Kiki’s Delivery Service 9/10

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G, 103m, 1989

With the Voice Talents of: Kirsten Dunst (Kiki), Jiji (Phil Hartman), Matthew Lawrence (Tombo), Osono (Tress MacNeille), Janeane Garofalo (Ursula), Brad Garrett (Fukuo), Kath Soucie (Kokiri), Jeff Bennett (Okino), Julia Fletcher (Maki and Ket’s Mother), Debbie Reynolds (Madame), Edie McClurg (Barsa), Pamela Segall (Ket), Matt K. Miller (Police Officer and Hotel Receptionist) and Corey Burton (Radio Announcer). Directed by Hayao Miyazaki. Produced by Hayao Miyazaki. Screenplay by Hayao Miyazaki. Music by Joe Hisaishi. Based on Kiki’s Delivery Service by Eiko Kadono.

            As a fan of anime I’m well aware of the American social stigma surrounding anime. Some see it as animation and animation is just for kids. (Tell that to Elfen Lied, School Days and Fritz the Cat) Others think that anime is pornographic (that’s called hentai) or overally violent. A few even believe that anime exists purely to sell toys and merchandise. On some accounts these people are right. While I love anime such as Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood, Princess Mononoke, Code Geass and Ah! My Goddess, I would not show these anime to a young child or anyone who’s hypersensitive to violence or a little risqué humor. Kiki’s Delivery Service is the perfect anime to show someone with misguided views of anime.

            The film opens with Kiki (Kirsten Dunst) lying in the grass listening to her father’s (Jeff Bennett) portable radio. Upon hearing that the skies are going to be clear that night Kiki quickly prepares to depart from her parents’ house and try to strike it out on her own as a witch in training. In this world, when a witch turns thirteen, she’s supposed to leave her parents’ house for about a year and try to survive using her skills as a witch. Unfortunately for Kiki, the only skill she has as a witch is flying, and even then she’s not particularly good at flying. Kiki heads out on her mother’s (Kath Soucie) old broom, along with the talking cat Jiji (Phil Hartman). They eventually come across a town and inhabitants are mystified to see an actual witch flying about. Kiki accidentally almost causes a traffic accident and a police officer (Matt Miller) berates her for her carelessness. Just as he’s about to bring her in to the station to call her parents, a call for help in stopping a thief sounds and the officer rushes off. It’s soon revealed that the call for help was meant to be a distraction so Kiki could escape. The person who called for help is a boy named Tombo (Mathew Lawrence), who has an interest in aviation and flying. He tries to talk to Kiki, but Kiki wants nothing to do with him and flies off in a huff. While contemplating whether or not to find a different city, Kiki helps a bakery owner named Osono (Tress MacNeille) deliver a pacifier to a mother who accidentally left it at her store. Osono gives Kiki a job as a delivery girl as well as room and board. At first Kiki does very well at her job, but eventually she loses her ability to fly as well as the ability to understand Jiji. The rest of the film is about Kiki overcoming these obstacles and believing in herself again.

            Kiki’s Delivery Service actually marks two firsts for me. The first is the trailer for this film on The Spirit of Mickey VHS tape was my first introduction to the wonderous world of Japanese animation. At the time I had no idea, that the film was for a film animated in Japan, all I knew was the trailer looked interesting and the accompanying song was performed beautifully. I’d later learn that said song was “I’m Gonna Fly” by Sydney Frost. The song was put over the end credit sequence on the VHS and early DVD releases. The song has since been replaced by the original Japanese ending song “Yasashisa ni Tsutsumareta nara” (Wrapped in Kindness) by Matsutoya Yumi, which is equally entertaining. The second first is this was my first “real” anime movie. Sure, I’d seen a number of the Pokémon films prior to watching this film, but this is the first anime film I watched knowing what anime is. I borrowed a copy of the film from the friend who introduced me to anime and I instantly recognized the cover art from that trailer I watched years ago. I popped the movie in at my house and I was instantly put under the magical spell of Hayao Miyazaki’s brilliance in visual storytelling. Hayao Miyazaki is sometimes referred to as the Walt Disney of Japan, a name also given to Osamu Tezuka. I prefer to think of him as the Kurosawa of animation. I say this because I feel this notion discredits years of Japanese filmmaking.

            The animation of this film is astounding. The character animation features visually interesting characters that is typical of Studio Ghibli. The scenes where Kiki is soaring on her broom are visually astounding and serve as some of the visual highlights of the film. The city that Kiki settles in has a strong European feeling to it. The city resembles a city in our world, but at the same time it doesn’t feel like a particular time or place. This is because the film is set in the 1950s where WW2 never happened. This results in airships from the 1930s, cars from the 1940s and machinery and fashion from the 1950s all coexisting at the same time. This gives the film an alternative, but familiar feeling.

            As a (currently) who was moved out of his parents’ house, I found the trials and tribulation that Kiki went through to be highly relatable. While buying groceries, Kiki discovers how expensive food truly is and is forced to eat cheap food such as pancakes. Many people who are striking it out on their own will find this sequence to be highly relatable. The segment of the film that I found the most relatable was the section of the film where Kiki was having some serious doubts about her abilities as a witch and finding her passion for something she once loved again. I have felt the same way about being a film critic. Often times I’ll have doubts about my writing ability and at times I wonder if my content comes across as sophomoric. When these thoughts crop up, sometimes I’ll revisit a sequence where Kiki is visiting her artist friend Ursula (Janeane Garofalo). In the sequence Kiki confides her insecurities and fears to Ursula and Ursula relies that stuff like that happens and she tells Kiki what she does when she’s in a rut and lacking motivation. I feel this is an excellent message for aspiring artists and writers to heed. If I’m still having doubts about myself, I recall the sage like wisdom of Jake the Dog from Adventure Time, “Dude, sucking at something is the first step to be sorta good at something.”.

            Many animated films feel the insatiable desire to insert a stupid pop song that the characters all do a choreographed dance to, or have an annoying as hell side character that only serves as the comedic relief serving no real purpose to the story and getting little to no character development outside of being an annoyance. Kiki’s Delivery Service suffers from none of these tropes that plague so many modern animated features. This film can easily be enjoyed by children and adults. When I saw this film in theaters the theater was jammed pack with people of all ages and they seemed to revel in the film’s brilliance and its beauty. Even my aunt who had never seen any variation of anime and who considers animation a children’s medium thought that the film was good, and she was a bit disappointed that the film produced no sequels. The only people I can see having a problem with this film are the super religious people who would scorn the film for featuring witchcraft. This is ridiculous as the film teaches important life lessons that can be beneficial to not only children, but for adults as well.

The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn 9/10

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PG, 107m, 2011

With the Voice Talents of Jamie Bell (Tintin), Andy Serkis (Captain Archibald Haddock and Sir Francis Haddock), Daniel Craig (Ivan Ivanovitch Sakharine), Nick Frost (Thomson), Simon Pegg (Thompson), Toby Jones (Aristides Silk), Enn Reitel (Nestor and Mr. Crabtree) and Joe Starr (Barnaby Dawes). Directed by Steven Spielberg. Produced by Steven Spielberg, Peter Jackson and Kathleen Kennedy. Screenplay by Steven Moffat, Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish. Music by John Williams. Based on The Adventures of Tintin by Hergé.

            Steven Spielberg, who was a massive fan of the Tintin comics since 1981, has stated that he wanted to create a Tintin movie that feels like an Indiana Jones film for kids. On that front I feel he succeed as the film feels like a fun action-adventure treasure hunting movie. Hergé, the author of the Tintin comics, reportedly felt that Spielberg was the only person that could do Tintin justice, as he was disappointed in the previous film versions of Titin. I feel Hergé made the right call with entrusting Spielberg with his creation and it’s a shame Hergé never lived to see his creation properly brought to life.

            The film opens with an homage to the classic Tintin comics, before cutting to the motion capture animation that dominates the rest of the film. Tintin (Jamie Bell) is getting his portrait drawn by a man who shares an uncanny resemblance to Hergé. Snowy, Tintin’s dog spies a pickpocket (Toby Jones) and follows him around. Catching up to Snowy, Tintin spots a magnificent model boat of the Unicorn that was triple masted, double decked and had fifty guns. Tintin quickly buys the model Unicorn when another man by the name of Barnaby Dawes (Joe Starr), who is an Interpol officer tries to buy the boat off Tintin, warning him that “he’s about to walk into a whole mess of trouble”, before running off. Why Dawes didn’t just quietly tell Tintin that he was an undercover officer and discreetly show Tintin his badge as prove, is beyond me. Another man by the name of Ivan Ivanovitch Sakharine (Daniel Craig) then offers to buy the boat as well before Tintin walks off and puts the model ship on his mantle. While searching for his magnifying glass, a cat gets in and Snowy gives chase. In the ensuing chaos the boat gets knocked over and a small round cylinder falls out unbeknownst to Tintin. Tintin then rushes to a library and learns that the Unicorn had been lost at sea due to a pirate attack, and it was rumored that the ship was carrying valuable cargo. Tintin returns home to discover that his model ship and been stolen. Tintin rushes to the estate of Sakharine, whom he suspects of stealing the ship as he was one of the people interested in acquiring it. Tintin finds an exact copy of the Unicorn, but he quickly learns that the model wasn’t his. Tintin returns home to find his room in shambles, when there’s a knock at his door. Barnaby Dawes once again tries to warn Tintin, before he’s gunned down by a group that escapes via a car. The next day Tintin is talking to the Bumbling police officers Thompson (Simon Pegg) and Thomson (Nick Frost) who are looking for an elusive pickpocket. While the pair are distracted Tintin is captured and is placed on a boat. It’s then revealed that Sakharine had orchestrated the whole thing and was determined to find the other scroll that was concealed inside the mast of the Unicorn. As the scroll was in his wallet, that was stolen by the pickpocket, Tintin admits to not having the scroll. Tintin manages to escape captivity due to the help of Snowy, where he meets the ship’s drunkard captain Haddock, who has become a prisoner by his mutinous crew. Now it’s up to Tintin to uncover Sakharine’s plot as well as the secret of the Unicorn.

            The film combines the story of The Crab with the Golden Claws, The Secret of the Unicorn and the final part of Red Rackham’s Treasure to create a exhilarating thrill ride. Ordinarily when a film stitches together story elements from three different novels the plot feels rather discombobulating and things seem to happen to speed the story along without properly explaining the motives of the characters and the stakes at play. This film was somehow able to cut up and stitch together a fantastic treasure hunting story that feels fresh and is enjoyable.

            The characters are a thrill to watch and make the movie vastly more entertaining. Tintin is a journalist who has helped solve several cases with the help of his unusually bright canine companion Snowy. Haddock is a drunken sea captain, whose family has fallen on hard times following the sinking of the Unicorn. Haddock serves as one of the film’s sources of comedic relief. This is mainly through his drunken bumbling antics and slapstick humor. Thompson and Thomson serve as the film’s comedic duo where they constantly bungle everything up despite their well-meaning attempts to help.

            Ordinarily I dislike the look of motion capture animated films as I often find it hard to believe that the characters are real, and the facial expressions of the characters look unnatural. However, with this film I experienced none of my grievances with this film. The animation of the film holds up to scrutiny of today and serves as a reminder that motion capture animated films don’t have to look soul-suckingly terrifying. The design of the characters combines the design of the original characters from the comics and a bit of the likeness of the actors portraying the characters. Many of the action scenes are as phenomenal and thrilling as many of the action sequences in the Indiana Jones films.

            The Adventures of Tintin is a spectacular animated film that can be enjoyed by audiences of all ages. Both producer Peter Jackson and director Steven Spielberg have made hints and speculations about possible sequels and I’m fully open to the idea. I had a blast watching these characters and would love to see them in further adventures.  

Mulan 9/10

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G, 98 m, 1998

With the Voices Talents of Ming-Na Wen (Mulan), Lea Salonga (Mulan singing), Eddie Murphey (Mushu), BD Wong (Captain Li Shang), Donny Osmond (Shang singing), Miguel Ferrer (Shan Yu), Harvey Fierstein (Yao), Gedde Watanabe (Ling), Jerry Tondo (Chien-Po), James Hong (Chi-Fu), Pat Morita (Emperor of China), Soon-Tek Oh (Fa Zhou), June Foray (Grandmother Fa), Miriam Margolyes (The Matchmaker) George Takei (First Ancestor) and Frank Wheeler (Cri-Kee and Khan). Directed by Barry Cook and Tony Bancroft. Produced by Pam Coats. Screenplay by Rita Hsiao, Philip LaZebnik, Chris Sanders, Eugenia Bostwick-Singer and Raymond Singer. Music by Jerry Goldsmith. Based on The Ballad of Mulan by Guo Maoqian.

            Out of all the Disney Princess films, I find Mulan to be the most progressively feminist. In lesser hands this would have spelled disaster, however the people who worked on this film knew what they were doing and made an excellent film. During Walt Disney’s lifetime Disney Princess films such as Cinderella, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Sleeping Beauty the main heroine never truly takes any real action in life. It’s up to other characters to either safe them or give them something that will get the prince to notice them. As a result, the Disney Princesses during this era come across as bland and generic. This all changed in 1989 when Disney released The Little Mermaid. In the film Ariel takes a more active role than previous Disney Princesses and as time went on, Disney Princesses became more independent. In my opinion this reached its peak with this film.

            The film opens during the Han dynasty (306 BCE-220 CE) atop the Great Wall of China where the Huns lead by the villainous Shan Yu (Miguel Ferrer), who I’m guessing suffers from jaundice (a disease that causes the white in one’s eyes to change yellow). Shan Yu wants to invade China because he believes the Emperor (Pat Morita) was challenging his strength by building the wall. The film then cuts to our main character Mulan (Ming-Na Wen), who is suffering from the same problem as many teenage characters from movies made during the 1990s. She’s running late for something important In Mulan’s case, it’s a meeting with the Matchmaker (Miriam Margolyes). After things comedically go awry, Mulan is told “You may look like a bride, but you will never bring your family honor!” by the Matchmaker and Mulan is so upset she sings the best version of the “I Want” in any Disney film during the Disney Renaissance. After a heart to heart talk with her father, her father along with one man from every family is ordered to serve in the Chinese Army. Mulan is concerned because her father is older and was wounded sometime before the events of the film take place. After a beautifully chorographer montage sequence, Mulan rushes off disguised as a boy to take her father’s place in the Chinese Army. Mulan is joined by Mushu (Eddie Murphey), a wise cracking dragon, sent by Mulan’s ancestors to keep Mulan from harm.

            Mulan is by far one of my favorite Disney Princesses. While many Disney Princesses weep and do nothing on their own, when they don’t get their way, Mulan weeps for a bit once during the film, but then she bucks up and goes off determined to help her father. Mulan is also one of the most unselfish out of all the characters in Disney films. She never once complains that army life is to hard nor does she complain that nobody really likes her among the trainees. In lesser hands this would have been a side plot, with Mulan trying various things to get people to like her. She’s also a very complex character who actually has insecurities and wonders what’s her purpose in this world. The other human characters are a lot of fun, but they’re rather stereotypical. Shang is the young army leader who while enjoyable did come across as the rather bland awkward Disney Prince. Yao, Ling and Chin-Po serve as the pseudo three stooges comic relief. Mulan’s parents while caring are your typical parents. Chi-Fu, the Emperor’s advisor is just your bland whiny stick in the mud character. I did find Shan Yu to be a very effective villain. He provoked an aura of strength and menace that one can’t help but want to see more of this character. While I did enjoy Eddie Murphey as Mushu, at times I found his character to be a little grating, although I’d be lying if I said that the character didn’t make me laugh. I understand why the character is in the movie, Disney is trying to recapture what Robbin Williams did with the Genie in Aladdin but overall, I’d say I enjoyed the character and I think Eddie Murphey did a good job of voicing the character.

            Whenever the Walt Disney Animation Studio makes a new animated film, they always start with research on the area that the film will take place in. This usually means that a group of people from the studio goes on a research trip to learn more about the culture of the area and to take reference photos. This research trip helped improve the overall tone of the film. I really liked how the film opened with simple watercolor strokes on rice paper eventually giving way to the Great Wall of China. Although I did feel that the characters used the word honor too much.

            This film arguably has the highest death count of any Disney animated movie. Two massive armies are destroyed (off screen of course), but we do get to see some of the bodies of the main Chinese Army in a very beautifully drawn somber scene. It’s also implied several times in the film that the Huns kill entire villages for little to no reason (“Besides, a little girl will be missing her doll. We should return it to her.”) Unlike many Disney films, this does not cause a tone problem. As the army Mulan is in marches to serve as back up to the main Chinese Army, the troops optimistically sing about how great things will be when they get home and how women love soldiers, when they stop mid song when they see the destruction of a village, where they come across the bodies of the decimated Chinese Army. Some might view this as a tone problem, but I do not. The reason why is because when young people go off to war to stop a demonized foe, they’re often filled with jubilation and can’t wait until they can get a piece of the action. That is until they see how horrifying war is and I feel this scene illustrated that moment perfectly, because after they come across the destroyed village, the soldiers act a lot more somber and determined to save China from the evil invading force.

            I honestly find it misleading to call Mulan a princess movie. While Mulan may share some similar traits to other Disney Princess films, Mulan herself is not a true Disney Princess. Neither of her parents are of royal or noble birth (yes, her parents are alive throughout the entire film), she doesn’t marry into royalty and she never obtains a position of power. Despite these facts, Mulan is still featured in the official Disney Princess lineup. The only reason I can think of for her being in the official lineup is to promote diversity by adding a character of Asian descent and to give young girls a positive role model to whom they can look up to.

            Mulan came out at a time where the Disney Renaissance was winding down and the latter films like Pocahontas and The Hunchback of Notre Dame weren’t on par with the films of the early Disney Renaissance like Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King. I by far consider this the best film of the latter Disney Renaissance and I think the film has a good message of staying true to one’s heart as well as women can do anything men can do if they put their mind to it.

My Hero Academia: Two Heroes 6.5/10

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PG-13, 96m, 2018

With the Voice Talents of Justin Briner (Izuku Midoriya), Christopher R. Sabat (All Might), Clifford Chapin (Katsuki Bakugō), David Matranga (Shōto Todoroki), Luci Christian (Ochaco Uraraka), J. Michael Tatum (Tenya Iida), Colleen Clinkenbeard (Momo Yaoyorozu), Justin Cook (Eijiro Kirishima), Monica Rial (Tsuyu Asui),  Brina Palencia (Minoru Mineta), Kyle Phillips (Denki Kaminari), Trina Nishimura (Kyōka Jirō), Caitlin Glass (Mina Ashido), Ray Chase (David Shield), Erica Mendez (Melissa Shield) and Keith Silverstein (Wolfram). Directed by Kenji Nagasaki. Produced by Wakana Okamura, Yoshihiro Oyabu, Koji Nagai and Kazumasa Sanjōba. Screenplay by Yōsuke Kuroda. Music by Yuki Hayashi. Based on My Hero Academia by Kōhei Horikoshi.

            Typically speaking, movies based on an anime series aren’t particularly good. While there certainly are exceptions such as Dragon Ball Super: Broly, One Piece: Stampede and The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya, more often than not a movie based on an anime series is typically viewed as a much lesser story when compared to the series the movie is based on and unfortunately My Hero Academia: Two Heroes falls in the same sub-par category.

The movie opens with a beautiful sweeping shot of Bald Eagles soaring in the sky, so you know this scene takes place in the United States. A young All Might (Christopher R. Sabat) and David Shield (Ray Chase) are seen stopping a vilian from getting away after robbing a casino. They successfully nab the perps and fly off in David’s car to stop another crime. We then learn this was all a dream as All might wakes up to Midoriya’s voice (Justin Briner). All Might and Midoriya are traveling to I-Island, which is man-made island where the scientists of the world reside and perform research on Quirks. A Quirk is this world’s name for a superpower, which 80% of the population possess. All Might is visiting the island to visit his friend and former sidekick David and to attend an upcoming expo on the island. David introduces All Might and Midoriya to his daughter Melissa (Erica Mendez), who wishes to become a scientist just like her father. As they travel around the island, Midoriya and All Might meet the rest of Midoriya’s classmates from U.A. Hero Course Class 1-A. They all arrived at the island for various reasons that serve no real purpose to the plot, but instead their reasons for being on the island serves as plot armor to get all of Class 1-A at the same place. At the expo, a dastardly group of villains led by Wolfram (Keith Silverstein) crashes the expo in order to obtain a headset that maximizes the power of a person’s Quirk. All of the Pro Heroes at the expo are blocked from using their Quirks to stop the villains, because if the do the villains will trigger the overridden security system to target normal people. Unbeknownst to the villains, Midoriya and a handful of students from Class 1-A are aware of the plot and are determined to stop the villains.

This film runs into some of the same problems a lot of movies based on shonen anime run into. The movie was released between the second and third season of the anime. This means that not a lot of lasting character development can occur, nor can any of the pre-established characters go through any real change. This takes away from any of the intense moments, because we know all of the characters we care about are going to turn out okay, since they’re in the next season of the anime. All of this makes the movie feel like an extended filler episode. It’s a rather entertaining filler episode, but the film does come across as unneeded.

            While the story may be lacking, the characters are anything but. A major reason for the popularity of the My Hero Academia franchise is its characters. We’ve seen plenty of movies and tv shows featuring magic schools for gifted youngsters such as Harry Potter and the X-Men films, but the My Hero Academia franchise feels fresh and that is mainly due to its wide variety of characters. Unfortunately given the length of the film, not all of the characters get as much screen time as I would have liked, and some are relegated to little more than a cameo role. The relationship between All Might and David feels guanine as the connection between the two feels like two pals that have been extremely close for many years and have developed a brotherly relationship over the years. It’s also really cool to see All Might during his youth as that aspect of the character is rarely shown in the series. The villains led by Wolfram feel generic and uninspired. This is extremely disappointing as one of the greatest aspects of the My Hero Academia franchise are the compelling and threatening villains. With its bland story, the movie could have at least provided interesting villains, instead all we get is a vilian that we’ve seen a hundred times and has no lasting impact. However, the fight between Wolfram and the combined efforts of All Might and Midoriya is a visual spectacle. The My Hero Academia series is well known for giving its viewers engaging and visually interesting fight sequences. This movie is no exception and the final battle sequence almost makes up for the generic villains with their boring motivations.

            One major issue I have with this film is its inconsistency of All Might’s power. While it is entertaining to see All Might fight, I can’t overlook the fact that he stayed in his empowered form all night. Some may find this to be nitpicking, but when the film constantly addresses the fact that All Might can’t stay in his empowered form for over a few hours, I’m unable to look past this little plot hole. This film is considered canon taking place after the twentieth episode of the third season entitled Save the World with Love. This further cements my issue with the film, as the movie glosses over an important element that cause major consequences later on in the series.

 Hero Academia: Two Heroes pales in comparison to the original series. The plot borrows many elements from films like Die Hard, only with less entertaining characters and lesser stakes. The movie is certainly entertaining to watch if only as an entrée to the next season. At best it feels like a standard shonen movie, there’s nothing insultingly wrong with the film, it’s just subpar compared to other shonen movies that are far better.

My Hero Academia: Heroes Rising 7.5/10

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PG-13, 104m, 2019

With the Voice Talents of Justin Briner (Izuku Midoriya), Clifford Chapin (Katsuki Bakugō), Dani Chambers (Mahoro Shimano), Maxey Whitehead (Katsuma Shimano), David Matranga (Shōto Todoroki), Luci Christian (Ochaco Uraraka), J. Michael Tatum (Tenya Iida), Colleen Clinkenbeard (Momo Yaoyorozu), Justin Cook (Eijiro Kirishima), Monica Rial (Tsuyu Asui),  Brina Palencia (Minoru Mineta), Kyle Phillips (Denki Kaminari), Fumikage Tokoyami (Josh Grelle), Trina Nishimura (Kyōka Jirō), Yuga Aoyama (Joel McDonald), Caitlin Glass (Mina Ashido), Mike McFarland (Mashirao Ojiro), Johnny Yong Bosch (Nine), Greg Dulcie (Chimera), Lydia Mackay (Slice), Brendan Blaber (Mummy) Christopher R. Sabat (All Might), Christopher Wehkamp (Shōta Aizawa) and Patrick Seitz (Endeavor). Directed by Kenji Nagasaki. Produced by Wakana Okamura, Yoshihiro Oyabu, Koji Nagai and Kazumasa Sanjōba. Screenplay by Yōsuke Kuroda. Music by Yuki Hayashi. Based on My Hero Academia by Kōhei Horikoshi.

I went into this movie extremely skeptical. I didn’t care for the first film very much and I was concerned that this movie was going to commit some of the same sins. Halfway through the movie I leaned over and whispered to me friend “this movie is fantastic; it’s going to have to really crap the bed for me not to like it”. Towards the end of the movie I noticed a foul smell and I realized the film had potentially crapped the bed.

The movie opens with an intensely entertaining car chase between the League of Villains, who is transferring Nine (Johnny Yong Bosch) in a life support vat, and a group of heroes lead by Endeavor (Patrick Seitz). Endeavor manages to stop the van, however the League of Vilian escapes and Nine regroups with his followers Chimera (Greg Dulcie), Mummy (Brendan Blaber) and Slice (Lydia Mackay). We then cut to the hero class 1-A of UA High School on Nabu Island, who are performing temporary hero duties for the residents. The hero duties prove to be minor problems such as helping an elderly lady with her errands, jumpstarting a tractor and minor security as there hasn’t been an actual violent crime in quite some time. One day Midoriya (Justin Briner) receives a call from Mahoro (Dani Chambers) whose younger brother Katsuma (Maxey Whitehead) is missing. Midoriya finds Katsuma only to learn that Mahoro had only been testing the heroes in order to see how good they are. They come up short in her eyes, so she sends Katsuma to get a hero to fight a vilian, Bakugō (Clifford Chapin) rushes off to fight the villain, where he quickly discovers the vilian is an illusion created by Mahoro. Bakugō gets rightfully angry but he gets calmed down by Midoriya and he storms off. Meanwhile Nine is desperately searching for somebody who possess a cell regeneration quirk, so he can steal it and heal himself. Nine finds somebody who has this ability and this person just happens to be Mahoro and Katsuma’s father. Unfortunately for Nine, the father’s quirk only helps people with a Type-A blood type. Knowing that quirks can be inherited genetically, Nine goes after Mahoro and Katsuma. Now it’s up to Class 1-A to stop the dastardly villains or at the very least keep Mahoro and Katsuma out of harm’s way.

The movie is very forgiving to newcomers of the series who haven’t seen a single episode. This is all done masterfully without hitting audiences who are already in the know over the head with plot points we already know and without dropping so much exposition that newcomers would be lost. However, I will say that fans of the series should be familiar with events up to at least season four as several things are done or said that might be considered as minor spoilers for earlier seasons.

The final battle sequence is a hit or miss. On one hand it’s an amalgamation of everything one could love about a shonen anime. On the other hand, it could be potentially problematic and the way it ends is a deus ex machina. I say it’s problematic because a certain power has never been fully explored so therefore the ending could potentially work, but at the same time it could be a major cop out. Had the movie actually went through with a certain thing, it would have worked if the movie served as the series finally. Had this been the case I would have been satisfied with the series finally and I would have been left with a bittersweet feeling. The ending is going to make or break the film for a lot of people. The theater I saw the film at had people applauding the ending and the gaggle of girls seated next to me were crying towards the end.

The film gives most of the Hero class of 1-A a moment in the spotlight as most of the characters either contribute something to the plot or serve a vital role in an action scene. The only exception is Toru Hagakure, whose quirk is invisibility. The two characters that get the most attention are Bakugō and Midoriya. Their dynamic fighting styles look super interesting when paired up and both characters add emotional depth to the film that was powerful enough to bring some of the audience to tears. The villains while serviceable as well as interesting, were underdeveloped. I understand that the focus is meant to be on the heroes, but I wanted to know more about the villains and their motivation. Chimera and Nine were the most developed but even then, we got the most bareboned explanation about why they are evil. Nine wants to take over the world and instate a system ruled by the strong and Chimera follows Nine because he was viewed as a monster and villain all his life and Nine was one of the only people to treat him with kindness. Mummy and Slice are given absolutely no character development, so they sometimes come across as underdeveloped, despite this they do showcase some interesting abilities that do prove very threatening to the film’s protagonists.  All the audience is told about them is their powers and they follow Nine, for whatever reason. While the vilians’ motivation is generic, they’re still entertaining to watch. I particularly enjoyed Chimera who served as a fantastic secondary vilian. I would have preferred to learn a little more about him and to see him in action more as all his battle scenes were some of the film’s highlights.

The My Hero Academia series is beautifully animated. As it was given a larger budget, the animation of this movie is improved, and it looks absolutely stunning. The fight scenes are the visual high point of the movie. Although I will admit during the final battle there is a scene where the imagery looked way to similar to the Dragon Ball franchise for my taste. I like originality and while I understand paying homage to another property, there comes a point where it becomes almost a form of plagiarism. The only issue I have with the animation is the CGI, which is mostly thankfully used sparingly. Despite these little knit picks, I was completely satisfied with the visuals and the fight sequences are some of the best in the franchise.

            While I had problems with the films ending, I get why people are enjoying this film. The action sequences are great, the animation is beautiful, the music is epic and the story as well as the characters are a lot of fun. I know some will see this review as me not getting it or being too harsh, which I get because at the end of the day, this is a My Hero Academia movie and with that comes the faults of a shonen movie. Maybe I am being to harsh with this film, but I will visit this film again when the series is over and if the glaring plot hole I saw is resolved, then I’ll give the film a higher rating. Until then I’ll continue to enjoy the series and if the issue is not resolved, then I’ll just view this film as a fun shonen film.

Grave of the Fireflies 9/10

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NR, 89m, 1988

With the Voice Talents of J. Robert Spencer (Seita), Rhoda Chrosite (Setsuko), Veronica Taylor (The Mother) and Amy Jones (The Aunt). Directed by Isao Takahata. Produced by Toru Hara. Screenplay by Isao Takahata. Music by Michio Mamiya. Based on the short story of the same name by Akiyuki Nosaka.

            During the end days of WW2, Allied aircraft bombarded Japanese and German towns in the hopes that the continued assaults would lower moral and hasten the wars end. Japanese cities were built with Japanese homes built close together, with extremely flammable material. This led the Allies to intentionally drop incendiary bombs in order to start massive fires. These firebombing attacks decimated many Japanese cities and lead to the deaths of thousands of Japanese civilians. “War is hell” is a common theme feature in war films such as Saving Private Ryan, Platoon and Paths of Glory. Grave of the Fireflies also explores this theme, the difference is none of the main characters ever pick up a weapon, nor do they ever see an enemy solider. They are on a battlefield, but the battlefield is their neighborhood. This film was shown as a double billing with My Neighbor Totoro, this film was shown first as the distributors didn’t want the audience to leave feeling depressed. After watching this film, I understand why.

            The film opens on September 21, 1945, nineteen days after the Japanese officially surrendered to the Allies. The Japanese are frantically rushing about in eager anticipation, as the Americans will be arriving soon. Two months prior, this news would have been met with fear. The reason the Japanese are happy that the Americans are coming is because Japan is suffering from a massive supply shortage and the Americans are coming with the desperately needed supplies. One Japanese boy is not celebrating, that is because he is about to die of malnutrition. This young boy is named Seita (J. Robert Spencer) and he dies shortly after. A janitor sorts through his meager possessions and finds an empty candy tin box. The janitor throws the tin away, disturbing a cloud of fireflies. The spirit of Seta’s younger sister Setsuko (Rhoda Chrosite) appears and her and the spirit of Seita board a train, presumably bound for the afterlife. The film then cuts back to several months earlier where allied firebombing is decimating Japanese cities. Seita and Setsuko’s mother (Veronica Taylor) is killed during the attack, forcing the orphaned children to move in with their aunt (Amy Jones). The rest of the film centers around the short and tragic lives of the unfortunate siblings.

            The characters in this movie are depressingly enjoyable. Seita is the kindly older brother who makes many sacrifices in order to keep his sister alive and happy. Unfortunately, he’s unable to do this and it crushes him. Setia’s biggest character flaw is he’s unable to put aside his pride and go back to his aunt’s house. While the situation wouldn’t be ideal, it would ensure that he and Setsuko would survive. Setsuko is a five-year-old girl who mainly serves to demonstrate the destruction of innocence. This works as by the time her character dies, many in the audience are brought to tears. The mother is given a small amount of screen time and the father is given no screen time. The father is a captain in the Imperial Japanese Navy, who died when his ship was hit by a torpedo. The mother dies to quickly for the audience to get to know her. Setsuko and Setia’s aunt starts off acting kind to the siblings, but eventually she grows short with the siblings causing them to eventually strike it out on their own.

            The animation of this film is extremely well done. Instead of the traditional black lines, the outlines were done in brown. This gives the film a softer feel. While the character animation is haunting realistic. Immediately after Seita visits his mother in the makeshift hospital, he lies to Setsuko in order to spare her from seeing their mother in a burned state. Setsuko doesn’t say anything but, she looks down and begins to fidget back and forth. This shows without saying a word that Setsuko wants to see her mother, but she understands the situation. This extremely realistic to what an actual toddler would do if put in the same situation. One of the only fault I can find with the animation is at times the characters’ facial expressions get exaggerated. This is most notable when they are about to cry.

            A central theme of this movie is the loss of innocence. This is evident in even the title of the film. In one dazzling scene Setsuko and Seita gather fireflies that illuminate their cave. Unfortunately, Seita and Setsuko are unaware that fireflies only live a few days after reaching adulthood and by morning the fireflies are dead. This symbolizes the beauty and unfortunate fragility of innocence. This mirrors the loss of innocence in the main characters. Near the beginning of the film the siblings are living happily with their mother, but by the end of the film Seita and Setsuko are dead after experiencing the worst aspects of a war-torn society.

            This film is Studio Ghibli’s most depressing film. The film’s opening lets the audience know that there’s going to be no happy ending for these characters and that the two children that the audience follows throughout the film is going to die. This will certainly throw several people off as Ernie states in Elmo in Grouchland “Who’d want to see a movie with a sad ending?” I get this notion, as this film is very difficult to sit through. However, I feel this is an important movie to watch. This film beautifully shows how war is indiscriminate and brings harm to everyone. The best way I can describe this film is the best movie I never want to watch again.

Note: I know this movie is not meant to be taken as an anti-war film. The director Isao Takahata wanted to create a film that conveyed an image of the brother and sister living a failed life due to isolation from society. However, that doesn’t take away from the powerful nature of the film and its depiction of two children trying to survive in an almost apocalyptic environment.

My Neighbor Totoro 9/10

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G, 86m, 1988

With the Voice Talents of Dakota Fanning (Satsuki Kusakabe) Elle Fanning (Mei Kusakabe), Tim Daly (Tatsuo Kusakabe), Lea Salonga (Yasuko Kusakabe), Frank Welker (Totoro and Catbus), Paul Butcher (Kanta Ōgaki), Pat Carroll (Nanny), Ashley Rose Orr (Michiko), Kath Soucie (Mrs. Ogaki), Russi Taylor (Kanta’s Aunt)  and Tress MacNeille (Miss Hara) David Midthunder (Mr. Ogaki) Directed by Hayao Miyazaki. Produced by Toru Hara. Screenplay by Hayao Miyazaki. Music by Joe Hisaishi.

            Studio Ghibli has given audiences some truly wonderful films since its establishment in 1985. Films like Kiki’s Delivery Service, Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke continue to dazzle and inspire audiences as much as early Disney films do. One of Studio Ghibli’s earliest films is My Neighbor Totoro. Released in 1988, My Neighbor Totoro was released the same day as Grave of the Fireflies directed by Ghibli co-founder Isao Takahata. Released on the same bill, Grave of the Fireflies was shown first with My Neighbor Totoro being shown last. The mindset was for audiences to leave on the cheerful note of Totoro, instead of the downer ending of Grave of the Fireflies. Like several of the early Disney movies, My Neighbor Totoro was not a huge success, but over time the film quickly garnered recognition and it was one of the films responsible for popularizing anime in the West. Nowadays the film is regarded as one of the greatest animated films ever made. However, this can lead to some people going into the film with a mindset that this film is a masterpiece and as a result they may end up disappointed by what they get.

            The plot is very simple. The film opens with a nice little musical number about Totoro. We are then introduced to the Kusakabe family which consists of ten-year-old Satsuki (Dakota Fanning), four-year-old  Mei (Elle Fanning) and the hardworking father, Tatsuo (Tim Daly) moving to the countryside to be closer to the hospital where the mother Yasuko (Lea Salonga) is currently staying. While moving into and exploring their new house, Mei and Satsuki discover some tiny creatures called Susuwatari. Susuwatari are small tennis ball-sized, pitch-black and fuzzy-haired beings with two large eyes and long, thin limbs. They look very similar to the soot sprites in Spirited Away. This leads them to believe their house is haunted, which their father lovingly encourages. As time goes on, the girls come across Totoro (Frank Welker), a giant fluffy forest spirit and the Catbus (Frank Welker). The rest of the film centers around the Mei and Satsuki as they spend time with the forest spirits and are forced to learn to come to terms with some of life’s more uncertain moments.

            The characters in this film are immensely enjoyable. Satsuki is a tomboyish older sister, who as the older sister must take on the role of surrogate mother to Mei as both their parents are too busy to spend a lot of time with them. Mei is a carefree little girl who still looks at the world with childlike innocence. The sister’s relationship strongly reminded me of Lilo and Nani’s sisterly relationship from Lilo and Stitch. Satsuki, like Nani, has to make many sacrifices for her little sister and since they are sisters, they’re bound to fight. Satsuki tries to put on a strong face and not show emotion, like adults supposedly do. This means she has to grow up too fast in order to properly watch over her little sister. Satsuki and Mei are voiced by real life sisters Dakota and Elle Fanning (at least they are in the Disney English dub), so their sibling banter and sisterly love seem that much more genuine as their performance is coming from a place of understanding. However, some may find the voice work of the Fanning sisters to be a little grading and they often have to shout their lines. I don’t have a problem with their performance as I feel they did a good job of capturing the characters emotions. The mythical characters are especially creatively imaginative. Characters like Totoro and the Catbus have become icons of Japanese animation, with Totoro even serving as Studio Ghibli’s mascot and making cameos in films such as Toy Story 3. The rest of the characters are enjoyable. The father is presented as a hardworking individual who loves his children, but he doesn’t always have time for them do to his busy work schedule. In this since, he reminds me of my own father. The mother is depicted as a kind and caring woman who loves her daughters, but she’s sick so she can’t be there with them. The sub plot involving the bedridden mother, becomes much more emotional when one learns that Hayao Miyazaki’s mother was bedridden for a good chunk of his childhood. While it’s not specifically stated in the film, Hayao Miyazaki has stated that the illness the mother is suffering form is tuberculosis.

            The animation of this film is top notch. The character design is truly well done. The character design is so good that other Ghibli films have seemed to take the model sheets of the characters and tweaked them a bit. For example, Tatsuo looks extremely similar to Kiki’s father from Kiki’s Delivery Service as well as Jiro Horikoshi from The Wind Rises. Satsuki shares some resemblance to Kiki from Kiki’s Delivery Service and Sheeta from Castle in the Sky. The backgrounds are a simplistic pastoral countryside. This mirrors the simplicity of the plot. As the film is framed from the view of a child it’s only natural for the film to be animated in a simplistic whimsically imaginative style.

            This is one of Studio Ghibli’s more lighthearted films. Older audiences can certainly enjoy the film, but there’s no denying that this film is geared towards children. While there is no denying this film is really good, I think people need to go in not expecting much. Hype can certainly kill a film for some people, and I certainly know people who disliked this film because they had heard so much about it and how it was one of the greatest animated films of all time. This overhyping of the movie ended up souring their enjoyment of the film. This film is very simple, it’s about two sisters’ daily lives after they move to the countryside to be closer to the hospital where their sick mother is. There is no antagonists and the only real conflict is towards the end when Mei disappears for a bit. But in my opinion, that’s the true beauty of this film. This is a calm, simple relaxing film, that feels like a nice breezy summer of one’s youth. I truly enjoy this film and I feel it has a good message. I highly recommend this film for kids and for older audiences who just want a calm and sweet film.

Note: There is a scene where the father bathes with Mei and Satsuki. This was a common practice in Japan at the time, but some may find this to be weird. There is no nudity and the scene is framed as a doting father spending time with his daughters.

Toy Story 2 9/10

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G, 92m, 1999

With the Voice Talents of: Tom Hanks (Woody), Tim Allen (Buzz Lightyear), Joan Cusack (Jessie), Kelsey Grammar (Stinky Pete), Don Rickles (Mr. Potato Head), Jim Varney (Slinky Dog), Wallace Shawn (Rex), John Ratzenberger (Hamm), Wayne Knight (Al McWhiggin), Annie Potts (Bo Peep), Estelle Harris (Mrs. Potato Head), John Morris (Andy Davis), Joe Ranft (Wheezy), Jodi Benson (Barbie), R. Lee Ermey (Sarge), Laurie Metcalf (Andy’s Mom), Jonathan Harris (the Cleaner) and Andrew Stanton (Emperor Zurg). Directed by John Lasseter. Produced by Helene Plotkin and Karen Robert Jackson. Screenplay by Andrew Stanton, Rita Hsiao, Doug Chamberlin and Chris Webb. Music by Randy Newman.

            When it comes to sequel films, I always approach them with caution. For me a sequel should recreate the world of the original, enhance the characters and the world they inhabit and provide anew and engaging story. Films that succeed at this are Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, The Dark Knight, Aliens and the Bride of Frankenstein. Toy Story 2 meets my criteria for a good sequel and surpasses it.

            The film opens with an amazing sequence of Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) flying through a barren rocky wasteland. It turns out this is the base of the Evil Emperor Zurg (Andrew Stanton). Buzz battles and navigates his way until he comes face to face with Zurg. A fight ensues and Buzz is killed. The End. Just kidding, it turns out the opening sequence was just a video game. Woody (Tom Hanks) is worried because he can’t find his cowboy hat, which may affect Andy’s (John Morris) decision to take him to Cowboy Camp. Woody finds his hat and since Andy has a few minutes before he has to leave, he plays with his toys. This results in him accidentally ripping Woody’s arm, causing him to leave Woody behind. While Andy is gone his mom (Laurie Metcalf) has a yard sale and she grabs Wheezy (Joe Ranft), a penguin who has lost his squeaker. Woody heroically saves Wheezy but is stolen by a toy collector named Al (Wayne Knight). Woody is brought back to Al’s apartment where he learns that he is a valuable collector item complete with merchandise and a TV show called Woody’s Roundup. The other members of Woody’s Roundup are Jessie (Joan Cusack) the yodeling cowgirl, Stinky Pete (Kelsie Grammar) the prospector and Bullseye Woody’s horse. Woody learns from the gang that Al intends to sell them to a toy museum in Japan. Back at Andy’s room the other toys set off to rescue Woody begore Andy returns.

            By all accounts this film should have been a disaster. The production and story development were rushed to the point the film was made in less than half time it takes to make an animated film and at one point the majority of the film was almost lost due to someone accidentally deleting it. The film was saved due Galyn Susman having a backup of the film because she sometimes needed to work from home because of her kids. During the early stages of production of this film, the filmmakers took a hard look at the script and realized that the film wasn’t going to be good. So, John Lassiter and a team of storytellers rewrote the entire script in one weekend. Just one of these elements could have spelled disaster for the film, but through dedication, hard work and a fantastic story, the team at Pixar was able to create an amazing film.

            This should go without saying that the animation on Toy Story 2 is a vast improvement on the original. The character design looks more flushed out and more well-rounded, while still retaining their appearance from the original film. The character design of the human and canine characters is a vast improvement with background human characters looking distinctly different from one another. In the original film, a lot of the kids looked eerily similar to Andy (maybe this explains why he’s never shown or mention in any of the Toy Story films) and the human characters in the backgrounds look like they were modeled for a video game. Although the animation has improved, it still does looks a tad dated but it’s still very impressive for it’s time. At worst the human characters look similar to some of the characters from later Barbie movies.

Disney is notorious for releasing horrendous butchering of their beloved films in the form of direct to video sequels. This film was going to originally be released straight to video, but it was decided to release this film in theaters. This is due to the filmmakers’ faith in the story. The story and characters make this movie. The film wonderfully juggles two completely different plots that a lesser film would have muddled this up but Toy Story 2 is able to take these two contrasting plots and tie them up beautifully in a way that doesn’t feel forced or contrived.

There’s an unfortunate belief in the United States that animation is a medium just for children. Toy Story 2 is a perfect argument against this belief. Kids can enjoy the fun characters, the interesting story and laugh at the humor. Adults can enjoy these elements and more. Toy Story 2 really dives into the psyche of a toy. The character Jessie was abandoned by her owner and in a beautiful montage set to a hauntingly beautiful performance by Sarah McLachlan. The audience can really tell that this character is hurt by this trauma and she even suffers from PTSD when confronted with going into a dark box which triggers her because she spent many and lonely years in a dark box. The film also hits a more personal note with parents. Woody has to deal with the fact that someday soon, Andy will grow up and he won’t need him anymore. Parents can easily relate to the feeling of dread about their child leaving them when they grow up and the joy that comes from watching them grow up.

The best new song of the film is a beautifully melancholic song called “When She Loved Me” which is sung by Sarah McLachlan. The song is about abandonment who once loved you from a toy’s perspective. When a song sung by a toy can be so poignant, this shows the raw talent those who worked on this song. The film also features a wonderful send up to the classic western shows of the 1950s and 60s with the theme song “Woody’s Roundup” performed by the Riders in the Sky. The song as well as the tv show really encapsulates the romanticized feelings for the American Old West that was popular during the 1950s. The final song is a new rendition of “You’ve got a friend in Me”. I personally sound the original version better, but I found this version to be enjoyable.

This film drastically expands the world of Toy Story. The original film had four primary locations. Sid’s house, Andy’s house, Pizza Planet and Dinoco. The second film has entirely new locations that sometimes serve as easter eggs from the first film. Al’s Toy Barn is a prominent location in this film and in the first film it was mentioned as carrying Buzz Lightyear action figures in a commercial.

Toy Story 2 is the precise model for a good sequel. With the animation market being saturated by awful sequels like Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2, Shrek 3, The Hunchback of Notre Dame 2 and Hoodwinked Too; with the filmmakers only intent is to make a quick buck, It’s refreshing to see an animated sequel done right. .

Toy Story 9/10

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G, 81m, 1995

Starring Tom Hanks (Woody), Tim Allen (Buzz Lightyear), Don Rickles (Mr. Potato Head), John Ratzenberger (Hamm), Jim Varney (Slinky Dog), Wallace Shawn (Rex), Annie Potts (Bo Peep), R. Lee Ermey (Sergeant), Joe Ranft (Lenny), Jeff Pidgeon (Little Green Aliens), John Morris (Andy Davis), Laurie Metcalf (Mrs. Davis), Erik von Detten (Sid Philips), Sarah Freeman (Hannah Philips) and Penn Jillette (Buzz Lightyear TV commercial announcer). Directed by John Lasseter. Produced by Ralph Guggenheim and Bonnie Arnold. Screenplay by Joss Whedon, Andrew Stanton, Joel Cohen and Alec Sokolow. Music by Randy Newman.

            While the idea of toys coming to life while humans aren’t around has been done in earlier films such as The Christmas Toy, Where the Toys Come From and The Mouse and His Child, Pixar’s Toy Story offers a fresh and engaging take on the concept. Woody (Tom Hanks) is a pull string cowboy that is the head honcho of Andy’s (John Morris) toys as well as Andy’s favorite toy. When the toys learn that Andy is having a birthday party, they get anxious because this could mean that Andy would get new toys that will replace them. Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) is the final present Andy receives and Buzz quickly becomes Andy’s new favorite toy. Woody grows jealous of Buzz and through some mishaps accidentally knocks Buzz out an open window. The toys quickly turn on Woody and are in the process of restraining Woody when Andy returns to his room to get a toy that he can bring to Pizza Planet, a fun place that strongly reminded me of Incredible Pizza. Only Pizza Planet is space themed and all of the games and décor reflect this. Unable to find Buzz, Andy grabs Woody instead. Buzz, having received no injuries from his fall, sees Andy getting in his family’s van and hitches a ride. While Andy and his family are distracted at a gas station, Buzz confronts Woody for “tying to terminate” him and a fight ensues causing them to fall out of the van. Not noticing that Woody is gone, Andy’s family drives off causing Woody to be distressed at being “a lost toy”. Hitching a ride in a Pizza Planet vehicle that would later become a staple cameo in later Pixar films, they make it to Pizza Planet. Through some mishaps Woody and Buzz end up in the hands of Sid (Erik von Detten), who enjoys torturing toys and blowing them up. Now Woody and Buzz must escape from Sid’s house and make it back to Andy before his family moves away.

            Since it is the first full length animated film, Toy Story does look a tad dated in some respects. Now granted for its time the animation and designs look amazing, but the animation doesn’t really hold up in two areas. The human characters and Scud, Sid’s dog, have plastic look to them. Now granted this film was released in 1995 so I’m not going to fault the film for this. The film’s animation even surpasses animation films such as Foodfight, Hoodwinked, Sir Billi and The Little Panda Fighter. All of the afore mentioned films were released at least ten years after Toy Story, which should stand as a testament to how good the animation looks.The animation on the toys on the other hand looks absolutely stellar. The house where Andy and his family live in looks like a house that has been lived in. There are chips, marks and scratches in the wood paint. There are stains on the floor. All of these little touches make the world of Toy Story seem more real. There are many more examples of the excellent attention to detail.   Reflections appear on Buzz’s helmet. The spoon Woody picks up to use as a mirror looks like a real spoon. The fabric on the character’s clothing looks like actual clothing. The character of Bo Peep is made of porcelain, which is extremely fragile. As such she’s animated walking gracefully and carefully and her movements are very daintily. With the exception of Buzz (because he is brand new) all of the toys looked played with. The have a sense of age to them.

            In many animated films, the designers of the film will just cut and paste the same location with minute changes in the hopes that the audience won’t notice (we notice). In Toy Story, Andy’s and Sid’s room are drastically different in design and tone. Andy’s room is bright and colorful and gives off a sense of warmth and welcoming. Sid’s room on the other hand, feels dirty and dark and it gives off a sinister and foreboding feel. As if the entire room is trying to scream “you are not safe here. Get out while you still can.”.

            At its heart this film is a simple classic contemporary buddy picture. This is in stark contrast to Disney’s ordinary fairy tale-oriented films. What makes this film stand out is the writing and how fun the characters are. As a child I like many kids my age, adored Buzz Lightyear. I remember having actual toys of most of the characters from the film and recreating my favorite scenes from the movie. This film also does something not very many animated films were doing at the time. When you really stop and think about it Toy Story, doesn’t truly have a villain in it. Even though he’s portrayed as a villain, Sid isn’t really a bad kid. He just likes to blow stuff up, which many of us can relate to. He doesn’t know that the toys are alive and he’s never shown being cruel to living creatures (except for his sister, but that’s the job of an older sibling. To torment their younger siblings.).

            One message that the film has that I’ve never heard anyone mention is don’t judge others based on appearances. This is shown through Woody and Buzz’s reactions to the appearances of the mutant toys who both assume are cannibals. However, as the film progresses, they both realize that they were wrong to judge them so hastily. Now granted this was only after the mutant toys fix Buzz’s arm but overall, I’d say it’s a good message that more people need to take to heart.

            Toy Story doesn’t try to talk down to its audience or cater to only kids like so many animated films do. This film is perfect for kids and adults and its humor doesn’t rely on juvenile or toilet humor. The comedy has a perfect blend of comedy for kids and adults. There’s one particular joke that flew over my head as a child, but as an adult, it makes me laugh every time. In the scene, Buzz is having a tea party with two decapitated dolls, to whom he refers to as Marie Antoinette and her little sister.

            As is commonplace in most Disney animated films, Toy Story is enhanced with the accompaniment of songs to progress the story. Contrary to most of Disney’s animated films, the three songs of Toy Story are not sung by the characters. They are instead sung by Randy Newman. The first and the most iconic is “You’ve Got a Friend in Me”. The song talks about the relationship between toys and their kid and how the toy’s love for their kid will last forever. This song could easily be used in to describe the love between parent and child, which the entire Toy Story series could be viewed through that lens. The second song is “Strange Things”, which tells about the terrifying uncertainty that Woody feels as Andy pays more attention to Buzz. The final song is “I will go Sailing no More”. This song describes the lament Buzz feels when he realizes he’s a toy and he can’t actually do the things he thought he could do.

            In a lot of ways Toy Story is very similar to Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Both film were made by studios who were only known for producing shorts. Both films were the first films many of the filmmakers had ever worked on. Both films were the first of their kind, Snow White was the first full-length cel animated film and Toy Story was the first full-length computer-generated film. Both films were huge gambles for the studio and had either film failed the studios would have almost certainly closed down. Both films were considered unwatchable prior to their release because many believed that nobody could sit through an entire feature made with the new animation style. Both films helped pioneer a legacy of excellence that resulted in some of the greatest films ever made.

            While its story is simplistic, Toy Story triumphs through excellent animation, an engaging story and well-rounded fun characters. What else can I say, but this film has a friend in me.

Pokémon: The First Movie 6/10

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G, 75m, 1999

With the Voice Talents of Veronica Taylor (Ash Ketchum), Rachael Lillis (Misty and Jessie), Eric Stuart (Brock, Squirtle and James), Ikue Otani (Pikachu), Rodger Parsons (Narrator), Satomi Korogi (Togepi), Maddie Blaustein (Meowth and Raymond), Jimmy Zoppi (Fergus), Ed Paul (Corey and Giovanni), Lisa Ortiz (Neesha), Kayzie Rogers (Miranda), Philip Bartlett (Mewtwo and Doctor Fuji), Kōichi Yamadera (Mew), Lee Quick (Officer Jenny) and Megan Hollingshead (Nurse Joy). Directed by Kunihiko Yuyama and Michael Haigney. Written by Takeshi Shudo. English version written by Michael Haigney, Norman J. Grossfeld and John Touhey. Produced by Choji Yoshikawa, Tomoyuki Igarashi and Takemoto Mori. Music by Shinji Miyazaki. Based on the Pokémon franchise created by Satoshi Tajiri.

            As a kid I was a massive Pokémon fan. I collected the trading cards, I watched the anime and I played the various video game adaptations to the point of obsession. That being said I never watched this movie as a kid. I hadn’t discovered Pokémon when the film hit theaters and I doubt my parents would have taken me had I been into Pokémon at the time (not that I blame them of course). When I did get into Pokémon, I was aware of the film’s existence and that I featured Mew and Mewtwo. However, I was never able to watch the film as I had no way of watching it due my household not having cable or an internet connection capable of streaming. Now that I’m an adult will this film Weedle its way into my heart or will this movie leave me feeling Krabby?

            The film opens with Mewtwo (Philip Bartlett) having a philosophical monologue about the relationship between Pokémon and trainers. Mewtwo then awakens in a glass tube where he learns from his scientist creators that he was created from the DNA from Mew. Mewtwo then becomes enraged when he learns he was created as nothing more than a science experiment. Mewtwo then promptly massacres the scientists. Standing among the burning wreckage of the lab, Mewtwo is approached by Giovanni (Ed Paul) who takes him away to be properly trained. When he learns that Giovanni only sees him as a servant, Mewtwo promptly attacks Giovanni and flees to the deserted island where he was created. We then cut to the movie’s heroes Ash (Veronica Taylor), Brock (Eric Stuart), Misty (Rachael Lillis) and Pikachu (Ikue Otani). While they’re about to sit down for lunch Ash is called out by another trainer called Raymond (Maddie Blaustein) who looks like a cross between a Team Magma and Team Aqua grunt. How does the challenging trainer know who Ash is? At this point in the series, Ash has no real call to fame that would make him instantly recognizable. Ash is able to defeat the trainer with little effort, which is weird because at one-point Pikachu one shots a Golem. For those of you that don’t know Pikachu is an electric type Pokémon and Golem is a ground and rock Pokémon. This means that Pikachu’s attacks should have little to no effect on Golem. The match is watched by Mewtwo and he sends a Dragonite to deliver an invitation to battle the world’s greatest Pokémon trainer. The match is also watched by Team Rocket, consisting of Jessie (Rachael Lillis), James (Eric Stuart) and Meowth (Maddie Blaustein). They intercept the Dragonite’s message and decide to attend the party as well. In order to ensure that only the strongest trainers make it to the island, Mewtwo creates a storm to stop any weak trainers from attending. Ash, Misty, Brock and Pikachu are able to make it to the island along with Team Rocket, who largely stay out of sight and contribute nothing to the plot. On the island the trio meets three other trainers who were able to brave the storm. The other trainers are never mentioned by name and the only reason I know who they are is I read the movie novelization when I was a kid. The trainers who had made it to the island where they meet Mewtwo. Mewtwo reveals his despise for humanity and the weakness of Pokémon for allowing themselves to be enslaved by humans. Mewtwo then forcibly captures the other trainers’ Pokémon and clones them so he can wipe out humanity and the weak Pokémon. Now it’s up to Ash and the other trainers to stop Mewtwo and his fiendish plans.

            I cannot recommend this film to those who are uninitiated with the concept of Pokémon and I’m a little hesitant to fans who never watched the original series. The later is mainly due to fans not knowing or caring who Ash’s traveling companions are, since the movie fails at developing or properly describing any of the main character’s personalities or who they are as a character. Another reason fans who never saw the original series will be confused by certain elements. For example, it’s established that most Pokémon can only say their names, i.e. Pikachu says “Pikachu”, Charmander says “Charmander”, and so on. However, Mewtwo and Meowth can talk and be understood by humans. Mewtwo can be explained away by saying that the scientists modified him somehow or as he is the strongest psychic Pokémon, he can communicate with humans. But what about Meowth? The reason Meowth can speak is never explained in the film, but it is in the show. Meowth learned how to speak to impress a female Meowth who was obsessed with human culture. However, the female Meowth thought that because he can speak like a human, Meowth is a freak so she rejected him.

            The film’s plot is rather weak and flimsy, and the film does feel like an extended episode. With the exception of Mewtwo, none of the other characters get any real character development nor do they learn a lesson at the end. The film also fails to explain other minute details such as why only three other trainers besides the main trio were able to make it to the island as surely several of the other trainers had at least one Pokémon that was strong enough to help them cross a hazardous storm, if they all were confident enough that their Pokémon could defeat someone who called themselves the strongest Pokémon trainer or why some of the characters misidentify their Pokémon for no apparent reason. The area where the film shines the most is the depiction of the vilian Mewtwo. The film does an excellent job setting up Mewtwo as a compelling vilian so by the time he starts to do evil things we understand his motivation, even if we don’t agree with him. Some of my favorite scenes involving Mewtwo are the scenes where he’s depicted with dark highlights and eerie shadows accompanied by a foreboding and intense score. Some may find the film’s over reliance of puns to be Gastly, but I found to be fitting with the spirit of the original series. Now granted the puns in this film are not as bad as the puns in The Digimon Movie, but some might find this to be Farfetch’d.

            The movie tries to shoehorn a massive anti-war/anti-violence message, but this message is contradictory. When you get right down to it, one of the biggest parts about Pokémon is to get your Pokémon to fight other Pokémon to make their master, as the show put it “The very best, like no one ever was”. In theory this is a good message to teach, but not when it contradicts with one of the biggest selling points of your franchise. The film does however have an important more subtle message. The message is it doesn’t matter what you were born into or the circumstances of one’s birth. What matters is what you choose to do with it. This is a very important message to teach and the film introduces this idea by having Mewtwo come to this realization.

            The animation is a huge upgrade to the original series. The character and Pokémon designs are much more defined, and their movements are smoother and more fluid than they were in the original anime. This compliments the fast-paced action scenes needed to show the brutality of Pokémon battle.

            On its own the movie falls short. This is mainly because the film fails to explain key aspects that a newcomer would need to understand to enjoy the film. As a Pokémon movie, it’s a serviceable watch that provides visually interesting battle sequences and a rare appearance by Mew and Mewtwo, both of which had never gotten a proper appearance in the anime up to the point when this film was released. However, I cannot recommend this film to non-Pokémon fans as it does cater to the fan base and the film feels like an extended episode of the anime.