

Movie Review: The Willoughbys

Movie Review: The Willoughbys                                                                                                4-29-20
The Willoughbys Poster

Based on the book by Lois Lowry, The Willoughbys is about four pink-haired children: Jane (Alessia Cara), Tim (Will Forte), and the Barnaby twins (Sean Cullen). The Willoughby children have parents that don’t care about them, so the children send their parents on a wild goose chase around the world so they can be free. However, without parents, that legally makes the kids orphans. When the social workers come to their house, the Willoughby children embark on an adventure to find the true meaning of family.

While the story is messy, The Willoughbys is a fun and charming film with vibrant animation, a nice score from Mark Mothersbaugh, and a colorful cast of characters. My personal favorite character in the movie is Linda the Nanny, voiced by Maya Rudolph.

The Willoughbys (2020)
My main complaint with the movie is that Tim, the eldest Willoughby child, is a little unlikable. I unfortunately can’t go into detail, since that would spoil the movie.

The Willoughbys (2020)
Tim doesn't exactly warm up to the Nanny at first.
In conclusion, while no where as amazing as another Netflix-exclusive animated film, Klaus, The Willoughbys is a joy ride for the whole family while you’re quarantined.

I will review Klaus in December, guessing that Netflix will still have it on there by that point.

Rating: 3.46 stars out of 5
PS. I have finally picked a release date for my Nicktoons fanfic, The Retro Nicktoons Talent Show! I will begin posting it on June 10th.