TOY STORY 4

Release Date: Malaysia, 20 June 2019

Genre: Animated

Running Length: 1:40

Cast (Voices): Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Annie Potts, Tony Hale, Keegan-Michael Key, Madeleine McGraw, Christina Hendricks, Jordan Peele, Keanu Reeves

Director: Josh Cooley

Screenplay: Andrew Stanton & Stephany Folsom

A couple of years ago when Pixar announced they are going to do another Toy Story, the first words that dropped into my mind were, "cash grab". And when the trailer to TOY STORY 4 was released, I wasn't impressed. The plot macam same-same with the rest of the other Toy Story episodes and it kinda looked...boring.

I had a similar feeling towards Finding Dory, the sequel to Finding Nemo. But I still watched it then because it's Pixar yo. Unfortunately, I was underwhelmed with Dory because it felt the same.

So with all these precedents, I walked into Toy Story 4 with my bar set very low.

And I'm glad to say I really enjoyed this movie! Here's why

In terms of the plot for all the Toy Story movies, I never really could remember much of it. It all somewhat blend into one because it usually involves Woody (Hanks) and Buzz (Allen) fighting for their owner's attention. And somehow a toy or two will get stranded and the whole gang will go on a rescue mission.

However, what I do care about this series is its characters, especially Woody and Buzz. And in this movie, eventhough it involves another rescue mission, something more happens to a major character. And because I care for this character, the heart-wrenching conclusion ripped me to shreds.

And speaking of characters, there are some new ones introduced in this installment and I absolutely love them especially Forky, Ducky and Bunny and Duke Caboom (voiced by the ever reliable Keanu "Woah" Reeves). They are super funny!

Oh, and don't forget to stay till the end after the final end-credits involving Duke Caboom and a G.I. Joe-like action figure.

And finally, as for the themes explored here, it's beautifully bleak. More mature kids watching this may be affected by real-world themes such as being unlovable, losing one's purpose and making a difficult decision to follow your heart. (There are some horror elements too, so those bringing kids, you've been warned)

In conclusion, I'm glad Toy Story 4 wasn't a cash grab. Even if it was, I felt a sense of relief that the filmmakers put in so much care in these characters and the superior photo-realistic animation.

RATING: 8.5/10

Review: SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE

Release Date: Malaysia, 07 Dec 2018

Genre: Animated / Adventure

Running Length: 1:57

Cast (Voices): Shameik Moore, Jake Johnson, Hailee Steinfeld, Mahershala Ali, Brian Tyree Henry, Lily Tomlin, Kimiko Glenn, John Mulaney, Nicolas Cage, Kathryn Hahn, Liev Schreiber

Director: Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman 

Screenplay: Phil Lord and Rodney Rothman, based on characters created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko 

What's this movie about? 

The animated SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE tells the tale of how Brooklyn local teenager Miles Morales (voiced by Shameik Moore) becomes the new Spider-Man. 

As he discovers his super powers, he crosses path with other "Spider-Man" from multiple alternate universe.

Highlights and Lowlights

In all honesty, there isn't many lowlights. If I need to nitpick, then I must say the villain in this movie, Kingpin (Schreiber) isn't all that bad-ass. He is freakishly king-sized here but somewhat not menacing enough. 

The main highlight to me is of course the animation. It's a breakthrough! I can't even describe what style of animation it is; 3D? 2D? Hand-drawn? Stop motion? (the animators even played with the frame rates). Here's the official music video with clips from the movie - watch it and you'll get what I mean.

I'm glad the filmmakers didn't rush Morales' into accepting his new found super powers. In fact, he goes through many moments of push and pull before he truly accepts his new responsibility. He only donned his costume in the final act. 

And this movie is funny! The jokes are smart and self-referencing aka The Lego Batman style. Spider-Man Noir (voiced by Nicholas Cage) steals the show everytime he appears on screen.  

In summary

When I watched the trailer to SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE months ago, I was mind blown with the animation. I have not seen anything like that before. 

However, I was a little hesitant walking into this movie because there are already so many versions of Spider-Man on the big screen over the recent years. I was thinking, "This origin movie may just be another one of those forgettable style over substance outing."

THANKFULLY NO!

Not only this movie is the best animated motion picture of 2018 but it's also the BEST big screen Spider-Man to date!

The animation is a feast to the eyes. The best way to describe the experience is like you're watching a living comic book. 

Eventhough this version introduced many "Spider-Man" from the different parallel universe, the plot doesn't lose sight of the origin story of Miles Morales. When Miles' Spider-Man is fully formed and realized at the end, his hero moment was so much more impactful than Aquaman's emergence from the waterfall scene. 

Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse is an action film with a strong comedic overtones - the self-referential satire type. But it doesn't afraid to get serious either. 

This movie is a blast from start to finish (the trippiness starts right from the beginning with the Columbia Pictures' iconic Torch Lady to the hilarious post-credit scene)!

RATING: 9/10

Review: RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET

Release Date: Malaysia, 22 Nov 2018

Genre: Animated

Running Length: 1:52

Cast (Voices): John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Gal Gadot, Taraji P. Henson, Jack McBrayer, Jane Lynch, Alan Tudyk, Ed O’Neill

Director: Phil Johnston, Rich Moore

Screenplay: Phil Johnston & Pamela Ribon

What’s this movie about?

RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET is a sequel to one of my favourite non-Pixar animation Wreck-It-Ralph (2012).

While the first movie was confined within the good old arcade universe, this follow-up expands the adventure of Ralph (voice of John C. Reilly) and Vanellope (voice of Sarah Silverman) into the huge and exciting universe of the World Wide Web.

Highlights and Lowlights

The WWW universe that the animators have produced is bright and filled with so many details per frame you need to watch it on the big screen to fully appreciate it.

And I like how the Internet is structured and presented - like this big city where every website is represented by skyscrapers and real estates of different sizes.

The most entertaining sequence involves the Disney Princesses. I LOL a few times at the tongue-in-cheek take on our beloved characters especially the importance of a “princess song.”

However, the overall story is a little laggy and draggy. In fact, some parts tend to meander and there were so many final acts I couldn’t keep up. When you think it has come to a conclusion, then there’s more.

Although it’s a bold move by the filmmakers to not include a true villain, somehow the final result was not as satisfying as say...Inside Out.

In summary

Just like the first movie, RALPH 2 is packed with pop culture references and clever product placements.

Clearly, this sequel aimed to be bigger. But in my opinion, it went a little over bloated.

Rather than going big in its storytelling, the filmmakers chose style over substance. Case in point was the unnecessary "King Kong" Ralph sequence. Personally, I would have preferred a stronger story.

That said, the central theme of the real meaning of friendship shines through towards the end. It made me shed a tear or two or maybe, three.

Note: Stay to watch two hilarious post-credit scenes (one mid and the other right at the end of the credits). Interestingly enough, the cut here included a music video by Indonesian jazz band Payung Teduh.

RATING: 7/10

INCREDIBLES 2 (Malaysia, 14 Jun 2018)

Genre: Animated

Running Length: 1:52

Cast: Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell, Huck Milner, Catherine Keener, Bob Odenkirk, Samuel L. Jackson

Director: Brad Bird

Screenplay: Brad Bird

What's this movie about?

The super family is back! This time Bob Parr/Mr. Incredible is left to care for the kids while Helen/Elastigirl is out saving the world. And we have a new supervillain this round - The Screenslaver.  

Highlights!

• Superior animation. The graphics somewhat do look the same as the 2004 debut but yet it's different in a good way. The characters are much richer and the backdrop is so much more photorealistic. 
• Immersive action sequences. There are many action scenes here the audience would feel like they are riding a roller coaster - yes, it's edge-of-your-seat stuff especially the sequence involving a runaway train! 
• The score. Michael Giacchino’s score is extremely catchy and really ups the action sequences all the way to its climax. Very classic James Bond-sy style.
• Baby Jack-Jack. The little one steals the show as he sprouts all sorts of unpredictable powers. There is this scene involving a raccoon which was totally LOL. Everytime he's on screen, the audience in the cinema I was in would laugh or go awww~~ 
• Mr. Incredible's arc. It's nice to see the softer side of him especially his struggle to be a good father. 

Lowlights

• Weak villain. In the first movie, Syndrome was a memorable superhero movie villain because he was cold, his motivations were realistic and he could inflict emotional pain to Mr. Incredible and his family. However, this follow-up lacks such a thoughtful villain. 
• Scripting issues. When it first came out in 2004, superhero movies were in its infancy and was starting to get popular. So, to tell a story that superheroes were a "menace" to society was a ballsy decision. Thus, re-telling the anti-superhero theme here didn't feel as fresh and the pacing suffered from its various sub-plots like raising kids in single-parent environment and a teenage crush. Eventhough the movie wasn't that long, it felt long and some moments were draggy.

In summary

INCREDIBLES 2 is a technically superior movie but the story is a little clumsy. It's action sequences are exhilarating, the colours are bright and the score is catchy. However, it lacks the ingenuity and freshness displayed by its predecessor from a narrative standpoint. (Instead, the opening shorty 'Bao' was so much fresher in re-telling a familiar story in a creative way; funny, moving and very relatable to Asians) 

RATING: 7/10

COCO (2017)

Genre: Animated

Running Length: 1:49

Cast (Voice): Anthony Gonzalez, Gael García Bernal, Benjamin Bratt, Renee Victor, Alanna Ubach

Director: Lee Unkrich

Screenplay: Adrian Molna, Matthew Aldrich

With COCO, I'm so glad Pixar still has got some originality in them. With their recent foray into more commercial movies such as the Car sequels and the unnecessary sequel to Finding Nemo and Monster Inc., I have to admit I walked into this one with a little trepidation. But I'm glad to report that although Coco is not high up there with Inside Out, Wall-E, Up, it's still a very good film. 

It takes its time to build its characters and introduces us to the laws of the afterlife. And the filmmakers do it so well that it packs a potent emotional punch in the last 10 minutes of the film. It brought not only tears to my eyes but almost every other adult in the cinema hall (perhaps that particular scene really got me as Mama Coco resembled my beloved grandma who passed away a month ago).   

What the filmmakers did right was also to create a true and true Mexican movie as they got everything right up the choice of food they offered to the dead. From what I have been reading online, many native Mexicans really appreciate the respect Pixar has given to their culture. Thus, it's not surprising to know that Coco is now the highest grossing animated movie ever in Mexico.

The subject of death and afterlife is not an easy topic to explain to kids but through this movie, Pixar manages to flesh it out in a light-hearted manner without diluting the seriousness of it. What I also love about Coco is its superior graphics and the details given to The Land of the Dead.   

That said, the songs are not so memorable (except 'Remember Me') and no matter how hard you try to disassociate this film with Book Of Life, there are still many resemblances of it eventhough their plots are different. AND, what was totally out of place was the animated short just before the movie. It's not really a short but a 20-min featurette of a character from Frozen - with singing and all. I should have just came in later to the cinema hall.     

RATING: 8.5/10

THE BOSS BABY (2017)

Genre: Animated
Running Length: 1:37
Cast (Voices): Alec Baldwin, Steve Buscemi, Jimmy Kimmel, Lisa Kudrow, Tobey Maguire, Miles Christopher Bakshi
Director: Tom McGrath
Screenplay: Michael McCullers based on the book The Boss Baby by Marla Frazee

When the trailer to THE BOSS BABY first dropped, it didn't really appeal to me. But I went on to watch it anyway hoping the entire movie would be a much better experience. But alas, compared to the other Dreamworks Animation productions, it wasn't as clever as How To Train Your Dragon series or as entertaining as The Kung Fu Panda trilogy.

In terms of animation style, it is closer to Sing. And both relies heavily on kids kind of humour (read: there are some laughs but not terribly funny). But the difference is that Sing had this one major unexpected scene in Act 3 which made me burst out in spontaneous laughter. And thereafter, the movie just got better and better up to the rousing finale. Wheres, The Boss Baby didn't have any of such surprises.

Plot wise, when a briefcase-carrying, suit-wearing little baby arrives at seven-year-old Tim’s home, his life changed forever. No longer he's the centre of attention with the arrival of his baby broooooother. Tim who has an outrageous and over active imagination, then starts plotting a way to get rid of the new addition. But somewhere in the middle of the movie, Tim and his little "Boss" brother managed to put their differences aside to work out a win-win agreement (ahem..corporate lingo).

Yeah, it sounds rather simple but yet complicated at the same time because in this universe, babies are not born but manufactured at Baby Corp (Storks did a much better job at this, plus it's OTT LOL funny). To be fair, there are some things that this movie did well such as casting Alec Baldwin (in full SNL President Trump mode) as the titular character. He is perfectly enjoyable here. And there are some beautifully rendered sequences of Tim's imagination. As mentioned, there are laughs and some heart in there but it's few and far between.

RATING: 5.5/10 

MOANA (2016)

Genre: Animated
Running Length: 1:43
Cast (Voices): Auli’I Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Jermaine Clement, Temeura Morrison, Nicole Scherzinger, Alan Tudyk
Director: Ron Clements & John Musker
Screenplay: Jared Bush, Ron Clements, John Musker, Pamela Pibon, Taika Waititi

MOANA is the classic hero's journey story where one must overcome a series of conflict for his/her transformation to be completed. Probably that's why it feels like a throwback to the Disney hits in the late 80s/early 90s ie The Little Mermaid, The Lion King. The storytelling is linear; punctuated with songs and memorable animal sidekicks.

The film tells a tale of Moana, a teenage Polynesian girl, who has to team up with Maui, a cocky demi-god, to save her tribe. Along her journey, they have to face coconut-shaped pirates (in an engaging sequence most likely inspired by Mad Max: Fury Road), a giant narcissistic crab and a massive lava monster.

The film’s visuals are top notch. As most of the scenes involve the sea, the animated water is really impressive. The voice cast is overall rock solid (see what I did there *smirk*) with a special nod to Jermaine Clement's jewel-encrusted vain crustacean. Also, a special shout out to the opening animated short, Inner Workings which kinda sets the theme for Moana.

Although it felt long (probably because the characters frequently break into singing songs - one of the key reason why I wasn't into Disney cartoons then), I still enjoyed it more than I should have because it's entertaining.

I just hope the Mouse Factory doesn't get lazy and continue to produce such 'retro' animated flicks or even re-hashing their classics into live action. Because their recent films such as Wreck-it Ralph and Zootopia are smart and fresh.

Rating: 7/10

STORKS (2016)

Genre: Animated
Running Length: 1:27
Cast (Voices): Andy Samberg, Katie Crown, Kelsey Grammer, Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele, Jennifer Aniston, Ty Burrell, Danny Trejo, Stephen Kramer Glickman
Director: Nicholas Stoller, Doug Sweetland
Screenplay: Nicholas Stoller

I've never laughed our loud so much recently in the cinema but STORKS brand of humour did it for me - it just hit me in all the right spots. From the same studio that gave us the very clever, fun and touching The Lego Movie, Storks is not as deep but it is equally enjoyable with its over-the-top random and ridiculous visual gags.

But it's not all just comedy as the themes explored here work for both adults and kids. There are hints of corporate culture (not as direct as The Lego Movie) and finding one's roots (similiar as Finding Dory), but in the end, this movie is really about parenthood.

Young parents will fully understand the situations presented in the movie; A male stork bickering with a human girl on who should get some sleep while the other stays up with the baby, an alpha and beta wolf fight each other for the custody of the baby and a scene involving our heroes fighting off evil penguins silently in order not to wake the baby.
 
Yes, it sounds very absurd but this is one hilarious and yet emotionally satisfying 90 minutes film thanks to its well written script and manic energy it brings to the screen.

Rating: 8.5/10

KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS (2016)

Genre: Animated
Running Length: 1:35
Cast (Voices): Art Parkinson, Charlize Theron, Ralph Fiennes, Matthew McConaughey, Rooney Mara, George Takei, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Brenda Vaccaro
Director: Travis Knight
Screenplay: Marc Haimes and Chris Butler, based on a story by Shannon Tindle and Marc Haimes

From the trailer, there seems to be a lot happening but KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS is ultimately the classic hero's journey story. The story is told in a surreal feudal Japan (think Samurai) setting where reality meets fantasy.

Let's get the downside out of the way first because there's way more upside going for me - so much so that this film will most likely end up in my top 10 of 2016. Firstly, there is indeed a lot happening in its 90 minutes it feels that the filmmakers are being overly ambitious. A "less is more" approach could have been more effective. Secondly, the resolution at the end seems a little anti-climatic and too neat.

But as for the rest of the film, it's a powerful story about the power of storytelling. It's a story about hope and love grounded in the gritty reality of death and loss. Eventhough it has enough humour and action to distract a child audience, this is no Minions. The villains are scary and the themes explored are dark; right from the start we are introduced to a baby Kubo (and his mother) escaping from his grandfather who wants to gouge his other eye out. Yep, this is just the beginning.

The choice of using stop motion at core + CGI to tell of such an epic fantasy seems like a limitation but I read somewhere that Travis Knight (the director, and CEO of Laika; the animation house that produced this movie) wanted to challenge his team and himself to see how far they can push the technology of this medium. As a result, not only it looks visually gorgeous but the medium of stop motion just gives it a very organic and human feel that pure CGI may not be able to pull off.

The voice cast is fitting especially McConaughey, who is surprising very goofy. The score is just perfect especially during the film's tender moments and there are some pleasant "hidden in plain sight" revelations throughout the course of Kubo's heroic journey that makes this a must-watch movie.

Rating: 9/10

FINDING DORY (2016)

Genre: Animated

Running Length: 1:36

Cast (Voices): Ellen DeGeneres, Idris Elba, Sloane Murray, Eugene Levy, Diane Keaton, Ty Burrell, Hayden Rolence, Kaitlin Olson, Ed O’Neill, Albert Brooks, Dominic West

Director: Andrew Stanton, Angus MacLane
Screenplay: Andrew Stanton, based on a story by Andrew Stanton and Victoria Strouse & Bob Peterson

From the trailer, one can tell the sequel to Pixar's Finding Nemo, FINDING DORY, is a role-reversal of its predecessor. I was a little hesitant to watch this film as I didn't want to accept that Pixar is in this for the cash grab - because this approach for a sequel just seems lazy. But I went anyway. 

Well, it is still a somewhat role-reversal story but there's one aspect of the story I found very interesting. In fact, Pixar is probably the only animation house around that is bold enough to explore the aspect of human emotions as the core of its stories. And by dressing it up with bright colours and frenetic set pieces, it is accessible to both adults and kids. Take examples; Up (which explores about grief), Toy Story series (about being relevant and abandonment) and last year's remarkable high concept Inside Out (literally a story about emotions). 

In Finding Dory, it explores a difficult theme of "what does it mean to have a special child?" Yes, we're talking about disability (don't confuse "special" here with the chosen one or a superhero). Although some may argue that Dory's short term memory loss is not really a disability but how the filmmakers approached this subject is otherwise. There are some really heart wrenching moments which include her loving parents doing their their best to care for her when she was young and one particularly overwhelming scene of Dory in a long drawn scene of her feeling frustrated, lost and disorientated - shot from a first-person perspective. This is some heavy stuff. 

That said, like most Pixar movies, this film is pretty well balanced out with our main characters going through a life-changing "roadtrip" filled with adventure, thrills and meeting strange characters along the way. Speaking of strange characters, the highlight for me is Hank the grumpy octopus, who has chameleon-like abilities. Whenever he's on screen, expect scenes full of hijinks, havoc and humour to come your way. In fact, the finale of Hank and Dory trying to get back into the sea is so chaotic and over-the-top, this memorable scene would probably end up as one of the most watched clip in YouTube in the future.        

Although Finding Dory feels the "same but with a different spin" overall, it is an OK sequel. I think it may work better for those who haven't seen the 2003 release as it could possibly give them a fresher movie experience. Now if only the filmmakers explored a little more on the special kid aspect.

(A special shout out to PIPER, the accompanying short animation. It's a winner because the very essence of a Pixar movie is accomplished more in its seven minutes compared to the 95 minutes of Finding Dory) 

 

Rating: 7/10

ZOOTOPIA (2016)

 

Genre: Animated

Running Length: 1:48
Cast (voices): Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba, J.K. Simmons, Jenny Slate, Nate Torrence, Octavia Spencer, Shakira
Director: Byron Howard, Rich Moore
Screenplay: Jared Bush, Phil Johnston

Considering what's happening in our country, ZOOTOPIA is another timely released movie on embracing our differences. Although many animated movies involving the animal kingdom have lightly explored this theme, Zootopia has done it so directly and cleverly without being preachy. And thrown into the mix is the classic mismatched partnership as they race against time to solve a mystery case.

The case in question here is a series of disappearance of predators in a city ie. Zootopia, where all mammals live harmoniously together. So, it's up to an overly optimistic rookie bunny cop (Goodwin) and a cynical con-artist fox (Bateman) to figure out who's behind the kidnappings.

There are many things to like about this movie. Firstly, Zootopia the city itself is a visual marvel as the animators have created different worlds eg. Tundratown, Rain Forest District within the city and with so many interesting details it's worth re-watching again and again. The animation is just outstanding. And of course, the characters are very lovable (and some are just plain quirky) especially our two main characters. OMG, their expressive cute ears!

There is a very moving moment involving the backstory of our fox, which sums up the theme of co-existence neatly for me. Despite our obvious differences, we have much more in common than we think eg. our need to be loved and accepted, our hopes and dreams and our fears. It's just that we don't talk publicly about such things. If we only do so, we will discover that we are all flawed creatures trying to make sense of our existence in our broken world. And that's what makes us, human.
   
All in all, Zootopia gives its audience plenty of food for thought, is funny and more importantly has a lot of heart.

Rating: 8.5/10   

KUNG FU PANDA 3

Genre: Animated
Running Length: 1:35
Cast (voices): Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, J.K. Simmons, Bryan Cranston, Kate Hudson, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross, James Hong
Director: Alessandro Carloni, Jennifer Yuh
Screenplay: Jonathan Aibel & Glenn Berger

"I'm not trying to turn you into me; I'm trying to turn you into you." - Master Shifu

KUNG FU PANDA 3 is that rare third instalment that not only it is entertaining but it has more heart compared to No. 2. I was expecting more of the same aka Shrek or Ice Age (read: milk every drop out of the franchise), but I was genuinely surprised at the quality of the production and storytelling. This is not to say that this sequel is on par with the best work of Pixar where their narrative strives to appeal to both adults and kids. To be fair, Kung Fu Panda didn't start off that way anyway; it was designed to appeal to primarily kids.

So, audiences going into this screening shouldn't be expecting the emotional subtlety of say, WALL-E but instead will be blasted with some of the richest, brightest and liveliest animation in recent years. It features lots of action and slapstick comedy.

In terms of the plot, our lovable Po (Black) is once again frustrated and confused by his place in a world of martial arts masters. The message of "be yourself" is more defined this round as Po goes on a journey of self discovery while he faces his most challenging battle yet - a very strong and supernatural villain, Kai (Simmons) who has the ability to steal the power of those he fights. Po is also joined by his dads (yes, not one but two) as his wonderful support.

All in all, I enjoyed this film because it boast a strong villain, a visual fest and a strong (but not manipulative) message on learning to accept yourself and not try too hard to be someone else because your real strength comes from being your best "you".

Rating: 8/10

THE PEANUTS MOVIE (2015)

Genre: Animated
Running Length: 1:28
Cast (Voices): Noah Schnapp, Alexander Garfin, Hadley Belle Miller, Francesca Capaldi, Venus Schultheis, Mariel Sheets         

Director: Steve Martino

Screenplay: Bryan Schulz, Craig Schulz and Cornelius Uliano, based on the comic strip by Charles M. Schulz

I never really grew up with the Snoopy comic strip so it was a good introduction to the world of Charlie Brown and his best pal in THE PEANUTS MOVIE. From what I gather, this animated flick was made for fans to walk down the nostalgia road as it doesn't offer anything new or updated eg. you don't see the gang on mobile phones or selfie-ying.

The only thing "modern" this film did was to use computer generated images rather than hand-drawn representations of the beloved characters, while still retaining the overall look and feel of the late Schulz' strips. As a result, it looks really refreshing. And another highlight is the voice work. The child actors (many of whom have limited professional experience) did a great job because the gang sounds just like what we expect them to sound. It just fits. (On a side note, the sounds made by Snoopy and Woodstock are provided by the original voice artist ie. the late Bill Melendez, via archived sounds.)

Is there a storyline? Of course. It's about the infatuation of Charlie Brown with The Little Red-Haired Girl and the lessons he learns about self-worth as he tries to get her attention. There is one really touching scene (two actually, the last sequence was the most moving) involving a talent show and a difficult choice Charlie had to make.

Although this good family film feels a little long at times, I'm curious to find out whether today's young audience will appreciate such good old-fashioned animated flick or they will approach it with cynicism. I suspect it will play better to their parents.

(And I didn't know Snoopy is so adorable. He's cheeky, loves sleeping, smart, imaginative and loyal. Snoopy is a genuinely happy dog.)

Rating: 7/10

INSIDE OUT (2015)

Genre: Animated
Running Length: 1:34
Cast: Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Bill Hader, Lewis Black, Mindy Kaling, Richard Kind, Kaitlyn Dias, Diane Lane, Kyle MacLachlan
Director: Pete Docter & Ronaldo Del Carmen
Screenplay: Pete Docter, Meg LeFauve & Josh Cooley

INSIDE OUT is arguably one of the most original and complex animated movie ever produced by an American animated studio. And in terms of look and feel, this film actually resembles something out of a Studio Ghibli production (watch out for a scene which pays homage to My Neighbour Totoro). Looks like Pixar is back to form with their latest gamble as this film, just like any of their earlier productions, satisfies on multiple levels. It equally engages both adults and children - except for those under 6, judging by their restlessness in the cinema. Well, this is no Minions anyway.

Personally, I defined superior storytelling as the ability to easily connect with your audience with warm and sensitive language, speaking to them in human terms without sacrificing the reality and logic of the subject matter. And Inside Out fits right in there as it uses the personification of Emotions to explore themes of how an individual's personality is shaped and built on a foundation of memories.  Oh, it's not all serious and sad as it balances out perfectly with fun and joy.

If you've seen the movie trailer, you would have been introduced to the five Emotions character (Joy, Anger, Disgust, Fear and Sadness) in the setting of control room of sorts, living in the head of our protagonist. In actuality, the lion share of the narrative takes place outside of the control room where Joy and Sadness were accidentally ejected out far far away into another part of the brain and they need to quickly find their way back to restore balance. And thus, begins one of the most imaginative road trip ever where they meet different characters (eg. Bing Bong, our main character's one-time imaginary friend) and venture into different representations of our mind (dreams, subconsciousness etc).

From a visual perspective, it is beautifully rendered - it's colourful and vibrant. And the Emotions (and its perfect voice casting) have this shimmery and hand-drawn appearance to it which makes them very appealing. Perhaps it's because Joy reminds me of Tinker Bell.

Adult moviegoers will likely be moved by the bittersweet childhood memories the film will trigger. Indeed, in order to experience the completeness of life, we need a combination of emotions especially joy and sadness.

Rating: 8.5/10   


 

BIG HERO 6 (2014)

Genre: Animated
Running Length: 1:38
Cast (Voices): Ryan Potter, Scott Adsit, Daniel Henney, Jamie Chung, T.J. Miller, Genesis Rodriguez, Damon Wayans Jr., Maya Rudolph, James Cromwell, Alan Tudyk
Director: Don Hall, Chris Williams

As kids today are growing up faster due to their exposure to the Internet, producing an animated movie in Hollywood these days is definitely much more challenging than the yesteryears. The content needs to be edgy, globally appealing and politically correct. If The Little Mermaid was released in this day and age, it will be crushed to instant death at the box office by the likes of Frozen and Maleficent. Disney's BIG HERO 6 will unlikely generate the same mass following like Frozen, but nevertheless, it's a decent follow-up. In fact, I enjoyed Big Hero 6 more because it's geared more towards boys, it has no singing and the main theme of this animated film appealed to me; confronting death of a loved one (woah). Despite its sombre theme, the filmmakers managed to successfully balance the light-hearted elements with the serious stuff and presented it in a seamless entertaining experience. Two highlights for me; the cultural, architectural and geographical fusion of East meet West fictional city of San Fransokyo and of course, the lovable robot Baymax - which looks like a fluffy Michelin Man with the soul of Wall-E. Baymax is lovingly awkward, caring and full of heart; “On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate your pain?" :)

p/s: Since Big Hero 6 is a collaboration between Disney and Marvel Comics, stay right to the end for the post credit scene.

Rating: 7/10

THE BOOK OF LIFE (2014)

Genre: Animated
Running Length: 1:35
Cast (Voice): Diego Luna, Zoe Saldana, Channing Tatum, Ron Perlman, Christina Applegate, Ice Cube, Kate del Castillo, Hector Elizondo
Director: Jorge R. Gutierrez

Ahhh..."death", one of my favourite subjects. To be specific, it's actually the concept of mortality explored in films that has always fascinated me. So it was with great expectations I went into THE BOOK OF LIFE, an animated film (targeted at young audiences) which used Mexico's Day of the Dead celebration as the canvas to paint its story. Although it's heavily sugar coated, I must say this movie is surprisingly effective in exploring the serious subject of death. Although the narrative has many layers; the main story is actually told by a museum tour guide to a group of kids and the story narrated has 3 worlds with many characters crossing over from one world to another, it was actually quite easy to follow. However, the plot could have benefited with a "less is more" treatment as towards the second half, it was trying very hard to jam packed the remaining minutes with almost everything from the Pixar playbook; being true to yourself, sacrifice, friendship, forgiveness etc. If the writers could have just focused on the romantic triangle plot and perhaps dive deeper into the subject of mortality, it would have been a much better viewing experience. And speaking of that, this is indeed an experiential movie. The landscape is bright and colorful even though it's filled with skeletons and skulls. The characters (especially the supporting cast) are strangely shaped and odd-sized but compelling nevertheless. And the song choices are inspired and creative, especially the recognizable pop songs which are sung with a dash of Mexican flair and passion.

(The desire to experience Mexico's Day of the Dead celebrations has just gone up a few notch in my bucket list!)

Rating: 7/10

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2 (2014)

Genre: Animated

Running Length: 1:42

Cast: (voices) Jay Baruchel, Cate Blanchett, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera, Djimon Hounsou, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Kit Harrington

Director: Dean DeBlois

When How To Train Your Dragon came out in 2010, it was the best movie experience for me. It got everything right; the flight sequences in 3D were exhilarating, the story had a lot of heart and of course, the super adorable Toothless. So, HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2 had an impossibly high expectations to clear no matter how hard I tried not to have one. Well, I didn't walk out with the same wonderment I experienced from the first movie but that said, HTTYD2 is a superior sequel considering how the film making industry works (Anytime a movie especially an animated one scores big at the BO, it instantly becomes a "trilogy". Creativity goes out the window but who cares as long as it hauls in the money). Thankfully, rather than retreading more of the same, the film makers chose to expand the scope and yet retaining all the elements that made the first one a success. The events in this sequel takes place 5 years after and thus, it explores the theme of growing up and finding out "who am I and what's my calling." Fortunately it didn't go all Shakespeare as there are plenty of action scenes, but the tone is darker and more complex than the original. There is a "everything's not going to be all right" feeling throughout the movie. Visually it doesn't offer anything groundbreaking but there is one BIG standout "mano-a-mano" battle scene which was jaw dropping. That scene itself justified the IMAX 3D surcharge. The relationships between the key characters are properly fleshed out especially the incredibly touching bond between Hiccup and Toothless; so much so it mattered deeply in the film's single most powerful scene.

Rating: 7.5/10

THE WIND RISES (2014)

 

Genre: Animated
Running Length: 2:06
Cast: (voices)  Hideaki Anno, Miori Takimoto, Hidetoshi Nishijima, Masahiko Nishimura, Steve Alpert, Morio Kazama, Keiko Takeshita, Mirai Shida, Jun Kunimura, Shinobu Otake, Nomura Mansai
Director: Hayao Miyazaki

Hayao Miyazaki's THE WIND RISES is an ambitious historical drama attempting to cover many grounds; moral implications, romance, sacrifice, ambition, autobiography, legacy and the value of imagination.  It tells of a fictionalised account of the life and times of Jiro Horikoshi, the designer and engineer of Japan’s Zero plane. (The Zero fighter plane, which put Japan on the map in World War II, was a long-range aircraft with a high degree of maneuverability) Unfortunately, the movie's bloat prevents it from taking off and soaring into the sky. Granted that this is a down-to-earth serious story ie. no parents being turned into pigs, no moving castles and no fish-girls turned into humans, but it's just too slow moving. The first two thirds of the film drags and haphazardly stumbles between what's real and the many dream sequences as Jiro goes through various breakthroughs in construction and design. Thankfully, there was a lift in the final act where the audience will witness one of the most moving and beautiful love story ever filmed drawn. And speaking of animation,  the hand-drawn style embraced by Miyazaki is as per expected; rich, smooth and pays alot of attention to details ie. it is visually stunning.

Rating: 4/10

 

THE LEGO MOVIE (2014)

Genre: Animated/Stop Motion
Running Length: 1:32
Cast: (voices) Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Will Ferrell, Morgan Freeman, Liam Neeson
Director: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller 
 
THE LEGO MOVIE is indeed for ages 5 and above. In recent years, not many animation/stop-motion films have successfully catered to both kids and adults but LEGO fits right in there. And I dare you to see this and not want to go directly to Legoland JB or go to the store to buy a box when the credits roll. The script is smart and satisfying. The humour is delightfully random and the pace is infectiously energetic. The plot is simple; an ordinary Lego "man" discovering his calling to save the world as he's the Chosen one. But how the story unfolds is OTT and bordering mayhem, with many different random characters from the Lego universe coupled with explosions, horses and spaceships -  it looked like something out of a mind of a creative child placed in a room filled with Legos. This is done intentionally as the emotional last act reveals there is more to things than initially meets the eye. The world of Lego should match the expectations of fans as everything looks like it was assembled using Lego blocks; when the main character takes a shower, it's "Lego water." When fire erupts, it's "Lego fire." Although The Lego Movie seems to be preaching an anti-capitalist message but it's a sly move from the toy makers - the film seems to be marketed as an "animation to entertain small kids" but it's actually designed to sell more Lego toys and expand (and diversify) the Lego empire. And now, that's smart.

Rating: 8/10