Showing posts with label Animation. Show all posts

Sunday, October 13, 2013

Planes: Fire & Rescue (2014)

Animation, Comedy - 18 July 2014

Writers : Jeffrey M. Howard

Dusty Crophopper returns in the sequel to Planes.

Watch Planes: Fire & Rescue Trailer :

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Cars (2006)

G - 117 min - Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Sport - 9 June 2006
Big Blue Sky Rating : 7.2/10

Director : John Lasseter, Joe Ranft
Writers : John Lasseter, Joe Ranft
Stars : Owen Wilson, Bonnie Hunt, Paul Newman, Larry the Cable Guy

While traveling to California for the dispute of the final race of the Piston Cup against The King and Chick Hicks, the famous Lightning McQueen accidentally damages the road of the small town Radiator Springs and is sentenced to repair it. Lightning McQueen has to work hard and finds friendship and love in the simple locals, changing its values during his stay in the small town and becoming a true winner.

Charming story, vivid animation, wonderful characters

I went to the premier of "Cars" last night at the Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concorde and was delighted to find that the hours of traffic were worth it.

The story has a clear point and the message of friendship is easily understood by kids and adults alike. The variety of humor suits all generations, too, making this the first "summer must see" for the family.

Being an artist I was struck by the vibrancy of the animation. The colors were rich and beautiful, and there was such diverse vocal talent that the entire experience made it a treat for the crowd's eyes and ears. I've never been to a movie with more than a few hundred people in the theater, but let me assure you that all 30,000+ attendees at the Speedway last night applauded during the credits and for some very, very good reasons.

Watch Cars Trailer :

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Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Free Birds

Free Birds (2013)

PG - Animation, Comedy - 1 November 2013
Big Blue Sky Rating : 5.4/10

Director : Jimmy Hayward
Writers : Jimmy Hayward, Scott Mosier
Stars : Woody Harrelson, Owen Wilson, Dan Fogler, Amy Poehler

Two turkeys from opposite sides of the tracks must put aside their differences and team up to travel back in time to change the course of history - and get turkey off the holiday menu for good.

Hollywood at it again!

This movie is not even out yet, and I have NO desire to see it at all. The whole premise is about not having turkeys for Thanksgiving dinner????? Are you kidding me? Hollywood, pulling for the PETA agenda, is not even trying to hide their indoctrination of children. Like The Lorax, it is a shameful attempt to brainwash children into their liberal, statist, animal-rights-whacko agenda. I hope this movie falls flat on its face as I expect it will. And, for the record, we will have a 21+ pound bird on our Thanksgiving table with all the fixings!!!!!

I recommend skipping it all together. Send a message to Hollywood that this kind of crap is not going to be watched.

Watch Free Birds Trailer :

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Monday, October 7, 2013

Surf's Up

Surf's Up (2007)

PG - 85 min - Animation, Comedy, Family, Sport - 8 June 2007
Big Blue Sky Rating : 6.8/10

Director : Ash Brannon, Chris Buck
Writers : Don Rhymer, Ash Brannon
Stars : Shia LaBeouf, Zooey Deschanel, Jon Heder, Jeff Bridges

This story follows a teenage rock hopper penguin named Cody Maverick from his hometown of Shiverpool, Antarctica, where all of the other penguins think he's nothing but a surfing fool, to the "Big Z Memorial Surf Off" on Pen Gu Island. Young Cody is determined to win the most important competition in the world of penguin surfing in honor of "Big Z," a deceased surfing legend whom he has idolized since childhood. But the waves in Pen Gu are different than in Shiverpool, and the competition is steep. The current champ, egotistical Tank Evans, isn't just about to let this little penguin knock him from first place without a fight. When Cody wipes out and encounters Geek, a recluse aging former surfer, living in the jungle, he learns some important lessons about life and surfing, and even teaches Geek a thing or two.

I will not comment on Happy Feet in this review

They both have penguins. Big Deal. Whoops...does that count as a comment? Anyway, "Surfs Up" is not a terribly original but fresh and new hilarious comedy just in time to kick off summer. Shot in a unique mocumentary style (that may possibly fly over the heads of youngsters), the visuals are flashy and the look of the film digests well. Water animation seems to be rapidly progressing. The sand forms foot prints. The palm fronds sway in the wind. The film looks great. The story is a cliché, and we know what will happen in the end. The point of the film isn't however to construct philosophical debate, have an amazing story or even create memorable characters. It's a fun comedy, and it's humor is more sophisticated then other past animated comedies such are "Shrek 3". It has a more subtle reflexive quality. We know the story, the characters, and we know the familiar plot (quite like last year's "Cars"), but it isn't the fact that they're penguins that makes the film funny. We only get a few moments were the penguins act "penguiny". They are what they are for pure aesthetic value. A bipedal animal (perfect for surfing) that usually dwells among ice makes for a more pleasing artistic scope. And we're bored with humans. The film succeeds with it's sense of wit. A character like tank, another reflexive villainous character like Peter La Fleur from "Dodgeball", is a hoot to watch. The same for main protagonist Cody Maverick, a familiar trophy craving teen who is easily out of place amongst the elders. The film will win no Oscars, but animated films need not be restricted to epic stories and exercises in perfection. However, it is rather uncomfortable that the genre in America is restricting itself to this type of humor. Or really, does all animation have to be humorous even? But, at least this film takes the convention one step further. The documentary style doesn't wear out its welcome or include any truly objectable material for a PG film, and with a sparing running time of 85 minutes, it's fun to see something different.

Watch Surf's Up Trailer :

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Wreck-It Ralph

Wreck-It Ralph (2012)

PG - 108 min - Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Family - 2 November 2012
Big Blue Sky Rating : 7.8/10

Director : Rich Moore
Writers : Rich Moore, Phil Johnston
Stars : John C. Reilly, Jack McBrayer, Jane Lynch, Sarah Silverman

Wreck-It Ralph longs to be as beloved as his game's perfect Good Guy, Fix-It Felix. Problem is, nobody loves a Bad Guy. But they do love heroes... so when a modern, first-person shooter game arrives featuring tough-as-nails Sergeant Calhoun, Ralph sees it as his ticket to heroism and happiness. He sneaks into the game with a simple plan -- win a medal -- but soon wrecks everything, and accidentally unleashes a deadly enemy that threatens every game in the arcade. Ralph's only hope? Vanellope von Schweetz, a young troublemaking "glitch" from a candy-coated cart racing game who might just be the one to teach Ralph what it means to be a Good Guy. But will he realize he is good enough to become a hero before it's "Game Over" for the entire arcade?

A wonderful, nostalgic, and artful cinematic experience~

It's all fun and games at Litwak's Fun Center, until someone gets hurt. While this cliché'd line seems to reflect the simple plot in most movies (while the moral outcome does, too), the setting makes Wreck-it Ralph a wonderful, refreshing, and unique pleasure. Inside a family arcade, all the game characters (both old and new) are real, and travel among the other games when the doors have locked. Ralph, from Fix-it Felix Jr., desperately wished to be a good guy, and be rewarded, so he sets off in search of a medal. By doing this, he sets off a chain of events that puts multiple games at risk, and unveils a hidden threat.

Disney has made this film equally accessible by both parents and children, and I find that wondrous. At times, Vanellope sounded quite mature, and at others, just like a tod. Soon, kids will squeal in excitement when they find a Fix-it Felix Jr. game, along with other last-gen arcade delights. In this way, the film has rendered itself timeless, if only in that small way. Although it doesn't feature many of the games themselves, you are able to see many characters, including retired ones.

Being inside a game world gave the artists a great deal of freedom, but they didn't waste it. At every new turn, another extremely creative point would grab your attention, and I'm sure I missed many (which would enhance a second viewing). Another big enhancement is the 3D atmosphere. I doubted I would ever say this, but I urge you to see this in 3D, or turn around and go home. Because of all the pixel-related artwork, and 3D modeling, it is natural to have such a dimension added on. It's the perfect film to have it for!

Now, for all the extra material surrounding the movie. Similar to Pixar, Disney has included an animated short right before, called "The Paperman". It doesn't feature any voice acting, but it's hilarious, and very well-made. I am sure you'll enjoy it. Second, the end credits are worth watching through, but not because there's an extra scene (there isn't one). It's only worth it for the visuals during the credits themselves, in 3D.

In conclusion, Wreck-it Ralph is family-safe, and highly enjoyable. See it in 3D as soon as you can!

Watch Wreck-It Ralph Trailer :

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Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 (2013)

PG - 95 min - Animation, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Sci-Fi - 27 September 2013
Big Blue Sky Rating : 6.5/10

Director : Cody Cameron, Kris Pearn
Writers : Judi Barrett, Ron Barrett
Stars : Bill Hader, Anna Faris, Will Forte, Neil Patrick Harris

After the disastrous food storm in the first film, Flint and his friends are forced to leave the town. Flint accepts the invitation from his idol Chester V to join The Live Corp Company, which has been tasked to clean the island, and where the best inventors in the world create technologies for the betterment of mankind. When Flint discovers that his machine still operates and now creates mutant food beasts like living pickles, hungry tacodiles, shrimpanzees and apple pie-thons, he and his friends must return to save the world.

Imaginative Animals Crossed with Food!

In the first "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs," young scientist Flint Lockwood invents a wondrous machine he called the Flint Lockwood Diatonic Super Mutating Dynamic Food Replicator, or FLDSMDFR, that turned water into gigantic pieces of food which later rained on and destroyed their island town of Swallow Falls.

In this sequel, Flint gets conscripted by his idol Chester V, the CEO of Live Corp Company, for a mission to locate the FLDSMDFR and insert a "BS-USB" to deactivate it before newly-evolved vicious creatures on the island learn to swim out and destroy the rest of the world.

When Flint and his friends get there, they discover that the FLDSMDFR now creates "Foodnimals", food turned animals with eyes, arms and legs. They range from the cute and lovable Strawberries, Marshmallows and Pickles, to large and formidable Cheespiders (cheeseburgers with french fries as legs and spin cheesy webs) and Tacodiles (tacos turned crocodiles that spew lettuce at the mouth).

As conflicts arise between Chester V and Flint's girlfriend Sam Sparks, can Flint figure out the right thing to do before he does something which would destroy not only his friendships, but also a whole new fascinating world of new creatures?

The writers were able to come up with one hilarious one-liner food puns in practically every other line. I recall "There's a leek in my boat!" and "I will cut the cheese!" to mention a couple. They must have exhausted every food pun in the book, and then some. There were some lame jokes too though, like about the non-wedgie underwear.

The animators of CWACOM 2 really ran wild with their imaginations creating these delightful "Foodnimals" from the simple to the complex. They turned shrimp into chimps, bananas to ostriches, potatoes to hippos, onions to brontosauruses! This is a very visually-stimulating film. The images, the colors and the 3D was fantastic!

There are some take-home messages about family, friendship and caring for wildlife and were well-appreciated. There was some word too about bullying. However, these moral lessons were presented in a funny, most entertaining fashion. This is truly a light and breezy film to be enjoyed by the whole family.

Watch Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 Trailer :

Download Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2

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Buy Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 Online

Frozen

Frozen (2013)

Animation, Action, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Musical, Mystery, Romance, Thriller - 27 November 2013

Director : Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee
Writers : Jennifer Lee, Shane Morris
Stars : Kristen Bell, Josh Gad, Idina Menzel, Alan Tudyk

In "Frozen," fearless optimist Anna (voice of 'Kristen Bell' ) teams up with rugged mountain man Kristoff (voice of 'Jonathan Groff' ) and his loyal reindeer Sven in an epic journey, encountering Everest-like conditions, mystical trolls and a hilarious snowman named Olaf in a race to find Anna's sister Elsa (voice of Idina Menzel), whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom of Arendelle in eternal winter. Encountering Everest-like conditions, mystical trolls and a hilarious snowman named Olaf, Anna and Kristoff battle the elements in a race to save the kingdom.

Watch Frozen Trailer :

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Monday, September 23, 2013

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 (2013)

PG - 95 min - Animation, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Sci-Fi - 27 September 2013
Big Blue Sky Rating : 6.5/10

Director : Cody Cameron, Kris Pearn
Writers : Judi Barrett, Ron Barrett
Stars : Bill Hader, Anna Faris, Will Forte, Neil Patrick Harris

Holy Guacomole! This is a Fun Time!

I went into the film with high expectations and they were partially fulfilled. Compared to the first movie, this film goes for a lot more attempts at getting a laugh and surprisingly misses a little more times too. An audience can only take so many food puns before it becomes generic, but the kids will obviously never get tired of it, trust me. This movie is by far the quirkiest animated film I've ever seen with so many new and involving characters who each have their own hilarious persona. At times throughout this fun high calorie adventure, it seems as though it was rushed in it's story which is really evident in its ending which does feel hurried. All the humor really relies on are food puns and the mannerisms of the characters which are enjoyable but your left wanting that one big laugh. The animation however is top notch with such beautiful environments and the fluidity of the characters movements are a real treat. Overall, the is a well intentioned flick for kids that was a little but too light on the comedic side.