’13 Cameras’ Film Review: An Unnerving Surprise

Have you ever seen a film that just makes your skin crawl? This particular experience was designed to make its audience feel uncomfortable and it does a pretty bang-up job at it, to say the least. The villain himself makes the outcome intriguing but other aspects tend to make going through the film a bit sluggish.

Overview

A newlywed couple gets more than they bargained for when their new landlord isn’t who they thought he was.

Simplicity

Many films suffer from not having an easy to follow plotline. Audiences can get confused and just uninterested if a story tries to juggle too many things at once.

13 Cameras is as straightforward as it gets in a good way. The majority of the film focuses on the new couple who have just moved in while at the same time showing their landlord who from the beginning will make your skin crawl.

He could simply be standing there and you’ll just have a chill shiver down your spine.

Mixed Focus

Although the story has a pretty good balance of focusing on different characters it doesn’t mean that everything is interesting. 10 – 20 minutes of the film could be cut out because it’s just not exciting.

Not only is it unexciting it doesn’t add to the plot. At the end of the day, it feels like they were just padding out the film’s runtime. It’s still a fun watch with a couple of friends but it’s difficult to give it more credit than that.

Reasoning

In this film, you’ll find zero motivation behind the antagonist’s actions. In the sequel 14 Cameras, we see more of a reason behind his deeds but no one should have to watch another movie just to understand a villain’s motivation.

Conclusion

Although 13 Cameras is not the most exciting thriller it does have it’s moments. When the film actually does try to focus on being exciting it’s pretty engaging sadly there are only a few of those moments throughout the film.

There are so many unnecessary scenes in the movie that could be cut out simply because they don’t offer anything. However, picking apart the weird scenes with a few friends will make for a fun night.

The most frustrating aspect of the film is how the protagonists could’ve avoided their dire situation if they just behaved how a normal person would.

In conclusion, don’t go into 13 Cameras with the expectation it’s going to blow your mind it’s a pretty fun film, and if you don’t have much going on just turn it on.

It’s available on Netflix currently along with its sequel.

Verdict 7 out of 10 Stars

‘Onward’ Film Review: A Heartwarming Sense of Déjà Vu

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“‘I think, with a little bit of magic in your life, you can do almost anything.”

From the world-renowned Pixar comes a new adventure filled to the brim with excitement, amusement, and deep heartfelt moments. While the story itself doesn’t reinvent the wheel it still serves its purpose as an entertaining animated film.

Overview

Two teenage elf brothers Barley (Chris Pratt) & Ian (Tom Holland) must set out on an adventure to spend one more day with their late father. Along the way, Ian must practice his newfound skills while their mother Laurel (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) attempts to get them back.

Magical Chemistry

While the plot is straightforward, along the way are some memorable characters and beautiful locales to boot. Holland & Pratt have both shared the screen together before so it’s not surprising that they play off each other well. From beginning to end I believe in their relationship as people who truly care for each other.

Barley would do anything for his brother and it’s expressed without shoving it in the audience’s faces. Laurel also plays a bigger role than expected in the film, in fact, there weren’t any characters that bothered me while they were on screen.

Going into the film I believed it would entirely be about the two brothers but I was wrong. The movie benefits from having other characters with big roles. Even some with small roles give the film some added spectacle and its satisfying to watch play out.

World Building Done Right

From the opening shot, the audience is aware that their world is similar to ours except it’s filled with magical beasts. From unicorns digging through the trash like raccoons to centaurs riding in police cars, this magical land has been brought to the modern world.

To see these creatures placed in such an environment is refreshing it’s not where you’d expect to see them.

Same Old Same Old

While the overall idea for the film is fresh this isn’t an animated tale that breaks the mold. At the end of the day, it doesn’t tell a story that most audiences haven’t heard before.

However, that doesn’t make the film bad the idea of a family being able to reunite with their dead father is a story that I didn’t think I’d see from Pixar. At times the film really tugs at some heartstrings and it touched my heart. That’s a mature theme that I’m sure will leave audiences surprised that the film dealt with that.

While it’s great that most will be able to connect to the movie on an emotional level that doesn’t take away the fact that there is manufactured tension between the brothers. In most animated films at some point, the main characters will have a little bit of a falling out.

Everyone watching knows that they’ll make it up to each other and it’s just a matter of time before they do. I’ll love it when one day writers decide they don’t need to have something separate from the main characters in every film. It’s just exhausting at this point.

Conclusion

The idea for Onward to mix the modern world with magical characters was great. With plenty of sight gags as well as all the magic sequences the film just wouldn’t be the same if the story took place during a different time.

The film is entertaining, to say the least, and the chemistry between Tom Holland and Chris Pratt is strong from the very beginning. Their characters are both some of the best parts of the film and having them on screen together makes the movie even stronger.

Onward doesn’t tell a story that most people who have seen a film before haven’t seen. Many of the story beats are copy and pasted from other films. While I’d prefer for completely new ideas most animated films do fall into the realm of not being entirely original.

Even though the film isn’t too innovative that doesn’t make it non-enjoyable. It’s fun and adventurous you feel like you’re joining the characters on their quest. Not only that you truly support the main duo because at the end of the day who wouldn’t wanna see someone special they lost even if it was only for a day.

Verdict 8 out of 10 Stars

‘You (Season 1)’ TV Show Review: The Price of Love

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“There are terrifying people in the world. It’s important to be safe, and that’s why I have to do what I’m going to do.”

Have you ever seen the world through the eyes of a person who believes they’re in the right when that couldn’t be further from the truth? Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) is a loner who works at a book store that keeps to himself for the most part.

Until one faithful day when a woman named Genevieve Beck (Elizabeth Lail) walks into his store. Joe becomes infatuated with Beck, and he will stop at nothing to gain her love.

Rooting for a Bad Guy?

Narration is typically considered to be lazy, mainly because it allows for the writers to give the audience information easily. Joe Goldberg, among other characters, does not go many scenes without narration, which seems like it would be exhausting. However, it suits the storytelling well.

From the outside, looking in most would have very different thoughts about the entire cast of You. Because we get to see how their minds work, we may end up understanding some motives even if we don’t agree with how they necessarily go about solving their issues.

Subverting Expectations Constantly

Audiences will be surprised by how much they actually know about the story, or should I say how little. You does an astounding job at subverting expectations, and often viewers won’t know what’s going to happen in the story next.

Superb Acting for the Most Part

A couple of the performances are astounding with how well the actors/actresses represent their characters. Penn Badgley, the actor who portrays Joe Goldberg, can act out a flurry of different emotions with incredible skill. In one scene, he can go from two extremely different moods such as anger into being at peace.

Elizabeth Lail, the actress that plays as Genevieve Beck, also holds her own throughout the show. For story purposes, her character just isn’t as exciting as Joes, but she completes her role with flying colors.

Wanting Everything to Work Out

One of the weirdest feelings is watching someone who you know isn’t necessarily a good person and wanting them to find happiness. It’s because of how well Joe and Beck interact with each other, not to mention everything that the audience goes through with them.

Previously I spoke about how the narration benefits the storytelling, and in terms of Joe and Beck’s relationship, it adds much-wanted depth. There are two different layers of storytelling going on, and I’ve never seen any media, for the most part, use narration in such a way that was a serious show or movie.

While they’re very different people, I believe their differences benefit the other for the most part. To put it lightly, Beck isn’t the most put-together person, and she has many personal struggles.

When she meets Joe, that begins to change, and it is a great thing to see. Pacing for relationships in media can often feel off; however, You succeeds once again with allowing Beck & Joe’s relationship to progress naturally.

Conclusion

What makes someone a bad person? You forces the audience to answer that question. The cast chosen for this show does their job to the best of their abilities. Because of that, the first season of You is bursting with quality.

From Joe and Beck’s relationship to the unusual method of storytelling used, the program uses all of the tricks that it can pull out of its hat to make an exquisite show about a stalker obsessed with a woman.

Not only that, but the writers succeed at writing the story in such a way that people support the stalker. That’s incredibly impressive; however, it is not only because of the writing team. Badgley took his time in the spotlight and showed audiences his vast range of acting skills.

All of the characters in his show, for the most part, do their role to be the best of their ability based on their job. If a character is supposed to be annoying, then the actor/actress gets the job done.

Finally, the pacing is perfect; the audience will not have to spend hours watching the same plotline. Secrets that are uncovered add to the show and allow the story to progress naturally, making every episode feel fresh, especially towards the season finale.

Verdict 9 out of 10 Stars

‘Coach Carter’ Film Review: More Than an Athlete

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“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world.”

Doing what you know is right sometimes can be the most laborious task. Ken Carter (Samuel L. Jackson) knows this all too well when he must return to his old high school to coach an undisciplined, insubordinate, and obstreperous group of young men.

Kobe Tribute

The world of basketball was changed forever a few days ago in the shocking death of Kobe Bryant. While the film does not directly relate to the man, it does not change the fact that his life meant so much to the game and so many people around the planet. You will be sincerely missed.

Real-Life Issues

It’s easy to watch this film and judge the basketball team harshly. The way that they act can be rude without a doubt. However, you don’t know whatever these teenagers have been through. The world that these kids live in is not easy.

Kenyon Stone, one of the few level headed players on the basketball team, even has his own struggles. With a pregnant girlfriend in high school, along with having the chance to play college basketball, he has to decide what’s worth more to him.

Even if you can’t relate to their stories and backgrounds personally, you feel some of the pain that they experience. You know, even though some of the boys have a rough exterior that these teenagers are not bad people that they’ve just had harsh lives.

Feels Real

An aspect of the film that I love is the language used. High school films often feel very outdated no matter when they were released. People just don’t talk like movies assume high schoolers talk. While this film was released over 15 years ago, the slang, along with the sayings, are still used today.

Clothing styles in the film feel a little dated but that’s what people wore during the time the film took place.

Basketball is being Played

When you have spent a vast amount of time dedicated to a specific activity, it can be scary to see it played out in a film. Because it’s hard to enjoy a movie that doesn’t go through the effort of making the situation look real. If you love basketball, then you’ll immediately love the scenes concerning basketball.

From the games to the scrimmages it feels like actual basketball players are out there playing. Instead of some guys that don’t know about the sport. It’s honestly refreshing getting both good actors that can also at least appear to play basketball well.

Samuel L Jackson Steals the Show!

I don’t think I’ve seen a movie that had Samuel L. Jackson in it, and I didn’t enjoy his performance. Regardless if I liked the film or not, he always stands out. Here especially, it shows that he can take a serious role and perform very well.

Jackson is a coach who doesn’t act like basketball is the only thing that matters. The parents of the children who play on the basketball team have already spent their lives telling them that this sport will be the best part of their lives. So the only thing that matters to many of these kids is basketball.

Ambitions outside of that aren’t too lofty, and Coach Carter doesn’t want that to remain true. The basketball players are student-athletes, which means they should go to class and learn not just play basketball until they can’t anymore.

I truly felt that Jackson cared about the future of the teenagers that he coached. It’s a beautiful thing, and he feels so genuine.

Conclusion

Coach Carter succeeds at one of the most challenging things for films to do, correctly and it’s to cast accurately for a movie that takes place in high school. Everything feels right from the dialogue to the clothes that the teenagers wear. Those may seem minimalistic, but it’s one of the easiest ways to get disconnected from a film.

The serious themes that the picture tackles are also grounded in realism. It may seem astonishing to some how life is for people in impoverished areas. Not everyone was born in the suburbs and had a pretty easy life. Most people don’t know what it’s like to be aware you have a baby on the way in high school, but that’s a serious issue that some must face.

Outside of that, there’s constant gang violence and it’s pretty much unavoidable depending on where you live. I really do appreciate the film for diving deep into these harsher themes.

From major to minor characters the acting is very believable. In my opinion, Samuel L. Jackson outperforms the rest of the cast simply because he crushes his role. I simply don’t know how his performance could’ve been improved.

Verdict 9.5 out of 10 Stars

‘Holes’ Film Review: A Diamond in the Rough

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“It was all because of his no-good-dirty-rotten-pig stealing-great-great-grandfather!”

If bad things always happened to you, would you think you were cursed? Well, our protagonist Stanley Yelnats IV (Shia LaBeouf), doesn’t believe so but his family sure does.

When a pair of shoes worn by a famous baseball player falls into Stanley’s hands, he’s soon picked up by the police and shortly after is thrown into a boot camp straight from a nightmare. Doomed to dig holes in the blazing hot sun for hours on end.

His only hope is to live out his days doing whatever it is the Warden asks of him and one day being able to gain his freedom.

You’re Involved

Making someone feel invested in the struggle of a fictional character is the hope of any writer. Making the audience feel as the protagonists do is one of their crowning achievements and Holes does just that!

You want our leads to get through their trials and tribulations with as little trouble as possible. You truly do feel for these characters, and when they are met with hostility, you feel for them.

Wanting Justice

Stanley Yelnats IV has to put up with quite a few people who will really get under the audience’s skin. The Warden (Sigourney Weaver) & Mr. Sir (Jon Voight) are the two most significant villains that Yelnats faces. While watching the film, you’ll hate both of these characters, but that’s how you know the writers did a great job.

In the beginning, you’re subjected to watching the boys suffer under the wrath of Mr. Sir, and you can’t possibly understand how it could get worse for these kids. Then a whole new level of wickedness is introduced once the Warden appears on the screen. It’s quite the sight to see.

Good Young Actors

Finding a good child actor is already a dime a dozen. However, having a film full of good performances from children is lovely. I usually dread to see children on screen with plenty of speaking lines solely because more often than not they won’t be able or act as well as their castmates. When children or anyone cannot act well, it pulls the viewer out of the narrative.

Not Just a Plain Donut… It Has Sprinkles!

Who would’ve thought a film that spends more than 70% of its runtime in a desert would be a fresh, enjoyable experience. While the environment isn’t breathtaking in the slightest, the story and characters bring life to the film.

In a location that screams dry, sorrow, and boring, it goes to show how well the pacing is during the film. A new factor or detail that changes the movie is often introduced. It’s almost like you’re getting hit with a large gust of wind during the summertime. You appreciate it, and no, it’s not happening every other minute, but it is present enough for you to bask in it.

Conclusion

You mix a mystery, with hard labor, and despicable people all in a desert surrounded by nothing but sand. My first thought would be that it just doesn’t sound like a captivating film, but I’d be dead wrong.

From the child actors to the adult actors/actresses, I was sold from the start. Their performances really help you dive into their world, and you feel for the characters who are punished. Whether they deserved it or not, you still have some remorse for the children.

Making an exciting movie out of a dull environment is not an easy task. However, with excellent pacing and performances, you barely notice. You will sit there scene after scene wanting to continue watching the film until it’s over, and even then, you might still not have gotten your fill.

It’s a movie you’d have to see for yourself to understand why it is still remembered to this day. No one can tell you exactly how you should feel while watching the motion picture or not. However, it is definitely up on my list of family films that everyone should give a shot.

Verdict 9 out of 10 Stars

‘Treasure Planet’ Film Review: The Best Film No One Ever Saw

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Have you ever seen a film and wondered why more people haven’t seen it? In 2002, Treasure Planet released in theaters to a resounding whisper as it completely bombed in the box office. Sadly the film was lost in the wide array of Disney films however, I believe it deserves another chance at greatness.

Overview

15-year-old Jim Hawkens (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a rebellious teen going through a rough period in his life. All of that changed the day he found a map that leads to “the loot of a thousand worlds.” Knowing that finding the treasure will flip his life upside down Jim travels across the universe in this thrilling space voyage.

Sets the Tone Immediately

From the opening few moments of the film, you see two ships waged in battle. There’s no water to be seen both ships firing cannonballs out in space. The fight is shown in the form of a hologram being displayed by a book.

I love the world this story takes place in. Filled with objects that we are used to seeing on an everyday basis however, now they have more of a futuristic take. For example, there are curtains with the flick of a button that can change the background from a flowery meadow to a monstrous volcano.

Deep Themes

When darker themes are discussed in films where the main audience will consist of children I always tend to enjoy the fact that the story was willing to dive that deep. When the writers avoid common clichés like the death of parents it’s truly special and Treasure Planet possesses no such cliché.

Colorful Cast

Right off the bat, we’re introduced to Doctor Doppler (David Hyde Pierce) a close family friend to the Hawkins family. He’s your stereotypical intelligent character who’s also kind of a goofball. However, it’s not fair to say he doesn’t stand out.

He has some of the best lines in the entire film combined with his seemingly constant act of tripping over himself he really takes this character from a forgettable role to a major player in the film.

John Silver (Brian Murray) is another welcomed addition to the cast. His relationship with Jim is a major contributing factor to why I enjoy the film so much. The best scenes of the movie always occur when these two share the limelight and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Alluring Animation

To say the animation is enchanting is taking it lightly. Throughout a scene, there may be three or more changes to the way the scene is being captured. From using a point of view shot to changing from 3D animation to 2D animation in the matters of seconds is phenomenal.

The leaps and progression that this movie used to stand out from its competition are insane. I’m shocked that even by today’s standards this motion picture wouldn’t be left in the dust animation wise.

Conclusion

You’re thrown in the world of Treasure Planet from the start. There aren’t minutes and minutes of exposition things are just the way they are which keeps the pacing steady. You begin to just enjoy what you see instead of questioning was that a ship flying? It’s simply a fun film.

Outside of the characters I’ve already mentioned, there are numerous others that deserve just as much praise. The voice talent is immaculate and I still feel chills during tense scenes because of that fact.

As a child, there are themes I wouldn’t expect you to understand. However, returning to the film older and wiser I can’t help but appreciate the mature themes. Lastly, the animation is top-notch.

To this day I don’t see many animated films that make me want to replay a scene just to watch the film frame by frame to see how the creators completed their task.

Verdict 10 out of 10 Stars

‘Zombieland: Double Tap’ Film Review: A Redundantly Amusing Adventure

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Most sequels often feel out of place, almost like they don’t belong. While “Zombieland: Double Tap” is a fun time at the cinema, it sadly falls under that category of missing the mark. Especially since this sequel came out 10 years after 2009’s “Zombieland.”

Overview

The gang is back together! Four survivors Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin who met and joined forces in their previous outing in “Zombieland” leave their safe new home of the White House to travel to Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee. Now, these zombie slayers must rely on their abilities and weapons to defeat a threat like none they’ve faced before.

While the film was released in 2019, it was supposed to start filming shortly after the release of the first movie in 2009. A theme of the movie is leaving the nest. Rhett Reese, one of the Zombieland writers said, new additions to the writing team “did a wonderful job updating the story, bringing it to a more of an empty nest story about a young woman who used to be a girl, and used to love to look up to her father figure, but now really wants to get out in the world.”

Made their path

The first 30 minutes of the movie benefits from not having a specific path to follow. With the lack of a focal point, the writers can focus on jokes and tossing in new characters randomly. Don’t be confused while the film is very much a comedy, there’s plenty of gory visuals sure to make you look away from the screen every once in a while.

The lack of focus becomes apparent around halfway through the movie. While jokes are constantly being thrown out I’m confident in saying that most of them don’t stick. I chuckled a few times and genuinely thought some scenes were funny, but nothing made me feel like I had to control my laughter.

Chemistry

Tallahassee (Harrelson), Columbus (Eisenberg) and Wichita (Stone) have one of the greatest on-screen relationships I’ve seen in a long time going to the cinema. They allowed me to dive into their world. They made me feel like their relationships were real and that’s not an easy task. Outside of those three, I think the acting takes a little bit of a hit. No one else steals the show and its kind of disappointing.

While Little Rock’s (Breslin) performance didn’t seem off, the writing for her was just bad. I felt like her motivation didn’t make much sense. Watching her story unfold reminded me of films that simply go by the book. For example, before the climax, the main characters have a falling out or a character thought to be dead comes back and saves everyone. It was just so predictable that I dreaded even having her on screen. She got much less screen time than the other three main characters which to me was a good idea.

Conclusion

While the wait was long we finally did receive the sequel to the cult classic known as “Zombieland.” The film doesn’t feel too out of place. It feels like we never left besides for a few differences. When Little Rock decided she wanted to leave her friends and family it gave the writers much freedom. However, maybe it was too much freedom.

The film lacks direction and if the jokes were to fall more often I don’t think that audiences would care. Many times in the movie I felt like they were just stalling to get to that 109 minutes run time. However, the chemistry between our protagonists will keep spectators entertained just because of how well they work together.

Sadly that doesn’t save the film from wasting a few resources. The new characters such as Madison (Zoey Deutch) and Berkeley (Avan Jogia) weren’t fleshed out in the slightest. They both were one-note characters, but it still feels like neither of them reached their true potential.

With a more refined focus and fewer jokes that tattered on the edge of annoyance, I think that this sequel could’ve blown the original out of the water. It’s still definitely worth watching, especially if you enjoyed the first.

Verdict 7.5 out of 10 Stars

Zombieland: Double Tap (Rated R) is playing at a theater near you.

‘Good Boys’ Film Review: Define Good…

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What happens when you combine adult humor with middle school boys? You get 95 hilarious minutes of unadulterated fun. I had my doubts but this film surprised me with its level of quality.

Overview

Lucas (Keith L. Williams), Max (Jacob Tremblay), and Thor (Brady Noon) get invited to a “kissing party” by the most popular kid in their grade. All seems to be going well until Max loses his father’s drone, and the three friends do everything they can to get it back.

Legitimately Funny

Having children do what they’re not supposed to do has always been seen as funny to many people. Therefore, going into this film I expected some kids to drop a couple f-bombs and then I expected the audience to keel over in laughter.

While that still happens the comedic scenes are much better than that. From one of the children giving a girl a sex toy believing it was a necklace to thinking that tampons are used to stop babies from falling out.

There was no long stretch of time where I didn’t at least smirk or crack a smile. That wasn’t just me either the entire theater was filled with laughter from beginning to end.

Actual Lessons

I didn’t expect to learn anything in this film. Generally, these kinds of movies exist to make their audiences laugh not contemplate their own life decisions.

Not only did this film surpass my expectations for the content of the motion picture. It also surprised me with the themes. There are parts of the film that don’t try to be funny. Which isn’t a bad thing other filmmakers could learn from this.

However, the themes present make me enjoy the movie even more. Learning that nothing lasts forever or that as you grow up people who you were once close with might not be your friends anymore. It’s all apart of growing up but seeing it on the big screen doesn’t make it any easier.

Conclusion

The idea of combing adult humor with children was an interesting idea that paid off at the end of the day. The casting was great and the humor was consistently good.

The jokes weren’t just potty humor I think there something for most ages which I can’t say about most comedies.

It’s a good watch and is deeper than one would think after watching the trailer.

Verdict 8.5 out of 10 Stars

The Best Sequel Yet!

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As the lights dimmed soon after the film began I see Woody and the gang back together and my inner child wanted to leap out. This is a very different Toy Story from what we are used to. Not only plot-wise but even the tone at times. Hours after watching the film I’m still thinking about the rush of emotions I felt throughout this wonderful adventure.

Woody, Buzz Lightyear and the rest of the group have been given to a little girl named Bonnie and they join her on a road trip with her family and a brand new toy, Forky. Along their journey, both familiar faces and newcomers are met.

Everyone Laughs

Making jokes for both adults and children is not an easy task. Not only does Toy Story 4 accomplish its goal for being comical for all ages. It surpasses all of the past films with its comedic genius.

While it can be argued that some jokes went on for too long. Personally, I enjoyed the majority of them and the jokes that didn’t fall for me were inoffensive.

Emotional Rollercoaster

Throughout this series, I’ve never felt this many emotions from one particular film. One moment you’ll be happy seeing some of your favorite characters from your childhood. Then the next you’ll feel heartbroken. Admittedly I did cry twice during the movie and for a bunch of toys to make me feel such a strong emotion must be commended.

Missed Opportunity

I can’t think of anything terrible in this film. The worst that I can think of is just missed opportunities. The main focus of this story is on Woody and a character thought to be forgotten. While having a focused story did benefit the plot it made the huge collection of toys who have been important throughout the series feel wasted.

New Additions Are Welcomed

I was concerned about Forky during the promotions he just didn’t seem like an interesting character. I’m overjoyed to say that I was wrong and he’s one of the best parts of the film. With his addition, It is my belief that it made the film stand out from past entries.

Conclusion

While a fourth film wasn’t necessary for this series Pixar made it work. There’s a story to be told here and they weren’t just capitalizing off of everyone’s nostalgia. This film made me laugh, cry, and reminded me why I love movies.

Visually it looks perfect so crisp and so clean. The lengths that the animators went to just to make this film look as beautiful as it does must be appreciated.

While it is my belief that some characters have wasted potential it doesn’t make the film worse. Not to mention the new characters easily pick up the slack. Regardless of age, I recommend this film wholeheartedly it is a fantastic watch.

Verdict 9 out of 10 Stars

The Most Underrated Film of 2019

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I finally went to see the live action Aladdin and all I can think of is how horrible the film was going to be simply by word of mouth. From what I’ve heard from reviewers and fans of the original Disney picture I walked into the theater believing I was going to watch a two-hour long soulless cash grab. However, I’m proud to say that this film was not that in the slightest.

Aladdin is a likable thief who’s day to day consists of stealing to survive. One fateful day he meets Princess Jasmine, the daughter of the sultan of Agrabah. This catches the attention of an evil sorcerer named Jafar soon targets the boy and Aladdin’s adventure begins.

The Disney Magic

Only Disney can make an adult feel like a child again from just an opening song. When “Arabian Nights” played I couldn’t help but smile. From the very beginning, you could tell this project wasn’t completely about the money there’s a certain level of quality and passion you can’t get anywhere else.

When the opening set piece is so excellent it’s hard not to be excited for the rest of the film. Other notable songs were “A Friend Like Me” And “A Whole New World”. I have to tip my hat for the Will Smith (Genie), Noami Scott (Jasmine), and Mena Massoud (Alladin) because they knocked it out of the park for the most part.

Good but Different

No one expected Will Smith’s Genie to even compare to Robin Williams. He just set the bar too high, however, I think Will Smith executed a close second. My favorite parts of the film are when the genie is in it. Just with his presence, the movie is elevated to a different level.

He’s funny, wacky, zany and just a joy to have on screen. Many times throughout the film I cracked a smile or a grin just because of something the Genie was doing.

The Relationships

In the original Aladdin, they made me buy that the Genie was Al’s best friend. In this live-action remake, they do the same and it does not feel forced. We’ve all seen a movie where two or more characters have a relationship that doesn’t feel earned. They may act like they’ve known each other their entire lives but they’ve done nothing in the movie to convey that.

I find that in this film Jasmine and Aladdin’s relationship seems more natural. In typical Disney fashion, the princess lead falls In love with a man soon after meeting them. While that still happens somewhat there seem to be more layers in their relationship.

Conclusion

The bad reputation that this film has received does not do justice to this motion picture. The score is great in true Disney fashion. Will Smith’s performance of the Genie is one of the best parts of the movie and his relationship with Aladdin feels genuine. While I believe Jafar could’ve done better I think they should’ve cast someone more menacing. Ultimately I enjoyed the film. It did not surpass the original but I would gladly go see it again.