TROLLS

Voices of:  Anna Kendrick   Justin Timberlake   Christopher Mintz-Plasse   Zooey Deschanel  

Christine Baranski   Russell Brand   John Cleese   James Corden   Jeffrey Tambor

       I think kids will really take to this animation with simple messages that will be meaningful to them, delivered in eye-catching, colorful visual effects.  The message is basically pitting “look on the bright side of life” against “look out; they’re out to get you.”  And further, that true happiness is inside all of us; it’s up to us to find it.  The film also demonstrates that making friends of enemies is ultimately life-saving.

       The story is that the Trolls are too exuberant with their singing, dancing, and hugs which are put forth by King Peppy (Tambor) and his daughter Poppy (Kendrick).  For good reason, which we find out why later, Poppy’s friend Branch (Timberlake) turns away from what he sees is nonsense and further endangers the Trolls because their loud parties inform the Bergens of their whereabouts.  Bergens are dour beings who are huge grouches, convinced that eating Trolls is the only way they can be happy.

         Despite Branch’s warnings, the Bergen king’s chef (Baransky) who has been banished because she hasn’t served Trolls for 20 years sees and hears the partygoers and manages to grab a half dozen of them to take back to King Gristle (Mintz-Plasse), thereby getting back into his good graces.  King Gristle is too young to have ever tasted Troll happiness and was told by his father (Cleese) that he never would.  Her bounty certainly does get her forgiven, and she is gleeful with her newly regained power.

     Meanwhile, Poppy feels guilty about not listening to Branch’s warning, and feels responsible for the Trolls that got into the Chef’s hands.  The Troll mantra, “No Troll left behind”, prompts her to go to the land of the Bergens and rescue her friends.  At first, Branch refuses to go with her, but does show up on the trail, knowing that Poppy will need his help.  Most of the rest of the film is about their ruses and adventures in rescuing the prisoners, which involves making friends with the scullery maid Bridget (Deschanel) and doing a little matchmaking.

       The soundtrack has a number of original songs, the most important being “Can’t Stop the Feeling” by Justin Timberlake (who served as music producer), which won Best Song from the Hollywood Film Awards.  The singers include Timberlake, Anna Kendrick, Zooey Deshanel, Gwen Stefani, and James Cordon along with others.  Paul Simon’s “The Sound of Silence” is inserted during a key moment, drawing chuckles from the audience.  The original score is by Christophe Beck. 

       Cinematographer Young Duk Jhun, who has had experience with visual effects (The Croods, Monsters vs. Aliens, and Over the Hedge) is joined by the Production, Art, Visual Effects, and Animation artists to create a beautifully rendered show, brought together by Co-directors Mike Mitchell and Walt Dohm (with previous contributions to Shrek and SpongeBob SquarePants films).  The ways in which the Trolls use their hair is definitely clever sometimes humorous, and part of the fascination in Trolls.

Although not a groundbreaker, the music, visual and special effects, and heartwarming messages, gives Trolls high entertainment value, particularly for young children.

Grade:  B                                    By Donna R. Copeland

ROCK THE KASBAH

Bill Murray   Zooey Deschanel   Leem Lubany   Kate Hudson   Bruce Willis

            Rock the Kasbah is billed as a comedy, but it’s really one huge absurdity.  Now, if absurd is always funny to you, then you will enjoy the picture.  A washed-up agent for musicians, Richie (Murray), stumbles on a chance to go on a USO tour in Afghanistan, and takes his young client (Deschanel) who is begging to sing her own songs.  From the plane trip over, it becomes clear that she is not up to the “adventures” that seem to be in store for her, especially when they find Kabul is on lock-down and bombs are going off in the streets.  Needless to say, she doesn’t last long, and Richie has a major dilemma.  Will she return in time for the performance?  Where are his credit cards and money?

            To cope with his grief, Richie visits an ambitious American woman (Hudson), who knows an infinite number of ways to make him feel better.  They become friends and eventually partners in his business.

            As one of the sub-plots, Richie gets involved with some gun/ammunition dealers and winds up in a small village.  In the evening when he goes for a walk, he hears singing that stops him in his tracks.  The singer is so talented he must find her and contract to be her agent.  (It only takes a handshake, mind you; no one needs a contract because his word is good.)  That this is a Muslim country and women are prohibited from singing in public, especially (God forbid!) in English(!), is no deterrent for the supremely confident Richie. 

            Of course, he is able to locate Salima (Lubany) and plans are made to enter her in Afghanistan’s counterpart to our “American Idol.”  She sings once, and is a hit; however, being a loyal and obedient daughter, her ambivalence emerges, and it’s not clear whether she will compete in the second round for her chance to win. 

            Intrigue, challenges, and conflicts abound, and it’s touch-and-go as to whether Richie will even be able to survive, much less finally score a hit.

            Murray is a fine comedian, and does his “stuff” here, but I think it’s the script by Mitch Glazer that lets him down.  We see/hear none of the cleverness that elicits spontaneous chuckles from the audience, as in his role in Moonrise Kingdom and other films.  The same thing happens to Bruce Willis, a proven artist; his character should be hilarious, but it falls flat too. 

            And of course, Barry Levinson is an acclaimed producer/director/writer, but for some reason, his talent doesn’t come across here. 

            In addition to the script, I think that perhaps the problem with the film is the choice of Afghanistan, a Muslim country, as a setting.  So much tragedy and outright horrors of all kinds have taken place there, it’s incongruent and rather insensitive to make it the setting for a comedy.  I also wonder how well received the story will be by Muslims, as they are not shown in a very good light (backward and war-like).  Why was Afghanistan chosen? 

Bottom line:  Avoid this film if you are politically sensitive and look for clever comedy.

Grade:  D                                    By Donna R. Copeland