Shrek (2001)

Genres

Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Fantasy

Directors

Andrew Adamson, Vicky Jenson

Country

USA

Voice Cast

Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, John Lithgow, Vincent Cassel, Conrad Vernon, Chris Miller, Cody Cameron, Simon J. Smith, Christopher Knights, Aron Warner, Jim Cummings

Storyline

When Lord Farquaad (Vincent Cassel) exiles all the magical creatures to the woods, the fairy-tale beings decide to camp outside the house of ogre Shrek (Mike Myers) who loses his peaceful life. So, in order to get his land back, agrees to rescue Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) for Lord Farquaad.

Opinion

Flying over the fact that I haven't seen it in over 3 years (yeah, shame on me), Shrek has been one of my favourite animated films since always and has a special place in my heart not because it's fun, but because it makes fun of fairy tales. 

The story would have been your typical fairy tale story with a princess that needs to be rescued if it wasn't for the fact that there is no Prince Charming here. The hero is a grumpy green ogre who only acts for self-interest; he's basically a mercenary hired to do a job. And the prince (actually he won't be a prince unless he marries a princess) is a coward and rather pathetic little man. This twist (and many others along the way) is what makes the story interesting and charming. It's got some plot holes and a weird romantic subplot, but it eventually delivers its don't-judge-a-book-by-its-cover message. 

The soul of the film, however, isn't the story but the characters. They are a bit stereotyped (I mean, the ugly evil ogre isn't that evil after all, the noble is evil, and the friend is all over the place), but they are amazing, especially Shrek who is incredibly grumpy but equally likeable and Donkey, Shrek's animal sidekick. Donkey is actually my favourite thing about the Shrek franchise and he'll always be one of my favourite movie characters because of the wonderful work of Eddie Murphy. He was the perfect cast for the role, and gave such a funny and sweet performance. It's impossible not to love Donkey.

Another awesome thing about Shrek is that the humour works on different levels. When I was a kid I was able to enjoy all the fairy-tale related jokes and references; now I can also enjoy a lot of one-liners, especially those from Murphy and Myers who does a really good job as Shrek. 

The animation is also nice. There's a lot of attention to backgrounds, textures and details which make up for the goofy movements of some/most of the characters. 

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 (2013)

Genres

Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Sci-Fi

Directors

Cody Cameron, Kris Pearn

Country

USA

Voice Cast

Bill Hader, Anna Faris, James Caan, Will Forte, Neil Patrick Harris, Benjamin Bratt, Terry Crews, Kristen Schaal, Khamani Griffin, Al Roker, Cody Cameron, Bridget Hoffman

Storyline

After the disastrous food storm, Flint (Bill Hader) left his town and started working at The Live Corp Company for his hero, Chester V (Will Forte). But he's forced to leave his post when he learns that his machine is still operational and it's creating living food.

Opinion

It took me a second viewing to appreciate Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, and I had the feeling it was going to happen the same with #2. But I was wrong as this film is yet another disappointing sequel that fails to live up to the original. 

The story is clichéed, predictable and it doesn't have any twist, but most of all lacks the originality and freshness of the first film. The plot is dull, pointless and silly as well. The last one is totally normal though, just like it was the first time. 

My favourite thing about the first was its environmentalist message and the way it was delivered, without being too heavy or preachy. The problem with this film is that it doesn't have a message of its own, it's basically the same of the first film only delivered with living foods instead of gigantic foods falling from the sky.

The characters are just as shallow as they were in the first film, and it's quite frustrating to have at the end those same characters we had at the beginning of the first one because there's no development whatsoever. The cop and monkey were funny, not they are annoying like most of the other characters because there's nothing new about them. They just do the same things over and over again. I have to admit though that the strawberry was adorable.

I won't even spend a lot of time talking about the animation because it isn't that special. Four years and it's exactly the same of the first film. 

However, in spite of all that I just said, the film still manages to have some fun-ish moments that will definitely put a smile on your face.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009)

Genres

Animation, Comedy, Sci-Fi

Directors

Phil Lord, Christopher Miller

Country

USA

Voice Cast

Bill Hader, Anna Faris, James Caan, Neil Patrick Harris, Bruce Campbell, Andy Samberg, Mr. T, Bobb'e J. Thompson, Benjamin Bratt, Al Roker, Lauren Graham, Will Forte

Storyline

Clumpsy inventor Flint Lockwood (Bill Hader) creates a machine that can turn water into food and soon food starts falling from the sky. But it eventually gets out of control as the people of the town ask for more and more food.

Opinion

The first time I saw Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs I didn't enjoy it at all. I found it so boring, I almost fell asleep. Then, months ago (maybe even more), some TMP entries made me realise that I was probably the only one who felt that way so I decided to give it a second chance and I enjoyed it. Probably not as much as everybody else, but definitely more than the first time.

The reason I watched it in the first place was the storyline and it ended up being my favourite part of the film. And it still is. It is original and yet clichéed (there are both the
typical romantic subplot and the father-and-son relationship) but, although it feels dragged at some points, it's quite enjoyable and fun to watch.

However, what I really liked back then and what I really like now is not the story itself but its meaning and how much it has to teach us. Without being too complicated or heavy, the film delivers its message. And it's not that American is fat (okay, maybe that too) but it is about the inability of human beings to contain themselves - we are never satisfied, we always want more and more - but most of all, it shows how we are treating our planet.

My biggest problem with this film is the characters. They are pretty shallow, childish and annoying as well. The lead is barely likeable but you root for him anyway because there isn't a strong villain. The cop and the monkey were kind of nice though. The animation isn't that bright either, but at least the actors did a fairly good job bringing to life the characters.

Blinky Bill the Movie (2015)

Genres

Animation, Adventure

Director

Deane Taylor

Country

Australia, USA

Voice Cast

Ryan Kwanten, Rufus Sewell, Toni Collette, David Wenham, Deborah Mailman, Richard Roxburgh, Robin McLeavy, Barry Otto, Barry Humphries, Tin Pang, Cam Ralph, Charlotte Rose Hamlyn, Billy Birmingham

Storyline

Billy (Ryan Kwanten), an adventurous young koala, embarks on a journey across the Australian outback to find his missing father (Richard Roxburgh). 

Opinion

We all do stupid things and watching Blinky Bill the Movie is definitely the last stupid thing I did. I let the nice(ish) animation fool me and I ended up watching a very poor film.

I have to start by saying that I've never seen the original cartoon so I wouldn't know what to expect (not much, I'm pretty sure about that), but the plot to this film and originality are two parallel lines. If you are not good with math that means they will never meet. It's basically the same story to Finding Nemo only with koalas. And this time around is the son looking for the missing father. It's also pretty simple (and yet doesn't make a lot of sense) and predictable which totally makes sense since I guess the film's targets are 2-year-old kids. 

It also lacks excitement and it's pretty forgettable and still it manages to "teach" the importance of friendship and teamwork although it's not really able to deliver the environmental message it is supposed to.

On the positive side, there is the animation. Like I said above, it's nice, very colourful and bright and the characters are well-crafted. Unfortunately, the animation isn't enough to give depth to those poorly developed and shallow characters. 

Epic (2013)

Genres

Animation, Adventure, Fantasy

Director

Chris Wedge

Country

USA

Voice Cast

Colin Farrell, Josh Hutcherson, Amanda Seyfried, Christoph Waltz, Aziz Ansari, Chris O'Dowd, Pitbull, Jason Sudeikis, Steven Tyler, Beyoncé Knowles, Blake Anderson, Judah Friedlander

Storyline

Teenager MK (Amanda Seyfried) is transported into a tiny civilization and finds herself caught in the middle of a battle between good and evil forces. 

Opinion

I don't know if someone other than me has seen Epic Movie, but that movie sure wasn't epic. Same goes with Epic. While it's pretty to look at, it's far from being epic.

Slightly enjoyable, the story lacks originality (it's basically a clone of Luc Besson's Arthur and the Invisibles, from the war between the two tiny population to the impossible/predictable love story), it's not very developed, it's pretty bland, and, in top of that, it has a terrible pacing. At times it's fast and flows well; at times it's slow and feels like it's dragged forever.

The characters aren't that good either. They are pretty bland and clichéed which makes it harder to care for them, especially when you have a villain so weak that makes MCU's look like the best villains ever. However, the main characters are likeable and a few of them are funny (the snail and the slug).

Another issues with Epic is the voice cast. What bothered me the most was the casting of Beyoncé. She is a great artist and I love her voice but voicing an animated character just isn't her thing. Every single line she delivers is flat. Not a single emotion is conveyed by her. But it's not like the rest of the cast does a better job.

Then there's the animation. While it's yet another non-epic aspect of the film, it's good. Everything, from the setting to the characters, is beautiful and so rich in detail it almost looks real.

The Pagemaster (1994)

Genres

Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy

Directors

Joe Johnston, Maurice Hunt

Country

USA

Cast

Macaulay Culkin, Christopher Lloyd, Patrick Stewart, Whoopi Goldberg, Frank Welker, Leonard Nimoy, George Hearn, Jim Cummings, Phil Hartman, Ed Gilbert, B.J. Ward, Ed Begley Jr., Mel Harris

Storyline

Richard Tyler (Macaulay Culkin), a young cowardly boy, enters a library to escape a storm only to be transformed into a cartoon and transported into a world of books, and he has to conquer his fears to return to real life.

Opinion

I watched The Pagemaster a lot as a kid and yet if it wasn't for Brittany's Thursday Movie Picks post, I wouldn't remember about it. Why? Simply because this film is forgettable.

I have to admit that up to this day I still love the storyline. I find the whole kid being transported into a world where books come to life thing quite fascinating - actually, I'd love if that could happen in real life. Also, I loved how the writers incorporated literary classics such as Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Moby Dick into the story, not to mention how I loved spotting on the shelves some books I love, like The Shining and Death in Venice. But that's pretty much it. The plot is terrible. There aren't real plot points, just things happening. And the literary classics are just there. What I mean is that at the end of the movie, a kid won't nothing about those famous characters.

But at least they will (maybe) have some fun with the original characters of the movie, three books: Adventure, Fantasy and Horror. They make a good team and teach the frightened kid how to be brave. By the way, Whoopi Goldberg as Fantasy completely steals the show.

And now there's the worst part, the absolutely horrifying part, even more horrifying than Horror. The animation. I cannot believe this film is only 23 years old. I cannot believe it. The animation is bland and looks cheap. And the colours are terrible. I think a kid would do a better job. 

Smurfs: The Lost Village (2017)

Genres

Animation, Adventure, Comedy

Director

Kelly Asbury

Country

USA

Voice Cast

Demi Lovato, Rainn Wilson, Mandy Patinkin, Joe Manganiello, Jack McBrayer, Danny Pudi, Julia Roberts, Michelle Rodriguez, Ellie Kemper, Ariel Winter, Meghan Trainor, Jake Johnson, Gordon Ramsay 

Storyline

Smurfette (Demi Lovato), Brainy (Danny Pudi), Clumsy (Jack McBrayer) and Hefty (Joe Manganiello) embark on a journey to find a mysterious lost village before the evil Gargamel (Rainn Wilson) does. 

Opinion

After being disappointed with both of Raja Gosnell's films, I was really looking forward for another film to do justice to Peyo's cartoon. But of course that didn't happen with Smurfs: The Lost Village, another mediocre attempt at bringing those little blue cuties to the screen.

I do know it's a kids film, but the story is so simple, straightforward and predictable it's insulting. It's also boring and there's too much nonsense going on, especially towards the end, it's hard to deal with it. And it's all very unfortunate because the lost village plot could have given this film what it needed to be way superior to its predecessors.

Another problem with this film is the characters. They are bland, generic, clichéed and uninteresting. And there are too many of them introduced all at once only to be soon forgotten. Other than Smurfette, Brainy, Clumsy and Hefty's personalities - whom I already knew from the cartoon - I just can't remember anything about the new characters because of how generic they are.

The villain is another problem. While Rainn Wilson does a good job, with all these movies being made, Gargamel is turning into a very boring and uninteresting villain. Isn't about time to use another villain?

The only thing that keeps the film moving is the music. It's kinda fun - although too pop for my tastes - but it still has a flaw, it's forgettable. Just like the humour.

Forgettable is also the appropriate word to describe the animation. It's colourful and vibrant and manages to capture the magic of the Lost Village and Enchanted Forest, but it looks incredibly cheap at times. It's 2017, it should be better than this.

The Boss Baby (2017)

Genres

Animation, Comedy

Director

Tom McGrath

Country

USA

Voice Cast

Alec Baldwin, Miles Bakshi, Steve Buscemi, Tobey Maguire, Jimmy Kimmel, Lisa Kudrow, Conrad Vernon, James McGrath, David Soren, Nina Zoe Bakshi, Tom McGrath, Walt Dohrn, James Ryan, Eric Bell Jr., ViviAnn Yee, Edie Mirman

Storyline

The life of seven-year-old Tim Templeton (Miles Bakshi) was all peaches until his new brother names Boss Baby (Alec Baldwin) arrived home in a taxi, wearing a wearing and carrying a briefcase and stole his parents' attention. The two instantly hate each other but they'll have to put aside their rivalry as it turns out Boss Baby is a spy on a secret mission and needs Tim's help.

Opinion

I've seen The Boss Baby's trailer like a million times and it didn't appeal me a bit. Which is crazy because now that I've given the film a chance, it isn't half bad. Actually, and I'm kinda embarrassed to admit this, I really enjoyed it. Probably more than I should have.

What I liked the most about it was the story. It is simple and predictable as in any other kid/family film, and it does get a bit ridiculous (the villain creates a puppy that never dies so that people will buy one instead of having a kid. But if people don't have kids anymore, everyone is eventually going to die, so who's gonna buy the puppies?) but at least it's different and original. And it's also engaging interesting and funny.

Which brings me to the characters. They are likeable and fun and they have some development. And easily stealing the show is Boss Baby. He is the coolest and cutest baby I've ever seen - and I'm no baby lover -, and what makes him so good is Alec Baldwin. Yes, Alec Baldwin voices a baby and he does a fantastic job with his sarcastic delivery. The villain isn't a very strong character but he's voiced by Steve Buscemi which is awesome.

There aren't a lot of laugh-out-loud moments, but the film still has enough humour to appeal kids and adults - I'm still amazed by how much fun I had watching this. The vivid and colourful animation is also worthy of a mention, and I regret not seeing this in cinemas in 3D. 

My Life as a Zucchini (2016)

Original Title

Ma vie de Courgette

Genres

Animation, Comedy, Drama

Director

Claude Barras

Countries

Switzerland, France

Voice Cast

Gaspard Schlatter, Sixtine Murat, Paulin Jaccound, Michel Vuillermoz, Paul Ribera, Estelle Hennard, Elliot Sanchez, Lou Wick

Storyline

After losing his mother, Courgette (Gaspard Schlatter) is sent to a foster home with other orphans his age where he will learn the meaning of trust and love. 

Opinion

Among all of this year's Best Animated Picture nominees, I have to say that My Life as a Zucchini was the one that intrigued me the most because it looked different from the others. And it is very different and in a very good way. This is a quirky, funny, touching and emotional without being sentimental stop-motion animated film. In other words, a film everyone should see.

Especially kids of all ages because the filmmakers took a sad, heavy-hearted story and turned it into a light-hearted and very simple tale that has a lot to teach, both to the little one and the adults. By following Courgette, we also get to learn the meaning of unconditional love, trust and friendship.

The film also shows the suffering of children in foster care without being too dark or depressing. It shows that not all the kids in foster homes are being abused, and most important, it shows that there's always hope and it teaches the importance of having a family.

My Life as a Zucchini is also a very sweet and tender love story between two kids and as such, it shows what pure love looks like, and has a lot to teach to adults.

Then, there are nice and developed characters that are brought to life by the voices of a fantastic cast - I really suggest watching it in French because of how good the actors are - and some stunning animation. Everything is beautiful, from the characters to the backgrounds, not to mention the colours. Non-stop animation is just perfect for this little gem.

Storks (2016)

Genres

Adventure, Animation, Comedy

Directors

Nicholas Stoller, Doug Sweetland

Country

USA

Voice Cast

Andy Samberg, Katie Crown, Kelsey Grammer, Keegan-Michael Key, Anton Starkman, Jennifer Aniston, Ty Burrell, Stephen Kramer Glickman, Danny Trejo, Chris Smith, Awkwafina

Storyline

Storks deliver babies...or at least they used to. Now they deliver packages for a global corporation. But when stork Junior (Andy Samberg) accidentally creates a baby, he must fix the error by delivering the baby.

Opinion

This movie was not on my watchlist. Also, I was expecting a truly awful film. That said, I still decided to give a try because I'm an animation junkie, and I'm glad I did because it was quite a surprise. It may not be the best animated flick of the (past) year, but it still is a funny and entertaining family film.

That said, let's start with the first flaw, the story. It is paper-thin and feels forced, not to mention how little sense it makes. The setup is also a bit too complicated for a kid movie. The good thing about the silly story is that it explains to kids in a very imaginative/unrealistic yet nice way the decline in births in latest years, the reason being people picking objects over babies. Now, whether this does or doesn't suit little kids, it's up to you to say.

The characters really make the difference here. The film starts off pretty slowly and isn't very exciting but as soon as the character of Tulip, a goofy and silly young woman, is introduced, the film gets better. It's simply because the character is amazing and incredibly funny. And her chemistry with Junior, the stork, is beautiful.

The animation is also very cute and colourful. Everything looks beautiful, from the settings to the facial expressions of the characters. Especially the baby who is super cute and adorable, and that's a lot coming from someone who doesn't like kids. 

The Good Dinosaur (2015)

Genre

Adventure | Animation

Director

Peter Sohn

Country

USA

Voice Cast

Raymond Ochoa, Jack Bright, Sam Elliott, Anna Paquin, A.J. Buckley, Jeffrey Wright, Frances McDormand, Marcus Scribner, Ryan Teeple, Jack McGraw, Maleah Padilla, Steve Zahn, Mandy Freund, Steven Clay Hunter, Peter Sohn, Dave Boat, Carrie Paff, John Ratzenberger, Calm Mackenzie

Storyline

After a lot of accidents that changed his life, Arlo (Raymond Ochoa), an Apatosaurus who is afraid of everything, makes an unlikely human friend (Jack Bright).

Opinion

After delivering the spectacular "Inside Out", an animated film that is more likely to please adults than kids, Disney-Pixar released "The Good Dinosaur", probably hoping to make kids happy. Did they reach their goal? I'm not so sure about it.

The most shocking thing about this film is arguably the plot. Although the original concept was able to offer a wide - if not infinite - number of alternatives, the writers eventually went for an undeveloped, almost nonexistent plot that completely lacks originality. So, instead of experiencing an interesting adventure thought the eyes of Arlo, the good dinosaur, we find ourselves watching an already seen story that has no room for twists.

Another field the film lacks originality in is the themes. From the importance of friendship to that of family, to a growth of the main character, the themes "The Good Dinosaur" deals with are pretty much the same of "Inside Out". The only difference is that, perhaps, kids will understand them easily.

But once again, like I've already said a couple of times, the film lacks originality also regarding some scenes - when Arlo and Spot's heads touch is taken straight out of "How to Train Your Dragon".

The voice casting is another flaw. While most of them do a good job, I found Raymond Ochoa's voice utterly annoying, definitely a problem considering he is the voice of Arlo.

All of that being said, there is a thing that will always make a Pixar film stand out, the animation. And I have no complains about that. It easily is the best part of the film with Pixar's usual gorgeous colours, stunning backgrounds rich in detail, and visually appealing character.

My Neighbor Totoro (1988)

Original Title

となりのトト Tonari no Totoro

Genre

Animation | Fantasy

Director

Hayao Miyazaki

Country

Japan

Voice Cast

Noriko Hidaka, Chika Sakamoto, Shigesato Itoi, Sumi Shimamoto, Hitoshi Takagi, Toshiyuki Amagasa, Tanie Kitabayashi, Naoki Tatsuta

Storyline

After moving into a house in the country, two young sisters, Satsuki (Noriko Hidaka) and Mei (Chika Sakamoto), discover that the nearby forest is inhabited by magical creatures and soon befriend them.

Opinion

Anime isn't my favourite genre, and this is only the second film of Hayao Miyazaki I've seen, but I can see why people love his works so much. However, "Spirited Away" was a lot better than "My Neighbor Totoro", which is still an incredibly cute animated film, but it's definitely a less mature/more childish one.

Following the adventures of two sisters, the story is simple but engaging and keeps you wonder what will happen next. Also it is quite touching and uplifting without being overly sentimental.

Simplicity, however, is not limited to the story. The themes the film deals with are indeed banal and repetitive. Once again it's all about man's relationship with nature, about kids having more imagination - and morality - than adults, and about illness. That of course doesn't mean the film is less interesting. Actually, that's what makes the story suitable for everyone, especially for kids.

And that's it for the complains. Everything else is just spot on, starting from the animation. Even though it is a little bit dated at times - this film is almost 30-year-old though -, the animation is not just beautiful, it's stunningly magical. The Japanese scenery is beautifully filmed as well as the adventures of the two girls.

Also, Hayao Miyazaki's direction is top notch, and the characters are all memorables from the two sisters, Satsuki - in the film there's also her coming-of-age subplot, and the little and annoying Mei, to the magical Tororos.

Ultimately, this is not a masterpiece, but it's entertaining and makes you wish you had a neighbor like Totoro.

Trolls (2016)

Genre

Adventure | Animation | Comedy | Musical

Directors

Mike Mitchell | Walt Dohrn

Country

USA

Voice Cast

Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Zooey Deschanel, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Christine BAranski, Russell Brand, James Corden, Jeffrey Tambor, Ron Funches, Aino Jawo, Caroline Hjelt, Kunal Nayyar, Quvenzhané Wallis, Gwen Stefani, Iris Dohrn, Liam Henry

Storyline

After the Bergens invade Troll Village, Poppy, the happiest Troll ever born (Anna Kendrick), and the curmudgeonly Branch (Justin Timberlake) set off on a journey to rescue her friends.

Opinion

When I think troll, the mythical, violent creature is what comes to my mind. Is it become I grew up with Harry Potter? Maybe. My point is, I never had one of those neon-haired troll dolls. So, even though I'm not a kid anymore, I was quite interested in seeing "Trolls". It eventually turned out to be just a colourful family film with great music.

My biggest complain is the plot. It doesn't have anything new to offer - it's basically the one DreamWorks seems to be repeating over and over again -, it can be very predictable, it does have a lot of holes, and it lacks of that something that would have left a longer impression. On the other hand, it's easy to follow and the film's short running time makes it perfect for kids.

Another thing kids will definitely enjoy are the characters. But it's not the same for adults. While they are very cute, colourful, funny, these Trolls are also quite annoying, and poorly developed. Not to mention the fact that Poppy, the happiest Troll ever born, is basically a copy of Joy from "Inside Out". The voice cast, however, does a good job over all.

The humour isn't working very well either. Sure, the characters are funny, but they are not enough to compensate the lack of good jokes. It is plenty of kids movies with adult jokes that of course kids won't get or need to hear. This one's don't even make adults laugh.

And now let's look on the bright side. Kudos to the filmmakers for being able to incorporate such a great soundtrack into the story. Definitely not an easy job considering the story. In fact, not only those songs are a joy for the hears, but they also fit. And the animation is also good.

The Incredibles (2004)

Genre

Action | Animation

Director

Brad Bird

Country

USA

Voice Cast

Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell, Spencer Fox, Jason Lee, Samuel L. Jackson, Elizabeth Peña, Brad Bird, Eli Fucile, Bud Luckey, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Dominique Louis, Michael Bird, Jean Sincere, Kimberly Adair Clark, Bret Parker, Lou Romano, Wayne Canney

Storyline

Forced to adopt civilian identities, Bob Parr aka Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) and his wife Helen aka Elastigirl (Holly Hunter) live a boring life with their three super-children. Until something happens, and they get back into action.

Opinion

I don't know why but I kept avoiding this film over the years. It's not like I thought it was bad, I just didn't seem to be attracted by it. Given the poor outcome of several superhero flick this year, I anyway decided to give it a try, and I'm glad I did because "The Incredibles" is a charming, fun and truly incredible animated superhero film.

There is nothing special about the plot, it is pretty much a simple, quite typical superhero story where the villain is just a poor misunderstood and mistreated boy grown into a man that is seeking for revenge. Also, the whole idea of outlawing superheroes isn't new either, but what really makes the difference is the way the story is told. With a quite melancholic atmosphere, the film makes you sense the nostalgia of the protagonist for his glorious days behind the mask almost to perfection and makes you empathize with him.

But don't worry though, this is not a sad film. It is actually funny. Not constantly laughing out loud funny, but still very funny. There are some fun characters - actually, most of them are. And the jokes are awesome if you are a comic book fan. And it kind of makes fun of superheroes as well, from the pointless capes to the villains' monologues.

Luckily for the comic book fan, the references don't end with the jokes. Each member of the family indeed reminds of a notorious superhero, from DC to Marvel. Mr. Fantastic is Superman and the son is the Flash, while Elastigirl is Mr. Fantastic and the daughter is the Invisible Woman. And all the other characters, but the villain, are likable as well. Especially Samuel L. Jackson's Frozone. Actually, he was the coolest thing on the film.

And at last the animation. It is Pixar's so of course it's great. It has been 12 years since the film was released, and it still impressive. Or should I say incredible?

Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)

Genre

Adventure | Animation | Fantasy

Director

Travis Knight

Country

USA

Voice Cast

Art Parkinson, Charlize Theron, Matthew McConaughey, Ralph Fiennes, Rooney Mara, George Takei, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Brenda Vaccaro, Meyrick Murphy, Minae Noji, Alpha Takahashi, Laura Miro, Ken Takemoto

Storyline

In order to defeat a vengeful spirit (Ralph Fiennes) from the past, Kubo (Art Parkinson) mush locate a magical suit of armor once worn by his late father, a legendary Samurai warrior.

Opinion

Over the past few months, I've become a pretty big fan of Laika Studios work, so I caught the chance to watch this as soon as I could. And those people did it again. In fact, "Kubo and the Two Strings" is an absolutely beautiful stop-motion film for kids and adults alike.

Just like in their previous films, once again Laike went for a different route, and instead of going with a complex story filled with dramas, they choose another simple yet quite profound story whose biggest strength is the storytelling. Actually I could say it is a brilliant tribute to storytelling.

Through the art of storytelling, the film explores a darker kind of themes - from death to remorse, what's the value of memories and how we can never forget people that are gone - is such a unique, breathtaking and quite sensitive way.

Another thing I absolutely loved about the film is the characters. They are not the typical animation flick likable character. Well, they are still likable and you can't help but root for the young Kubo, but they also are very charming and the characterization is so on point. Also, each character has their own backstory. And they fit it all in 100 minutes. Unbelievable, right?

The great writing is supported by great performances from all the cast. Game of Thrones Art Parkinson is impressive and so aborabe as Kubo; Charlize Theron really gives her best as a stern Monkey and Kubo's mother; Ralph Fiennes is simply terrifying as the villain Moon King; and Rooney Mara does a great job as the Sinister Twins.

Then of course there's the animation. A blend of stop-motion animation and CGI, once again it is stunningly breathtaking, each character and their movements look great, and it all looks very realistic.

The Secret Life of Pets (2016)

Genre

Adventure | Animation | Comedy

Directors

Chris Renaud | Yarrow Cheney

Country

USA

Voice Cast

Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet, Kevin Hart, Ellie Kemper, Lake Bell, Dana Carvey, Hannibal Buress, Jenny Slate, Bobby Moynihan, Steve Coogan, Albert Brooks, Tara Strong, Chris Renaud, Michael Beattie, Sandra Echeverria, Jaime Camil

Storyline

The peaceful life of Max (Louis C.K.) is turned upside down when his owner (Ellie Kemper) brings home Duke (Eric Stonestreet), a stray whom Max instantly dislikes.

Opinion

I've been waiting for this film since april when I saw the trailer for the first time. It seemed fun and considering it came from Illumination Entertainment, the studio that created "Despicable Me", I decided to watch it. And I wasn't fully happy with it.

The main reason is because "The Secret Life of Pets" is a slapstick comedy, and while I love some good slapstick, it just doesn't have a good outcome here because it target kids at a very young age. Let's say those who are not able to follow good dialogue.

Another reason is the trailer. I know this thing happens a lot, but if you have seen it, you have seen the funniest parts of the film already. It basically gives away all the fun. Perhaps that's why I was disappointed, maybe I was expecting animals being wild when their owners weren't at home.

Which brings me to the plot. Still delivering several messages about friendship and adaptation, and somehow managing to be entertaining and engaging, it doesn't bring anything new to the table. If you have seen "Garfield: The Movie" it's like you have already seen this film. Owner brings home a new pet, the main pet is jealous and does everything to get rid of the new guy, they get on an adventure together and become besties.

There are a few positive notes though. First, the animation is amazing. Not Pixar amazing, but still amazing. The city is very detailed, and the animals are very beautiful. The music is also nice as well as some of the characters - I really liked Snowball, a white rabbit voiced by Kevin Hart whose expressions and attitudes made the character a lot more interesting.

ParaNorman (2012)

Genre

Animation | Comedy | Horror

Directors

Chris Butler | Sam Fell

Country

USA

Voice Cast

Kodi Smit-McPhee, Jodelle Ferland, Tucker Albrizzi, Anna Kendrick, Casey Affleck, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Leslie Mann, Jeff Garlin, Elaine Stritch, Bernard Hill, John Goodman, Tempestt Bledsoe, Alex Borstein

Storyline

In the town of Blithe Hollow, Norman (Kodi Smit-McPhee), a young boy who can speak to the dead, takes on ghosts, zombies and adults to save his town from a curse.

Opinion

After watching the great "Coraline" and "The Boxtrolls" I wasn't expecting anything less from this, and, even though I have to admit the trailers didn't capture my interest, Laika Studio did not disappoint. Second feature of the studios, "ParaNorman" is in fact another witty, beautifully animated and enjoyable zombie flick for kids. And adults too.

Written by co-director Chris Butler, the story isn't really that original, but it is the way it is developed and the funny characters that make the difference and how the Butler decided to handle it. The idea of mixing together comedy and horror is brilliant and results into a fun, deep story that goes beyond zombies and ghosts, but that still is a great way for kids to enjoy a zombie flick.

Also making a difference is the core message of the film. Even though it's not very original, and it's pretty much the same Laika have delivered in their other two pictures, between a funny moment and a little, appropriate scare, the film says that there is nothing wrong in being different and that we should embrace those who are different from us, not fear them.

Just like the other two films, the stop-motion animation of this film is simply amazing and its weird-looking characters and set design only adds originality to the film. Worth of a mention is also the incredible job the voice cast does in here as each of the actors provided their personalities to the characters and really brought them to life.