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The Snoopy Show

To those who know how much I love Snoopy, I will always say that I am in love with the Christmas, Halloween and Valentine’s Specials. Those specials tend to put me in a good mood for birthdays, holidays, graduation and weddings when I have to get gifts for friends and families. My situation with Peanuts movies and specials are:

The Peanuts Movie and A Boy Named Charlie Brown – a birthday gift for my friend from childhood and a friend from college It’ s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown – a birthday gift for my childhood friend and a college friend A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving and Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown – a birthday gift for my sister

A Charlie Brown Christmas – a holiday gift for my family and girlfriend and a birthday gift for two of my friends I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown and Happy New Year, Charlie Brown – an anniversary present for my parents and souvenirs in Hawaii Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown – a Valentine’s Day present for my girlfriend as well as birthday gift, the earliest of the birthday gift being March 1 since her birthday is March 17. It’ s the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown – a birthday gift for my little sister He’s Your Dog, Charlie Brown, Snoopy’s Reunion, The Birth of the Constitution – Graduation gifts, a birthday card for my middle school friend, and a birthday gift for my friend from college

As you can see, that’s the lineup. Yes, I love Snoopy. So does The Snoopy Show live up to expectations? Well, let me get to that.

The Snoopy Show is 6 episodes of 3 vignettes of Snoopy being friends with Woodstock, helping Charlie Brown and his gang, promoting special friendships and love – the whole bit. While I say it does not hold up to the Peanuts specials or some of the movies, I think it’s pretty damn good.

The one thing that is worth feeling concerned but in a good way is that the vignettes take place around the same time of year and have the same themes. I understand that it’s their life stories all year round but they kind of overdo it. I also think the animation is more photoshopped than hand drawn animation. While I admire it, I like how Peanuts stood true to the original cel animation. After the computer generated imagery (CGI) animation that was used in The Peanuts Movie, where Woodstock and some of the other sets and designs look more like Blue Sky Studios’ animation than Peanuts’ animation, I still wanted more from the original animations. However, I do understand how

technology has evolved today compared to what it was back when Schulz originally created the Peanuts cartoons in 1965.

The thing that won’t surprise viewers is that whenever they see all 6 episodes, they will realize that some things will never change: Charlie Brown is still the pessimistic guy whose wishy-washy or wants to talk to The Little Red- Haired Girl, Snoopy is the fun, energetic, and needy puppy dog, Woodstock is Snoopy’s ever mischievous sidekick, Lucy is bossy as ever and Peppermint Patty and Marcy are Charlie Brown’s ever loyal BFFs.

Despite some flaws, The Snoopy Show is a lot of fun and is as entertaining as ever. It may not beat the original Peanuts, but the gang is always the gang, and I’m glad with what I saw.

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The Mandalorian

I’ve seen both Seasons 1 and 2 of The Mandalorian and quite honestly, it is my favorite TV show, despite it released on a streaming network. First off, I’m a huge Star Wars nerd. I’ve always loved the Star Wars universe films, despite 2 or 3 films that I didn’t particularly care for. All in all, I love Star Wars.

I’ve been in love with Star Wars with the exception of Solo: A Star Wars Story. But one of the best recent Star Wars opuses is The Mandalorian, which debuted on Disney+ in November 2019, with Season 2 in October 2020.

The Mandalorian tells the story of a bounty hunter who wants to go on a journey. Initially, he is a serial killer until he finds the wonderful, adorable creature, Baby Yoda. Together they venture on a journey. When there is trouble along the way, The Mandalorian does not take any crap. He eventually meets the bad guy who takes over Darth Vader’s spaceship. Season 2 eventually gets to the fact that he finds the secret of Baby Yoda. Eventually, the space crew decides to kidnap Baby Yoda. When The Mandalorian finds out Baby Yoda’s true identity, he is caught in dilemma whether to keep him or not.

The Mandalorian takes place sometime after Return of the Jedi where we all know that Yoda died in the film. It is more of a space opera than a science fiction movie. The special effects and visuals of the galaxy are so captivating that one would almost want to be there for a visit but not necessarily live there. If Disney World or Disneyland would recreate the set “live,” visitors and tourists would have a field day with this unique experience.

Without giving away the Season 2 finale ending, I have to admit that the relationship between The Mandalorian and Baby Yoda was so touching that I cried.

Jon Favreau has directed other well-received movies such as Iron Man, The Jungle Book and The Lion King. But The Mandalorian is the jewel in the crown. I know he worked on Solo: A Star Wars Story, which I thought was the worst of the Star Wars universe films, and The Last Jedi being one of my favorite of the Star Wars universe films.

Definitely check out The Mandalorian. It is one of the best Star Wars TV series ever. While it’s definitely up there with The Last Jedi, I’ve always wanted to see Star Wars go this route with great atmosphere,

beautiful space, great cinematography, visual effects and eye-popping graphics. It’s definitely worth watching on Disney+.

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The LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special

While I believe that The Mandalorian is the best of the Star Wars TV series and the best of the recent Star Wars universe opuses since The Last Jedi, The Lego Star Wars Holiday Special is one of the best Star Wars animated films, holiday specials and LEGO animated ones yet. Be mindful, however, The Lego Star Wars Holiday Special is a culmination of all the Star Wars films and The Mandalorian episodes replicated and strung together as one animated LEGO film.

The story, well, let’s face it. It is Life Day in the Galaxy and Poe and Finn are ready to put on a holiday party to celebrate. While preparing for the party, Rey pursues her own adventures. She eventually meddles with a time machine and goes back in time where all previous Star Wars movies and The Mandalorian episodes took place. [Not going to lie, the Mandalorian and Baby Yoda reference is the best part of the special] Eventually, this becomes a disaster when she is spotted by Darth Vader and her grandfather (mentioned in The Rise of Skywalker) Palpatine. She has to team up with Luke Skywalker from the original movie to synch everyone in the right place before she can make it in time to the holiday party.

Yeah again, I’m not going to lie for those who have seen The Mandalorian or not, but the reference to him and Baby Yoda was actually my favorite part of the film. The references are corny but that is what you expect from a LEGO film. The dialogue is trying to be humorous and different from the actual film. I have seen this type of humor in previous LEGO cartoons and films: Batman, Justice League, Aquaman. While the humor is corny, the fun and entertainment is in its corniness.

However, I really enjoyed references made to other Star Wars movies. The sequencing of the various Star Wars movies is done well. It did remind me of Avengers: Endgame where the Avengers go back into the time to the first Avengers, Thor: The Dark World and Guardians of the Galaxy to get the Infinity stones in order to bring all of their friends and family back and erase Thanos out of existence. But just a fair warning that if you have not seen any of the Star Wars films or watched The Mandalorian, you’ll be completely confused.

My main observation of The LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special: The world of animation films is constantly changing and has evolved over the years. However, such technological progress is not evident when one looks at one LEGO animation movie after another.

While The Mandalorian is a Star Wars TV series to enjoy, you should definitely get that feel- good vibe with Star Wars Christmas with The Lego Star Wars Holiday Special. It is definitely worth watching.

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The LEGO Star Wars Terrifying Tales

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Lady and the Tramp (2019)

I enjoyed the original Lady and the Trampmovie from many years ago. It’s a classic. I found Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp’s Adventureto be only okay. Lady and the Tramp (2019), which is a remake of the original Lady and the Trampmovie falls short of living up to the two previous films, even though it was released straight to Disney+.

The story - we got a little puppy named Lady who is loved by her owners. However, her owners give birth to a child. They go on a trip leaving Lady all on her own with a babysitter that doesn’t treat her properly. Things go awry between Lady and the babysitter, causing Lady to run away from home. She is obviously lonely and sad being away from home until she meets a funny, feisty dog named Tramp. The two bond quickly and go on a bunch of adventures such as eating at an Italian restaurant and going to a park.

Soon Lady realizes that the most important things in life is her family. Even though she enjoys Tramp’s company, Lady realizes that she really misses her family and goes back home and brings The Tramp along with her. Once they get into the house, the Tramp sees rat in the child’s bedroom and gets rid of it and becomes Lady’s hero. Because of Tramp’s heroic actions, he is adopted by the owners and Lady and the Tramp live happily ever after with Lady’s family.

The remake is exactly like the original movie. The filmmakers did not add anything new and just made a replica that became a Disney+ exclusive. Even though Lady and the Tramp (2019) is a an updated version of the original movie, I did not like the way they updated the plot. The 2019 version of Lady and the Trampdid not seem to reflect what today’s pets go through and therefore, the updated film compared to the original film is jarring.

I think Tessa Thompson did a good job at playing Lady, but I did not like the way Justin Theoroux played the Tramp. In the original animated film, Tramp is a proud hero but also humble, which is what makes him so charming. Theoroux’s tramp, however, makes him come across as a know-it-all bragger and someone full of himself. While their chemistry was good, their vibe towards each other did not grab me. I will admit I felt sorry for The Tramp when his original owner abandon him.

So overall, I did not like the 2019 remake of Lady and the Tramp as much as the original movie. If you want a better Disney+ original, go see The Mandalorian. For now, take your chances.

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Fearless

Fearless is one of the new animated films created by the same studio that made Animal Crackersthat got released straight to Netflix. I’m not the biggest fan of Animal Crackerswhich made me fall asleep, guess what?Fearlessis just as boring. When you get a lot of quality straight-to-Disney DVD sequels, indie animated movies making it to independent movie theaters and a lot of TV and straight to streaming, Fearlessfails to live up to these expectations.

The story centers around a young high school dork named Reid whose science class partner, Melanie, visits him to do a science project. What Reid has to face is the fact that he cannot play video games when he has a lot of homework to do. The babies who are in the video game come into his living room from Reid’s TV screen presumably to distract Reid and cause trouble, because they are probably jealous and not giving him enough attention. So it is up to Reid to send the babies back to their father that is in the video game.

For that matter, Fearlessis not that funny. It is obviously not realistic. The satirical and inappropriate references to video games coming to life copies things from movies like Toy Storyand Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, and that does not work. They think they are being funny with their jokes, but their attempts to make funny jokes fall flat.

While the chemistry between Reid and Melanie is good and takes up most of the movie, how they manage their screen time isn’t all that interesting. It makes the movie basically about the two of them babysitting a bunch of babies from outer space and bringing them back to their family. I think the film could have been enjoyable if they made it shorter by cutting out a few scenes. For example, they should have cut out the scene of them camping in the woods. It was a really pointless scene that had no relevance to the plot. They could have made the story more interesting by focusing on Reid and Melanie and developing their relationship. They could have made it into an interesting buddy movie of how two very different people can work together successfully on a project and send a message to the viewers that you can be friends and buddies with a high school classmate and have a great relationship without dating one another.

So on the whole, I did not like Fearless. Compared to a lot of the animated movies, this one had to be one of the least likeable animated films to come straight to Netflix. If you want a better animated film that is straight to Netflix that has more enjoyable characters, a half decent story, and moments that you can relate to, I would stick with Farmaggedon: A Shaun the Sheep Movie. For a better animated film with characters that I can relate to and spend my time with on a Sunday afternoon, I’m going to stick with Toy Story 4.

Bottom line, this is a movie you are more than welcome to skip.

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Ride Your Wave

While I have been overly fond of GKids for the past few years and I found “Promare” an inexcusable idea for an animated film and obviously one of GKids’ pointless animated movies, “Ride Your Wave” is the exact opposite, and is one of GKids best family films. An instant classic or a grand epic masterpiece? Probably not, but one of the most amazing films I’ve ever seen.

The story - we got a young girl who is spotted by a guy on the beach. Eventually they fall in love with each other and form a unique bond. Unfortunately, the boy dies and his spirit is transported by a falling wave that goes in and out of places. The girl, who is heartbroken and very sad, learns to cope with her grief.

The characters are adorable. There is a lot of charm, emotion and depth and one feels like that they can relate to each of the characters. We feel their sadness. We feel their loneliness, and we admire how they are able to cope with their grief and move on.

The story on top of all of that is amazing. Given that I watch a lot of Japanese animated movies and a lot of foreign films and need to understand the story a bit better, this is one that I understood the most. It’s very heartwarming, emotional and uplifting. It’s got some sad parts and moments that are worthy of many the tissue box.

This movie is animated similarly to “Weathering With You” than “Promare”: hand drawn animation versus Adobe animation. The animation in this film pays more attention to detail and focus. The beach world looks like a place we all want to hang out on a hot, summer day. When the characters are in the water, the scene is so realistic that it makes us feel that we are bobbing up and down in the ocean along with them.

There are a couple of issues I have with this movie. It could have used a little more humor. I wished there were moments where I could have laughed. It was way too serious and I wished there were scenes of comic relief where I could laugh and relax a little. Regarding the music, I liked the Hawaiian-like music with the Ukulele and felt that they should continued with that genre rather than mixing it up with what sounds like Japanese 70s pop music.

So overall, I have to say that I enjoyed “Ride Your Wave,” and I enjoyed it way more than “Promare.” My interest in GKids continues, and “Ride Your Wave” is an adventure you do not want to miss.

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Promare

OK GKids fans, get the hate mail ready. No, really! If you want my email address, ask me after the review, and let me say this…I do not like “Promare.”

*Darth Vader screaming “NOOOO!!!!!”

That’s right. I do not like “Promare.” I do not like the story. I do not like the characters. I do not like the conflict. It is all but a shit show. The story I can sum up in maybe 1 or 2 sentences. After 30 years of recovering from war, many battles go on throughout Tokyo. There. And that’s basically nonsense. (Back to you, Funan, you SOB).

Well, what I admire about GKids is that most of their movies are pretty logical with their animation, storytelling, its target audience, the environment and the atmosphere. While movies like “Funan” don’t tell history accurately and make it sound like garbage, “Promare” tells history that doesn’t exist and people holding a grudge against it. It’s definitely no “Lu Over the Walls.”

While the animation from GKids has very much to offer with its storytelling, “Promare” lacks simplicity. I am okay with the modern day animation that you use from Adobe, hell, I even love Adobe. However, it is clear the story has nothing to do with World War II or any of the relevance that happened 30 years later.

I remember a few scenes where people have fights and meltdowns and they try to calm themselves down. What do they do? This rock and roll music that is so fake. It looks like a person who went to a terrible high school created it when he was in fourth grade and kept it in his portfolio for his college application. I’m sorry. I just don’t think that’s funny.

The villain is very lacking. All he does is fight and act like an absolute moron. Much like the assholes in “Mad Max: Fury Road.” When did they ever get to shut up? I would sound constipated if I had to go through such agony like this.

The plot stinks. It takes made up history of holding a grudge 30 years later after World War II and then fighting robots. Even eight year olds with a Michael Bay type of mind would come up with better ideas than this. There is no message that can teach children and adults. It is mostly people making up garbage and marking it as Japanese animated film.

So yes, I may have said that “Funan” lacked the relevance of history and turned it into crappy animation movie, but “Promare” lacked honesty and truth and made it sound like we live in bull shit land. I’d say if you like, please skip this movie.

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Greyhound

First off, let me tell you that I actually do not have Apple TV. I am waiting to get myself a paid full time job before I even subscribe to Apple TV. I actually saw “Greyhound” on Primewire for free. So that’s that.

But I am a proud Tom Hanks fan with movies such as the recently released movies from the 2010s like “Sully,” “Bridge of Spies,” “The Post,” “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” “Saving Mr. Banks,” as well as movies from the 90s and 2000s such as “Toy Story,” “Forest Gump,” “Saving Private Ryan” and “The Terminal.” Hanks is well known for his leading roles, and most of his roles are iconic, and a part of history. They are also dramatic and very funny.

Yet does “Greyhound” live up to the hype that we all know would come from Tom Hanks? Well kinda. “Greyhound” is actually a good movie, but I do not think it’s a grand, epic masterpiece, but it’s something that we should remember Tom Hanks for.

The story, let me tell you briefly. It is December 1941 during WWII when the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor. Many ships have sailed to fight off an army and many of them died. Of course, it is up to Comdr. Krause (who is played by Tom Hanks) to cut all of them off in order to gain peace and prosperity.

Quite honestly, I feel like I’ve seen this stuff before with other Tom Hanks movies, and even in other war movies like “Dunkirk” and “The Darkest Hour.” The main thing is that the story is very accurate and does tell a piece of history that should be remembered. However, it is clear that the story is a continuation of other history movies that have to do with WWII or in the same time frame as WWII, and there is no new angle. It’s not bad, but it’s pretty much been there, done that.

While I admire Tom Hanks’ acting, I don’t admire some of the other performers. I feel like that they were mostly over there and whenever they play their parts, their imagery is very distracting. I will also make it clear that the visuals for a war movie are very distracting as well. They do not blend in with the cinematography and it can be distracting to the filmmakers behind the scenes as well as the viewers watching the movie.

“Greyhound” has the action sequences, the bomb chases, the explosions - all the ingredients that go into making a quality war movie. However, the visuals just ruin everything. To illustrate the point, let’s compare it with “1917.” In “1917,” we see a lot of visuals and camerawork that was necessary to convey the story. However with “1917,” you can tell there was a lot of time, effort and thought put into making the movie a one-scene film.

But overall, I didn’t mind “Greyhound” as a war movie. Tom Hanks and the action sequences save everything. It’s not the best, but I’d say this is mostly a B. I’m glad I saw it. I don’t think I’ll ever see it again. I’ll give it 4 stars for Tom Hanks’ acting, but I don’t think it’s going to make my Top 10 Best Films of 2020, not even the Honorable Mentions.

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Muppets NOW

I have been a Muppets fans for decades and have enjoyed a lot of movies like “Muppets Christmas Carol” and “The Great Muppet Caper.” I did think “The Muppet Show” was cute but not always that funny. “The Office-” style of “The Muppets in 2015-2016 was mean-spirited and lacking.

“Muppets NOW” is actually cute, but not the best I have seen from Jim Henson. The sketches are relatable to the original Muppet show. It’s a lot of fun, but it mostly mirrors the original show. I’m aware that the Muppet characters are mostly using Zoom to communicate with each other and that is okay given how we are living, working, and socializing today.

I think some of the sketches are very funny. Not all of them. My favorite one is the mole Taco Tuesday that is in Episode 2 and Arton, Cartoons. Those are my two favorite moments in any of the Muppet sketches. I think the Kermit the Frog photo-bombing in Episode 1 is pretty silly and a bit unnecessary.

“Muppets NOW” has different actors doing the voiceovers. The voiceovers for Kermit and Miss Piggy lack the charm of the original. I do not like the new Kermit’s booming voice. I think it’s distracting and off-putting. Miss Piggy’s voice is too shrill and has the resonance of a tin can, and none of the wholesome cuteness of the original Miss Piggy. The only voice I did like was Fozzie Bear’s voice, because he sounds like a warm, fuzzy bear that you just want to cuddle. I don’t think you can top the original voices because it’s more what you’ve grown up with the original Muppets.

Overall, I think “Muppets NOW” is okay. I’ll definitely see more of the episodes as the weeks go by.

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Black is King

While “Hamilton” is the best film of 2020 even though it was only released as a Disney+ exclusive, does “Black is King” live up to that expectation? Ehh, sorta. But that’s actually a good thing. Even though I think “Hamilton” is the far better movie, I actually find “Black is King” one of the best films that Beyonce has starred and produced.

“Black is King” is Beyonce’s music video of her music from the remake of “The Lion King.” I actually think this improves the remake, which I thought was just only okay. The original film had a lot of momentum. It had great story, great characters, great animation, breathtaking moments and a lot of exciting and thrilling moments. It’s probably one of my favorite Disney animated films as a kid. I may have outgrown the film in middle school, but a lot of the Disney animated classics came back to me when I was a student at community college. Watching these movies as an adult, it made me feel like a kid again. 

There are two sides that are good and bad. The only bad thing that I have to say is that it primarily focuses on the songs that have to do with the remake. I’m sure we know that Beyonce starred in the remake as Nala, and I find her performance kinda forced throughout the movie. However, that is why I can understand why the remake is mainly a focus for this music video that is on Disney+. The downside is it’s the focus on “The Lion King” that we never grew up with.

If the focus on the remake of “The Lion King” in this music video does not bother you, then I’m sure you can get through some of the excellent stuff. The music video reflects diversity, and the importance of Black Lives Matter. People are essentially the same regardless of their race, sexuality or gender. People may  look different, dress different or act different and have different opinions. However, regardless of their race, sexuality and gender, differences are to be appreciated and respected.

So overall, I have to say that I loved “Black is King.” As of now, I think the movie will remain #2 on my Top 10 Best Films of 2020 list. Hop on Disney+ and enjoy the music and the meaning of life.

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Abominable

Just when Dreamworks striked a good conclusion with “Kung Fu Panda 3″ and “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World” as great sequels to beloved franchises and then to crappy originals like “The Boss Baby” and “Trolls,” would they strike true blood by making a decent original? Could they prove us wrong by pulling themselves out of the mud and making a movie that works really well?

You know what? “Abominable” actually proved me wrong. It’s very funny. It’s got a lot of good heart, humor, characters, designs, atmosphere, emotions, climax - the whole bit. Well, it still doesn't beat “Toy Story 4,” but that’s okay?

What’s the story. Well I’ll be honored to tell you. A young girl named Ping whose a peasant doing daddy work after her father died and living with her mom and grandma in a restaurant befriends an abominable snowman. What she realizes is that the snowman is lost and needs to go back to the Himalayans. She partners with two young boys but she doesn’t realize that the government is after the yeti.

OK. So you know what? I told the story in a simpler way. But that’s okay because “Abominable” has great heart. All of this depends on the relationship between Ping and the snowman. There’s a unique bonding that ties with in most of the movie and it works well. Even the side characters, you’ll even know they represent a good part throughout the movie. One being the child in the child and the other just blending in. You can feel these emotions and they really work.

The government is actually a well respected government with a bad dilemma. Even if it takes out the whole entire movie in an unnecessary way, it really blends in with the story.

But it’s not only that, the designs of the Asian lands are thoroughly amazing. One can feel an effect shining through a scene of the film and it feels like you are in East Asia.

While I’m glad that Dreamworks made a decent film that’s better than both “The Boss Baby” and “Trolls,” I would not recall saying it’s better than “Toy Story 4″ or nearly as good as “Toy Story 4,” even though that’s a Pixar film, but you know who cares? “Abominable” is breathtaking, funny, adventurous and does everything I want a Dreamworks animation movie to do - especially an original to do. It may not be a classic masterpiece but this made Dreamworks Animation Studios proved me wrong. Skip “The Boss Baby” and check this one out. Because honestly, it is the better movie to see.

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The Boss Baby

Just when you wanted Dreamworks to redeem themselves from making the most idiotic animated film such as “Trolls,” and just when they need to move on from sequels because their company isn’t doing well, does that mean they learned their lesson by making “The Boss Baby?”

Honestly, no.

“The Boss Baby” is not really that funny. It has very clumsy jokes and puns and needs to rethink what the hell it’s doing wrong.

So the story, I’ll dive right into it. “The Boss Baby” tells the story of a young and only child whose parents decide to have a younger brother with him. Obviously the baby causes him trouble, forcing the child to take him back to where babies are from as if the baby never happened.

Alec Baldwin as the main character - can I be honest with you? He’s not really that funny. He has a lot of punchlines, but they are not actual punchlines. They are mostly forced and they come out of no where, and even from the trailers, it still isn’t that funny.

I think the kid who deals with him is really annoying. Most of the time it’s whining and complaining that goes out of no where. Even the parents drive me crazy. As if nobody cares about them, it’s like what the hell am I watching?

But okay, let me see what are some of the good stuff is behind this movie? I give credit to Dreamworks for making the animation look really good. It does feel as if you are feeling actual people. The atmosphere is amazing. There is some humor in it, but not to a good level like Disney. But let’s get to the downside of the humor, it is a lot of punchlines, like “cookies are for closures” and babies having meetings that it really isn’t that funny.

Once in a while, I get a laugh, but not a laugh-out-loud laugh. If I was 16 years old, this would have been the greatest movie I’ve ever seen in my life. But given that I’m close to 30, the jokes will really wear off after the first view.

So in my opinion, if this is the type of humor you as a 16 year old would like, I’d say definitely check it out. But for me, I’m on the other side of “Cars 3.”

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The Farewell

I am very honest. Even though I love “Crazy Rich Asians” but wouldn’t call it an underrated masterpiece but had a lot of meaning - there was a great story, great message, great atmosphere, a lot of symbolism - all of that represents a trademark. But does that go into distinction that it is the best movie that is starring Awkwafina? Honestly, no.

That distinction goes to “The Farewell.” In my opinion, I’d love to describe “The Farewell” as the perfect comedy/drama with lots of great characters, great story, great atmosphere, great cinematography. This is a dramatic marvel.

So what’s the story? We got a young girl who enjoys living New York City life and the life living at Delancy Street. That is until one day, her parents receive a call from her grandmother that she isn’t feeling well. The parents go to Japan for at least two weeks only to find out that the grandmother is fully recovering from her sickness. When the young lady (who yeah we know is played by Awkwafina) finds out she is on good terms with her life, there’s a lot of romance, family get togethers - the whole bit.

Quite honestly, I think the family get togethers doesn’t filter in much of the story. What filters most of the story is the atmosphere behind the scenarios, whether it’s the sightseeings of Japan or China and the life that these asians live in. Even the homes that people live in or the restaurants that we go too represent a significance of what everyday life is like living in another country.

Yeah I can resemble Awkwafina. It is hard to fit in to an everyday life living in another country. I use to feel her feelings if I were to eat too much hash browns for breakfast at McDonalds or go to Starbucks in another country. But that’s just it, I know it’s okay to feel those feelings and even if it is okay not too.

While Awkwafina is guided by her emotions throughout the film, that’s another thing that does not take much of the story away. It’s how she represents herself towards her family. For that matter, I think she has great chemistry with her family. They teach her things and understand what she’s going through and stating that everything will be okay and to learn from your guideness. You can also learn from your past. The mistakes you made are not the ones you make today and there’s a lot to learn from all of that.

Now, the only issue I have with this movie that I’m going to have to disagree with is that I think “The Farewell” is by far a better movie than “Parasite.” Don’t get me wrong, I love “Parasite” for the same things, but I wasn’t a huge fan of the dialogue which involves screaming, sailor talk and cursing. “The Farewell” knows when to go through things like that whereas “Parasite,” they do it a lot and it’s honestly annoying. (We’re not talking about the ending though).

“The Farewell” is overall a perfect comedy and drama that hits points on every levels. It is one not to miss and to wrap up a good summer with a bow and a ribbon. Grab your popcorn, snacks and check it out. And maybe have Chinese food for dinner along the way.

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Trolls and Trolls: World Tour

Oh boy, I hope you like me for what I do.

To be honest, I have to say that while I find most of Dreamworks animated movies to be hit or miss, their biggest fail is the “Trolls” movies. To be honest, it’s not as bad as “Shark Tale,” but it definitely has some issues.

The first film tells the story of a young troll (voiced by Anna Kendrick) who wants to fit in with society. She goes through life with ups and downs and successes or failures. But do all work? Well, I’ll let you fill yourself in on the details. The second film tells the story of a greedy pop star who wants to take over music and it’s up to the trolls to stop her.

OK. Well I honestly don’t remember the first “Trolls” movie but what I remember from the movie was that it was a cute little children’s film that is meant for the eight year olds. I would fall more into the “Moana” category when it was in theaters. “Trolls” definitely had some moments and a lot of good heart. But all that crumbles on the awful dialogue, boring story, lame characterization, cheesy visuals that does take over whether or not it’s a good movie.

“Trolls: World Tour” surprisingly was better than the first film, but it did have some problems. The most important thing I liked about the second film is that I thought the backstory of the villain was really unique and she had a very comfortable vibe. I felt most of the story falls flat with a bigger dilemma and more of a punchline. But the downside is that it really crumbles on its own much like the first film did, regardless it being a better film than the first.

I’m getting exposed to Dreamworks Animation now now that I’m following their Speaker Series as part of work for the summer while I’m trying to survive COVID. I am looking forward to the Dreamworks Original Blu-ray Box Set as I have been getting rid of so many movies that are taking up space and getting box sets, and I never bought “Abominable” on Blu-ray.

If you have children, I’d say definitely watch “Trolls” and “Trolls: World Tour” with them. They will enjoy it. For me, I’m not paying $17 to see this by myself.

[pixarfan517-blog]

1917

I actually wanted “1917″ to win the Oscar for Best Picture over “Parasite.” I’m just telling you that right now. I’m just putting it out there. 

“1917″ tells the story of two WWI soldiers who are sent over to the other side of town to deliver a message to Col. McKenzie. The message is to stop the attack of armies and soldiers in order to avoid falling into a trap. The problem is that one of the soldiers gets attacked on the way making the other lonely and miserable, but still fighting to deliver the message.

What amazes me about “1917″ is that Sam Mendes did a lot to make a one-shot film. And I don’t mean he just did the opening of “Spectre.” No, the entire movie was a one-shot film.

I have to say that “1917″ did remind me of Clint Eastwood’s war movie, “American Sniper.” Mostly the visuals, the story and the theme. We all know these movies take place in different times of history, one takes place during WWI and the other takes place in the most recent years. We need these movies to remind us of our past and to convey the message that we should “never forget.”

On top of it all, “1917″ is one of the best movies I’ve seen in 2019.

[pixarfan517-blog]

Da 5 Bloods

We did it! We defeated racism.

And all it looks is the Netflix movie, “Da 5 Bloods,” which was released during the COVID pandemic. But we’ve seen African American heroes and not just superheroes.

Well let’s look at the story. We see a group of five African American soldiers who want to venture off in the woods to find their long-lost friend. Apparently, he’s been roaming around the woods for months, maybe in fact, years, and does not know how to get back into reality. But as the warriors go, a lot of series of events happen.

“Da 5 Bloods” is truly remarkable. I wonder how Spike Lee can manage a script and a story and put it on Netflix. But it’s not just the script and the story, the cinematography is amazing too. Some of the shots feel like as if it is some sort of IMAX movie. And to put it on Netflix will be some sort of a trip.

Speaking of which, I wonder how Christopher Nolan can do something like that with movies like “Tenet,” because it would be interesting to see how that works.

But hey, go check out “Da 5 Bloods.” It is awesome. Later.