Nut Job 2: Nutty By Nature - Review

The animals are back and ready to save their beloved park in the follow up to 2014’s “Nut Job.” There’s familiar faces as well as some new characters who all work together to deliver an animated film that explores the lives of critters in a big city park. So, does this sequel provide an entertaining animated adventure or are all the nuts spoiled? Let’s dive in and take a look at “Nut Job 2: Nutty By Nature” in this review…

This movie is garbage. I almost walked out of the theater halfway in and the run time is only 90 minutes. This film celebrates laziness, the benefits of businesses failing, how horrid white business men are and is also poorly written. This was the biggest piece of propaganda nonsense I’ve seen in a long while. I couldn’t believe what I saw on screen. The writers for this film didn’t even bother to try to subtlety imply their political leanings. They were almost beating the audience over the head with it. Meanwhile, they decided to make it animated which almost feels like they’ve trying to manipulate kids into relating with the protagonists who were, mostly, indolent characters. I sat through this film aghast at what I was witnessing.

The main character, Surly, celebrates a businesses failure because it’s nut shop and that allows the park critters to eat for free instead of having to hunt for food like a normal animal would. Instead, they are all celebrating this failed business that is now providing them shelter and free food. When charged with finding a new home, as their park is getting rebuilt as an amusement park, this same character leaves to find more free food from another failed business… instead of another park. The other lead in this movie, Andie, is openly mocked and ridiculed for trying to get the rest of the animals to go back to their normal life style of hunting and gathering.

The villain in the film is such an over-the-top negative stereotype of the white businessman it’s borderline ludicrous. The character refers to political contributions as bribes, the license plate on his car is about embezzling, and on and on. This film did so little to make me believe this was anything but an animated propaganda film attempting to lure kids or indoctrinate them into this bizarre view of the world. The writers didn’t even attempt in the slightest to make their points subtle or use any tact at all. This was a pile of animated garbage.

“Nut Job 2: Nutty By Nature” is in theaters now! Hopefully, it will be out of theaters sooner than later. I don’t recommend you see this film. I don’t recommend you let your kids watch this either. It’s a poorly written, piece of propaganda trash. I stayed until the end of the movie to see if there would be some sort of redeeming value and there wasn’t. This would’ve been a complete waste of my time except that I get to share this disaster with you in an attempt to save you 90 minutes of your life.

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LEGO Batman - Box Office Review

Occasionally, a cartoon that crosses the lines of entertainment suitable for adults and children alike drops in theaters and we’re all the better for it. Go ahead and add the character of Batman and his pantheon of supporting characters and you’re really telling movie-goers that you are trying to create something special. So let’s dive in and take a look at “LEGO Batman” in this box office review…

First, since it’s an animated film let’s look at the voice talent that was used to tell this Batman story. Will Arnett, Michael Cera, Rosario Dawson, Ralph Fiennes, Zach Galifianakis, Jenny Slate, Jason Mantzoukas (RAFI BOMB!) Conan O’Brien, Doug Benson, Billy Dee Williams, Eddie Izzard, Seth Green, Jermaine Clement AND MORE!!! This film has so much incredible talent that each character was brought to life with a special and unique voice that built on the story and added humorous after humorous moment. The characters all sounded believable in their good or bad personas and each had their own great moment. I was blown away by how many characters were in this film from not just the Batman mythos but Warner Bros. films dating back decades. This was a mishmash of talent that paid off big for movie-goers and the movie studio.

The story is that of an overly self absorbed man-child that saves the city time and time again from the likes of the Joker, the Riddler, Bane, Scarecrow, Catwoman and more. Our hero is isolated and continues to repress his desire for family and camaraderie. He’s even a bit surprised when he realizes his actions have led to the Justice League throwing a party that doesn’t involve him. It’s a coming of age tale that forces this version of Batman to see that with out others, villains included, he is just a guy who’s searching for purpose and meaning.

“LEGO Batman” is theaters now! I definitely recommend you see this film on the big screen. I have seen it twice so far. It’s one of the best Batman films ever made. The writers went to great lengths to celebrate decades of Batman mythos. From the earliest black and white serials of Batman from the golden age of cinema to present, we get all Batman all the time which is awesome. I laughed so hard I was crying and if you have kids you will get to laugh along with them. So finish reading this, collect your children and go enjoy some family time at the theater with “LEGO Batman.”

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Kubo and the Two Strings - Box Office Review

Once in awhile a film arrives in theaters that doesn’t have a strong advertising campaign and is mostly word of mouth that helps it financially succeed. In this particular case, I felt, that word of mouth was everything. The people I spoke with had not heard of this film and the theater employees I normally converse with also had not seen this film. This film had an almost ghost presence in theaters, where people knew of it but knew nothing of it. So Let’s dive in and take a look at my thoughts on “Kubo and the Two Strings” in this box office review…

This film starts off with intensity. We see a mother carrying an injured baby on a ship in the middle of a storm at sea and then we’re told the baby’s injured because his grandfather stole his eye. I was immediately hooked. The story continues its journey showing us the life this young boy has grown into and his magical abilities and flair for story telling in his village.  It’s soon revealed that he’s not permitted to be out at night because his aunts and grandfather are still searching for him to steal his other eye and as story’s go, he stays out a little too late one day and trouble ensues. 

The story is told so well that you feel for the boy, Kubo. Even more, the characters you meet briefly in the village are voiced in such a way that we can’t help but fall into feelings for them. Kubo’s mother is a tragic figure but has the spirit of a fighter who will sacrifice herself for the protection of her child if need be. The aunts, voiced by Rooney Mara, are chilling to hear and see. Kubo’s grandfather is ominous and determined. Kubo’s partners, the monkey and ninja beetle are compliments to each other and the story. They provide guidance and levity in an otherwise serious coming of age journey. Kubo is on a journey, much like Homer from “The Odessy”, that leaves him forever changed from the innocent boy we meet first in the movie. 

This movie was done using stop motion animation and it looks incredible. The characters, other than the aunts who are twins, all have their own look and coloring. They all have their own voice, personality and charm. The look of this film is bright and sunny, dark and terrifying, colorful and vibrant. We are treated to the entire spectrum and in one scene we get scary, brooding and colorful all under the ocean. It’s a fantastic looking film and it’s a wonderful story from start to finish. 

“Kubo and the Two Strings” is in theaters now! I recommend you see this film on the big screen. I saw it twice. I adore this film. Kubo’s two strings are explained and you’ll understand the importance they have by the end of the film which is symbolic and powerful. This is a film with adventure and mysticism. It’s a tale of the importance of family and their lasting impact even after they’re gone. It’s a coming of age tale for Kubo to embrace who he is and was destined to be. It’s also humorous at times which helps keep this story from becoming overly intense. If you have kids ages 10+ this film might not be too scary but below that I make no guarantees. It’s intense, humorous, touching and thought provoking. Go see this film!

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Secret Life of Pets - Box Office Review

This film had so much positive press and word of mouth before it even released in theaters. I heard children, teens and adults sharing their enthusiasm for this film and it felt like this film was going to perform well in theaters. The voice casting for this film is remarkable and that can only help raise the bar of excitement. So let's dive in and take a look at my thoughts on "Secret Life of Pets" in this box office review...

If I could summarize this film with two words they would be, adorable & humorous. About twenty minutes into this animated movie and I was disappointed that I couldn't be watching this with my dog, Austin the Dog. It's the first time ever I have felt compelled to watch a movie with my dog. I'm fairly certain that means the writers and creative team behind this movie did their job well to make me think about my dog while watching their depictions of animals on screen. The captured essence of the animals was fabulous. When you see this film you'll notice how each animal (dog, cat, bird, snake, gerbil, etc.) all have specific mannerisms particular to their animal. It was fun watching how the smaller animals maneuvered versus the larger ones. How the snake and birds moved around the downtown versus the dogs and cats. 

The cast in this film seem to have a background in comedy. Since there are so many talented actors lending their voices for this film I'll recommend you follow the hyperlink to the IMDB page and see there. If they aren't stand up comedians, they're television actors who were part of successful sitcoms or comedy movie actors, primarily. It's a great cast that all know how to work their voices to create feelings of excitement, curiosity, anger, fear, adoration and more. I find myself laughing along with everyone else in the theater so often. It was such a great moment to share with so many strangers who all just wanted a fun movie to laugh along too.

The story is layered pretty well, considering it's a film about animals. The driving motivations behind each character is unique to that pet and while the movie has several it never felt crowded. Each one stands on their own and adds something fresh to the story and actually feels appropriate and not forced. Wether it's a squirrel who exists simply to torment a dog or a hawk who is trying to befriend smaller pets instead of eating them, it all works.

"Secret Life of Pets" is in theaters now. If you have kids or not, this is a fun film to see in theaters. There's a magic that occurs when you sit in a room with people and share laughter. You'll feel that magic while watching this movie. If you love your pets, you'll also appreciate this film. I walked out of the theaters smiling and felt a warmth in my heart from how good I felt after seeing this film and laughing so much. It's definitely worth a big screen ticket price and could potentially be a fun date movie too if you both still maintain some level of child-like amusement towards the world at large. If not, just go find some kids and treat them to a movie. I'm kidding! Do not kidnap children to see a movie.

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The Jungle Book - Box Office Review

The older some of us get the more opportunities there are to see stories from our childhood adapted to live action adventures. The “Jungle Book” (originally an animated Disney film made in 1967) has endured decades to maintain a special place in the hearts of all of us who remember our first time experiencing this fun adventure. The idea of taking animals who talk and creating a believable world where man can coexist in live action is quite the challenge so let’s dive in and take a look at my thoughts on “The Jungle Book” by Jon Favreau…

I will be honest as I always am when reviewing these films. I was excited to see this film. It was in my Top 10 most anticipated films of the year. However, I am a professional so I’m able to take a step back to examine the aspects of film making from a non biased view point, even though I was already inclined to believe it would be excellent. This film didn’t disappoint me at all. The story, classic. The adaption, superb. The voice actors, spot on. The computer generated imaging, beyond excellent. There is so much to enjoy in this film.

First, since this is a live action film I appreciated the time and attention to detail that went into making the visual world this film inhabits. You might believe that the time they spent working on this film was probably beautiful and torturous because of the wild jungle setting we see on screen. Well, the CGI (computer generated images) used in this film was revolutionary. We see a jungle but they made this film on a stage in California. This is the most ground breaking technology used for film to date. So when you see this, remember, this jungle was created, probably, on an Apple Computer. Amazing. 

Next, how do we bring these animated animals to life? You hire some of the most talented actors alive to come and do voice work for you. This is exactly what Disney did. The characters personalities jump to life because the skill of the actors voicing these characters is unbelievable. Jon Favreau must be one of the most agreeable directors in hollywood to have a career of working with so many talented people. This film is stacked with talent and I recommend you clink the link to view the IMDB page on all the talent in this film. There’s way too many to mention, so I recommend you do visit their page. 

However, the story will hinge on who you cast to be the “man cub” raised by wolves with the power to create “mans red fire” and Neel Sethi knocked it out of the park. Enter an actor who’s first major film role is this film. This kid was acting on green screens and when you consider how lovable his character is while knowing he’s got no real previous acting experience… WOW! I was not expecting his performance to impact me as much as it did. This kid did exactly what was needed for the film and that won me over.

“The Jungle Book” is in theaters now! I give this film all the bananas and fire that King Louie will want. And if you’re a fan of the original and some of those songs, you won’t be disappointed. This is a must see big screen film! If you can still see it on IMAX, do it. If not, still go see it. It’s a great movie for a date, or just a casual matinee viewing. GO SEE THIS FILM!

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Kung Fu Panda 3 - Box Office Review

This is the third film in the franchise and the first of them I have watched. I wasn't sure what to expect walking into the theater except some humorous moments. I was not disappointed. The overall story is a coming of age tale. A panda (voiced by Jack Black) must become more in order to defeat the rising villainy that is stealing the "Chi" of kung fu masters and growing in power and ability. Now sprinkle in some clever dialogue, witty banter and philosophical teachings of buddhism and you have the intelligent animated comedy "Kung Fu Panda 3".

The voice talent that was present in this animated film was cast well. If this was a live action film it would easily be anticipated by all movie-goers. Jack Black, Bryan Cranston, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, J.K. Simmons, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross, Kate Hudson and James Hong are all fantastic. It's truly remarkable that all these actors were able to come together for one film, animated or otherwise. 

The writing for this film was spectacular considering it's a film for families with kids. The concepts of enlightenment and spiritualism were presented in a manner that was understandable for anyone who watches this movie. It's not a film that forces the ideas of buddhism on the viewer but the dialogue expresses the ideas of personal growth through means of discovering oneself. There's even a brief exchange between two characters about the importance of being able to answer the question, "Who am I?" that occurs early in the film. It's humorous and insightful. There were several moments that were laugh out loud funny too. 

"Kung Fu Panda 3" is in theaters now! Overall, this film was well rounded in being thought provoking and entertaining. I'm also considering watching the first two films based on how much I enjoyed this third installment and how much fun it was to see in theaters. The characters were all entertaining, the story was written well and the laughs were many. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the movie considering I knew almost nothing about the franchise. It's definitely worth the big screen viewing because the animation was spectacular. I enjoyed the look of the spiritual realm that the movie begins with a great deal. I hate 3-D but this animated film might actually be more visually appealing in 3-D, which says something. 

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Box Office Review: The Peanuts Movie

Good grief, Charlie Brown is back and the gangs all here in this wonderfully entertaining animated film. This movie has something for everyone because of its familiar characters or new faces, depending on your age. There was nothing lost in the story due in part to how much attention was paid to who the characters are, truly. If you have children this is a great opportunity to spend some time laughing together while Snoopy helps tell the story of becoming a winner and celebrating who you are. This delightful look at the lives of all the Peanuts characters will have longevity and hopefully that doesn't mean we'll have to wait decades for another film. If it does we at least have this movie to enjoy in the meanwhile.

The film centers around the story of Charlie Brown and his infatuation with the new girl in town, the little red haired girl. Charlie Brown expresses believable joy at the fact a new kid has arrived in town and this gives him a chance to start fresh and not be known as the perpetual failure and blockhead. After some stumbling about Charlie Brown decides to visit the town "shrink" and Lucy, for a nickel, gives Charlie Brown a book on how to be a winner. From here the movie really takes shape and we see the always lovable Snoopy take over story telling and blending different types of animation the movie delights.

The theater was filled with the laughter of children which says the target audience enjoyed the film. Occasionally a child would cheer or shout something appropriate because kids are honest and when they have a reaction it's an honest reaction. This film brought out the best in the kids as viewers. Normally, when people talk during a movie it irks folks, myself included, however the children's reactions added to the enjoyment. It was an animated success and this film won't be out of theaters anytime soon, I'm sure. The joke about "Leo's Toystore" by "Warren Piece" was written so accurately to how kids speak to each other and hear things I couldn't help but smile and laugh along with the other adults enjoying this fine movie.

"The Peanuts Movie" is in theaters now! I give this film a kite that even Charlie Brown can fly and some cupcakes. It's worth the cost of a theater ticket for matinee or evening it's that entertaining. If you have children I recommend you schedule a family movie night. Go enjoy laughing along with your kids as Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Lucy and the rest of the children all come to play in this delightfully charming animated movie.

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Box Office Review: Hotel Transylvania 2

If Adam Sandler does anything well it's organizing talented people to help make his films. While he hasn't really had a box office success or overall positive critic response since 2007's "Reign Over Me" with Don Cheadle, he certainly has a knack for making enjoyable animated films. If you feel that "Grown Ups" in 2010 is an appropriate rebuttal feel free to comment below in the comment section. Ok, let's get right into this animated feature!

The obvious sequel to "Hotel Transylvania" from 2012 we find Dracula (Adam Sandler) marrying off his daughter Mavis, voiced by Selena Gomez, to a human fella named Jonathan, voiced by Andy Samberg. The two have a child that is believed to be half vampire and half human and 100% less scary than the half human half vampire, vampire hunter, Blade. In an effort to prove that his new grandson is part vampire Dracula has his entourage of monsters assist him in bringing out the vampiric side of this half human family member.

The overall story is predictable for the adults but there's plenty of silly moments and laughs to make up for that fact. If you have kids, or nieces and nephews, this is a fun movie for the family to enjoy. The cast of characters included Wolfman, Dracula, Frankenstein, Mummy, Blob and the Invisible Man making this film a nice Halloween Holiday treat for the family as well. Keeping in mind how this film stars all the classic horror movie monsters the overall tone was still very kid friendly with moments of possibly scary characters towards the end.

It was a delight seeing the writing team shape jokes specific to the monsters. For example, Blob being composed of what appeared to be Jell-O, throughout the film objects, people and forest critters kept getting stuck inside him. Wolfman kept chasing objects that were thrown like one would expect a dog to do. There's more but this review can't spoil everything! There was even some commentary on accepting people and family for what they are and not just tolerating family but opening your heart to them. So with the monsters and the laughs there was also some touching, more heartfelt, moments to balance the story.

Overall it was a fun time at the movies and all the kids in the theater were laughing enough to prove this film successfully reached it's target audience. Another positive was that the adults all left the theater smiling and laughing as their kids shared their favorite funny moments. This film probably won't win any awards but it wasn't designed to. It was just a fun family movie going experience of a film. The cost of a tickets is worth the time family can spend together sharing some laughs. 

"Hotel Transylvania 2" is in theaters now. I give it a howl at the moon and two shining fangs of a vampire.

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