Sing stumbles just slightly for being a bit slow in places. There are multiple stories that need to be weaved together for the movie to make sense and I applaud director/writer Garth Jennings for taking the time to make it all fit. That being said, if you can hang in there for a bit and push past the slow parts, you are in for a real treat!
I walked out of Sing feeling like I had gotten more than my money's worth. Mind you, I didn't pay a dime to see it, but just know it'll be worth every penny when you go see it in theaters. When koala Buster Moon's (Matthew McConaughey) theatre hits rock bottom, he decides to revitalize his business by having a singing competition open to the masses. The movie chronicles what happens from tryouts and beyond. The result is a feel good movie that will be a good watch for years to come.
Just like Moana and a couple of the other animated movies that have come out this year, Sing packs a sincere and strong message. Life throws curveballs at us at times and has a way of leaving us worse-off which is why we have to take advantage of every opportunity that gets thrown our way no matter the sacrifice. Every character was developed extremely well with their own set of baggage and shortcomings.
Take Johnny (Taron Egerton) for example. Johnny is the lookout gorilla for his father's gang, but he doesn't want to be a part of a life of crime. Johnny wants to sing. Just one of many characters who help carry the message to fruition.
Outside of your kids getting a lesson out of it, Sing is just plain funny. Some of the music choices will leave you cracking up. An alligator rapping "The Humpty Dance" while doing the robot and wearing a Kangol hat. I can't even read the sentence without laughing! My personal favorite was the K-Pop group consisting of red pandas. Talk about subtle detail. Even the detail behind each character's face as they crooned their songs put a smile on my face. Well done.
Sing is perfect for all ages. Everyone, old and young, will be sucked in by the recognizable music and various hilarious scenes. Great movie just in time for Christmas. I give it a 92.
The only thing I found wrong with Moana was its insistent use of Disney's old tricks. Father disapproves of child's behavior. Child strikes off on her own in spite of father's wishes. Yes, it's been done and many, many times before. I can't be too hard on them, however, as there is a reason they continue to utilize it: It works.
All the things that Moana does well (and exceptionally at that) far outweigh the been-there-done-that vibe it slightly gives off. The film as a whole is definitely entertaining, especially to the funnybone. Every character has a distinct personality and will find a way to make you laugh in their own way. Gramma Tala (Rachel House), known as the village cuckoo, draws you in with her nonchalant personality very reminiscent of Oogway from Kung Fu Panda. The ocean itself has a sentient personality of its own as it ebbs and flows, reacting to everything happening within the scene. While Maui (Dwayne Johnson) and Moana (Auli'i Cravalho) were the main characters, the chicken stole the show for me. You can't help but laugh at the poor, dumb creature as it wanders about aimlessly through the movie getting into danger then rescued without knowing of either.
Moana isn't just about providing you with a good time, but also hits you with a great message. It preaches the power of persistence and following your heart. Between the message, the amazing visuals, and its scope of originality, Moana is a solid package of a movie.
When an island god threatens to destroy her village, young Chief-In-Training Moana must go on a quest to track down demi-god Maui and demand his help to make things right. During a year where animated movies are dominating the movie circuit, this definitely stands out as one of 2016's best. I give it a 96.
I was hoping for the best when going to see this film and I'm happy to report that Doctor Strange definitely delivers in more ways than one. Not only does it help advance the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it takes you on a wild ride in the process. You don't have to wait long for the ride to kick off as the action hits almost immediately after the opening credits. I appreciated the way the movie gives you a little taste of this magical world and what you can expect before scaling back a bit.
I can't say enough about how well Benedict Cumberbatch played the role of Stephen Strange. Strange is an arrogant, pompous doctor in desperate need of a humbling experience. His journey as a man of science first was captured well by director Scott Derrickson. Throughout the film, Strange doesn't just accept the impossibilities of what he's seeing as a new truth, rather he tries to connect it to the world he has always known. It takes him awhile to accept everything that's happening around him as it should have.
The theater we watched the movie in wasn't packed by a long shot and I'm not surprised. It's one of those movies where you want to wait and see what your friends thought first or, in this case, what I thought. Doctor Strange gets a lot of things right including the subtle, detailed touches. The cape was probably one of my favorite characters in the movie and I'm not even joking. Oh, and make sure you stay for the end scenes during the final credits, ESPECIALLY the first one.
Whether you see the film on a regular screen or a special Dolby Screen like myself, you will be blown away by the special effects. I promise not to ruin anything, but I will say there's so many cool nuances here (again with the details) to keep your wow-factor high. The magic, in and of itself is amazing, but throw in the shifting landscapes (think Inception), the running on walls, and the crazy metaphysical journeys with hundreds of vibrant colors and you'll find yourself having an eye-gasm.
Doctor Strange is trippy in a very original kind of way. Sure, there are flashes of different films within, but never any one film you can directly reference. I have an even greater appreciation for its "trippiness" because everything within the realm of the movie is eventually explained. There were moments in Inception that I still don't get. I mean, a dream within a dream...within a dream? Come on! Doctor Strange takes you to some weird places, but never without an explanation of some sort.
If you were worried about how good this film was going to be, worry no longer. Phillip McSween is not only telling you to watch Doctor Strange, but go see it in theaters! You won't regret it. I give it a solid 82.
Trolls has a few cheesy moments that the movie could have done without. I had to start there as I had a hard time finding things I didn't like about the movie. Spoiler Alert: Trolls is pretty darn good.
The Bergens are a village of monsters that feed off of trolls in order to get happiness. When their only source of happiness turns tail and establishes a home in a new forest, the chef of the Bergen town dedicates her life to hunting them down. It's up to Poppy (Anna Kendrick) and Branch (Justin Timberlake) to protect their fellow trolls from danger.
It's, by far, the most colorful, dark movie I've ever seen. It's a movie about the main characters trying to avoid being eaten, yet I was more focused on the bright colors of creativity that made the characters pop off the screen and made each forest scene resemble one giant bag of Skittles. The attention to detail is very appealing to the eyes.
Trolls will appeal to your funnybone as well as you'll find yourself laughing more often than not at all the hilarious things happening on-screen. Branch tickled me the most because, in the midst of the happy-happy love fest, he was this brooding character whose main goal was to get the other trolls to believe in his conspiracy theories. My favorite characters are always the ones that drift away from the norm.
Speaking of drifting away from the norm, the film uses a gang of familiar songs and puts their own fun spin on them. It's not just about how the songs are sung but the moments in which the songs are brought out. My personal favorite was one of the Bergen's rendition of Lionel Richie's "Hello". They really dusted off the crates to find quality music and there's definitely a little something that everyone can enjoy and bounce their heads to.
It's little touches like the music and colors that really give the movie a unique feel. It's original in more ways than one, including all the vibrant, singing monsters that Poppy runs into during her adventure. The characters surprised me with their originality as well. No one troll is alike in looks and each have their own unique personalities. I can't really point to a favorite as I felt like each of them did something to make me laugh at point or another.
Trolls is a great family movie or, in my wife and I's case, a fun movie to go see on date night. I give it a solid 81.
