Movie Review: The Emperor's New Groove

The Emperor's New Groove

Recommended For: All Ages

Rating: G

In this animated comedy from the folks at Disney, the vain and cocky Emperor Kuzco is a very busy man. Besides maintaining his "groove", and firing his suspicious administrator, Yzma; he's also planning to build a new water park just for himself for his birthday. However, this means destroying one of the villages in his kingdom. Meanwhile, Yzma is hatching a plan to get revenge and usurp the throne. But, in a botched assassination courtesy of Yzma's right-hand man, Kronk, Kuzco is magically transformed into a llama. Now, Kuzco finds himself the property of Pacha, a lowly llama herder whose home is ground zero for the water park. Upon discovering the llama's true self, Pacha offers to help resolve the Emperor's problem and regain his throne, only if he promises to move his water park.

Last Thursday I got a bad cold, so I spent two days mostly sleeping and watching TV. This movie was going off of Netflix, which we have now gotten rid of, so I decided to watch it. It was so cute and funny! It didn't quite have the feel of most Disney movies, but it was hilarious and awesome!

Technical: 5/5
Do you really need to wonder? It's Disney; they always do a good job. They have great animation and actors and everything else! The dialogue is hilarious. It's quite a funny movie, filled with entertainment, fun, and a little bit of satire.

Setting: 5/5
Just a normal fantasy country... Seriously, though. Jungles, hills, large palaces, llamas, restaurants that serve bugs, squirrels and panthers... I'm not sure if it's supposed to be in a specific place, but it is a very vibrant setting that is the perfect backdrop for the story.

Plot: 5/5
Fun, imaginative, and completely hilarious. If you can't tell, this movie had me in stitches! Kuzco's narration of the entire plot is fabulous. A bit conceited and self-obsessed, but that's just Kuzco! I don't know what else to say about the plot without giving stuff away, so I'll leave it at that.

Character Development: 5/5
Wow. Just... The characters in here? Wow. Kuzco was hilarious and sarcastic and conceited and his character arc was just amazing. Kronk is...Kronk. I like Kronk, even though he is stupid. Yzma...I just love how the entire plot was borne because she was lazy and wanted to save on postage. And Pacha. He was amazing, and made even more amazing by the fact that he was voiced by John Goodman, better known as James P. Sullivan.

I love Sully, so that made it even better.

Basically, this is a hilarious, fun movie that everyone should see at least once.

Movie Review: Big Hero 6

Big Hero 6

Rating: PG (violence)

Recommended for: Ages 7 and up

A boy and his robot join with a band of nerds to save the world.

I had been wanting to see this movie, especially since I had drawn one of the characters at Disney World, and when it was shown in the park, we got to go see it.

Technical: 4/5

As an animated movie, the characters weren't completely realistic looking, but it was better than some of the animation that Disney has done. The plot was easy to follow and didn't drag, it was also sad and funny and entertaining.

Setting: 3.5/5

This movie takes place in the city of San Fran-Tokyo, which ended up being a mixture of the two cities. I mostly noticed the San Francisco elements, mostly from watching a lot of Monk. Since at the beginning of the movie I got the impression that they were in San Francisco, and I got a little confused about it. While no such city actually exists, it was an interesting blend of the two cities.

Plot: 4/5

The plot was a little bit cliche and somehow I didn't guess the plot twist because I thought something else was going on. It had a sad beginning and because it is a Disney movie, it had a happy ending. It is a super hero movie but instead of having super powers, the characters are nerds and create all of their equipment. It was a little complex for a kid's movie, but still easy to follow.

Characters: 4/5

The main character was pretty well developed but there wasn't a lot of time to spend developing the secondary characters, and I can only remember one of their names. Baymax is funny and and even though he doesn't have many emotions as a robot, he is still an interesting character. The main character is not perfect and he grows throughout the story.

While not the best movie in the world, it is a good movie and worth watching, especially if you like Disney movies.

Movie Review: Wreck it Ralph

Wreck it Ralph

PG (rude humor and mild action/violence)

Recommended for: All ages

Wreck-It Ralph longs to be as beloved as his game's perfect Good Guy, Fix-It Felix. Problem is, nobody loves a Bad Guy. But they do love heroes... so when a modern, first-person shooter game arrives featuring tough-as-nails Sergeant Calhoun, Ralph sees it as his ticket to heroism and happiness. He sneaks into the game with a simple plan -- win a medal -- but soon wrecks everything, and accidentally unleashes a deadly enemy that threatens every game in the arcade. Ralph's only hope? Vanellope von Schweetz, a young troublemaking "glitch" from a candy-coated cart racing game who might just be the one to teach Ralph what it means to be a Good Guy. But will he realize he is good enough to become a hero before it's "Game Over" for the entire arcade?

I thought, before I saw this movie, that it seemed like an interesting concept. I was also told by a little girl that it was the sweetest movie because of the candy.

 

Technical: 5/5

 

The animation of the characters was good and since they are video game characters, they're not supposed to look realistic. The story was more complicated than normal for a kid's movie but not confusing. It was also cool to see the foreshadowing of the finale.

 

Setting: 4/5

 

It was interesting to see how they made the video game world a place where the characters lived. They travel through the wires to get to a place where you can go to different games. The different games were all very unique and the characters reflected where they came from, but one of them was given the saddest backstory. 

 

Plot: 5/5

 

The plot follows Ralph who does something rash while trying to get acceptance from others and thinking that a medal will give him that. Other characters are trying to save their games because Ralph's rash actions could destroy everything. There are two main plots: Ralph trying to be a good guy and trying to save their worlds from destruction. Their actions do have consequences. There is also Vanellope's story. She glitches and so is treated badly. Ralph also makes a tough decision about her, doing what he believes to be right even though it hurts him and Vanellope.

 

Characters: 5/5

 

Disney characters are always well developed, and this movie is no exception. Each character has their motive which drives their actions throughout the movie. They do grow, realizing when they made mistakes, except for the bad guy. The characters also have their different hurts and prejudices which shape the way they act towards each other.

 

This is a fun movie with a sweet setting (Vanellope's world) and even if you are not into video games, like me, it is still a good movie and I would recommend it.

Movie Review: Aladdin

Aladdin

 

Recommended for: All ages

Rating: G

 Disney's beloved masterpiece will make your heart race and your spirit soar. Experience the laughter, adventure and Academy Award-winning music (1992: Best Music, Original Song, "A Whole New World," Original Score) for the first time on Blu-ray and Digital HD. And now Aladdin shines even brighter with never-before-seen tributes to the enchanting talent of Robin Williams, the "Genius behind the Genie."

 

 I have wanted to see this movie again for a long time, but I had to wait for it to come out on DVD this fall to see it again. 

Technical: 4/5

 This is an animated film and is like the other Disney movies that came out around that time. The people were drawn pretty realistically, definitely better than the animation in Lilo and Stitch. Animation takes a lot of work, so overall I would say that it is great for this style.

Setting: 4/5

 This movie is set somewhere in the Middle East in a place called Agraba. They are not very specific about when and where exactly they are. Genie does impersonate and mention modern things. I don't know how historically accurate it is, but it fits for the movie. 

Plot: 4/5

 The story follows Aladdin who is a thief. He is used by Jafar to try to get the magic lamp, because he is the only one allowed into where it is kept. Aladdin finds the lamp and tries to use the Genie to be allowed to marry the princess, Jasmine. This is not a realistic story with things like a magic carpet, Genie, and a bird that can have a real conversation, but it is fine for fantasy. I like how in the story Genie tells Aladdin to tell the truth and when he doesn't, bad things happen.

Characters: 5/5

  The villain, Jafar, is an evil adviser to the Sultan who is trying to get power, a realistic motive. Jasmine is the princess who is being forced into a marriage. She has never left the palace, so one day she sneaks out to see what it's like. At the beginning of the story, Aladdin is just trying to survive but as is shown later on, he doesn't always know the best way of going about things. He is still a likable person who has not had anyone to guide him.

I like this movie and would recommend it especially if you like Disney movies.

Movie Review: Disney's Robin Hood

Disney's Robin Hood by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment

Recommended For: All Ages

Rating: G

Join Robin Hood, his trusted companion Little John and his hilarious band of Merry Men as they outfox greedy Prince John to save the good people of Nottingham. Dashing from one daring deed to the next, Robin won’t rest until he wins the hand of Maid Marian and restores King Richard to the throne.

Is it bad that of all the Robin Hood retellings I've read or watched, this one is my favorite? I'm just not that big a fan of Robin Hood for multiple reasons, though not as bad as my sister, who went downstairs to sew in the middle of this movie. Yes, I just now saw this, and yes, it's my favorite. Because it's a Disney movie, I can put the rather large moral problems of stealing taxes back from the government behind me (I'm sorry, no matter how bad your government is acting, that isn't how you go about fixing the problem.)

Technology: 5/5

Simply put, it's a Disney movie. It's going to be well-done. I enjoyed the familiar voices from other beloved Disney movies, like Baloo from The Jungle Book as Little John. It was funny to see the animation scenes they recycled from Snow White and The Jungle Book. I really enjoyed the fact that they had Robin and Marian's wedding at the end and King Richard coming back from the Crusades and setting everything to rights, including punishing his brother Prince John and Hiss. Another great job by Disney in this department.

Setting: 5/5

Set in an animal version of England during one of the Crusades, it's rather hard to rate this setting. However, I think it was rather historically accurate, for an animal Disney movie, that is. It was a well-rounded setting, that's for certain.

Plot: 4/5

I'm not exactly sure what the plot was...still, for a Disney movie, it was good. It was exciting and mature, yet childlike. Just as a Disney movie should be. I don't remember any plot holes, and while it wasn't the most spectacular plot it could have been, it was still pretty good.

Character Development: 4/5

While not as developed as they could be, Disney never fails to make even their most minor characters interesting. The vultures were a familiar friend, for instance, and just as nutty as ever. Prince John was entertaining; he was evil, yet cries of "Mummy!" accompanied by thumb-sucking frequented his conversation. Robin Hood was adventurous, yet sometimes serious, and completely in love, a good balance. Little John was a funny supporting character, and Maid Marian was a nice character, although Disney seemed to be under the delusion that Maid was her first name and Marian was her last name. The characters, in review, while a little Disney-typical, were still enjoyable.

Although most of the people out there probably won't understand me not being a fan of anything Robin Hood, I will brave the confusion and thrown things. Meanwhile, I will enjoy Disney's Robin Hood and gather ideas for my Robin Hood/King Arthur mashed retelling. I recommend this movie to children of all ages. This is a good one for family movie night.

Movie Review: Up

Up

Recommended for: All ages 

Rating: PG (some peril and action)

 When Carl is forced to leave his home, he uses balloons to take his house to Paradise Falls, where he and his wife dreamed of going. He has many unexpected incidents and adventures.

 We watched this movie in the park last Saturday for probably my fourth time. This movie is hilarious and I especially love the dogs.

Technical: 5/5

 I think that the animation was done very well and I like the type of animation that they used. The characters seemed well proportioned. The story flowed very well, starting out with a prologue, which is very sad. The voice acting was also done well and they went well with the animated characters.

Setting: 4/5

 The movie starts out when Carl (the main character) is a kid and goes through his life until he is old. The neighborhood goes from a quiet street to being surrounded by large construction projects. He sails over a city and ends up in a secluded part of South America, Paradise Falls. There are not very many wild animals which is probably unrealistic.

Plot: 4/5

The way they get to South America isn't the most realistic but it is very interesting. Carl is just trying to get to Paradise Falls but a kid winds up on his porch and so he must find a way to get him home. I don't think there were any unanswered questions or plot holes. And the villain's reasons were explained, though he takes things a little too seriously.

Characters: 5/5

 Carl is suffering from a loss and is trying to fulfill a promise he made as a child. He also has to move on from things and to learn to think of others. Russell is a very talkative kid who is trying to earn his last badge because his father said that he would come to his ceremony. Russell can be annoying but he has a sad life. The dogs were very funny and were probably fun to write. Dug is almost always excited, but is not very tough and is not liked by the other dogs. They all get distracted by squirrels and the horrible punishment is being put in the cone of shame. If dogs could talk they would probably be like the dogs in this movie. Kevin is also interesting and is the cause of some of their problems.

This is a fun movie with lots of comedy and adventure and I would recommend it to groups of all ages.

Friday Favorite: Finding Nemo

Finding Nemo

Recommended For: All Ages

Rating: G

1. Marlin, a clown fish, is overly cautious with his son, Nemo, after a tragedy with a shark kills his wife and the rest of Nemo's brothers and sisters. When Nemo swims too close to the surface in order to prove himself to his friends, he is caught by a diver, and a horrified Marlin must set out to find him. A blue reef fish named Dory -- who has a really short memory -- joins Marlin and complicates the encounters with sharks, jellyfish, and a host of ocean dangers. Meanwhile, Nemo plots his escape from a dentist's fish tank. Join this high-thrilling adventure with lots of fun characters that children everywhere will adore.

I've loved Finding Nemo for as long as I can remember. We used to always watch this movie when we went to our grandma's house. This is such a good movie full of fun and laughter and heartfelt moments and Dory.

The beginning is so awful. I mean, it starts out with Marlin losing his wife and all but one of his children. I still mourn Coral. And if she hadn't gone down to the cave, the children would have survived and she might have, too. I really don't know why I like this movie...I guess sad is happy for deep people.

It doesn't stay sad, though. Nemo grows up, goes off to school, and...acts like a bratty kid. Which gets him into MAJOR trouble. Marlin frantically goes after him, and meets a forgetful blue tang on the way who wants to help but keeps forgetting everything about their mission. Dory helps Marlin loosen up and stop being so scared of losing his son. They traverse an ocean together and become friends.

Nemo gets stuck in a fish tank at a dentist's office that I wouldn't want to go to if my life depended on it. He makes some friends, gets his courage bolstered, and in the end, gets a major boost of confidence in his dad, who he probably won't disobey ever again. 

Nemo and Dory join forces near the end in a search to find Marlin and get caught in a fish net. It doesn't take long for them to escape this, however, in a surprising example of what unity can accomplish. Then they all go back home to the barrier reef. They even get to bring along Squirt to Mr. Ray's class as a foreign exchange student!

This is such an awesome movie that everyone should seriously see at least once in their lifetime.

Movie Review: Frozen

Frozen

Recommended for: All Ages

Rating: PG (some action and mild rude humor)

Fearless optimist Anna sets off on an epic journey -- teaming up with rugged mountain man Kristoff and his loyal reindeer Sven -- to find her sister Elsa, whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom of Arendelle in eternal winter. Encountering Everest-like conditions, mystical trolls, and a hilarious snowman named Olaf, Anna and Kristoff battle the elements in a race to save the kingdom.

No, I did not just see Frozen for the first time. Last weekend was one of many. We just didn't watch anything new last weekend. Not that I'm complaining. I love Frozen. And even though the subject has come up on my author blog here and here and here and here and here and here, we have yet to review it over here on Shire. 

So now that I've got that clarification out of the way, I love Frozen. It's a fantastic movie with fantastic music (yeah, I know other people are tired of it, tough luck) and it has a lot of memories attached to it for me. I used to sing the songs with a girl I babysat before she moved away, because she loved it. It reminds me of our last Disney trip, because I had a Fastpass to meet Elsa and Anna and went to the Frozen Sing-Along twice and saw Jonathan Groff at the Candlelight Processional on top of all the other Frozen things in the park. It reminds me of Play Camp and singing the songs with a roomful of preschoolers and of a super cute little girl who is a bigger Frozen fan than me, and remembered me from last year even though I hadn't seen her at all between Practicums. Then there are all the times I drove down the road by myself singing Frozen quite loudly. And the movie itself.

Technical: 5/5

Disney does a good job. And I'm sure having John Lasseter in charge helped with just how well done it is. The animation is in a far more realistic style than some animation, which I much prefer. It is well written. The dialogue is fantastic, and each line is well delivered. Yes, it's just voice acting, but it was still very well cast. And having some of the actors record together, an unusual method, apparently, made the interaction between characters so much better. And there's a reason so many people are tired of the songs. They're so good that everyone sings them and plays them all the time. Guilty as charged. When trying to get a song out of my head, "Let It Go" is one of the first other songs I think of. Plus, interesting tidbit as far as technical goes, when Olaf gives Anna a minute to go talk to Elsa, it's almost exactly a minute. I saw that on Pinterest, and so last time I timed it. Pretty cool.

Setting: 5/5

Arendelle is a fictional kingdom, but it is largely inspired by Norway. The clothes are Norwegian, the architecture is Norwegian inspired. Actually, in Norway at EPCOT they have a little building full of displays which are all about how Norwegian culture influenced the design of Arendelle. I loved seeing that, and how close to Norwegian culture the worldbuilding is. Of course, the North Mountain and Elsa's ice castle are very fictional, but still super cool. And when everything is covered in snow. "Cold, cold, cold." It's more snow than I've ever seen, but then, I have lived in Georgia my whole life. A magical winter? It fits everything perfectly. And can I just say that I love the style of Anna's main dress? I like that style anyway, but...I can't make myself one, because then I'd just look Frozen crazy.

Plot: 4/5

I don't want to deduct points, but...the beginning does present a few unanswered questions. Like, they didn't try to keep Elsa's powers a secret before she hurt Anna, and so when they reduced the staff, surely some of the ones who left knew about it, and yet it was a surprise to everyone. And there were three years between their parents' death and Elsa's coronation, who ruled then? Sounds like the perfect opportunity for evil uncle. (Not that I'm complaining, Agravaine really did me in with the evil uncle bit.) But once the preliminary stuff is out of the way, I see no plot holes, nothing to make me dislike the story. It’s rightly called “A Tale of Two Sisters” because, while Elsa and Anna are rarely together, the story revolves around their relationship, or lack of one. Anna wants a close relationship. She doesn’t understand why Elsa pushes her away until her powers are revealed. And then still all she wants is her sister back. With Kristoff and Olaf along for help, she sets off to find Elsa, and get her to end the winter, as they encounter strange hardships and evil from unexpected places on their quest. Probably no one is unaware of who the bad guy is, but all the same, just in case, I won’t spoil it.

And what Frozen is really all about is true love. I'm not talking about cliche "true love's kiss" prince and princess happily ever after true love. While there certainly is a romance in Frozen (which honestly kind of makes fun of typical Disney princess romance), that's not the true love it's all about. It's about real love. Putting others above yourself. Sacrificing your wishes to help others. Some people are worth melting for. And that, I think, is one of the main things which sets Frozen apart.

Character Development: 5/5

Fantastic. I talked about Kristoff and Anna in my Favorite Screen Characters post, because I love them so much. I love Kristoff because he's honest and upright, has good morals, is down to earth and ordinary, while having realistic flaws. I like Anna because she's fun and quirky, determined and stubborn, loyal and forgiving. And while she did agree to marry a man she just met that day (I love Kristoff's reaction to the news), she wizened up and managed to get out of a bad situation. I like Elsa because she's a protective big sister who wants the best for her sister and kingdom, even though she is kind of misdirected about what that best is. And you can't help feeling sorry for her. I like Olaf because, well, who doesn't like Olaf? He's kind of stupid, but he's really funny, and he gets some great lines towards the end when he's telling Anna what love is. Plus "Hey, Sven, I don't know if this will help, but there's a staircase leading right where you want to go." and "Go on. Knock. Why isn't she knocking? Do you think she knows how to knock?" And Hans is well developed too. Don't like him. But he's well developed. Even the Duke of Weaseltown--'scuse me, Weselton. He's annoying, but, well, he's the Duke of Weselton. And Flynn and Rapunzel even have a cameo!

 

So, here's just a little bit of why I love Frozen. It's so popular that I doubt anyone who reads this hasn't seen it, but if you're one of that small demographic, get Frozen. Watch it. You'll be singing the songs too. I love it very much. And yes, I do intend to see Frozen 2 in theaters. Why do you ask?

Movie Review: Tarzan

Disney's Tarzan

Recommended for: All Ages

Rating: G

Filled with thrills, laughs, and Academy Award-winning music (Best Music, Original Song, "You'll Be In My Heart," 1999), this family favorite will make you go wild. Disney's magnificent adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs' story begins deep within the jungle when baby Tarzan is adopted by a family of gorillas. But his "Two Worlds" collide with the arrival of humans, forcing Tarzan to choose between a "civilized" life with the beautiful Jane and the life he shares with his fun-loving friends and his gorilla family.

No, I didn't see Disney's Tarzan until I was 19. Yes, I absolutely loved it. It was fantastic. At one time (around the time I read The Jungle Book) I had a fascination with the concept of human children raised by animals, and watching Tarzan reminded me of that phase. I love the story, I love the songs, which I already knew thanks to Pandora, and it's a movie I can highly recommend for young and old.

Technical: 5/5

It's an animated movie, obviously, but the animation is well done. The voice acting was good, the songs all suited the part of the movie in which they were featured, and it was just all round well done.

Setting: 4.5/5

Well, no, it's not completely realistic. I have my doubts a gorilla would be able to raise a human child. And that an elephant would be paranoid about germs and piranhas. But the types of animals which were around was accurate to the setting. The costuming all seemed to fit within the same time period, rather than jumping about to various eras. And, hey, the jungle is pretty neat. Plus there was the cameo appearance of Mrs. Potts and Chip in Jane's camp that got us all excited.

Plot: 5/5

Now, a complaint I would have is that I would have liked to see more of Tarzan learning about humans, as it is all montaged during the song "Strangers Like Me" (a song I love). But I suspect that the book (which is now sitting on my kindle along with 55 other unread books) goes into more detail. I do very much love the storyline. And it is actually quite complex with several layers of conflict. There is Tarzan trying to fit in with the gorillas, which is difficult since Kerchak, the lead gorilla who is kind of scary, disapproves. There is the threat of Sabor, the leopard, who killed Tarzan's parents, Kala's real baby, and continues to terrorize the island. Then there is Clayton, the guide of Jane and her father, who has a deeper, nefarious reason for seeking out the gorillas. And there is then the romance angle. All of these plots are seamlessly woven together in a story that is more complex than the average kids' movie, but still simple enough for a toddler to follow along. It really is the type of story that can appeal to all ages. It left me wanting more about Tarzan and Jane, and I'm looking forward to reading the book.

Character Development: 4.5/5

I came to love these characters easily, particularly Tarzan and Jane, of course. While I wouldn't say they're exactly the most amazingly, intricately developed characters I've encountered in fiction, I would say they are far more than sufficiently developed. Maybe it's just that I like the concept of a human raised by animals. But it was so interesting to see someone discovering things that we would take for granted, just as it was delightful to see Jane's love for sharing it with him. And I liked Jane. She's feminine, but adventurous, and I appreciate that. The villains were properly scary without being evil without reason, well, maybe except Sabor. An animal like that doesn't need a motive to act that way.

Disney's Tarzan is a good movie. It's family friendly, while being deep enough and complex enough for adults. It's also on Netflix right now, so easy access if you have Netflix. Great movie.

Movie Reviews: Sleeping Beauty

Sleeping Beauty

Recommended For: All Ages

Rating: G

Princess Aurora is cursed by the evil witch Maleficent - who declares that before Aurora reaches her 16th birthday she will die by pricking her finger on the spindle of a spinning-wheel. To try to prevent this, the king places her into hiding, in the care of three good-natured - but not too bright - fairies.

We really haven't been watching many movies lately. We decided that since we were going to check out Maleficent from the library and watch it soon, we might as well re-watch Sleeping Beauty. 

Technical: 5/5

Um...the movie was made in 1959. For the 21st century, the animation wasn't top-notch, but this movie was made back in the days when it was really big to have three dimensions in your animated films. So, taking that into account, and taking into the account the fact that it was made by Walt Disney, and anything done by Walt Disney is going to be top of the line (just look at Walt Disney World, for instance), I decided to give it five stars.

Setting: 5/5

It's unclear where exactly the story is set. It is made known several times in the movie that it is the 14th century, and the times seem to be pretty accurate for an animated fantasy movie, not that I know much about the life and times of the 1300s, but still.

Plot: 4/5

Everyone knows the plot of Sleeping Beauty. And, I must say, it's a pretty good one. Although, the whole I-just-met-this-girl-a-couple-of-minutes-ago-but-I-want-to-marry-her thing and the I-just-met-this-stranger-in-the-woods-but-when-I-find-out-I'm-betrothed-to-a-prince-I'll-cry-hysterically thing kind of put me off. I don't really like rushed romances. ("You can't marry a man you just met!") That's why I took away a star. Other than that it was good. Oh, and Maleficent considering herself a villain...villains think they're the hero of their story, not the evil one. But that's kind of typical in Disney movies.

Character Development: 5/5

You kind of don't get to know Aurora that well since she's kind of asleep most of the movie, but that's okay, since she's not really the protagonist. What?!? But yeah, she's really not. Prince Phillip isn't either, although he is the hero of the story. Sometimes the hero of the story and the protagonist aren't the same person, and in this case, they're not. Flora, Fauna, and Merriweather are the protagonists, and they make good ones, too. They're well-developed. While I wouldn't exactly say that Prince Phillip was well-developed, he's not exactly a flat cardboard cutout either. I'd say, for an early Disney movie, the characters are very well done.

Of course, it's not necessary for me to recommend Sleeping Beauty, but I will anyway. I think everyone should watch it at least once. And while it may not be my favorite Sleeping Beauty retelling, it's certainly one of the most classic ones.

So long!

Movie Review: Tangled

Tangled

Recommended for: All Ages

Rating: PG (for brief mild violence)

"When the kingdom's most wanted- and most charming-bandit Flynn Rider hides in a mysterious tower, the last thing he expects to find is Rapunzel, a spirited teen with an unlikely superpower- 70 feet of magical golden hair! Together, the unlikely duo set off on a fantastic journey filled with surprising heroes, laughter, and suspense."

I have liked this movie since I first saw it, and it became my favorite Disney princess movie. Even after seeing Frozen, Tangled is still my favorite Disney princess movie.

Technical:5/5

As in most Disney animated films, the animation was well done. Tangled is a retelling of the story of Rapunzel, and I think that it was done in an interesting and funny way. The voices of the characters were done well, the voices expressing the emotion that the characters go through in the movie.

Setting: 4/5

The movie is set in what appears to be a fantasy world with a medieval Europe setting. There don't seem to be many settlements other than the city where Rapunzel was born. The tower is in a secluded part of  a the woods about a day's walk from the city. There is a tavern on the way to the city. There don't seem to be any farmers and their only means of food seems to come from the sea and exports.

Plot: 5/5
 
Rapunzel is stolen away as a baby so that Mother Gothel can stay young.  Rapunzel's parents then light floating lanterns every year on her birthday hoping that she will come home. Rapunzel grows up seeing the floating lanterns and feels that they are meant for her. She then gets the wanted criminal to take her to fulfill her dream by seeing the floating lanterns. I found the plot enjoyable, and funny with lots of adventure and excitement. It seemed well developed.

Character Development:5/5

As always, Disney does a great job with characters. Rapunzel is a naive girl who was raised in a tower knowing only one person. She was told that the world is a scary place and is scared easily. Flynn Rider is a wanted criminal trying to evade soldiers, who reluctantly takes Rapunzel to the city only to get what he stole back. For part of the journey, he tries to convince her to go back to her tower. He soon realizes there's more to life than stealing. There are other characters like Mother Gothel, and the animal companions Maximus and Pascal. They are all unique and well developed. Maximus and Pascal make great sidekicks.

This is a great family-friendly movie for any movie night

Movie Review: Despicable Me 2

Despicable Me 2

Recommended For: All Ages

Rating: PG (rude humor and mild action)

Gru, his adorable girls, and the mischievous Minions are back with a cast of unforgettable new characters in the blockbuster sequel to the worldwide phenomenon. Just as Gru has given up being super-bad to be a super-dad, the Anti-Villain League recruits him to track down a new criminal mastermind and save the world. Partnered with secret agent Lucy Wilde, Gru, along with the wildly unpredictable Minions, must figure out how to keep his cover while also keeping up with his duties as a father. Assemble the Minions for laugh-out-loud comedy in "one of the funniest, most enjoyable movies ever!" (MovieGuide)

When my family first got Despicable Me from Netflix awhile back, we didn't expect to like it. After all, the previews weren't that great. But we ended up greatly enjoying it. Then we heard how good the sequel was and got it from the library. I personally don't think it was quite as good as the first one, but as far as sequels go it was really good. Some sequels are terrible, don't even get me started on Mulan 2, but Despicable Me 2 wasn't. (Though, really, can't people think of a better title than simply adding "2" onto the first one?)

Technical:5/5

Despicable Me 2 was a well-made film. The animation was good, the voice acting was good, it was well written, and hilarious. Parts of it had me doubled up on the couch laughing. It wasn't entirely unpredictable, but it wasn't like Mulan 2 where the entire movie was predictable. And the writers didn't try to simply recreate the first film, but truly moved the characters forward. However, I probably would have enjoyed it more if I had had more of a refresher on the first movie than "Let's see, that was about the guy who stole the moon and adopted three girls as part of his scheme, but ended up trying to be their dad."

Setting: 5/5

I'm not really sure what to say about the setting, but it suited the movie. It isn't exactly realistic, but it was perfect for a comedy superhero/supervillain animated film. I do like the area under Gru's house where the minions are. It's pretty cool, even when full of jelly-making equipment.

Plot: 4/5

Like I said, it wasn't entirely unpredictable. It was pretty easy to guess, from the number of people trying to play matchmaker for Gru, that it would have a wedding ending, and it wasn't hard to pick out the girl. Nor was it difficult to predict that Gru would join the Anti-Villain League despite his initial reaction to them. (I didn't read any descriptions before watching the movie.) However, there were twists that weren't entirely foreseen. And it's comedy. It doesn't need to keep you anxiously on the edge of your seat wondering if they're going to survive. If you're on the edge of your seat, it's probably because you were laughing so hard you ended up not sitting properly anymore. It was an enjoyable story overall.

Character Development: 5/5

The characters were consistent with the original film, and each very unique. Gru didn't reset. He's still a reformed villain who is doing his best to raise three girls, but does not always quite succeed in squashing his old tendencies. It's also obvious he really cares about the girls, and wants to protect them. Margo has started being interested in boys, which really freaks out Gru, and he spends a good bit of time trying to keep her away from them. There's even one scene where Gru insists a certain character is the villain they're looking for, but the son (who Margo likes) is the one who they really have to watch out for, the one they have to get. Lucy Wilde was also a well-developed character, though rather eccentric. I wasn't crazy about her at first, but she grew on me and I liked her quite well by the end. The girls were still the same, and, of course, there is plenty of the minions.

Despicable Me 2 was an enjoyable, funny movie, and I recommend it for fun family movie nights.

Movie Review: Monsters University

Monsters University by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment

Recommended For: All Ages

Rating: G

Disney Pixar proudly presents the hilarious story of how two mismatched monsters met and became lifelong friends in a movie screaming with laughter and oozing with heart. Ever since college-bound Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal) was a little monster, he’s dreamed of becoming a Scarer—and he knows better than anyone that the best Scarers come from Monsters University (MU). But during his first semester at MU, Mike’s plans are derailed when he crosses paths with hotshot James P. Sullivan, “Sulley” (John Goodman), a natural-born Scarer. The pair’s out-of-control competitive spirit gets them both kicked out of the University’s elite Scare Program. With their dreams temporarily dashed, they realize they will have to work together, along with an odd bunch of misfit monsters, if they ever hope to make things right.

I loved this movie! Although from the trailers it looked silly, and because it was a Disney sequel (or prequel) I expected it to be lame, like most Disney sequels, this movie exceeded all my expectations and turned out to be great. About far more than Mike and Sulley's hilarious moments at college, this movie was a good story and had a few great messages. I view this not as "good for a sequel" but as a story that is good on its own.

Technical: 5/5
The technical aspects of this film, as it was Disney, was best of the best. It was very well-done. There was no bad acting as far as I could tell, though I'm usually not the best judge on that sort of stuff, and the animation was well-done.

Setting: 5/5
Like its predecessor, Monsters University is set in the monster world. Most of the movie was on the campus of Monsters University, with a few scenes at the scare floor and in the human world. The settings were realistic and believable.

Plot: 5/5
This is where Disney usually fails on their sequels. Their sequel plots are usually unoriginal, incredibly predictable, and have horrible morals. Monsters University had none of this. The plot was surprisingly original, not quite predictable, and actually did have some good morals. SPOILER ALERT I mean, I knew that they would eventually win the Scare Games, but who would've thought that Sulley would cheat on them and confess it, which eventually led to Mike and Sulley getting kicked out of Monsters University? I was also surprised that Mike and Sulley worked their way into the Scare Floor without college! Especially in these days where most people think you have to go to college to have a successful life. This viewpoint, especially by Disney, was surprisingly refreshing. END SPOILER ALERT I liked how the movie taught that it's okay to fail at achieving your dream and everybody is special. I especially liked how it showed why Randy hates Mike and Sulley so much. The plot of Monsters University was all-in-all very good.

Character Development: 5/5
Disney seems to always excel at developing characters, no matter how bad the plot is. This movie was no exception. The old characters were well-done, as well as the new ones. The various character arcs were all very well-done. The characters were not flat at all.

This movie was very good, with good morals, and very enjoyable. A good movie enjoyable for all ages.