Tag: Animation

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Movie Review

I Choose You (2017) Movie Review

ABC Film Challenge – Animation – I – I Choose You (2017)

I Choose You Poster

Director: Kunihiko Yuyama

Writer: Shoji Yonemura, Takeshi Shudo (Screenplay)

Starring: (Voice Talents) Sarah Natochenny, Unsho Ishizuka, Rica Matsumoto, Megumi Hayashibara

Plot: Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town is 10 years old today. This means he is now old enough to become a Pokémon Trainer. Ash dreams big about the adventures he will experience after receiving his first Pokémon from Professor Oak.

Runtime: 1 Hour 38 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: I Choose You! Starts when Ash Ketchum hits the age where he can get his first Pokémon. Finding himself being late to make the decision, being left with one option a Pikachu that doesn’t like humans.

When Ash and Pikachu finally become friends, Ash is well underway on his journey. Getting caught up in the middle of the chase for the legendary Entei. This will lead Ash down a different path than the show gave us. Where he meets new friends and finds himself caught up in a different nightmare world. Where his love for Pokémon might be the only thing that saves him.

Thoughts on I Choose You!

I Choose You! Is a different idea about the starting adventure of Ash Ketchum. Where we get to see the early journey with the reluctant Pikachu, before diving into a new series of events. With new friends, but the same Pokémon on Ash’s team, the Butterfree and Charmander series. Moving into the bigger battle meeting the generation two legendaries. Ho’Oh, Entei, Raikou and Suicune to understand the legend of the rainbow wing.

This will get more fans of the different generations to get behind the film, instead of only focusing on one generation. Keeping the bond between Ash and Pikachu at the front of the story we are thrown into. This will keep the Pokémon fans happy, will playing along with the emotions we are thrown through, we a hardest hitting arcs around the Pokémon that Ash catches on his journey.

Final Thoughts – I Choose You! Is a welcome addition to the Pokémon world.

I Choose You Rating
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Movie Review

Henchmen (2018) Movie Review

ABC Film Challenge – Animation – H – Henchmen (2018)

Henchmen Poster

Director: Adam Wood

Writer: Jay D Waxman, Adam Wood, Bobby Henwood (Screenplay)

Starring: (Voice Talents) Thomas Middleditch, James Marsden, Rosario Dawson, Alfred Molina, Will Sasso, Nathan Fillion, Rob Riggle

Plot: When the world is threatened by an evil supervillain, a teenager and his mentor team up to stop him.

Runtime: 1 Hour 29 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Henchmen starts when Lester an orphaned young man who wants to one day become a supervillain. Heading to supervillain city, which will let him meet Hank. A former henchman who refused to commit his duty against children.

When Lester ends up causing Hank to stop a supervillain. He must take him under his wing only to lead to the pair needing to work together to fight evil supervillain Baron Blackout.

Thoughts on Henchman

Henchmen takes us into the world of henchmen, where we get to see the people that will work for the supervillains. Just for a job, not having the evil intentions. We get to see one young boy who will do anything to become the next supervillain. Believing it is the right thing for him. He is an orphan that does need guidance and ends up finding that through a henchman. Who doesn’t want to be evil and between them. They must prove they can find happiness in becoming the heroes the world would one day need.

Plenty of the characters fit into the type heroes and villains you would expect to see. With the heroes being bored and the villains being desperate. The animation style does work very well to make the film have a unique art style in a film which can be enjoyed by the whole family.

Final Thoughts – Henchmen is a simple fun family film that gets the message about everyday life being important.

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Movie Review

Go Fish (2019) Movie Review

ABC Film Challenge – Animation – G – Go Fish (2019)

Go Fish Poster

Director: Sean Patrick O’Reilly

Writer: Sean Patrick O’Reilly (Screenplay)

Starring: (Voice Talents) Justine Ezarlik, Mark Hamill, Ron Perlman, Asia Mattu, Geoff Gustafson, Scott McNeil, David Milchard

Plot: When a mysterious black goop reaches his idyllic undersea town, a brave and selfless parrot fish must cross the ocean to find its source and fix it before his coral reef is destroyed.

Runtime: 1 Hour 15 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Go Fish starts when an ambitious little seahorse Christine and her own fish friends Alex and Eleanor. Going in search for a mystery black goo which has found its way down to their coral home.

Christine gets to break way from her overprotective mother, for her first adventure. While Alex believes it is his duty to protect and clean their homes, but this adventure is filled with peril.

Thoughts on Go Fish

Go Fish is a cute little animation that follows a group of fish friends. As they look to go on an adventure to try and save their coral reef. Putting together a group of different number of fish species, which tend to live together.

This follows the animated family friendly idea of the youngster member of a family wanting to go on their own adventure with friends. Which will see them taking on a new series of threats they wouldn’t normally attempt. We get some education involved with how different fish behave and survive. Which will be good for the younger audience, as well as having a deeper meaning about the human involvement in the oceans. This is one of the easiest to watch family films, that will get plenty of enjoyment for the family. Holding the attention of the younger audience with the shorter runtime.

Final Thoughts – Go Fish is a fun family film that is short and sweet.

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Movie Review

Flushed Away (2006) Movie Review

 ABC Film Challenge – Animation – F – Flushed Away (2006)

Flushed Away

Director: David Bowers, Sam Fell

Writer: Dick Clement, Ian La Frenais, Christopher Lloyd, Joe Keenan, William Davies (Screenplay) Sam Fell, Peter Lord, Dick Clement, Ian La Frenais (Story)

Starring: (Voice Talents) Hugh Jackman, Kate Winslet, Ian McKellen, Jean Reno, Bill Nighy, Andy Serkis, Shane Richie

Plot: The story of an uptown rat that gets flushed down the toilet from his penthouse apartment, ending in the sewers of London, where he has to learn a whole new and different way of life.


Tagline – Someone’s Going Down

Runtime: 1 Hour 25 Minutes

 

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Flushed Away starts when a rat Roddy from a Kensington sees his life of luxury thrown away when he gets flushed down the toilet. Putting him into a new world he has never been to before, an underground maze of other rats.

Here Roddy will need to search for Rita a rebellious figure sailing the sewers. Which will see him thrown into a world run by The Toad. Who has a plan which will see Roddy getting involved in the biggest adventure of his life.

Thoughts on Flushed Away

Flushed Away is an animated movie that sees a pet rat flushed down the toilet into an underground sewer world. Where he unwittingly becomes part of a bigger conspiracy going on within the creatures in there.

This is an entertaining look at throwing something into a new world. With a rat being put into a world that is similar to what Futurama had. With the underground world of New York, with this being London.

The idea of an evil figure looking for their own reasons for certain things and an unlikely pairing coming together to work on solving the problem. While seeing the two different worlds they have come from. The world created is wonderfully cleave using many different ideas that would be seen through London. This is a fun animated film that is filled with plenty of British spirit that will give us the laughs along the way.

Final Thoughts – Flushed Away is a fun enjoyable animated movie filled with laughs.

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Movie Review

Extinct (2021) Movie Review

ABC Film Challenge – Animation – E – Extinct (2021)

Extinct Poster

Director: David Silverman, Raymond S Persi

Writer: Joel H Cohen, John Frink, Rob LaZebnik (Screenplay)

Starring: (Voice Talents) Adam Devine, Rachel Bloom, Ken Jeong, Zazie Beetz, Jim Jefferies, Catherine O’Hara

Plot: Op and Ed accidentally time-travel from the Galapagos Islands in 1835 to present-day Shanghai. They make their way through the city in confusion and make the horrifying discovery that the species to which they belong became extinct shortly after.


Tagline – The end is just their beginning.

Runtime: 1 Hour 24 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Extinct starts as we meet the flummels who live on the Galapagos Island. With siblings Op and Ed usually getting themselves into trouble within the community. Who are trying to make up for their latest mistake, finding themselves time travelling to Shanghai.

In Shanghai the pair discover they species have become extinct. Where they will meet over species that have gone extinct through the years. Here they decide they want to try and save their species from extinction.

Thoughts on Extinct

Extinct is the cute animated movie that will see the loveable little flummels learning they have become extinct. Looking to try and stop their extinction, only to learn it wasn’t an accident.

This is filled with a host of different extinct animals we know from history. Each one getting a chance to stand up in the world in a group known as the Extinctables. This is told in a way that is a lot lighter than it could have been. With idea that a species needs to fight its own extinction being a subject we haven’t seen before.

The animation style looks wonderful and the different recreations of different eras in time. Will look beautiful and dangerous despite the different dangers they could be facing. This is one of the easiest animated movies to watch this year, it keeps the story simple, will bring laughs along the way too.

Final Thoughts – Extinct is an enjoyable animated movie filled with cuteness and laughs.

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Movie Review

The Croods A New Age (2020) Movie Review

ABC Film Challenge – Animation – C – The Croods: A New Age (2020)

The Croods a New Age Poster

Director: Joel Crawford

Writer: Kevin Hageman, Dan Hagenman, Paul Fisher, Bob Logan (Screenplay) Kirk DeMicco, Chris Sanders (Story)

Starring: (Voice Talents) Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, Catherine Keener, Cloris Leachman, Clark Duke, Leslie Mann, Pater Dinklage, Kelly Marie Tran

Plot: The prehistoric family the Croods are challenged by a rival family the Bettermans, who claim to be better and more evolved.

Runtime: 1 Hour 35 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: The Croods: A New Age starts as the Crood family, Grug, Ugga, Eep, Thunk, Gran, Sandy and newcomer Guy. They are still searching for tomorrow, using Guy’s desire to find a paradise as the driving force,.He wants to take Eep away to have their own family.

When the group discover another family the Bettermans Hope, Phil and Dawn. A family that Guy grew up with, they have created a new more liveable society making life better for themselves. Guy gets caught up between the two worlds, as they fight for a place for him, needing to learn they will do better to work together to survive.

Thoughts on The Croods A New Age

The Croods: A New Age is the follow up to the original The Croods. That will see the tribe coming up against a different set of odds, another family that have settled in the world. Protected themselves from the dangers, rather than always on the run from them.

This will give us the family against family comedy which works for the film, getting laughs along the way. We get the added idea that Guy is now caught up between the world he could have had and the world he is living in now. The film has all the basics of the caught between worlds comedy that will get laughs. Adding in era the film is set for added laughs and expansive environments.

The voice talents are great with the returning cast of Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone and Ryan Reynolds. Joined by the newcomers Leslie Mann, Peter Dinklage and Kelly Marie Tran. This is a truly fun family movie that you can laugh along with.

Final Thoughts – The Croods: A New Age is a fun enjoyable family film, everyone can enjoy.

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Movie Review

Batman: Return on the Caped Crusaders (2016) Movie Review

ABC Film Challenge – Animation – B – Batman: Return on the Caped Crusaders (2016)

Director: Rick Morales

Writer: Michael Jelenic, James Tucker (Screenplay) William Dozier, Lorenzo Semple Jr, Bob Kane, Bill Finger (Characters)

Starring: (Voice Talents) Adam West, Burt Ward, Julie Newmar, Jeff Bergman, Sirena Irwin, Thomas Lennon

Plot: Batman and Robin of the 1960s live action series are back in action to take down their fiendish foes united once more against them.


Tagline – The crusade continues.

Runtime: 1 Hour 18 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Verdict: Disappointing

Story: Batman: Return of the Caped Crusader starts as Bruce and Dick are looking to have a quiet night in. When the choice of television sees Joker, Penguin, Riddler and Catwoman taking over the show. Leading to the pair to become Batman and Robin to fight back against the villains of Gotham.

Batman: Return on the Caped Crusaders

Batman and Robin chase the villains to places they never imagined in their quest to save the day from their evil plan.

Thoughts on Batman Return of the Caped Crusader

Characters – Batman and Robin are the unique team that have a father, son relationship. Which helps them work together in the fight against crime, they will always have the resources to escape any problems that come their way. Catwoman, Joker, Penguin and Riddler are one force now. They are planning to have their own prize if they can get their plan to work. Just the basics of the characters we know from the Adam West era of Batman shows.

Story – The story follows four of Gotham most famous villains as the unite to take their evil plan out of this world. With only Batman and Robin to stop them. This is meant to be form of respect to the old school Adam West era of Batman. Cheesier than we are used to in the more modern serious take. Which just ends up making everything come off flat with how the story unfolds. We have too many of the famous villains that don’t get to hit the high notes of the characters.

Action/Crime – The action is basic comic book material, it just never feels as strong as it should do, with the typical crime actions of the villains we know.

Settings – The film uses the settings you would expect to see for the era we once knew, the over the top bases needed for the villains.

Animation – The animation standard is strong through the film, it does feel like the same style of television, but it works for this film.


Scene of the Movie – Anti Gravity.

That Moment That Annoyed Me – Just too much that doesn’t click.

Final Thoughts – This is a poor animated comic book film that just doesn’t hit the heights of the fellow ones we have seen more recently.

Overall: Bland.

 

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Movie Review

Abominable (2019) Movie Review

ABC Film Challenge – Animation – A – Abominable (2019)

Director: Jill Culton, Todd Wilderman

Writer: Jill Culton (Screenplay)

Starring: (Voice Talents) Chloe Bennet, Albert Tsai, Tenzing Norgay Trainor, Joseph Izzo, Sarah Paulson, Eddie Izzard

Plot: Three teenagers must help a Yeti return to his family while avoiding a wealthy man and a zoologist who want him for their own needs.


Tagline – Home Has a Magic All Its Own.

Runtime: 1 Hour 37 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Abominable starts when a young yeti escapes Burnish research facility. Where Dr Zara had been studying it, hiding in the rooftops of city. Here he is found by Yi, a teenage girl who is looking to travel China. Working hard to make her dream a reality.

Yi decides to help the yeti, that she nicknames Everest return home and is joined by Peng and Jin along the way. In a journey that will take them across China to Mount Everest.

Thoughts on Abominable

Characters

Yi is a teenage girl that is still recovering since her father’s death. She is working hard with any job in hopes of escaping the city. Dreaming of seeing China one day, she has become distant from her mother and isolated in her own life. Seeing her old friends still playing into the new stages of their lives. She finds Everest and ends up helping make him better and return him home to his family. Getting to see the journey she has always been on.

Everest is the young Yeti who is afraid, he just wants to go home and with his abilities. He helps the kids on the journey home, despite always being up for a little bit is mischief.

Peng is the younger cousin of Jin who dreams of being a basketball player. He is the youngest and easiest to be distracted on the journey, but he also won’t give up on the journey.

Jin has become the modern teenager obsessed with social media friends and likes. He has most of the girls in the city wanting him and ends up on the journey to protect his cousin and still watching over Yi from afar. He will get the fish out of water character for the four, learning to adapt to experience the world more.

These characters will learn something about themselves through the journey. Dr Zara and Burnish fill the generic villainous roles that want to find the yeti for their own reasons.

Story

The story here follows three teenagers that end up helping a yeti return to Mt Everest after it escapes from a research facility. Which will see them going on a journey of a lifetime. This is a story that does have a deeper meaning about doing the right thing. Learning to adapt to change and remembering the ones that are still around you, loving you even after losing a family member.

The journey shows us just what it means to find yourself in the world that has suddenly started moving so fast around you, as well as telling people to stop and take a look at the bigger picture in life. We have plenty of meaning, which will give the story plenty of heart.

Themes

Abominable is a beautiful animation bringing to life the idea of yetis in a world. Which has continued to evolved without the calm it once had for them. Showing u just how beautiful the scenery in China can become even in animated form. The comedy in the film can give everyone a laugh, with a mix of cute and silly, with the adventure taking the kids on a journey they never imagined. The use of music will come into play, showing the connection Yi once had with her father, being able to drive the journey on when she plays.

 

Abominable is a beautiful animation that is filled with the heart and soul to make everything have a stronger meaning.

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Movie Review

Riki the Rhino (2020) Movie Review

Riki the Rhino – Important Animation

Riki the rhino poster

Director: Erwin Budiono

Writer: Cassandra Massardi (Screenplay) Jony Yuwono (Story)

Cast: (Voice Talents) Jennifer Castle, Hamish Daud, Ge Pamungkas, Paul Reynolds, Zack Lee

Plot: A young Sumatran rhinoceros called Riki has his horn stolen by the horrible poacher Mr Jak. To get his horn back, Riki embarks on an exciting adventure through the rainforest with his friend Beni the duck. Along the way Riki helps other animals in trouble and every time he helps, he is rewarded with a new skill that will help him on his quest.

Runtime: 1 Hour 32 Minutes

There may be spoilers in the rest of the review

Story: Riki the Rhino starts when happy rhino Riki has his horn stolen by poachers. His best friend Beni the duck, builds him a new horn. Sacrificing his feathers to help his friend. The pair head through the jungle in search for Riki’s horn.

The journey will see them meet other animals who have clashed with poachers. Riki will help the different animals and in return he gets a reward. The reward will give Riki new skills, ones he can use to help him on his journey.

Thoughts on Riki the Rhino

Characters

Riki is the rhino that has created amazing stories in the jungle. He loses his horn to a poacher, needing to listen to his best friend. Needing to learn about what it takes to be fearless. Helping the other animals in the jungle from the same fate. Gaining new skills, ones he can use to help him fight back against poachers. Riki is a great character that shows moving forward will help change the future.

Beni is the loyal friend to Riki, a duck that gave up his feathers to give Riki a new horn. He pushes Riki into searching for his real horn. Showing him what they can achieve by working together against the poachers.

With the other animals, we see the animals you would expect to see in a jungle. Each one is facing a problem that needs solving. One they can’t do alone.

Story

The story follows a rhino that fins himself needing to help the animals of the jungle. After losing his own horn, he will lead the other animals in helping solve their problems. He will get a reward for helping, giving him the skills of the animal, he rescued.

We get a story that will put a firm spotlight on humans’ involvement in destruction of animal’s habitat. It shows how the animals will need to fight back. We get the courage needing to be found by a rhino who feels helpless without his horn. Teamwork will achieve more in life, with the animals looking to help each other to achieve freedom.

The story will have the comedy to keep things lighter than the serious subject matter. Keeping the story family friendly throughout.

Themes

Riki the Rhino is an animated adventure movie. One that will show the tragic behaviour happening in jungles and rainforests. Putting a form focus on how the animals are being hunted down by poachers from their natural homes. How they wouldn’t be able to fight back themselves, needing to work together here. The Indonesian animation has a different look to the glossy Disney ones. It works for the film though, giving it a charm of its own.

Final Thoughts – Riki the Rhino is a fun animation, with a striking warning to humans.

Darren Lucas
Darren Lucas

Founding Movie Reviews 101, writing on the site since 2010 and always looking to improve my writing skill.

Darren Lucas