Tag: Disney-Pixar

INSIDE OUT 2- Review

Well, now we’re in “prime” Summer movie season mode as one of the big “crowd-pleasing” studios drops its 28th feature film into the multiplexes this weekend. Oh, and it is truly animated with eye-popping visuals and splendid imaginative designs. And after the animal stars dominating the cartoon landscape this year with Kung Fu Panda and Garfield, we’re focusing on a human being, Well, mostly what’s going on in this teenager’s head, so we’re revisiting a set of creatures based on emotions and meeting a bunch of new “feelings”. Of course, I’m speaking of Pixar, who have decided to produce a sequel to a much-admired Oscar-winning 2015 “dramedy/fantasy”, after several interesting original flicks like SOUL, TURNING RED, and ELEMENTAL (so don’t think they’re just exploiting their “IP”). Yes, it’s been nine years, but animation can “tweak” time, so it’s only been a couple of years since we’ve checked in with that young woman named Riley. And there’s a lot going on at her brain’s control center at the start of INSIDE OUT 2.

But there are lots of familiar faces and emotions pushing buttons at “the board”. Joy (voice of Amy Poehler) is still mainly in charge, aided by Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Anger (Lewis Black), Fear (Tony Hale), and Disgust (Liza Lapira). As for Riley( Kensington Tallman), she’s enjoying the last year of grade school playing alongside best pals Grace and Bree on the school’s championship-bound hockey team, the Foghorns. Joy believes a bit part of her success is Riley’s developing “Sense of Self”, a glowing sculpture that emits phrases like “I’m a good person”, which is proudly on display in the control room (Joy made room for it by creating a “launching device’ that hurls “bad” memories way to the back of the brain). The last Summer before high school looks to be even better when Coach Roberts (Yvette Nicole Brown) of the high school’s team the Firehawks, invites Riley and her pals to be part of a hockey camp. It’s quite a lot to dream about, but the emotions’ slumber is interrupted by a loud siren from a flashing red light on the board. Oh no, “puberty’ has “hit”! As Joy and her crew scramble, a construction team bursts through a wall. After the control board is”upgraded”, a new set of emotions arrive. There’s Envy (Ayo Edebiri), Ennui (Adele Exarchopoulos), Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser), and their leader, Anxiety (Maya Hawke). During the chaos, Riley learns that Bree and Grace will be going to different high schools. That bad news is offset by the fact that the star Firehawks player, the ultra-cool Valentina (Lilimar) will also be at the hockey camp. This “ramps up” the rivalry between Joy and Anxiety leading to the SOS being flung to the bad memory “dump” just before the hulking Embarrassment stuffs Joy’s team into a jar to be taken far away to a dark vault, and eventually forgotten. Can they escape, retrieve the SOS, and “take back” the control board before Anxiety guides Riley into some terrible decisions? Oh oh, it all rests on the slumped shoulders of Sadness!

Quite an impressive roster of performers has been assembled to give these emotions distinct voices. As for the returning “team”, Poehler just super-charges Joy with an infectious energy and an engaging lilt, though she gets to delve deeper into the frustration of always being the positive “guiding light”. And Black explodes as Anger, pummeling each hilarious retort, a great counterpoint to the halting sweet delivery of Smith as Sadness Oh, I’ve got to also mention the return of the wonderful Diane Lane and Kyle MacLachlan as Riley’s parents, who become more a part of the “framing plot” of the main “sports” story. Now, on to the “newbies”, which include a couple of replacements on Joy’s “squad”. Lapira is an excellent snarky Disgust, while Hale brings a Don Knotts-like jittery panic to Fear. Oh, and as the now teenage Riley, Tallman hits “all the right notes” from sweet to awkwardly desperate and even conniving. And now we get to the new crew, led by the wonderfully zany Ms. Hawke who literally bounces across the backgrounds with a frantic confidence, becoming, at times, the accidental villain of the tale. Her manic delivery is almost matched by the exuberant Edebiri as her “right hand” Envy. The big “scene stealer” might just be Exarchopoulos as the bored, detached Ennui who only awakensr from her sleepy state when her phone-like control device goes missing. And though he has only a couple of lines, aside from some sighs and groans, Hauser is quite effective as the conflicted Embarrassment. In smaller, but pivotal roles, Ron Fuches is achingly funny as the goofy 90s kids TV show icon Bloofy and June Squibb is endearing as the “we’re not really ready for you” emotion Nostalgia.

This is the feature directing debut of Kelsey Mann who truly “hits it out of the park” (maybe a hockey analogy would be more appropriate) with perhaps the best Pixar sequel since TOY STORY 2 (though 3 and 4 are also great). It’s a delicate “tightrope walk” as the familiar elements of the beloved first flick are melded with the new story and the older main character. While Riley had to deal with the big family move last time, now she must decide how to deal with her friends, both old and new. All comlicated by the “P” word in the sophisticated and very funny script by Mann, original scribe Meg LaFauve, and Dave Holstein. Unlike the recent IF, they didn’t hold back on the jokes in favor of the big “heart moments” (and there are plenty). Happily, the talented artisans at Pixar have given this story a dazzling life with vibrant colors and outstanding designs. like Anxiety’s frazzled vertical “water fountain” hair, Embarassment’s bulbous nose sticking out of his tight hoodie, and Ennui’s rubbery body (as though her spine was replaced by the classic toy “Slinky”) who’s always draped over the furniture. I still love that the emotions have no hard “outline” (color or black), but have a grainy edge with specks always moving (much like the leads in ELEMENTAL), unlike Riley and her pals in the “real world”. They’re nice subtle caricatures not too removed from us, unlike the often child-like cartoony looks of the emotions (Anxiety is almost a child’s enhanced “scribble”). And for the first time, the CGI figures are acting alongside 2D “drawn” characters (usually left for the end credits) such as Bloofy and his pal Pouchy who are joined by an “8-bit” video game icon named Lance Slashblade. This leads to some delicious satirical gags about cable kids TV and gaming (love the efforts of Lance to walk out a door). Speaking of gags, one sequence pokes fun at 90s animation “sweatshops”. Plus there are perfect puns a’ plenty, though a few are “groaners”. Yes, there are a couple of moments in the third act, when the pace begins to soften, but the “big game” (excellent action movement) finale brings all the plot threads together into a beautiful bow making us eager to see how Riley and her “brain buddies” handle the new challenges of high school after the touching, clever, witty, and inspiring INSIDE OUT 2.

3.5 Out of 4

INSIDE OUT 2 is now playing in theatres everywhere

ELEMENTAL (2023) – Review

When thinking of the animation process, we naturally think of giving movement to characters created by artists using pencil, clay, puppets, and now, most prominently, pixels. Sure, that’s a literal interpretation, to “breathe life” into these renderings. A big part of this art goes beyond the main figures as the talents must create a “world” for them, one that can mesh with their designs and the story itself. With the most recent hit animated feature, we’re taken on an dizzying trip in multiple worlds, many which resemble our home. Expanding on classic cartoon shorts (“Flowers and Trees” certainly springs to mine), the creative minds at Pixar Studios have imagined settings for objects “humanized”, from the motor maniacs of the CARS series to the “interior concepts” of the emotions of INSIDE OUT and the afterlife of SOUL. In this new release, we’re sent into a place without “us”, Instead it’s variations of the “big four”: earth, wind, fire, and water, hence its title ELEMENTAL.


The story begins with a brief history of one part of the quartet, fire. Actually, it’s a “fire family” who arrive at Element City’s version of Ellis Island, where they’re given the name “Lumen”. The couple, Cinder (voice of Shila Omni), who is “with child”, and Bernie (Ronnie Del Carmen) head straight to the Fire Town district and convert a condemned building into “The Fireplace”, a general store/deli for “heat stuffs”. As the years pass it becomes a neighborhood fixture as the Lumen daughter Ember (Leah Lewis) is groomed to “take over the family business”. She’s even put in charge of the big annual “red dot” sale when a burst pipe nearly destroys all the stock in the basement. And even worse, the flooding brings a “by the book” city inspector, the “water-born” Wade Ripple (Mamoudou Athie), who may get the store shut down. Luckily Ember controls her temper and convinces Wade to ask his boss, the big stormy cloud Gale (Wendi McLendon-Covey) to grant a temp reprieve if they can track down the water backup. The duo works together to find and fix (for the moment) a busted overflow reservoir from the flume-like transit train. But as they team up on the repair mystery, the unthinkable happens. Ember and Wade develop feelings for each other. So what will their family think of this forbidden romance? Is there any way to make it work? And will these emotional complications distract them from another possible disaster that could jeopardize the entire city?

As opposed to most of the other major feature animation studios, the filmmakers of Pixar don’t do a lot of “stunt casting”, the practice of getting high-profile “star names ” to voice their creations. Rather, they once again, find those vocal performers that convey the nuances of their roles. That’s the case with relative newcomer Lewis, who certainly brings the “fire” to Ember (sorry), especially as she loses her temper and succumbs to “retail rage” (guessing that’s a “thing”) when trying to run the family “biz’ and wrangle the often clueless customers. But she also delivers a tenderness, and yes, warmth as she aids her loving parents and later as she ignites that spark between her and Wade. As the, at first, overbearingly officious Mr. Ripple, Athie is very funny as the twitchy and easily exasperated “meter reader” who is quick to “turn on the waterworks” (really, the tears careen from his eyes like Niagra Falls). And he undergoes a change after meeting Ember, more than making his fluid fingers boil, as he becomes emboldened and learns to stand tall and fight for his new paramour. The talented animation artist Del Carmen proves quite adept and endearing as the Lumen patriarch, the tough and tender “girl daddy”. As for the Ripples, comedy legend Catherine O’Hara is bubbly (yes) and delightful as Mama Brook. Much of the same can be said of the terrific McLendon-Covey as Wade’s blustery boss who is equally devoted to keeping Elemental City running smoothly and safely and her favorite sports team the wondrous Windbreakers.

Once more the artistic assembly at Emeryville, CA has carefully crafted an amazingly beautiful story set in a marvelously clever and beautifully rendered fantasy world. Elemental City is truly a dream come true, recalling the familiar expanses of the Big Apple while branching out into amusing bits of whimsy (gotta’ get the big coffee table “art of” book to savor all the signage). Oh, and that’s not meant to detract from the astounding character designs and movement. Ember, along with her fire family and friends, recall a flickering flame as her limbs and head are in constant flutter along with her facial features (I would focus on the wavering noses and eyes), all held together by clothing made of a nonflammable material (perhaps a bit of hard leather). Wade and his water world move about as though they were translucent balloons almost bursting with liquid rolling forward on a trickling rolling stream (with interior bubbles always on the move), and given heft by rubbery bits of clothing (he’s gotta; have a nice work shirt and tie). Gale and the gasses float about and burst into smaller clouds before reforming with their outer edges twisting in the breeze. But what about Earth? They’re solid (literally) with heads made of dirt clods with noses and eyes as roots and grass for hair. Without a script it’s all lovely “eye candy”, so the writing quartet has concocted a witty script that tries to capture the themes of lovers who aren’t supposed to unite (lots of WEST SIDE STORY along with other racial/culture clashes) and delivering a not-so-subtle message about xenophobia, as the Lumen family is often treated with fear and anger (“Their kind is dangerous”). These subjects are worthy of tackling in this medium, but it often takes away from the story’s flow as the big “action crisis” is jettisoned for the film’s middle act and feels dropped into the finale to give it a shot of disaster danger (complete with a big chase). After the recent non-stop thrills of the Spider-Verse, the pace may seem a bit too languid, but it’s a big improvement over the lackluster LIGHTYEAR of the previous year. It doesn’t quite have the emotional wallop of many of the Pixar classics, but there are lots of visual delights and clever storytelling to be enjoyed in the bubbly and nearly boiling ELEMENTAL.

3 Out of 4

ELEMENTAL opens in theatres everywhere on Friday, June 16, 2923

LIGHTYEAR – Review

SCI-FI ACTION ADVENTURE – The definitive origin story of Buzz Lightyear (voice of Chris Evans), the hero who inspired the toy, “Lightyear” follows the legendary Space Ranger on an intergalactic adventure. Also featuring the voices of Uzo Aduba, James Brolin, Mary McDonald-Lewis, Keke Palmer, Efren Ramirez, Peter Sohn, Dale Soules, Taika Waititi and Isiah Whitlock Jr., Disney and Pixar’s “Lightyear” releases June 17, 2022. © 2022 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

This weekend’s big new studio release is another bit of a Summer celebration (as if there aren’t lots of such warm weather happenings). Is it because it’s an animated feature? Sure, it’s the first big one of the season, but there are other, major reasons. Well, it is a prequel to a much-beloved nearly thirty-year-old franchise. Oh, but most importantly, it’s from the fine folks at Pixar. And why are they cheering down at their HQ in Emeryville, CA? If the main title had a “sub-heading” that followed a colon, that might state “Escape from Streaming”, maybe. At long long last, A Pixar flick is heading straight to the multiplexes, and not premiering on the Disney+ streaming app, after more than two years (ONWARD opened in early 2020 just before everything closed). And this is a big epic blockbuster that deserves the widescreen treatment since we’re headed to (say it with me) “infinity and beyond”. It’s the “pre-toy” saga of everybody’s favorite Space Ranger, the hero known as LIGHTYEAR.

Speaking of the “T” word, an opening title card informs us that this is the movie that young Andy saw before he got his new favorite plaything a year later, in 1995. The action begins as a huge interplanetary transport cruiser lands on a distant world, far from Earth. it is piloted by former Space Ranger ‘Buzz’ Lightyear (voice of Chris Evans) and his BFF Alicia Hawthorn (Uzo Aduba). And. wouldn’t ya’ know, it’s a very hostile planet with serpent-like vines grabbing at the duo (and an unlucky cadet), and the ground trying to swallow the entire ship. The trio barely makes it back to the cockpit, allowing Buzz to rocket them back into the cosmos…almost. A jutting mountain cliff damages the engine, forcing him to land on a vast mesa, high above the dangerous ground level. After much effort, Buzz and the ship’s crew believe that they have repaired and re-charged the crystal that powers the vessel. But just to make sure, Buzz will make a test run in a small jet-style explorer. All seems to go well until the crystal fails in his final approach to the return airstrip. Only minutes after he took off, Buzz is stunned to see that the crew is building a city. And Hawthorn is now the commander (and has a few grey streaks). She tells him that six years have passed while Buzz feels he’s been away for mere moments. He throws himself into preparing for another test run, as Hawthorn gifts him a robot cat named SOX (Peter Sohn). He begins a series of flights with the same result: he doesn’t age while Hawthorne starts a family. Eventually, she’s not there to greet him upon his return. Instead, her job has been filled by the “iron-fisted” Commander Burnside (Isiah Whitlock, Jr.), who tells him that the tests are over. Ah, but SOX has solved the crystal problem, so Buzz steals a fighter, which leads to him meeting a ragtag trio of cadets on the surface and facing off against an army of aggressive robots and their black-cloaked master.

Well, let’s get this right out of the way…Buzz has a different voice with “Tim the Tool-Man” re-imagined as the “one true” (yup, my childhood hero) Captain America. But it’s not a huge leap as this Buzz is so different from the often delusional “action figure” in Andy’s room. And Evans is just perfect as a swaggering SF movie hero, who, honestly can also be a bit of a doofus. He says that his “self-narration” helps him focus, but it just adds to his child-like charm. But that’s not to take away from some of the big adult decisions Buzz must ponder in the story’s thoughtful, but still exciting finale. Aduba is a great “straight woman”, big sister, and a nurturing matriarch to him as Alicia. She’s in stark contrast to the energetic and often bombastic “next-in-line” Burnside given a snarling growl by Whitlock. They all take a backseat in the cockpit to the film’s big scene-stealer SOX whose mellow tones and “robo-talk” (bee-bop-boop) are courtesy of the gifted Sohn. Still, there’s lots of comedy to spare thanks to the wonderful trio of misfit space cadets who often baffle Buzz. Keke Palmer is sprightly upbeat and determined as Izzy, who offsets the often surly and grumbly Darby voiced by Dale Soules. The duo gives great support to the dim, “Inkpen-obsessed” Mo whose vocal stylings come from comedy “jack-of-all-trades” Taika Waititi. And I can let spill that the “big baddie”, Zorg (hey, he’s in the franchise’s “merch”) is given gravelly gravitas by James Brolin.

This could be considered a bit of a “direction change” from the Pixar artisans, as this plays almost like a straight adventure film, though a lot of humor is sprinkled throughout. Sure there are several nods to the TOY STORY films, but it earns its PG-13 rating with lots of suspenseful action set pieces and some truly scary alien “creepy-crawlies”. First-time director Angus MacLane (he co-directed FINDING DORY) wass up to the challenge of putting a “new spin” on a now-iconic movie character, as this version of Buzz had to look more like the “human” designs of Andy and his family rather than the “plastic-modeled” product we’ve seen since 95. And it had to be similar to the cinema of that year leaning more into STAR TREK (the features and TV shows) than STAR WARS (still a couple of years away from the prequel trilogy). It’s at first jarring to see Buzz out of his “purple swimming cap”, but it helps bring out his humanity. It also helps that the overall character designs are so appealing, especially the animation “acting” of Mo and the usually “exploding” Burnside. Ditto for the look of the film, from the “monster world’ to the different ships and spacesuits. Extra credit to MacLane for his work on the script with Matthew Aldrich and Jason Headley, which mixes the action melodramatics with a subtle affectionate satire. Sure, some will miss the old “play pals”, but most fans (even the older teens) will find lots to like in imaginative, inventive LIGHTYEAR. This “blast-off” is truly a blast.


3 Out of 4

LIGHTYEAR opens in theatres everywhere on June 17, 2022

TURNING RED – Review

MIDDLE SCHOOL MAYHEM – In Disney and Pixar’s all-new original feature film “Turning Red,” 13-year-old Mei Lee, a confident-but-dorky teenager, is surviving the mayhem of middle school with a little help from her tightknit group of friends. Featuring the voices of (from left to right) Maitreyi Ramakrishnan as Priya, Rosalie Chiang as Mei, Ava Morse as Miriam, and Hyein Park as Abby, “Turning Red” will debut exclusively on Disney+ (where Disney+ is available) on March 11, 2022. © 2022 Disney/Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

Well, it looks like we’ve just about made it to Spring break, so it’s time to celebrate with a brand new flick from the wizards at Pixar set in…well, school. Or at least half of it is. You see the story’s heroine really divides her time between home and school, middle school. In Toronto. In 2002. Yes, after getting lots of 80s nostalgia we’re now getting a coming-of-age tale set in “the ‘aughts”. Aw, don’t feel too ancient…just yet. Whoah, you may say, didn’t our Pixar pals tackle this a few years ago (seven, actually) with INSIDE OUT. Sure, but as the title states, it was about what was happening in the main character’s interior, with different emotions calling the “shots” in her noggin. This tale is much more, for lack of a better term, exterior. You see, this young woman’s changes manifest in her outward…appearance as her emotions and hormones have her TURNING RED. And furry. And extra-large.

As I mentioned earlier, this (fuzzy) tale begins waaaay back in 2002 on the not so mean streets of Toronto where we meet a very busy thirteen-year-old lady named Meilin, AKA “Mei” and Mei Mei” (voice of Rosalie Chiang). She actually loves school, not for the classes (though she’s an academic ace), but because that’s where she hangs with her “squad”, her “BFFs”. There’s tomboyish Miriam (Ava Morse), “laid back” Priya ( Maitreyi Ramakrishnan), and always excited Abby (Hyein Park). What really “bonds” them is their shared adoration of the awesome male quintet singing group “4Town’ (yes five guys of course). Oh and their shared crush, a slightly older teen (he’s 17) named Devon who runs the register at a nearby “mini-market”. After the final school bell rings, Mei is off to help her mom Ming (Sandra Oh) who manages a Chinese temple (and its souvenir shop) dedicated to their ancestor Sun-Yi who had a mystical connection with nature (especially one animal). When the last of the tourists leave, the two head to their connected home for dinner with dad Jim (Orion Lee). It appears to be a tranquil evening of homework until Ming discovers Mei’s “secret love” and publicly embarrasses her (oh the talk in the school hallways tomorrow morning). The upset Mei finally drifts off to sleep and awakens to discover that she’s changed. Not emotionally but very physically…into an eight-foot-tall red panda. She’s unable to hide it from mom, who somewhat was expecting this. It seems that this “unusual puberty symptom” has been passed down to all the women in her family, going back to the aforementioned Sun-Yi. But it can be controlled. Come the next “red moon” in a few weeks, Ming and her own mom and sisters will conduct a “ritual” to trap the “panda spirit” in a purple jewel or ruby. Mei just has to keep calm and limit the “changes”, otherwise the panda’s wild nature will “take over”. So can she keep her cool, even around her buddies? Even when they find out that 4Town is making a concert stop there? Oh, it’s near the end of the month. It surely won’t conflict with the “moon ceremony” will it?

Huzzah, it’s another solid effort from the terrific team from Emeryville, CA. Their artists expertly recreate the Canadian city in bright bold colors and designs while giving us their unique adaptation of the fashions, hairstyles, and tech of twenty years ago. And then there are the delightful characters cavorting in front of those backdrops, each giving a distinct body language (and great “acting”) and looks. Miriam seems a bit like the older sister of Guilia from LUCA, after getting a Seattle “grunge” makeover. Priya is tightly reined in, her half-open eyes and curly coif evoke the cult fave MTV ‘toon “Daria” (and we first see her with a “Twilight”-type YA novel). Abby is a riff on the anime over-caffeinated tweens with wide eyes and an always-open mouth baring bright “choppers”. Mei incorporates elements from all of them, ultra-expressive with her buds while “playing close to the vest” with the fam. Her Mom Ming seems “tightly wound” and a bit stiff until her maternal instincts turn her into a whirlwind of action. Her “savvy” business suit chic is echoed by her female relatives (they seem to be always on the red carpet, flashing the “bling”). The vocal cast expertly brings them to life, with Chiang and Oh making an excellent and convincing screen duo. The story celebrates female friendship and gives us an insight into the whole “boy band frenzy” as this is set post NKOTB and N’Sync and pre the K-Pop craze. 4*Town could easily be on the cover of subscriber Lisa Simpson’s “Non-Threatening Boys” magazine (it helps that their songs are created by Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas O’Connell). We see how they provide an emotional release for the young women, strengthening their sisterly bonds with every squeal and scream. This keys into the story’s biggest surprise (a heads up for parents who might need to prepare for the “womanhood talk”) in that it really delves into the biological transition into adulthood while mixing in the whole “magical critter” element. The transformation into “beast’ metaphor has been explored in cinema (I WAS A TEENAGE WEREWOLF comes to mind, though it’s more exploitive of juvenile delinquency). The giant is perhaps symbolic of leaving childhood, but it also works in the mother/daughter dynamic. Mei is not a baby who will become a copy of Ming and enjoy the same things and follow the same path (“wild” is independence perhaps). Aside from such serious matters, the film is full of slapstick chaos and even fits in a kaiju homage as it nears its emotional climax. This is truly splendid “all-ages” entertainment exploring family dynamics and the intensity (everything’s extreme “drama”) of pre-teen friendship. TURNING RED is truly a triumph.

3.5 Out of 4

TURNING RED streams exclusively on Disney+ beginning on Friday, March 11, 2022

LUCA- Review

So, travel venues are finally opening up just in time to escape those sweltering Summer temps. Someplace with a beach sounds ideal, though you may want to get some sand between your toes virtually while waiting for the world to get a tad more stable. Last week Israel was our getaway in SUBLET. This weekend we’re headed to sunny Italy for a “va-cay” put together by some incredible travel agents (yup there are some left) out of Emeryville, CA. Yes, those titanic talents at Pixar are whisking us away to the Italian Riviera for a magical adventure. But how does it stack up against their excursions to Ireland (BRAVE), France (RATATOUILLE), and Mexico (COCO)? Well, to find out you’ll be introduced to a young lad. To borrow from the Nat King Cole classic “Nature Boy” (rather than the obvious Suzanne Vega ode to a second-floor dweller), “There was a boy. A strange enchanted boy”. And his name is LUCA.

Oh, I forgot to mention that the time period is maybe the mid-1950s or so. That’s when a fishing boat, ignoring the local tales of scary sea beasts, lowers its net into the waters near the Isola De Mare. Of course, ‘something” is out there, and several objects are lost to the deep during the “interaction”. And just what is going on beneath the surface? It’s then that we meet Luca (voice of Jacob Tremblay), a pre-teen sea “monster”. But he’s a good kid, closer to a “merboy”, but without the fleshy top half, his body’s covered in bright florescent scales and fins. And he’s helping, starting his daily chores as a sort of “fish-shepherd” to a herd, or is it a school, of small fish. His routine is disrupted by the discovery of some of those “lost” items from above. But his discoveries are soon scooped up by something (is it one of those murderous humans) in a diving suit. Luca follows and is stunned when he finds that the “thing’ is another boy like him, but when he leaves the water he becomes an air-breathing flesh-covered human (kinda’ like how Madison dried off in SPLASH). Later at his sea cave home. Luca tells of his adventure which prompts harsh warnings from mother Daniela (Maya Rudolph) and father Lorenzo (Jim Gaffigan), though Grandma (Sandy Martin) is not as concerned about it. But curiosity gets the better of him and Luca climbs out of the water (and a green leafy swim shorts form during his transformation) and meets the “collector”, a slightly older boy named Alberto (Jack Dylan Grazer). The two become fast friends, exploring his decaying lighthouse, and daydreaming about cruising the globe on their very own Vespa scooter. But when Mom spies the “scarecrow”, Luca has erected to “guard the flock” she threatens to send him off to live on the ocean’s floor with his creepy Uncle Ugo (Sacha Baron Cohen). This scares Luca so badly that he agrees to join Alberto in his plan to get a real Vespa in the nearby seaside fishing village of Portorosso. There they become targets of the town bully Ercole (Saverio Raimondo) while befriending a girl around their own age, Giulia (Emma Berman), and eventually working for her fisherman father Massimo (Marco Barricelli). Soon the trio team up to enter the annual race (sponsored by a food company) in order to use the cash prize to buy one of those adored scooters. But can they keep their true origins a secret before they’re discovered, perhaps by the mysterious older couple that keeps tossing water balloons at kids?

In their vocal casting, Pixar continues their knack for tapping just the right talents, rather than going after the big media “flavors of the month”, which too many of their competitors rely on (big name>best fit). Case in point, Tremblay, six years after his ROOM breakthrough, hits just the right notes as the boy whose world is so quickly expanding. Unlike many family fantasy heroes, he seems perfectly content in his “part of the pond”, not wanting to burst into an “I Want” song. Tremblay balances the curiosity and yearning for adventure with healthy bits of fear and worry. Maybe his folks, which he really misses, are right about these pasty savages. He’s a great counterpoint to the always-confident Alberto, who’s given the correct mix of bravado and swagger by Grazer, who knows when to “dial it down” for the complex and emotional final act. Completing the pre-teen trio is the energetic, feisty Giulia voiced with vigor by the talented Berman. Another terrific trio, real comedy vets, also get their chance to shine in the major adult roles. Rudolph is the passionate “mama grizzly’, well maybe “mama shark’ as the forceful but very caring matriarch Daniela, while Gaffigan exudes his “laid back” charm as the bumbling papa Lorenzo, who’s often the “softie” to his “lay down the law’ spouse. And Cohen gives Uncle Ugo, a weird off-kilter tone that matches his nightmarish appearance (you can see through his chest and observe his heart pumping). Relative screen newcomers Raimondo and Barricelli are superb as the arrogant. preening, pompous Ercole (“You can have the pleasure of watching me eat a sandwich”) and the intimidating, gruff, but warm-hearted Massimo, respectively.

Speaking of newcomers, how about this fabulous feature film directing debut by Enrico Casarosa. Talk about hitting one out of the park your debut turn at bat (perhaps scoring a goal would be more in the film’s spirit). The tone, the emotional shift, the pacing, well everything lands (and swims). Of course, a great deal of credit for that must go to screenwriters Jesse Andrews and Mike Jones who deliver a tale that comes close to the emotional wallop of an UP, with a dash of COCO and INSIDE OUT. This literal “fish out of water” fable tackles prejudice and acceptance, as the villagers’ fears really match the “monsters”. More prominent in the film’s climax are the themes of friendship, going from selfish to selfless as BFFs realize they must let go to allow others to “spread their wings”, or fins, despite the pain of losing them. Somehow these deep emotional concepts never get in the way of the inspired slapstick and frenetic action sequences. Perhaps the biggest inspirations are found in the phenomenal visuals, the gorgeous worlds these endearing characters inhabit. We know that Pixar can do the deep blue sea (you almost expect to see Nemo and Dory zipping past), but the dazzling look of the sea folks are delicious “eye candy” with vibrant cool blues and shimmering yellows. Equally stupifying is the village of Portorosso, a dusty sun-baked town right out of post-war Italian classics. Around one corner you may nearly get run down by THE BICYCLE THIEF, around another your eyes could drink in a sultry young Sophie Loren (if you’re lucky). It’s really a love letter to that era (weathered LA STRADA posters adorn many walls). There are even local variants of Disney staples. This brings me to my only negative. Aside from LA’s El Capitan Theater, this film isn’t playing on any big screen venues. This happened last year with SOUL, but most screens were shuttered. Last March RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON from Disney Animation Studios was given a theatrical release along with Premiere Access (a big one-time upcharge) on the Disney Plus+ streaming service. This film should be available in multiplexes everywhere to bask in its beauty and to appreciate the gifted artists that worked (often at home) to craft this work. Any rumblings out of Emeryville are truly justified. Off the soapbox, and back to the positives. The lead kids have a nice exaggerated facial structure (those teeth-filled mouths), but the most interesting designs may be the adults (Massimo and Lorenzo sport impressive facial hair), and the silent, scowling kittycat Machiavelli (look forward to the stuffed toys). The music score from Dan Romer never overwhelms or dominates. This is primo Pixar, a glorious feast for the eyes and heart, as satisfying as a family pasta Sunday supper. Bravo and brava to all involved in creating one of the year’s best films, the triumph that is LUCA. So dig in, mangiare! And stick around for the end credits for a dessert as tasty as tiramisu!

4 Out of 4

LUCA streams exclusively on Disney+ beginning on Friday, June 18, 2021

ONWARD – Review

For animation feature fans it’s been a long cold couple of months since the Christmas Day release of SPIES IN DISGUISE (not the clump of coal many thought, but not a big award-grabber). Well, the drought is finally over. This weekend sees the first big studio feature animated flick of 2020, and we’re not counting SONIC THE HEDGEHOG or CALL OF THE WILD which had CGI stars (or co-stars) working with humans against mostly real backdrops. And it’s the “jackpot” for fans because it’s from the talented folks from Emeryville, CA: Pixar. Though it’s a tad early (they generally release their works in Summer or close to the end of the year), it’s because it’s the first time in five years that they’ve got two flicks in the same year (SOUL arrives in June). Oh, and another reason to be interested: this is the first original, non-sequel in over two years (it was franchise time in 2018 for INCREDIBLE 2 and last year’s Oscar-winning TOY STORY 4). Yes, new territory for Pixar, but the setting is familiar from a couple of live-action box office blockbuster trilogies from the last couple of decades. But enough of this teasing and pondering, to quote one of this story’s characters. “Let’s shift into ONWARD!”.

As the film opens, we’re given some backstory on this world fairly close to our own. Ah, but this is a realm of fantasy, at least back in it’s “olden days”. Warriors and adventurers teamed with wizards and sorcerers to battle (now considered) mythical beasts on epic quests. Well, until magic went out of the public’s favor. They instead turned to the much-easier science-based technology. Light bulbs led to automobiles, and so forth. Fantasy creatures still exist, but within an urban/suburban setting much like ours. The plot focuses on one such family, of point-eared bluish elves, the Lightfoots. Ian (Tom Holland) lives a happy life in New Mushroom Town with his older brother Barley (Chris Pratt), who’s in a long “gap year” before starting college, and single mom Laurel (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), who’s dating a straight-laced centaur cop named Colt Bronco (Mel Rodriguez). He’s a socially awkward high-schooler, while his boisterous big “bro’ yearns for the magic of the past, trying to save old relics like the stone fountain. On Ian’s sixteenth birthday he recieves a most unexpected gift from his father who died before he was born. Before passing he told Laurel to present it to him on this special days. What’s the long thin item wrapped in a blanket? It’s a wizard’s staff along with a super rare Phoenix jewel as its top piece. Plus handy instructions including a phrase that will bring back Pop for a limited time (the next sunset). Naturally, Barley wants to cast the spell, but after multiple failed attempts, Laurel leaves to pick up the birthday cake. Then Ian decides to give it a go. And it works…halfway. From the Hush Puppy-style shoes to the belt on his polyester slacks. Half a Dad. And the jewel is toast. Of course, Barley has a plan. He and Ian (and partial Pop) will embark on a quest to locate another Phoenix Stone. But first, they must get its location from the ferocious beast-warrior of legend, the Manticore (Octavia Spencer). Simple eh? Except for a lil’ curse on said gem.

In their first pairing outside the Marvel Movie-verse, Holland and Pratt (Spidey and Starlord) make a most endearing “Odd Couple” of siblings. As the shy Ian, Holland amps up the Peter Parker anxiety, while giving him a most compelling desire, that yearning for just a few minutes with his patriarch. Plus he hits all the right comedic notes as he tries to cover for his impulsive big Bro. And Pratt adds lots of bluster and energy to the enthusiastic, ultra-caffeinated Barley. He seems to have enough confidence for the both of them (with tons to spare). But there’s a softer side, as he speaks of his own fading memories of dad, and later when he’s unintentionally hurt by Ian, one that nearly saps his spirit. Louis-Dreyfus makes for a most sympathetic mother, she helps her boys despite her own sorrow over her loss so many years ago. Laurel’s frustrated with her guys but calls on a bottomless wellspring of courage to protect them when needed. Almost matching the manic Pratt is Spencer, who’s so busy juggling her modern responsibilities (maybe plate spinning is more apt) that she almost forgets her true nature, buried away until Barley reminds her of it. And kudos to Rodriguez for his inspired comic turn as the very “un-cool” cop named Colt. He cares greatly for the Lightfoot family but just can’t connect with those kids (maybe that nervous whinny-chuckle is to blame).

Dan Scanlon, veteran director of MONSTERS UNIVERSITY, keeps the action rolling along while never losing the focus of the relationship between the two very different Lightfoot brothers. Of course, this is greatly aided by the witty script he co-wrote with Jason Headley and Keith Bunin. The only real problem with the project is its somewhat dated feel. Aside from nods to the Rings and Hobbit trilogy, the winks at the D&D role-playing games make the flick seem about 40 years late to the party. Fortunately the look of the film is lush with dazzling backgrounds, ranging from the sprawling vistas to the often grungy urban streets (a constantly packed highway with zooming cars is almost as scary as a similar sequence in GOOD BOYS). Then there are the details on the characters themselves. I thought Barley’s denim vest festooned with “heavy metal” patches accented with a plastic wrist cast truly defined his personality. This extends to the terrific supporting players, from a biker gang called the Pixie Dusters to the Gollum-like sleezy pawn shop owner. But the eye candy can’t make up for “wheel-spinning” retreads of Indiana Jones booby traps, which delay the slam-bang climax involving a very unique take on the dragon-staple of the dice-rolling role games, a big change from the Lightfoot family pet dragon, a serpent-spin on Dino from the classic TV cartoons. The film’s strong point is the brothers’ bond, perhaps just as fierce as the FROZEN sisters, and that longing for just one more day with a departed dad. That story thread elevates this above most of the lackluster manic forgetttable noisy nonsense that’s passed off as family entertainment. So proceed ONWARD to the multiplex, already and let it cast its spell on you.

3 Out of 4

Second Trailer For Disney•Pixar’s INSIDE OUT Trailer Is Here

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Disney/Pixar has released a new trailer for the upcoming INSIDE OUT.

From an adventurous balloon ride above the clouds to a monster-filled metropolis, Academy Award winning director Pete Docter (“Monsters, Inc.,” “Up”) has taken audiences to unique and imaginative places. In Disney•Pixar’s original movie INSIDE OUT, he will take us to the most extraordinary location of all – inside the mind.

Growing up can be a bumpy road, and it’s no exception for Riley, who is uprooted from her Midwest life when her father starts a new job in San Francisco. Like all of us, Riley is guided by her emotions – Joy (Amy Poehler), Fear (Bill Hader), Anger (Lewis Black), Disgust (Mindy Kaling) and Sadness (Phyllis Smith). The emotions live in Headquarters, the control center inside Riley’s mind, where they help advise her through everyday life.

As Riley and her emotions struggle to adjust to a new life in San Francisco, turmoil ensues in Headquarters. Although Joy, Riley’s main and most important emotion, tries to keep things positive, the emotions conflict on how best to navigate a new city, house and school.

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Director Pete Docter is the Academy Award-winning director of “Up.” He made his directorial debut with Disney•Pixar‘s smash hit “Monsters, Inc.,” which was nominated for an Academy Award for best animated feature film. Along with John Lasseter and Andrew Stanton, Docter developed the story and characters for “Toy Story,” Pixar‘s first full-length feature film, for which he also served as supervising animator. He served as a storyboard artist on “A Bug’s Life” and wrote the initial story treatment for “Toy Story 2.” As one of Pixar Animation Studios’ key creative contributors, Docter garnered an Academy Award nomination for his original story credit on Disney•Pixar’s Golden Globe- and Oscar-winning “WALL•E.”

INSIDE OUT opens in theaters June 19, 2015.

Visit the film’s official site: http://movies.disney.com/inside-out

Like the film on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PixarInsideOut

Follow the movie on Twiiter: https://twitter.com/PixarInsideOut

©2014 Disney•Pixar. All Rights Reserved.

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Disney•Pixar To Release TOY STORY 4 on June 16, 2017

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Director John Lasseter works with members of his story team on Disney•Pixar’s “Toy Story 4,” a new chapter in the lives of Woody, Buzz Lightyear and the “Toy Story” gang. The film is slated for release on June 16, 2017. (Photo by Deborah Coleman / Pixar)

“To Infinity And Beyond”!!

Nearly two decades after Pixar Animation Studios created the world’s first computer-animated feature film with “Toy Story,” it revealed plans for Disney•Pixar’s TOY STORY 4, an adventure that returns audiences to the world of the studio’s signature characters.

John Lasseter, director of the original “Toy Story” and “Toy Story 2,” will direct the film, which opens a new chapter in the lives of Woody, Buzz Lightyear and the “Toy Story” gang.

The story was dreamt up by Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter and Lee Unkrich, the storytellers who have been the driving force behind all three “Toy Story” films.

“We love these characters so much; they are like family to us,” said Lasseter. “We don’t want to do anything with them unless it lives up to or surpasses what’s gone before. ‘Toy Story 3’ ended Woody and Buzz’s story with Andy so perfectly that for a long time, we never even talked about doing another ‘Toy Story’ movie. But when Andrew, Pete, Lee and I came up with this new idea, I just could not stop thinking about it. It was so exciting to me, I knew we had to make this movie—and I wanted to direct it myself.”

Writing team Rashida Jones and Will McCormack (“Celeste and Jesse Forever”) joined the project, and Pixar veteran Galyn Susman (ABC’s “Toy Story OF TERROR!” and “Toy Story that Time Forgot”) is producing.

The film is slated for release on June 16, 2017.

Monsters University’s Mike And Sulley Give PARTY CENTRAL a Go In New Disney Pixar Short

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Join a monster of a party with the Disney Movies Anywhere premiere of PARTY CENTRAL. The Disney•Pixar short is now available to view for free for the first time, and reunites everyone’s favorite monsters, Mike and Sulley, for another hilarious adventure.

Download the Disney Movies Anywhere app for iPhone or iPad to watch Party Central now, for a limited time.

Featuring Billy Crystal as Mike, John Goodman as Sulley and directed by Pixar’s Kelsey Mann, PARTY CENTRAL features Mike and Sulley’s return to Monsters University for a fun-filled weekend with their Oozma Kappa fraternity brothers. The gang is throwing their first party, but no one’s showing up. Luckily for them, Mike and Sulley have come with a plan to make sure “Party Central” is the most epic party the school has ever seen.

Go to Disney Movies Anywhere to find out more about collecting, watching, and taking your favorite Disney, Pixar and Marvel movies anywhere you go! Visit www.disneymoviesanywhere.com or download the App at http://di.sn/hvV

Watch PARTY CENTRAL on Disney Movies Anywhere: http://di.sn/dtj

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Pixar Slate of Films Includes THE GOOD DINOSAUR, DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS, And INSIDE THE MIND

DISNEY•PIXAR just announced their upcoming films at CinemaCon. The much talked about dinosaur project finally received the title THE GOOD DINOSAUR. Pete Docter’s next film is going to take you to a place you know, but you’ve never seen: the human mind. Finally director Lee Unkrich and producer Darla Anderson are making a film that delves into the holiday of Día de los Muertos.

U.S. Release Date: May 30, 2014

Director: Bob Peterson

Co-Director: Peter Sohn

Producer: John Walker

What if the cataclysmic asteroid that forever changed life on Earth actually missed the planet completely and giant dinosaurs never became extinct? This hilarious, heartfelt and original tale is directed by Bob Peterson (co-director/writer, “Up;” writer, “Finding Nemo”) and produced by John Walker (“The Incredibles,” “The Iron Giant”).

Notes:

• Bob Peterson made his directorial debut as co-director of the Oscar®-winning film “Up,” for which he was also Oscar-nominated as one of the film’s screenwriters. His other credits include “Toy Story” (as layout artist and animator), “A Bug’s Life” (as story artist), “Toy Story 2” (as story artist), “Monsters, Inc.” (as story supervisor) and “Finding Nemo” (as a screenwriter), which was also an Oscar winner. Peterson also lends his voice to a host of iconic characters, including Roz (“Monsters, Inc.”), Mr. Ray (“Finding Nemo”) and Dug the dog (“Up”).

• John Walker produced the Academy Award®-winning film “The Incredibles” for Pixar Animation Studios, and served as associate producer for Warner Bros.’ “Osmosis Jones” and “The Iron Giant.” He also has an extensive background in producing live theatre.

THE UNTITLED PIXAR MOVIE THAT TAKES YOU INSIDE THE MIND

U.S. Release Date: June 19, 2015

Director: Pete Docter

Co-Director: Ronnie del Carmen

Producer: Jonas Rivera

Pixar takes audiences on incredible journeys into extraordinary worlds: from the darkest depths of the ocean to the top of the tepui mountains in South America; from the fictional metropolis of Monstropolis to a futuristic fantasy of outer space. From director Pete Docter (“Up,” “Monsters, Inc.”) and producer Jonas Rivera (“Up”), the inventive new film will take you to a place that everyone knows, but no one has ever seen: the world inside the human mind.

Notes:

• Director Pete Docter is the Academy Award®-winning director of “Up.” He made his directorial debut with Disney•Pixar‘s smash hit “Monsters, Inc.,” which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film. Along with John Lasseter and Andrew Stanton, Docter developed the story and characters for “Toy Story,” Pixar‘s first full-length feature film, for which he also served as supervising animator. He served as a storyboard artist on “A Bug’s Life” and wrote the initial story treatment for “Toy Story 2.” As one of Pixar Animation Studios’ key creative contributors, Docter garnered an Academy Award nomination for his original story credit on Disney•Pixar’s Golden Globe®- and Oscar®-winning “WALL•E.”

• Jonas Rivera produced the Academy Award-winning “Up,” for which he was nominated for Best Picture. Prior to “Up,” he had worked on nearly every Pixar film since joining Pixar Animation Studios in 1994, beginning with “Toy Story” for which he served as production office assistant. His subsequent credits include “A Bug’s Life” (as art department coordinator), “Toy Story 2” (as a marketing and creative resources coordinator), “Monsters, Inc.” (as art department manager) and the Golden Globe-winning “Cars” (as production manager).

THE UNTITLED PIXAR MOVIE ABOUT DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS

Director: Lee Unkrich

Producer: Darla K. Anderson

From director Lee Unkrich and producer Darla K. Anderson, the filmmaking team behind the Academy Award®-winning “Toy Story 3,” comes a wholly original Pixar Animation Studios film that delves into the vibrant holiday of Día de los Muertos.

Notes:

• Oscar® and Golden Globe®-winning director of “Toy Story 3,” Lee Unkrich began at Pixar Animation Studios in 1994 as a film editor on “Toy Story” and continued on to “A Bug’s Life” as the supervising film editor. He made his directing debut in 1999 as co-director of the Golden Globe-winning “Toy Story 2.” Unkrich co-directed “Monsters, Inc.” and served as co-director and supervising film editor of the Oscar-winning animated feature “Finding Nemo.”

• Joining Pixar Animation Studios in 1993, producer Darla K. Anderson counts “A Bug’s Life,” “Monsters, Inc.” and the Golden Globe-winning “Cars” among her producing credits. Anderson most recently produced 2010’s Oscar and Golden Globe-winning “Toy Story 3,” which earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture and the award for Producer of the Year in Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures from the Producers Guild of America.

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