BOB'S BURGERS

 Voices of:  Kristen Schaal     H. Jon Benjamin    John Roberts     Dan Mintz     

Eugene Mirman     Kevin Kline     Zach Galifianakis     Aziz Ansari     Larry Murphy

         I overheard an audience member in the screening I attended say that he didn’t like the televised version of Bob’s Burgers at first, but it grew on him and he eventually got to watching it regularly.  I’ve never seen one episode, so you can imagine my reaction during the first fifteen minutes of the movie.  What was said about the television show “Seinfeld”? Yeah, that it was “a show about nothing.”  And that was my reaction to Bob’s Burgers Movie—it was amusing but didn’t engage me.  It seemed like I was wasting my time. 

         It is, however, a kind of low-key comedy that I can appreciate others really liking.  Writer/Co-director (with Bernard Derriman) Loren Bouchard, who was largely responsible for the television series, has produced an appealing movie version with many/most of the same actors as on television.  That and the wry comedy and “adventure” means that fans of the show are very likely to adore the movie.

         Action centers around young Louise Belcher (Schaal, whom I have long admired) responding to a taunt at school making fun of her hat with rabbit ears, calling her a “baby”, and accusing her of being a fraidy-cat.  Louise is outraged at the same time she is already worried about her parents’ losing Bob’s Burgers because the bank is calling in their loan.  And oh yes, a large sink hole has manifested itself right outside the front door of the burger place, keeping customers away.  Well, this is certainly not a “show about nothing.”

         Louise’s compulsion to prove her bravery puts her in detective mode, which means she proceeds to solve a murder (the body was found in the sink hole), aided only by her two siblings Tina (Mintz) and Gene (Mirman). 

         Solving a murder, trying to save a business, dealing with school, and getting into a wealthy family’s dynamics—all of this is put together in a meaningful way to tell a story that is entertaining and has some substance.  As I have been writing my review of Bob’s Burgers, more features that I can admire have come to mind.  In addition to the creativity involved in weaving together such disparate elements into a meaningful whole, I especially enjoyed various characters solving their problems by using made-up characters and sequences in their imagination.  

         Hmmm.  It sounds like I might be one of those viewers who initially discount Bob’s Burgers, then end up thinking there is more to it than I initially thought.

 

Bob’s Burgers Movie is a story with characters that eventually grow on the viewer—enough apparently to warrant over 100 episodes of the Belcher family on Fox TV.

 

Grade:  B                    By Donna R. Copeland

THE ICE AGE ADVENTURES OF BUCK WILD

Voices of:  Vincent Tong     Aaron Harris     Utkarsh Ambudkar

Simon Pegg     Natalia Martinez     Ray Romano     Queen Latifah

This is an Ice Age adventure in the usual Disney vein.  Typically, in the franchise’s tradition, some current universal issue is addressed (e.g., climate change, its threats and others’ to animals and to earth), along with changes in relationships within small groups, like a family or a herd, facing a major threat.  This one focuses on children ready to leave home, pitting their urges against the common parental holding on, and changes that take place in relationships across time.

            In a previous version of Ice Age (e.g., Continental Drift) it is Manny (Romano) who has trouble letting his daughter Shira leave home; in Adventures of Buck Wild, it is Ellie who wants to keep their adoptee possums, Crash (Tong) and Eddie (Harris), from striking out on their own.  Various points are made about their not being ready to be on their own range from “You’re not ready” (Ellie) to “it’s about time” (Manny)—perspectives that will be familiar to all.

            As we follow the possums sneaking out to forge their own futures, we are taken with them on numerous adventures that make them question their decision to leave home, some of which are treacherous.  Notably, although they do reconnect with their old savior Buck Wild (Pegg) after entering the “Lost World”, earth’s most dangerous place where ancient dinosaurs rule, they will still go through numerous trials, concluding with the usual Disney ending when points are made about sticking together as a family/herd and care and concern about others.

            The biggest threat in this story is evidenced by Orson (Ambudkar), the animal with the big brain who wants to rule the world.  The familiar narcissistic traits of such a personality are apparent, which make it easy to dislike him.  But although autocratic regimes (accurately portrayed in this rendition) wanting power are familiar to all of us, there is little insight in this film about how to counteract such entities.  Simply resorting to old—previously relevant—strategies about sticking together or wreaking vengeance is not going to do it.  There have to be reasons for sticking together—not just something like “we’re a family.”

            This production is an example of a franchise that has outlasted its relevancy, despite its efforts to relate to the modern world.  Yes, we know about climate change and the difficulty personal relationships undergo across time, but what to do, really?  

            This is a cartoon not expected to give us profound insights, but it would have been nice to see some clever insight—even comedic—that would give us a clue.  There are encouraging statements made about change across time—its benefits as well as the anxiety it produces, and about how despite change, some elements such as a person’s basic identity remain the same.  It is a bit amusing to see how personal responsibility is modelled in the echoing arguments about “it was my fault”, “no, it was my fault.”  

However, I can’t imagine anyone maintaining interest in this franchise across all its repetitious 20-year iterations.  It’s likely that only newcomers will engage with this one, the latest.

 

Oh, to be transported to a universe—even a fanciful one—where today’s problems would be addressed intelligently.

 

Grade:  C                              By Donna R. Copeland

 

ENCANTO

Voices of:  Stephanie Beatriz     John Leguizamo     Maria Cecilia Botero

Diane Guerrero     Jessica Darrow     Ravi Cabot-Conyers

             Encanto starts out being charming and a bit too much like a typical Disney movie.  It’s rather sugary and hypomanic.  Many of the words in the rap singing will go over many people’s heads, but the viewer easily gets the impression that the household is a most happy place, and that the Madrigal family’s powers to do good for the community make them beloved.  Abuela (Botero) is especially proud of what she established after she lost her husband.

            But there are some sad notes—young Mirabel (Beatriz) is the only one who has never received her “door” unlocking a special power as everyone else has.  One of them can lift remarkable loads, one can make flowers grow, one has healing powers, for instance, but Mirabel is not known for any special gift, even though she is told over and over that she herself is special.  She is sharp enough to sense that people are covering up something.

            Blessed with a big heart and always wanting to help, Mirabel is also rambunctious in her efforts, and may leave destruction in her wake, which is sad because her aim is always to help and make her family proud of her.  Family members identify her with an uncle named Bruno (Leguizamo)—whose name is not to be mentioned.  As one song says, “We don’t talk about Bruno, no no no!”  

            And this is key to one of the messages of the movie—not talking about things is often an indication of their importance.  When Mirabel chases after Bruno—who is said to have moved away from town—she is told not to look for him.  But cousin Luisa (Darrow) has let it slip that Mirabel should go to Bruno’s Tower to find answers to her questions after certain powers seem to be slipping away from some family members and Mirabel has received warnings about the magic of the house disappearing.

            It did this psychologist’s heart good when Encanto begins to reveal that family secrets often hold the key to whatever might be ailing it.  It’s at this juncture that Encanto becomes so much more engaging and more than simply an entertaining animation.  Because despite family remonstrances, Milabel forges ahead and learns valuable information that—although painful and disruptive—heals wounds that no one in the family wants to acknowledge.

            So, what for me started out as mere fluff and almost boring turned into something that caught my attention and made me smile and respect the film so much more.  Many psychological insights and moral principles tumble out in the last half of the story, which then illuminate the first half.

            Production design (Ian Gooding and Lorelay Bove) and the other crafts of animation and effects make Encanto a first-rate story of magical realism, and Lin Manuel Miranda’s stamp on production and music is apparent.  It puzzles me that the filmmakers elected not to put in subtitles for the Spanish-speaking/singing parts, unless perhaps to make the point that Americans need to learn the language, considering that Latinos will be the dominant ethnic group in the USA sometime soon.  It would actually be helpful for some of us to see subtitles for the rap portions as well, which go by so rapidly they’re not understood by many.

            Encanto is likely to appeal to general audiences who will be fascinated by the crafts, appreciate the emphasis on the value of family, and recognize some of the traits of families that cause problems or make them successful.  This movie is more than fluff.

 

Family secrets once aired can be healing and even be a salvation.

 

Grade:  B                              By Donna R. Copeland

THE ADDAMS FAMILY 2

Voices of:  Oscar Isaac     Charlize Theron     Chloe Grace Moretz     Nick Kroll

Snoop Dogg     Bette Midler     Bill Hader     Javon ‘Wanna’  Walton

            Silly; as it’s meant to be.  This version’s entertainment focuses on Dr. Strange (Hader) who is claiming that there was a mix-up at Wednesday’s (Moretz) birth and that she is actually his daughter.  “Isn’t it obvious?”, he says; she clearly has inherited his scientific talents.  This seems to play into Wednesday’s recent plans where—she being a teenager—is feeling ashamed of her parents and disgusted with her brother and wanting to get away.  The Addams parents try to hide the identity of Strange’s lawyer from Wednesday after the lawyer pays them a visit, but of course it’s only a matter of time before she figures out who he is.

            Sensing his beloved daughter’s distancing, Gomez (Isaac) decides it’s time for a family vacation, a trip across the United States.  His wife Morticia (Theron) agrees, saying, “Of course; we have some of the best dark secrets, as countries go.”  As part of the family, brother Pugsley (Walton), Uncle Fester (Kroll), and Lurch (Carel Struycken) will all board a contraption to be driven by Fester, discovering the wonders of America, all while being tailed by the lawyer and his thug.  

            A trip to Salem gets cancelled because Fester sees a sign to Niagara Falls and immediately veers in that direction.  From there, they will make their way to The Alamo in San Antonio, the Grand Canyon, and finally to Death Valley, which was to be their final destination, except…they must do a detour to Sausalito and the home of Dr. Strange, because Gomez and Morticia are not about to cede their daughter to Strange.

            The story and animations in the 2-version are entertaining, although I imagine that those who have seen previous versions of the Addams Family may find it repetitious.  My favorite character is Wednesday who shows a delightful mixture of insight and acerbity and is almost unerringly logical.  When she wins a science contest along with all the other participants, she declares with a harumph, “How can I be a winner when there are no losers?”  After she gives her father the one hug he has been longing for and is ready for another, she refuses, saying, “I’ve been socially distancing since birth.”  These are subtle comments about our current time that I found amusing.

            I find the cruelty of Wednesday toward her brother hard to take, although I realize that’s the kind of “pratfall humor” many enjoy.  I find the rationalizing of the parents endearing and refreshing, as they use every means they have at their disposal to bring her back to their fold.  I like the movie’s message of tolerance—even admiration—for strangeness; that’s probably a hallmark of the Addams stories.

            

Although Addams Family 2 is not something of a new sensation or profound in its insights, I can easily see how many people will find it enjoyable, endearing, and funny.

 

Grade:  C+                            by Donna R. Copeland 

PAW PATROL: THE MOVIE

 Voices of:  Tyler Perry     Ron Pardo     Will Brisbin

Keegan Hedley     Iain Armitage     Marsai Martin

Kids are going to love this.  But adults are too, with the spoofs, clever writing, references to current world issues, and ingenious special effects.  Developed from a Canadian computer-animated television series in 2013, writers Billy Frolick, Cal Brunker, and Bob Barlen adapted it into this movie, directed by Andrew Hickson and Cal Brunker.  

The Paw Patrol, headed by Ryder (Will Brisbin), is able to step in and rescue the citizens of Adventure City when their corrupt newly “elected” mayor (Ron Pardo) creates one disaster after another.  Mayor Humdinger (an apt name) displays his narcissism and hyperbole in usurping control over the weather, a fireworks display, jailing all dogs in the city (he favors cats, which hover around him), making the subway system a flawed looped ride, and finally, building “the tallest” building in the city. 

Writers have cleverly worked in current issues of today—corrupted politics, climate change, news media, diversity—even PTSD and conflict resolution modes.  I am truly awed by the way the filmmakers have woven together such important subjects within a completely entertaining movie for children.  This is one of the few films I’ve seen that are so successful in weaving together such disparate but important topics within an animated movie for children.

Tyler Perry has a small role in the beginning when he is rescued by the Paw Patrol   and “to the rescue” Chase (Armitage), after his huge truck gets suspended on a bridge.  He has absolutely no confidence in such a team rescuing him, but after their success, he has a new respect for the team, and the movie proceeds with the derring-do of the Paw Patrol.

Music by Heitor Pereira and animation by Mikros—along with all technicians involved and the primary showrunners and actors—make this a must-see movie.  

 

A rare find:  A movie for children and adults that provides pleasures for both groups.

 

Grade:  A                                          By Donna R. Copeland

 

RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON

 Voices of:  Kelly Marie Tran     Awkwafina     Isaac Wang     Daniel Dae Kim

Gemma Chan     Benedict Wong     Sandra Oh     Alan Tadyk

            This is straight Disney from the Americanized dialog to the characters dressed like Asians but bearing little resemblance to them.  If you don’t mind that—and many don’t—it’s an engaging story about a fractured people getting separated into factions and coming back together on the basis of trust.  Although the creators didn’t have it in mind, they realize now that it has resonance today in the need for trust and a pandemic characterized as “Druun” in the movie.

             It begins with Raya’s (Tran) close relationship with her father, Benja (Kim), but with differences of opinion between the two about the world.  Benja has maintained a hope that the people of Kumandra could reunite into a trusting, peaceful state once again like it was when dragons existed and before the Druun destroyed all of them.  But there is one dragon left, Sisu (Awkwafina) which has survived with the charge of destroying the Druun and reuniting all the factions of Kumandra:  Spine, Heart, Talon, Fang, and Tail.

            Adventures follow, with Raya leading a charge forging battles with the other factions.  She has enlisted Sisu, the one existent dragon, into their cause.  Sisu is not as one would expect; she is witty, good-hearted, and entirely a peace-making figure.  It will take a while for Raya to begin to understand her way of thinking. 

            Strengths of the movie include primarily female protagonists in an action movie with emphasis on friendship between women, ending the story with some ambiguity for the viewer to fill in the blanks, and a theme that is topical for our time.

            The movie is colorful with Disney-quality graphics and sure to captivate the middle age to teen age crowd.  I doubt that younger children will enjoy it beyond the color and the intriguing figures.  It does have a message about trust, but one that is rather naïve and simplistic to my way of thinking.  

 

Good female models in an action movie that is topical for today.

 

Grade:  A                              By Donna R. Copeland

SOUL

Voices of:  Jamie Foxx     Tina Fey     Daveed Diggs     Angela Bassett     Phylicia Rashad

     This is a Pixar movie renowned for its colorful history of bringing movies to children (e.g., the Toy Story series, Finding Nemo, Inside Out, Up, Coco, The Incredibles, Monsters Inc.).  In Soul, it is up to its reputation in superb animation and graphics, characterization, and music (Jon Batiste, Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross).  Whether or not children will grasp the intended principles planted in the script is yet to be seen. It has a “smell the roses while you may” quality to it that adults will clearly get, and its treatment of death will be meaningful to them as well.  Perhaps children will be entertained primarily by the imaginative animation, design, and effects…and watching Joe’s ungainly navigation and the spunky cat, 22.  

     The story is that Joe (Foxx), a middle school band teacher is gifted in his work, but aspiring to be a jazz musician, much against the advice of his mother (Rashad).  When he gets talked into an audition with the Half Note combo led by Dorothea (Bassett), he nails it and forgets about teaching.  In fact, he is so excited he’s not careful where he’s going and steps into a manhole, losing consciousness.  

     The writers Pete Docter (director as well), Mike Jones, and Kemp Powers have invented a “holding” place for Joe to go while he awaits his final destiny.  He freaks out when he realizes where he’s going and runs backwards trying to escape.  Where he ends up is a place populated by little amorphous beings yet to be born, one of which is the misfit 22, who has never found that spark that will light up her life.  Somehow during this time, a mistake is made in assignments, and Joe gets assigned to be a mentor to 22.  After bickering with one another, they find a loophole in the system and manage to get themselves transported back to earth, where Joe hopes to rejoin the combo and be a jazz musician.  But after they land, he is in a hospital bed with a cat the nurses have given him as therapy.  In another accident of fate, 22 the cat ends up in Joe’s body and he in hers, but despite everything, they manage to escape the hospital and head toward the Half Note.

     There are plenty of adventures along the way and the insights they each gain about life will be passed on to the viewers in story-like fashion.  Jamie Foxx and Tina Fey as Joe and 22 make up a funny, entertaining duo, and they are finely backed up by Angela Bassett, Phylicia Rashad, and Daveed Diggs.  The music is remarkable in that Jon Batiste (TV’s “The Late Show”) weaves in his elegant jazz into Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’s original score, resulting in an innovative combination.  

     This is one of the few animated pictures that might need subsequent viewings to grasp a complex script and fully appreciate the score.

 

Another Pixar success in a long stream of captivating animated productions.

 

Grade:  A                                    By Donna R. Copeland

WOLFWALKERS

Voices of:  Honor Kneafsey     Eva Whittaker     Sean Bean     Simon McBurney

     In the tradition of previous Irish animated films (Secret of the Kells, Song of the Sea), Wolfwalkers uses hand-crafted animation to bring a 17^thCentury folktale to life for the modern age in female empowerment and animal intelligence.  The artistic, hand-crafted animation of a compelling story make this a contender for the best animation of 2020.  

     As the story goes, Robyn (Kneafsey) has aspirations to be like/with her father, hunting wolves who are destroying the crops and frightening the farmers of Kilkenny.  The most cringing moments (for me), along with the threat of death, were the countless times Robyn’s father (Bean) would not listen to his daughter and the Lord Protector (McBurney) would not listen to him.  There are nail-biting scenes full of danger, so only older children able to tolerate life-threatening drama should see it.  The movie may not be for younger children.

     Robyn is a willful child, and despite her father’s admonition to stay at home and clean the house, she cannot help herself from venturing out with her trusty bird Merlin.  This presents a dilemma for him, as he has promised his deceased wife to protect Robyn at all costs.  He is befuddled by his daughter’s behavior of sneaking out of the house, because he has a moral imperative to obey authority.  When he runs into his daughter in the wild—where the wolves are—he can only state what he has learned.  “Go back home”, “Be a good girl” and “do what you are told.”  “I promised your mother I would keep you safe.”  (Her mother is no longer alive.)  

     The excitement and key to the story comes when on one of her forays Robyn encounters a wolfwalker’s child, Mebh (Whittaker) and they become fast friends.  When they have to help each other they do, but sometimes it is at great risk for both.  Keep in mind that humans can turn into wolves and back again, which requires a certain degree of abstraction on the part of the viewer.  For inspiration, writers/directors Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart took the wolf from mythology—a being that is regarded as wise as a person as well as a partner to humans.  

     Drawings and animations are half of the enjoyment of the movie including the music (Bruno Coulais and the Klia).   But the story is maximally engaging, enhanced by the animation and special effects.

 

For devotees of animation and folklore, this is a movie for you.  Lots of excitement and suspense, all with great depth.

 

Grade:  A                                    By Donna R. Copeland

ONWARD

Chris Pratt     Julia Louis-Dreyfus    Octavia Spencer    Tom Holland    Mel Rodriguez

     This is a fun animated movie that kids are likely to love (and some adults too, based on the guffaws I heard at the screening), with a couple of good messages.  Two brothers live with their solicitous mother, getting along fairly well (except maybe for the older one’s bossiness toward the younger, and his chaotic way of dealing with life).  Ian the younger (Holland) is imminently responsible and sincere, but painfully shy and woefully lacking in self-confidence.  His older brother Barley (Pratt) is just the opposite, never fearing where angels fear to tread, knocking things over and getting into trouble everywhere he turns.  But he is good-hearted, and thinks he is doing a yeoman’s job in helping Ian in the father’s absence.  Their mother Laurel (Louis-Dreyfus) does a heroic job in running interference and trying to bolster Ian’s self-image and tame Barley’s dominating bluster.  Just a typical American family, right?

     On Ian’s 16^thbirthday, Laurel presents the boys with a gift from their father he wanted them to have when they’ve both reached age 16.  Come to find out, their father believed in magic, and gave them something that would pass on his love of the craft. Barley is a bit ahead, being familiar with the Quests of Yore fantasy game, so he coaches Ian every step of the way, even through the “Path of Peril”, with many adventures in between. Their quest is to find the Phoenix Gem that will allow their father to visit them for one day.  The quest constitutes the bulk of the movie, which is complicated by Laurel’s need to keep her boys from harm, and in doing so, she enlists the aid of Manticore (Spencer), a good witch.

     There are a number of clever—even funny twists—in the plot, such as a spell that gets interrupted brings only the bottom half of the father back, but still, he is able to impress the boys with his dance steps and witty communication.  Manticore is a hoot in her blustery problem-solving, grand sweeps, and funky dialog.

     Many symbols of magic are sprinkled throughout the story—as in a fantasy game—with the underlying thrust of helping the brothers come of age, Barley in learning the value of wisdom and thoughtfulness and Ian in developing self-confidence. Storytelling is done in such a way that I think kids will get the messages while still being entertained by the animated production.  

     This is typical Pixar, with stunning graphics and a decent story to go with.  It should be popular, but is not likely to make a big splash.

A tale about two brothers and how magic can bring them together and foster their development, overseen by their parents.

Grade:  C+                                    By Donna R. Copeland

SPIES IN DISGUISE

Voices of:  Karen Gillan     Rachel Brosnahan     Tom Holland     Will Smith

Rashida Jones     Ben Mendelsohn     Reba McEntire     DJ Khaled     Masi Oka

     This is a high-tech animation that the kids in the audience found at the screening I attended to be great fun.  There are the obligatory scenes of puke, poop, and pee; but the story has substance in pitting a nerdy little peace-loving scientist against a macho master spy who always insists on doing his jobs alone and “fighting fire with fire.”  The scientist Walter’s (Holland) response to that is, “Then we all get burned.” Writers Brad Copeland and Lloyd Taylor have inserted segments that make you chuckle and sometimes laugh out loud when the character Walter uses scientific lingo that few would understand—least of all, Lance Sterling (Smith)—like “spectral analysis” and “thermography”, and “exothermic reaction.”  Walter always explains what he is doing, and he comes up with ingenious inventions to get Lance out of trouble:  a robotic hand (which has gone missing!), glitter that obscures the visual field, and then produces serotonin when the field clears and kittens appear, making the gnarliest of bad guys go, “Aw…” There’s even something that produces a giant hug that envelops the bad guy and traps him in its bubble.

     The gist of the plot is that the young budding scientist is encouraged by his mother to be himself, and reassures him that they are a team and she will always have his back.  He takes these lessons to heart, and is more than puzzled when his path crosses that of ace spy Lance Sterling, who has a habit of dismissing everyone as beneath him. Because he doesn’t really see anyone besides himself, he misses young Walter’s gifted talents and actively tries to swat him away like a fly.

But there is something that will haunt Lance when he discovers someone has stolen an asset from him, and is even passing himself off as Lance, damaging his reputation.

     The film has a number of good points, especially the one in which children will see Walter’s persistence in the face of dismissal and discouragement, his maintaining his integrity throughout, and ultimately becomes a hero for his intelligence and creativity.  Also helpful for children is for them to witness Lance’s transformation from an over-confident narcissist to someone who is reduced to a pigeon (a pigeon?? Yes!!) and learning that other beings have phenomenal skills too, and that they know how to function in a team.

     Voices of actors like Tom Holland, Will Smith, and Ben Mendelsohn (playing the bad guy) bring excitement and verisimilitude to the story, backed up by the talents of Brosnahan, Jones, McEntire, Khaled, and Oka.  Music by Theodore Shapiro adds much to the drama and humor of Spies in Disguise.

Spies in Disguise is entertaining, and a great film for kids to see.

Grade:  A                                    By Donna R. Copeland

FROZEN II

Voices of:  Kristen Bell     Jonathan Groff     Evan Rachel Wood     Jason Ritter

Idina Menzel     Sterling K. Brown     Josh Gad     Alfred Molina

     Frozen II is enchanting in the way fairytales are supposed to be, with thrilling visual effects, inspiring story, and imaginative characters—some endearing, some fearful, and some odious.  The film jumps back to when Elsa and Anna are children, and their father tells them the story of Arendelle and his role in it. Arendelle was friendly to another group in the Enchanted Forest and things were peaceful, until something happened to put them at war with each other.  This caused the four spirits of Air, Water, Fire, and Earth to create an impenetrable mist to descend on the forest, so that neither group could live there any more.

     Jump forward to the present when sisters Elsa (Menzel) and Anna (Bell) are grown up and thriving in their beloved Arendelle.  But Elsa, who has special powers with ice and snow, starts hearing voices in song calling to her.  She eventually feels it so strongly, that she is determined to enter the Enchanted Forest (described to her by her father) now covered in mist. Anna begs to go with her, and she finally relents, but suddenly, Kristoff (Groff)—trying desperately to protect Anna—riding on Sven the reindeer, and Olaf (Gad) the snowman are in the entourage.  

     On the treacherous journey, they’ll encounter numerous obstacles that will test their courage and strength.  Right off the bat, when a few try to penetrate the mist, they are abruptly thrown back on their rears.  They will have to go through the spirits of air, water, fire, and earth and use them to their advantage in order to get the answer they’re seeking and return home.

     At one point, Elsa decides she has to persist on her own, and takes off, leaving the others behind.  After forging through harrowing obstacles, she encounters family members of the past, learns crucial information about what happened, and solves the problem.  Not without her sister, however; one point of the story is the importance of working together and communicating to one another.  

     I imagine that most children will love this story, and it has many gems for them about the importance of history, human needs for family and friends and their communication and cooperation in achieving tasks, and the value of hope. 

     Frozen II, like the previous Frozen, is a musical, with characters breaking out into song, always expressing the character’s experience and furthering the story.  Christophe Beck, composer, has played an essential role in this, which is one of the eloquent aspects of the story.  All the writers (directors Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee, Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez, Allison Schroeder, and Marc Smith) deserve artistic credit for weaving a captivating story with heart and soul.

Do take your children/grandchildren to see Frozen II to delight, inspire, and thrill them.

Grade:  A                                    By Donna R. Copeland

ABOMINABLE

Voices of:  Chloe Bennet     Tenzing Norgay Trainor     Albert Tsai     Eddie Izzard     Sarah Paulson     Tsai Chin

     This is a kid-friendly adventure with a delightful mixture of pure fantasy, thrills, magnificent scenery, and good-natured playfulness, while reminding viewers of the importance of home, family, memories, and paying attention to grief and hardship—all substantive values we want our children to learn.

     “Abominable” is a reference to a mythical creature supposedly living in the mountains of Asia.  His other name is “Snowman”, which the filmmakers have exploited for visual purposes by presenting him as a big furry snowball to detract from his yeti reputation of being a dangerous character.  

     In this story, a yeti appears out of nowhere into a teen girl’s life quite by accident. We’re not told immediately how he got to where he is, but he’s in a big city when he spots a travel billboard with a picture of Everest on it and runs toward it, thinking it is his home.  But he’s actually in Yi’s rooftop secret playhouse.  As they get acquainted with each other and begin to be able to communicate, the threat of a helicopter with a bright light looms overhead, and Yi realizes it is searching for “Everest”, as she has named him.  The yeti has enormous eyes and is somewhat clumsy, but he has a quick mind and an eye for danger. When he keeps gazing longingly at the Everest billboard, Yi (Bennet) knows he is wishing to go home, and she intends to get him there.  And as one character says in the course of the story, “When Yi sets her mind on something, nothing is impossible.”

     Getting Everest home will be a journey with obstacles no one on the trip could predict.  Two other kids manage to come along; Jin (Trainor), Yi’s responsible cousin, and his little brother Peng (Tsai).  But the major concerns for them are Mr. Burnish (Izzard), a collector of exotic animals, and his colleague, Dr. Zara (Paulson), a zoologist, who are in hot pursuit.  The intentions of these two are questionable right from the start.  They will be tailing the small party, trying desperately to trap them for various purposes, but primarily in the interest of their reputations—(just one of the many enlightening models offered by the filmmakers for children’s benefit).

     Yi is depicted as grieving for a now absent father and trying to compensate for the loss by earning extra money, honoring his dream of taking her to exotic places in the world, and being the best violin player she can be with his violin left to her.  Jin is portrayed at first as a fashion-absorbed teenager who seems to be preoccupied with popularity and appearance, but later, is shown to have protective feelings toward his cousin (unbeknownst to her; she will only discern this much later) and his little brother.  Peng is a typical child who recognizes the yeti as a peer, letting Yi realize that Everest is only a child who misses his mommy and daddy.

     The Abominable story is engaging for all ages of children, providing excitement, mystery, and enchanting fantasies—a delightful “action film” for them, with models for learning rather than violence for thrills so common in action films for adults.  As with today’s action figures, Everest has special abilities he introduces with a humming sound that transport the kids out of danger more than once.  Blueberries are used in one trick, which produces tittering delight from the audience.

     Writer Jill Culton and her co-director Todd Wilderman are to be congratulated for such an exciting, very contemporary, story that contains many gems of truth. Main characters voiced by the children (Bennet, Trainor, and Tsai) and adults (Izzard and Paulson) are snappy and fun, with well- drawn and animated forms.  Really fine production design (Max Boas), music (Rupert Gregson), and cinematography (Edward Crawford) fit right in with this quality mix to help make it a hit.

An action film for kids with heart, spirit, and delightful humor.

Grade:  A                                    By Donna R. Copeland

THE LION KING

Voices of:  Keegan-Michael Key     Seth Rogen     Donald Glover     Chiwetel Ejiofor     James Earl Jones

John Kani     Billy Eichner     Alfre Woodard     Beyonce     Amy Sedaris     John Oliver     JD McCreary

     What hard lessons for a cub to learn, especially when malevolence is involved! Simba (McCreary as the young Simba) is so proud to be next in line for king, but is so young he doesn’t understand the responsibilities that are part of such an honor.  He sees it initially as more freedoms for him, without regard for others.  He’s impatient, and easily led astray by Uncle Scar (Ejiofor), going where he shouldn’t go and being susceptible to outright lies.  Fortunately, the pride looks out for him, the best they can, especially the hilarious mother hen, Zazu (Oliver), but sometimes, Simba is too much for him, even.  The story contains high risks and tragedies, and although adults are likely to be entertained, it may be a little too heavy for young children.  

     The filming is spectacular (VFX by Rob Legato, cinematography by Caleb Deschanel, production design by James Chinlund), and the varied pace gives the viewer times to simply soak up being in the wild with exotic animals.  Hans Zimmer’s score made up of mixed genres is a definite highlight, sometimes being background and sometimes center stage.

     The story (screenplay by Jeff Nathanson) is mostly captivatingly suspenseful, but has interludes showing community solidarity, loving family life, and Simba’s coming of age experiences and his relationship with his father Mufasa (Jones).  There is plenty of humor too, such as the warthog Pumbaa (Rogen) and his sidekick Timon (Eichner) providing funny “stand-up” routines while being protective of Simba (with an ulterior motive, of course).  

     Romance is supplied by Mufasa and Sarabi (Woodard) in their continuing loving relationship, and the preadolescent/young adult attraction between Simba (Glover) and Nala (Beyonce) when they’re teenager/young adults.  The latter has its humor in the preadolescent phase, when the two friends cannot fathom being married (Ewww!), but then later on clearly being attracted to one another.  

     The Lion King has good modeling for kids, as well, showing them what it means to have community solidarity, nurturance by the older for the younger, and the importance of truthfulness.  I also appreciated their illustrating to children that adults do lie sometimes, so all of them cannot be trusted.  

Hard lessons learned in the transition from cub to king.

Grade:  A                                    By Donna R. Copeland

TOY STORY 4

Tom Hanks     Keanu Reeves     Christina Hendricks     Annie Potts

Joan Cusack     Tim Allen     Tony Hale     Madeleine McGraw     Emily Hahn 

     After the toys have said goodbye to their previous child, Andy, they are getting used to their new child, Bonnie (Hahn).  Woody (Hanks) is hurt that he is not the favorite toy for Bonnie like he was for Andy, but he still has protective feelings toward her, as he has come to have toward all the toys.  It’s kindergarten time for Bonnie, but she is loath to go. Woody sees that she will need his help, so stows away in her backpack to keep an eye on her.  Sure enough, after her parents leave, Bonnie is sad, and when a boy shuns her and grabs her art materials, she is really about to cry.  Woody steps up, rummages through the trashcan, and finds materials she can use to make something. It turns out, he has thrown on Bonnie’s table a fork and other little things like plastic eyeballs which she promptly makes into a toy.  She is so pleased and proud, she names her toy “Forky”.

     The problem is, Forky (Hale) doesn’t want to be a toy (something foreign to him) and keeps charging back to any trashcan he can find.  This will now be Woody’s primary responsibility:  Retrieving Forky for Bonnie every time he runs away. He also has to teach him many things about his new world.  Adventures follow when Bonnie’s family takes a trip in an RV, ending up at a park with a carnival.  Woody’s job is cut out for him, as Bonnie has become so attached to Forky and he keeps running away.  Not only are there adventures and challenges on the road and at the carnival, some of the scariest moments take place in an antique store!  Woody goes to the store when he recognizes a lamp in the window that reminds him of his old friend Bo Peep (Potts).

     Toy Story 4 comes through for children in its addressing—and making an adventure of—some of their deepest fears (abandonment, uselessness, rejection) and the means of coping with them (asking for help, turning to friends, being loyal to one’s own people).  Normal fears are countered with encouragement (“C’mon, you can do this!”) and, sometimes, (“Let it go; it’s not important”). And, ultimately, the film models the value in taking calculated risks in life for the goals of exploration of self and the world, and letting go of comfort and security, at least temporarily.  I have to admit that “Yes, we can-ada!” brought a smile to my face every time.

     Director Josh Cooley lives up to his reputation for Inside Out, Up, and Rataouille in making a film that is appealing to children and adults and, most importantly, speaking to children about important issues.  Production design by Bob Pauley and music by Randy Newman—along with the excellent cast—make this follow-up to previous Toy Storyiterations worthwhile.  

     Cooley and the producers must have had unbelievable influence to pull in A-list actors like Tom Hanks, Keanu Reeves, Jordan Peele, Annie Potts, Mel Brooks, Joan Cusack, Tim Allen, Laurie Metcalf, and Betty White for voicing the major characters.  Music by Randy Newman and production design by Bob Pauley, along with the animation and art crews boost the production to high quality film—shocking for a fourth version of a movie.  Cheers to Pixar and Walt Disney Pictures.

An adventurous, fun children’s movie with substantive messages for kids, and still entertaining for adults.

Grade:  A                                    By Donna R. Copeland

THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS 2

Voices of:  Kevin Hart, Tiffany Haddish, Harrison Ford, Patton Oswalt, Eric Stonestreet

Jenny Slate, Lake Bell, Hannibal Buress, Nick Kroll, Dana Carvey, Ellie Kemper

      Whereas in the first rendition of The Secret Life of Pets, a relatively simple story with lots of excitement is told, in Secret Life 2, the filmmakers opted to have three loosely related story plots alternating with one another.  One story is about the main character Max having to adjust to his owner’s new baby and going for a visit to a farm where he encounters an intimidating bigger dog named “Rooster” (Ford), although Rooster isa dog.  Another is about Max’s friend Gidget (Slate) trying to retrieve Max’s favorite toy, “busy bee”—which he entrusts her with while he is out of town—when it bounces away and ends up in a cat-filled apartment.  The third story is about Snowball (Hart) feeling like a super hero when his owner dresses him up in an action figure costume, and his friend Daisy (Haddish) asks him for help in rescuing a circus tiger from its abusive trainer Sergei (Kroll).  

     In my opinion, this structure becomes a near fatal flaw, because it fragments the plot and literally lurches through three very different settings and intrigues. Max is trying to brave it up on the farm; Gidget and her friend Chloe (Bell) are frantically trying to wrest “busy bee” from one huge snarling cat in a house full of cats, and Snowball and Daisy become action figures in outwitting and outfighting the evil Sergei for the tiger. Try as the filmmakers might, the three stories don’t really come together in the end; we just get a sample of endless chases modeled after adult action movies.  Bravery seems to be the element tying all this together, but by the end, we feel like we’ve seen three different movie shorts.

     The actors voicing the animals do a great job highlighting their characters’ personalities (Harrison Ford, Tiffany Haddish, and Nick Kroll are welcome additions to the first team), the animation and special effects are entertaining, and Alexandre Desplat’s music is an apt accompaniment.  

     Children in the screening I attended giggled and laughed at expected times and seemed to enjoy the film overall; I just wonder how well the younger ones especially followed and kept track of the three plots.

Another peek into the pet world, where challenges and intrigues are aplenty.

Grade:  C                                    By Donna R. Copeland