Maskerpiece Theatre: animation

Showing posts with label animation. Show all posts

Sunday, October 9, 2016

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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Saturday, September 3, 2016

Sausage Party - Box Office Review

There’s something to be said for the freedom that animation provides with regards to storytelling. What is possible on screen using live action is not always best and it might be animation as the key for particular stories told well, or well enough. So let’s dive in and take a look at my thoughts on the animated film “Sausage Party” in this box office review..

This film starts off letting the audience know exactly what to expect. It’s a song about life as grocery store items and humans being the gods they long to be with. It veers into satirical goodness almost immediately as the German Food items want to kill the “Juice” items and it only grows from there. This film starts with absurdity and ends with food porn so fantastical if you aren’t offended you’ll be crying from laughter. This movie pulls no punches and finds a way to make light of even the big question, “What happens after we die?” It also examines life through two perspectives, one the food and the other the humans with “bath salts” being the only way to bridge the gap between the two worlds. It’s pure insanity and hilarious.

The characters in this film are basic stereotypes that are exaggerated for the purpose of comedy. We are even treated to a douche, a literal woman’s female hygiene product, being the antagonist who acts like his namesake. If you’ve ever been to a nightclub or a pool party and met anyone who acts like “the douche” than you will find his character well written and humorous. We have a Jewish Bagel and Middle Eastern bread trying to cope with the fact they hate each other but must find a way to coexist in the small strip of shelf space that divides them. It’s fantastic.

“Sausage Party” is theaters now! If you love comedies that make fun of almost everything you will enjoy this film. If you laugh at inappropriate jokes, crude humor and sexual innuendo this is the summer comedy for you. If you hold your religion or personal beliefs to closely to find humor possible, do not see this film. The jokes pull no punches and we are treated to a comedic look at life through the eyes of grocery store products and how life might be if we discovered there is no after life, only this life.

Sunday, July 10, 2016

The BFG - Box Office Review

Steven Spielberg decided to make a hybrid live action/animation adventure that is based off the popular children's Book "The BFG" written by Roald Dahl. This film blends both computer generated characters and worlds with a young actor who is tasked with making us believe what we see on screen is real. So let's dive in and take a look at "The BFG" in this box office review...

To be honest, I never read the children's book so I wasn't entirely sure what I was getting myself into. I trust Spielberg and his ability to tell a story and create fantastical worlds and that was motivation enough to see this movie in theaters. The overall look of the film I enjoyed immensely. It's vibrant and colorful, it's dark and brooding and it's warm and sunny. We're treated to some creative worlds in this movie and each looks completely different than the other. If you pay attention to the design of these worlds you'll notice tiny subtle specialities that make each room or location uniquely clever. The land of giants has the remains of what appears to be a fair ground. The house of BFG has clever bottles, boats, vegetation and more showing that he's more than just a curious character who speaks different than everyone else. The orphanage is sterile and quiet. The streets of the town are cobblestone with dim lighting and each house has a similar but different look from each neighbor. The land of dream catching is dark but the dreams are colorfully vibrant, almost electric, in their appearance. Overall, the appearance of this film was the best part.

The story is definitely for children. There isn't much for adults in this film as the basic premise is just that, basic. The language is simple and the characters speak using exaggerated phrases that one might expect from uneducated giants who each represent something different. If you're looking for a thought provoking story this isn't it. Even the ending is humorous but simple. It's written for children and the movie captures that quality. If you have kids under the age of 11 or 12 they will probably enjoy the story as it's geared for young kids. As an adult you might appreciate the acting talents of Ruby Barnhill who is cast as the lead. Considering she acts mostly in a digitally created world I was impressed at her level of believability.

"The BFG" is theaters now! I recommend a big screen viewing if you have young kids. It'll be a fun time at the movies for you and your family. It's a fun story that isn't offensive or inappropriate. It's legitimately a fun film that explores the created worlds of Roald Dahl as only Spielberg can tell. Honestly, if this movie wasn't made by Spielberg I probably would've skipped it. I'm glad I didn't because the dream world was incredibly colorful and unique. If you don't have kids you can probably skip this one unless you're a die hard Spielberg fan. This film won't ask a lot for you but it does require that you suspend that part of your adult brain that denies the fantasy worlds that exist from a child's perspective. It's fun but it's not a great film. Again, if you have young kids they'll probably enjoy the time spent with you at the movies and that will hopefully be enough.

Monday, June 27, 2016

Finding Dory - Box Office Review

In 2003 "Finding Nemo" won over movie watchers of all ages all around the world. It had memorable little bits of dialogue that continued in the popular culture long after the film left theaters. In fact, if you tell someone struggling with a difficulty in their life "just keep swimming" they might smile for a moment remembering that little song Dory sang. It only made sense that a sequel would follow. So let's dive in and take a look at "Finding Dory" in the box office review...

The story is a bit more involved than I imagined it would be. I wasn't sure how Pixar could take a fish with short term memory loss and make an entire film around the adventures of a mentally challenged character. They did it and they did it well. They even reminded the audience who the characters are and the story they originated from which was helpful considering this sequel took 13 years to make. I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly the backstory moved as well as the flashback portions reminding us of the original.

The new characters introduced in this film were just as fun as the previous characters in the first film. Are they as memorable? Probably not but that's ok because the screen time we are given is enjoyable, thought provoking and humorous. The journey to find Dory's parents was also entertaining. Also, the special effects team did so well that certain scenes above water looked so good I had to blink a few times to make sure what I saw was digital and not real water.

It's Pixar and as everyone knows these films always have a way of striking the emotional strings of our hearts and playing them to perfection. This film continued with that tradition. I'm man enough to admit that I did get a little misty eyed. I still suspect someone was cutting onions in the theater but I can't say for certain. It's not the film itself that created a beautiful heartfelt moment. It's the celebration of Dory being a character with a mental handicap still being able to achieve so much. This film did a spectacular job getting the audience to see how someone with a disability can still contribute so much to the community and still succeed in the matters closest to their hearts. The ending really tied all this together in such a beautiful way I felt the heart strings being tugged and it was a genuine emotional moment enjoyed in the theater.

"Finding Dory" is in theaters now! I recommend a big screen viewing because the film is absolutely worth a ticket price and the animation is fantastic. I wasn't disappointed in this film at all and in fact I'm considering a second viewing. I absolutely abhor 3-D but am strongly considering seeing this a second time but in 3-D. I'm curious if there will be a bump in animation excellence with the added depth that only 3-D can give. I typically see 3-D as cheap gimmick to raise ticket prices without adding any extra value plus I hate wearing sunglasses in a theater. I'll wear sunglass in a restaurant to give off the appearance I'm a rock star but a theater just feels dumb, Any who, enough about me, go see this film!!

Sunday, January 31, 2016

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.

Comment below if you’ve already seen it and share your thoughts! Join in on the fun of movie watching and share this post with anyone who enjoys going to the movies.

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Tuesday, December 15, 2015

The Good Dinosaur: Box Office Review

When Pixar announces they are making a new film there’s a certain level of excitement that happens. They have built a reputation for emotionally moving, entertaining and thought provoking animated films that probably make Shel Silverstein jealous. Unfortunately, nobody has a career of home runs. Michael Jordan missed some shots during his career. Even Tom Brady throws an interception from time to time and that’s what I felt walking out of “The Good Dinosaur” this weekend. Pixar tried and failed to meet the level of excellence I have come to expect from their films.

The film opens with a “what if” scenario. What if a comet didn’t strike the earth and eliminate all the dinosaurs? Well, in theory, it’s plausible that dinosaurs and prehistoric man would co-exist, however briefly. This is a solid concept for story telling because it allows the viewer the chance to understand immediately what world we are about to enter. A world where dinosaurs and man co-exist on a prehistoric earth. That’s where it felt like the thinking stopped and the questionable took over.

The creative team behind this film decided that the dinosaurs would all sound like they belonged in a western film. So, the main dinosaur family sounds like cowboy farmers, the pterodactyls sound like stage coach or train robbing buffoons, and the Tyyannosaurus Rex family, led by Sam Elliott, really took the western cowboy rancher sound to the extreme. An odd choice, but they made a decision and stuck it… but they didn’t. For some reason, while every other dinosaur character sounds like a cowboy, the main dinosaur sounds like a normal city kid. Apparently accents aren’t hereditary and dinosaurs are born sounding western, except for one. This is not a learned accent. It’s a birthright and the lead character did not have this pattern of speech even though his family did. Bizarre.

The story is a coming of age tale for the young dinosaur. He must become a grown up dinosaur and face his fears head on. This film details the crucible that he must endure if he is ever to find his family again. He won’t do this alone either. He’ll have a trusty side kick human who acts like a dog. At one point the dinosaur and the kid get stoned on berries and the audience is treated to a weird drug trip montage which felt wildly out of place in a Pixar movie. This film felt like that scene in the movie “Elf” where they ship the children’s book that didn’t make sense because they didn’t want to go back and start over with a story that worked.

Then the ending, the dinosaur finds a family of humans for the kid before he heads back to his farm with the surviving family members that didn’t die (it’s Pixar, someone always dies). I thought maybe we’d have a scene where the kid finds the dinosaur and his family and both families live on the farm and it’s all happily ever after. Nope. The kid goes off with his adopted human family and the dinosaur finds his family on the farm. So, the moral of the story is, have fun with strangers but don’t get too close because you’ll leave them eventually because they’re different? I walked out of that film so confused. The animation looked incredible though. So while I was thoroughly confused I did love how real some of the scenic shots looked.

“The Good Dinosaur” is in theaters now! I give this film the earth destroying comet it deserves so this ridiculous story would not have been made. Let’s leave the dinosaur and human experience to the Jurassic Park franchise. They seem to be back on track finally.

Comment below if you’ve already seen it and share your thoughts! Join in on the fun of movie watching and share this post with anyone who you feel would enjoy another one of my Box Office Reviews.

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