X-Men: The Dark Phoenix

*Sighs*

Guys.  This one...this one's going to be painful.  I've found a movie that's going on my Worst Of for the year.  And this is coming from my first ever fandom.  AND it's one of my favorite story lines but once again, they manage to screw it all up.  This is the second time we've gotten this specific plot but at least this one was closer to the source material.  Even then, that's not saying much.  There was so much wrong with this...before I get into it, let me tell you about something that happened to me.  Maybe then you'll understand why I'm so disappointed.

As many of you know, I'm part of a trivia team.  I go almost every Wednesday.  Once or twice a month, the place has a theme.  So far, I've competed in Game of Thrones and Marvel, both times I failed miserably.  When I heard there was going to be a X-Men themed trivia night, I got excited.  By the way, guess what I'm reviewing?  Anyway, I love the X-Men.  I have comics, graphic novels, visual guides, seen all the movies...I'm borderline obsessed.  Seriously, I know more than the common person should know.  My point is, this was my first fandom and I dove deep into it. 

So, I won trivia last week.  Not my team, literally me.  I beat out all the other teams to win $50 and some various prizes.  Like I said, X-Men is my thing.  That's how much I love this stuff.  So I was excited when I knew Dark Phoenix would be adapted into a movie.  I mean, yes, we got the Phoenix story before, but we all like to pretend that X-Men: The Last Stand didn't happen.  I could go on and on about how much I disliked that movie, but that's another story for another day.

Let's talk about the latest Dark Phoenix offering.

I don't even know where to begin with this one.  It was plagued with rewrites, reshoots and lots of problems.  And believe me, it shows.  The story was choppy, the characters were one dimensional and a lot of it felt strange.  The villain, if you can call it that, is barely even present and if you took it out, the movie might have improved.  A lot of elements are introduced, then left unfinished and the movie feels incomplete.  They don't really have a sense of finalty and as far as I know, this is the last movie in this current franchise.

Well...I did some research and they're going to do more movies.  They want to focus on the younger mutants so...this *might* be good.  I am worried about their next endeavor, "The New Mutants" because it was scheduled for release this year and was pushed back to next year.  I really hope they don't mess this one up as bad as they have films in the past.  Don't get me wrong, the first iteration of the X-Men movies were good.  X-Men and X2 were actually good.  The Last Stand was trash.  The Logan films were both good and disappointing as the completely messed up Wolverine's backstory.  Plus, there was some terrible CGI.  Don't even get me started on the "introduction" of Deadpool.  We don't talk about that.  So when I heard they were doing an origin series, yeah, I was excited.

Needless to say, I'm disappointed.

I mean, come on.  They hinted at a huge story line in the end credits scene in "Apocalypse".  They teased Mr. Sinister.  For those of you who don't know, Nathaniel Essex (the briefcase they showed had the name Esssex on it) is better known as Mr. Sinister.  And if you don't know who this baddie is, well, sit down kiddies, I'll tell you.  Essex is a villain who was so bad that even his wife knew it.  She's the one who called him Sinister and the name stuck.  Not only that, he had a massive role in another very popular mutant's life.  Did you know that Remy LeBeau AKA Gambit was adopted?  Mr. Sinister hired Remy do to some dirty work and trust me, this led to more shenanigans.  But my point is, they had so many things they could have touched on but nope, they left all that ignored.

So what we got instead was a 114 minute snooze fest that couldn't live up to expectations.  And no, I'm not being harsh because I'm an X-Men uber fangirl.  I'm saying this as your average movie goer.  To make matters worse, they give away huge details in the trailers.  For instance, before I saw the film, I already knew Mystique would die because they basically already showed it to me.  So when the scene rolled around, it wasn't shocking or heartbreaking because I was already aware of it.  What could have been a beautiful send off for a beloved character was ruined.  Yet, it then raises some questions.  Mystique shows up in later films, the ones that are set in a more current time so...plot hole.  And don't use the Days of Future Past logic.  I mean, it could explain every plot hole but that would be such lazy writing.

Dark Phoenix had almost no enjoyable moments.  In fact, it was quite forgettable.  Nothing really jumped out at me or made me excited.  It was mostly me being confused by the characters and not being sure what the actual story was.  Was it an attempt to show Jean dealing with past trauma?  Was it the Phoenix saga?  Were we going to get a history of Genosha?  Who were the other mutants on Genosha?  Who were the mutants who went with Erik to New York?  Is this why Kurt Wagner decided to become a priest? 

While I'm discussing certain characters, I want to address something mildly spoilery.  Nicolas Hoult plays a decent Hank McCoy, I'll give him that.  However, in Apocalypse, he mentions he's created a drug that suppresses the mutant gene, allowing Charles to walk again or something.  I don't remember, I haven't seen the film in a while.  He uses it on himself to appear human, but that wears off.  In Dark Phoenix, he's able to shift between his human and blue form, which is something that's never been addressed before?  So is he a shapeshifter?  Because he's always been big, blue, furry, Beast.  I wish these things got clarified.

Now, let me touch on Vuk, the villain of the story.  She's barely visible.  We get a weak backstory about her people dying because of the Phoenix force and that's it.  That's all we know about her.  She has no other qualities to her, other than being bland.  If Vuk had been removed, I wouldn't have minded.  Seeing Jean struggle with her powers and inability to control them was enough story, but nope, we had to add an additional, somewhat pointless layer to it.  Vuk and the D'Bari are maybe in 20 minutes of the movie.  But we have no backstory so I can't view her as sympathetic.  Vuk comes off as vengeful so I really couldn't find a reason to like her as a character.


I wanted to like this movie, I really did.  But once again, the story was butchered.  And now that Disney has acquired Fox, who knows what will happen next with this franchise.  I mean, they've done a decent job with Marvel but Fox tends to be a bit more edgy with their choices.  I don't know if this means we're going to have all future X-Men films watered down to make them more family friendly but I sincerely hope that is not the case.  X-Men makes it a point to touch on issues that people don't want to discuss, like discrimination, racism and even homosexuality.  It's always been this way.  Don't believe me, have a look at my autographed copy of X-Men that has the first ever gay wedding on it's cover and yes, Stan Lee (God rest his soul) signed it.

So, New Mutants has the potential to be good, as all films do.  The constant push backs have me worried because some times, many of the times, all the add ons can really destroy a film.  For example, in Thor: THe Dark World, Loki was supposed to die.  But, people reacted so negatively that they brought him back.  And you all know I love Loki and Tom Hiddleston, but I though having him die in the noble way he did was perfect.  Bringing him back felt like a mistake and honestly, he really didn't have anything to do in Ragnarok, then just got killed off again in Infinity War.  Movies can't decide between being good and pandering to the audience.  Not everyone is going to like your finished product, that goes for everyone.  At least create something you're proud of.

Trust me, this is a lesson I've had to learn in a very hard way.  It's the reason I lost all confidence in my skills as a blogger and film critic.  I was trying to write things I thought people would want from me, not write what I wanted to.  I made posts I wasn't proud of because I felt I had to churn stuff out.  The truth is, I have to do things in my own time so I can be proud of what I'm posting online for you, my lovely reader, to read.  Otherwise...why do what I do?

Dark Phoenix isn't the worst X-Men film out there.  The Last Stand is.  However, it still doesn't know what it wants to be and that was its downfall.  Instead of creating something that was potentially amazing, we got a generic, confusing mess that didn't have a satisfactory ending.  Hell, they left it wide open for a sequel.

Dear cinematic gods...don't let there be a sequel.

I know this review seems like it's been a little...off and maybe cut abruptly short, but I am rather ill at the moment.  I've been working on this review for a week and I really wanted to finish it because I also plan to review Shaft, which I saw.  My friend Sin surprised me and took me to see it, so I'd like to talk about that too.

Plus, I was talking to some other friends, Shadow and Pink, about Disney and princess and things like that and they gave me some very interesting ideas I want to talk about in a future blog.  So, there's something for everyone to look forward to.

I'm Cora Valentine, better known as TheCinemaChick and if I had a mutant power, I'd be an empath.

Love you guys and I'll see you in the next blog.

GODZILLA!!!!!

Hello everyone who reads blogs on the internets!  My name is Cora Valentine, most of you know me better as TheCinemaChick because I'm a girl who reviews movies a lot!  I meant to write this review last week but you know, sometimes things just slip away from me and I don't get around to doing them until the next week.  I'm such a procrastinator, really.  I admit to it.

But you don't want to hear about that, do you?

...do you?

Nah, we're gonna skip over my personal problems (for now) and focus on the movie that is causing me a mixed reaction.  I was incredibly excited to see it but after seeing it, I honestly don't think it lives up to the hype.  It's not a disappointment by any means, I just don't think it knows what it wants to be yet.  There are so many messages and conflicts that are presented that it just got muddled.  Unfortunately, it also caused the plot to suffer.  While it was visually stunning and overall entertaining, it just didn't live up to the standards I had set in my mind for it.

Let's go back a bit before we dive into this new film, shall we?

I love the Godzilla movies.  I remember watching the old claymation ones as a kid and honestly, I still love them.  When I heard they were getting remade for a more modern audience, I was excited.  There were so many possible stories and it could have done almost anything, but I feel it is holding back for some reason.  The first Godzilla movie, which came out  in 2014, was enjoyable.  Fry, Butterfly and I all saw it together.  We came to the general conclusion that it needed more Bryan Cranston in it.  However, it had a cohesive plot that worked with the monster attacks.  The plot didn't suffer for the action.  I would say it was a solid film.  Let's...let's just not talk about the Matthew Broderick film from 1998, okay?  Can we all just agree to let it go and bury it in the sands of time?

Then, in 2017, we had another addition to this revamped monsters series.  Kong: Skull Island was also enjoyable, however, it was also problematic.  Bear with me on this one, it's going to get a little strange.  Again, overall, I liked the movie.  It was fun and set me up for future movies.  The cast worked perfectly, with one exception.  This is where I'm going to nitpick.  I love Tom Hiddleston, I really do.  He's one of my favorite actors but damnit, I got sick of seeing him in the Kong movie.  I get it, he's a main character, but they shoved him so far to the front that he overshadowed the giant ape the movie was about!  After seeing it with Fry, I told her that the movie was basically just Tom Hiddleston arm porn.  They really wanted us to look at his arms as he fought in slow motion and I freaking HATED it.  I loved the movie and it's post credit scene, but I could not stand Hiddleston in the film.  And it's not his fault.  He's the victim of poor writing and truthfully, I think they pushed him so far into the foreground as a cash grab.  Put his face on something and people will eat it up.

Tom Hiddleston, you deserve better.

Which brings me all the way back to 2019 and the new release Godzilla: King of the Monsters.  Again, I enjoyed it.  I had a lot of fun with the film, even though the run time wasn't the best.  I understand why it's well over 2 hours but there are times when it just drags and you feel the run time.  For the most part, I couldn't take my eyes off the screen because there was so much going on.  Now that I've time to think about it, I have some issues with the movie as a whole.  As always, I'll try to be as spoiler free as possible.  I won't talk about any major plot points, just stuff you've probably seen in the trailers.

Fry and I saw this last Tuesday and to my surprise, the theater was fairly empty.  I thought there would be more people there since the summer movie season is in full swing now.  It didn't bother me because no one was around us, so I admit, I cracked a few jokes during the film.  I KNOW, I KNOW, I'M A HYPOCRITE!  DON'T @ME!

Yes, I'm extremely, anti talking during movies.  I make no secret of it.  I am the person that will throw something at you tell you to STFU if you won't shut up.  But the theater was empty except for like 3 people way at the top, okay?  It's not something I do normally...except at Aladdin because I was singing along.  Not helping my case, am I?  Damn.

Anyway, this Godzilla picks up after the events of the last one.  I'll admit, I must have forgotten a few details because I didn't remember this family from the last movie.  But sure, they were there.  Let's go with that.  You've seen them in the trailer, Eleven is now the daughter of the woman from The Conjuring series.  The thing is, and this might be a bit spoiler-ish, the characters don't really matter.  There are maybe 2 you should pay attention to, everyone else is just there.  First, we have Emma Russell, who is the...protagonist?  Nah...she's more like an anti hero...I think...she's doing what she believes is right, but for the wrong person.  She's inciting chaos because she believes her actions will bring about peace.  What's that called?

Mrs. Whiteside, help me out here?  I'm drawing a blank!

The other person you should remember is Ishiro Serizawa, played by the always amazing Ken Watanabe.  Really, those two drive the plot.  I mean...if you can call it a plot.  I'll get to that in a moment.  Emma and Serizawa are sort of on the same side because they both want to protect Godzilla.  However, Emma choices end up screwing her over and basically, she's an idiot.  Never ally yourself with the guy who identifies as any kind of terrorist.  Even if it's Tywin Lannister (Charles Dance).  Another problem with this movie: Charles Dance is clearly billed as the antagonist but he's barely in the film!  I legit forgot he had a role until he popped up at the end.  If you're going to highlight someone and push them as the bad guy, don't shove them so far into the background he's forgettable.  That's what happened here.  I didn't even know his character's name until I looked it up on IMDB. 

Let's start off with what I enjoyed about Godzilla: King of the Monsters.  The visuals blew me away.  Props to the special effects team on this one.  I was awed by how good they made the creatures look.  Remember, I'm not a fan of CGI, but in this case, it worked out beautifully.  Even then, the non animated scenes were also brilliant.  They paid attention to small details and it worked.  I was sucked in because there are moments on screen that are truly breathtaking.  For instance, when they introduce one of the monsters, they way they did was so well done, I was speechless.  I would even go so far as to say this may be a contender for Best Special Effects. 

The cast was decent.  Millie Bobby Brown managed to separate herself from her role in Stranger Things.  I mean, I did look at her and think of Eleven, but that was only in passing.  She is branching out and kudos to her.  What is a kudos, by the way?  Anyone?  Help a girl out here?  Anyway, I thought she did a great job and I look forward to seeing her future endeavors in the acting world.  Charles Dance, though not very present, does give off the bad guy vibe. Granted, I don't know if it's because he's just born to play bad guys or if it's because I associate him with Game of Thrones.  Like Brown, Dance also managed to shed the persona of the role he will forever be known for.  Yet, he really didn't get a chance to shine as the villain, which is sad.  You guys know I love a good villain.  Maybe he'll have a bigger role in the sequel? (**MASSIVE SPOILER ALERT THERE**)

What didn't I like about this movie?  The plot.  They had a good solid plot in mind but they chose visuals and action scenes instead.  Like, yes, I get it, you have to do this thing for that thing to happen, but they stop bringing up the thing!  The catalyst for the war of the monsters disappears during the second act.  While I love how good the film looked, I cannot believe they sacrificed what could have been a damn good story too.  The second act is mostly just the (**SEMI SPOILERYISH**) introducing new monsters, having monster battles and the humans trying to kill said monsters.  And no, I haven't said monsters enough.

Like, I didn't even get the names of all the titans they introduced, so I had to make up names for them.  We get Godzilla, obviously.  We get a slew of monsters I won't name so I don't spoil anything else for you but again, they are barely shown.  Angry Fawkes (not the creature's real name but I don't know what it was so that's what I'm calling it) had one good fight scene before disappearing until the finale.  Mega Mamoswine (again, no idea what it's called) was nothing more than a cameo.  Same with the Muto from the last movie.  It showed up once.   Then we have Aragog's American Cousin, Gary.  Who are these Titans?  Why are the relevant?  How did they get released?  How were they captured or suspended or whatever?  It's never mentioned!  It's basically "Oh hey, there's Gary, let's release him".  They never stop to explain how important, if they are important, these creatures are.

I get it though.  You're on a time constraint, but it would take, what, like 4 minutes to give me some exposition?  Not only that, you spend so much time setting up this family, only to basically ignore it and occasionally show some teen angst.  Again, Brown did amazing but she can do better.  And they give a huge middle finger to the audience because they set up one ending, then just go "Nah, let's just change it all up last minute".  Again, it works, but why do it that way?  It felt like a last minute re-shoot.  And okay, I can buy that there might be an alternate ending, but it didn't feel organic to the character at all.  She spent the entire movie trying to do a thing, realized she lost another thing then just up and did something else?  I know it all sounds confusing but if you've seen the movie, you understand it.  Or, I'll explain it to you in private so I don't spoil it for someone else.

Overall, I would say yes, see Godzilla: King of Monsters.  It's a visual treat and it's just a lot of fun to sit through.  Despite the weak plot and the lackluster characters, it wasn't too bad.  I loved seeing all the monsters depicted on screen together.  The CGI is just perfect and oh yes, the ending was well worth the two hour wait.  Plus, they have really awesome call backs to their previous films.  So you do see bits from the previous Godzilla and from Kong, which help tie the series together as a whole.  Granted, my stupid self said, "so that means more Tom Hiddleston?"

Don't ask okay?  Just let me have my moment.

There's also an end credit scene you need to stick around for!  Fry and I were the only ones who wait because I said, "Kong had a post credits scene, this one's going to pull a Marvel and have one too, I just know it."  And BAM, I WAS RIGHT!  The employees at the theater confirmed it as they cleaned.  And it's kind of important because it sets up the next film and if they are going off what they showed in that scene, then the next one is going to be so freaking good!  The monster battle scenes were so good in this one, I can't wait to see what's in store for the next one.

Guys.
Guys!
GUYS!
So, I did a little research on the internet and apparently, the next movie is going to be a prequel, "Godzilla vs. Kong" which is slated for a March 2020 release!  I just found all this out and got really excited.  Wait, a prequel.  That really does mean there's a chance for more Tom Hiddleston!!  I just really love Tom Hiddleston, okay? 

You know what, I'm satisfied with my review.  I'm getting back into my own personal groove and it feels good.  I feel like me again.  And since, I've written a lot, I'm going to end things here.  If you're curious, it took me an hour and 45 minutes to write this, this includes checking IMDb and the internet for various sources, proofreading and editing. 

But I'm happy with how this has turned out.  I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

I'm Cora Valentine, AKA TheCinemaChick and in my next blog...I have some big news to share with everyone.

I love you all, thank you for sticking with me all these years, through my highs and lows, my many hiatuses and all my self doubt.  Whenever I have someone asking what movie I'm doing next or when my next post will be, it makes me feel like I'm finally doing something right.  Film is my passion.  Thank you for sharing this with me.

In the immortal words of Eicca Toppinen of Apocalyptica: Take care of each other.  Love each other.  Love yourself.

See you guys next time.

Summer Movie Season 2019!

GUYS!

It's almost June and you know what that means, don't you?  It's time for the 2019 Summer Movie Season!  For those of you who don't know or possibly have lived under a rock all your life or whatever, the summer movie season is when production studios launch some of their biggest titles.  People are going on vacation or are out of school for a while, so this is when the movies see some of their biggest profits.  I mean, yeah Avengers: Endgame kind of topped all the charts this year and nothing will beat that but we have some really good things coming out this year, so let's take a look at a bunch of films I want to see (and hopefully will!)

Ah, where are my manners.. I have to do my obligatory introduction!  Hello everyone out there currently reading this!  My name is Cora Valentine, some of you know me as TheCinemaChick, but either way, I'm your guide to what's hip and hot this summer!

Okay, you know what, that didn't feel natural.  I'm not cool enough to try and talk like the teenagers do. 

But, I digress.  You get my point.  There are a bunch of movies coming out this summer, some of which sound like absolute blockbusters, some of which might be worth a watch and some...well...let's be honest.  There are some movies that just don't ever make the cut, doomed to fall into obscurity.  Case in point, the Uglydolls movie.  Don't remember that one?  It came out around the same time as Avengers, maybe a few weeks before.  It bombed so spectacularly that it was out of theaters pretty fast.  The sad thing is, they marketed this movie so heavily.  I saw dozens of commercials and they had a star studded cast as well.  And even all that couldn't save this.  In my defense, I don't know what an Uglydoll is.  I'm pretty sure this movie was marketed at people much younger than me.  Maybe my niece would have liked it.  She's six.

I've already watched a few movies this year, some of them good, some of them just okay.  Yet, some of the best stuff is yet to come so I cannot wait to visit my local theaters and see what the movies have to offer me this year.  So, let's dive into a list of movies I want to see, probably review as well and enjoy.  Here we go, in no real order, a list for you to read!

⦁ Godzilla: King of Monsters
I love the Godzilla franchise.  I remember watching the old school claymation ones as a kid.  I saw the last one with Fry and Butterfly, we all liked it.  This one looks to top that one because literally, they are bringing all the monsters.  I'm excited because it's been a really long time since we've had a good old fashioned monster smackdown around here.  Based on the trailers I've seen so far, the special effects look pretty good.  And you guys know I am so picky when it comes to CGI.  In a handful of cases, it's done well and adds a lot of a film.  However, many times it's painfully obvious that there are special effects and it really detracts from a movie for me.  Then again, Fry says I've become a bit of a snob when it comes to cinema so...she's not entirely wrong there.

⦁ Spiderman: Far From Home
We all knew this one would be on here.  I never miss a Marvel movie.  And this one gives us our first glimpse of life, post Thanos.  I really want to see what the MCU has turned into, now that we've seen that world change so dramatically.  And we get to see how Peter is coping with that one major thing from Avengers.  I won't spoil it because some of you may not have seen it, but you know exactly what I'm talking about.  And we get a new villain and perhaps a new world we haven't seen yet.  And no, this part isn't a spoiler because it's in the freaking trailer guys.  Don't believe me, look it up.  You guys know that I will not ruin a movie for anyone else, UNLESS the movie is so bad I don't think you should waste your money on it like I did.  Don't be an idiot.  Listen to me and learn from my mant cinematic mistakes.

⦁ The Lion King
I'm a little wary of this one.  Disney has been hit or miss with their live action remakes.  While I enjoyed Alice in Wonderland, I thought the sequel was awful.  Beauty and the Beast, while visually stunning and well cast, failed to hit the mark.  Many of cast members sang their own songs and many of them should have used a professional singer.  Sorry, Emma Watson, I'm looking at you for this one.  Speaking in a melodic manner does not constitute singing.  Take it from the girl who's had a decade of professional training.  Then, Aladdin surprised me because it was amazing.  Quick side not: JUST BECAUSE IT DOESN'T HAVE ROBIN WILLIAMS DOESN'T MEANT IT'S NOT WORTH SEEING!  WILL SMITH DID A FANTASTIC JOB AND DISNEY HONORED ROBIN WILLIAMS IN A VERY TASTEFUL WAY.  IF YOU'RE ONE OF THE "BUT IT'S NOT ROBIN WILLIAMS" PEOPLE, DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND GET OVER YOURSELF AND SEE THE MOVIE!!
**Ahem.**
I do like The Lion King.  It was a favorite movie of mine growing up, but like I said earlier, CGI makes me wary.  Since they couldn't use real animals in this, it's going to be very CGI heavy.  However, the cast they have so far sounds amazing.  Hell, James Earl Jones is back as Mufasa.  That's freaking awesome!  I do know that if I see this one, I'll be going solo since Fry has no desire to see it and my new movie buddy Sinat doesn't like live action remakes...even though we all saw Aladdin together.  Yeah...
⦁ Hobbs and Shaw
Yes, I'm a fan of the Fast and Furious franchise.  I've seen most of them and I've gotten to where I really like the cast.  This is a spin off starring Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham in a solo flick.  While it looks like it might be a little cheesy and a little over the top, there were scenes in the trailer that made me really want to see it.  I mean, it has Idris Elba, who I adore as an actor.  And I don't think I've ever seen him as a villain, so this should be interesting.  Plus, there was something from the trailer that spoke to my heart.  In it, they go to "home", where it appears to be a lovely island nation.  They don old school weapons like spears and do a traditional war dance.  To some of you, it may seem odd.  Remember, Dwayne Johnson makes no secret of his heritage.  It's called a haka, a dance done to intimidate your opponent.  For me, I went to a school where the majority of the students were Polynesian, so I learned a lot about their culture.  Before every sports game, they would perform a haka.  So as soon as I saw that haka on screen, I was sold.

⦁ Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
Everyone knows by this point that I love horror.  I have a huge collection of horro games, I love horror films...I just love scary stuff in general.  I remember this book from my childhood.  The macabre drawings always made me uneasy and the stories were so creepy.  So naturally, I've read them all about ten times.  Plus, Guillermo Del Toro is the one bringing this thing to the big screen and you know I love this man's work.  He always finds a way to mix fantasy with horror with a touch of social commentary.  I'm really hoping this movie does justice to the book series.  And, I really hope it does scare me.  It's been so long since a horror movie has actually been able to make me jump.  I mean, Annabelle: Creation was good but...the main character had my name and the same disability as me so I couldn't take it seriously.  According to that movie, I'm the root of all evil.  Sorry?

⦁ It: Chapter Two
I loved the first one.  I hate clowns.  I love Stephen King.  Pennywise makes me freak out but damn, you have to admit it was a good movie.  It had me on the edge of my seat from the start.  And it wasn't just pure horror.  There were elements of romance, drama and a good coming of age film mixed in and they all worked together.  Chapter Two takes place in the future, when all of the kids come back to Derry.  I haven't read the book, so I don't know what to expect but if the trailer is any indication of what's in store, then I can't wait.  I should probably buy the book so I can read it and see how it compares.

⦁ Downton Abbey
Confession time: I haven't watched all of the series.  I don't particularly enjoy it.  However, I promised Fry I'd finish the show and see the movie with her.  I mean, I just didn't like watching a show about stuck up rich people being mean to the help.  I deal with that enough at work so why would I want to see more of it?  But, I don't go back on promises so I'll suck it up and see it.  Who knows, maybe it'll be good.

So guys, let me know, what movies do YOU think I need to see?  Is there something out there that you want to see but just aren't sure of?  Let me know!  I will sit through a movie for you so you don't have to potentially waste your money!  If I can find it local, I'll go see it.  Plus, it gives me a chance to broaden my cinematic horizons by seeing something I might not normally choose.  I love getting feedback and suggestions, so please, feel free to talk to me.  Find me on Twitter @TheCinemaChick, I'm on Discord and oh yeah, I have a page on Facebook where I post all my blogs!  I don't bite...at first...kidding.

I'm TheCinemaChick and if you'll excuse me, I have a panicked pupper to attend to.  

(We're about to have some storms come through and there's thunder, lightning, tornado warning...he's nervous.  Some treats and belly rubs and he should be okay.  Hammy is a spoiled old boy)

We're going to back to my childhood...I mean Agrabah!

Hey, so, I haven't been active since 2017, but you know, I need that break.  I got to a point where I was really burned out.  I couldn't go to a movie without being hypercritical.  Movies weren't enjoyable anymore.  I tried making vlogs but honestly, I don't enjoy them as much.  I wanted to step away so I could get back to a place where I could see a movie and enjoy them. 
Fortunately, I am back to that place.  I am able to sit through a movie and actually have fun again.  Part of that is because I took time away from my blog, part of that is because I have been fortunate enough to make new friends who enjoy film as much as I do.
With that said, allow me to have a proper introduction.
Hello all you lovely people out there in Internetworldland!  My name is TheCinemaChick and as you can tell by my moniker, I'm a girl who loves movies.  I've been doing this little blog since 2012 and have no plans to stop again any time soon,  Have I seen a lot of movies this year, absolutely.  Will I see a lot more?  Yes I will.  I'm already making plans to see the new Godzilla when it comes out next week and at some point, I will see John Wick 3. 
So, you're probably wondering what movie managed to revive me.  What film was so good that it made me want to write again?  Truth be told, it's a movie we've all seen before.  I grew up in the 90s, like many of you did.  So, like many people, I've watched all of the animated Disney films.  Wouldn't you know, they remade a bunch of those classics.  I have seen all of the live action remakes up to date.  I liked Beauty and the Beast to an extent.  The first Alice in Wonderland was good, didn't care for the sequel.  Well, The Lion King is coming out later this year but Aladdin is back in theaters.  Let me tell you, it was worth the wait.
Like a lot of people, I was apprehensive about seeing this one.  I had the same prejudices.  Robin Williams wasn't the Genie and I really wasn't sure Will Smith could measure up. 
I was extremely wrong,
Will Smith absolutely shines as Genie in the live action flick.  He brings some of that old school Fresh Prince attitude to the character.  So yes, he is not Robin Williams, but instead brings a wonderful and exciting new take to this familiar character.  He has a charm and sincerity about him that I really liked.  While most of his scenes are done with CGI, I still enjoyed it because I could see elements of the animated movie in there,  If the whole "But he's not Robin Williams" thing is what's stopping you from seeing this, do yourself a favor and get over it.  You won't regret it.
The casting in general is also perfect.  Normally, production companies tend to whitewash a movie.  Let's never forget the live action adaptation of Ghost in the Shell.  In this case, they didn't.  They chose highly skilled actors who managed to truly embody their animated counterparts.  Mena Massoud was brilliant as Aladdin.  Naomi Scott shined as Jasmine.  Not only that, but they really turned Jasmine into a badass.  Instead of just being compliant, she has a voice and takes a stand for what she believes in.  Hell, they even wrote new songs just for her. 
The story is the same as it was back in the day.  Jafar wants the lamp so he can have absolute power.  Aladdin happens to be the diamond in the rough.  You know, I feel it's okay to talk about the plot since the first version of this film came out so long ago.  If you haven't seen it, where have you been all this time?  Like, it's been shown on television thousands of times.  Anyone who's ever had to babysit has had to watch this.  It's a classic Disney animation now.  Everyone should have seen it be now.
One thing I really liked is how this iteration of the story managed to combine Bollywod and hip hop.  While the movie stays true to the Middle Eastern feel it's always had, there are some new, more modern elements added in.  I don't want to give away too many of those details because they really were amazing to see.  There are a few dance sequences in the film that honestly, were the best parts.  The duet between Genie and Aladdin was worth the wait.  I mean, I planned to see this movie so I could ooh and ahh over the costuming, but overall, I loved it.  Yes, the costumes are breathtaking.  I really want the chance to see them up close so I can admire the intricate details more. 
If this is what we can expect from the Disney live action remakes, then sign me up.  From the beginning, I was having fun.  I sat with Fry and we were singing all of the songs because for us, this is nostalgic.  Neither of us were fully on board going into the movie but after seeing it, we agree that it doesn't deserve all the negative press it's been getting.  If you enjoy bright, colorful scenes, well fleshed out characters and a touch of nostalgia, Aladdin is definitely worth checking out.  I'm glad I did because maybe if I hadn't seen it, I wouldn't be inspired to return to my passion.  And yes, I consider film blogging to be one of the biggest passions in my life. 
I know this review is going to seem a little short and maybe a little choppy but I'm getting back into the swing of things here.  I'm ready to return to this blog, maybe look at getting my own domain again and who knows, maybe there will be a film so good, I can't even put it into words.  I mean, it happened with Avengers: Endgame.  I cried 4 times during that movie, no lie.  But for now, I think I'm going to sign off and let you all enjoy the magic of the newly released Aladdin.
      As always, I'm TheCinemaChick, I'm back in my natural element and for all you know, I have a magic lamp in my backpack.  What three wishes should I make?

The Killing Joke

It’s almost 1:30 in the morning and what am I doing?  I’m writing my second review of the night!  I’m the one you know as TheCinemaChick and I’m here to talk about movies!  I’ve written my review of “Suicide Squad” so I figured, why not go on to another DC movie that has actually received more praise?  I will have to put up a content warning because this one is much more controversial as well.  It was in theaters for only one night, but it was also available to be watched digitally.  It’s based on a one shot in the DC universe.  If you haven’t guessed it by now, I’m talking about one of the most disturbing and violent graphic novels that has ever been written.

So without further ado, let’s get into “The Killing Joke”.

***WARNING!  Spoilers ahead!***

**Trigger warning!  This blog will mention violence, murder and rape.**

Now, this is one of those cases where I have read the source material before seeing the movie.  I’m happy to say that they stay faithful to the graphic novel.  While the first half hour is dedicated to something that has nothing to do with the original story, the last part blew my mind. 

Parents, even though this is an animated movie, this one ain’t for the kiddies.  Don’t let them watch this until they are much older.  This seventy-seven-minute cartoon deals with murder, sex, torture and something that I will get to in a bit.  I’m an adult and this left me feeling really uncomfortable.  And I watched “12 Years a Slave”, which had some extremely disturbing content.

Like I mentioned, the first part of this was written for the movie’s sake.  I guess to flesh out the running time a bit since the graphic novel isn’t that long.  I want to say it’s probably only about forty pages, but don’t quote me on that.  We get a nice little story about Barbara Gordon, the daughter of commissioner Jim Gordon.  You might also know her as Batgirl, Batman’s partner in crime fighting.  She fails to stop a robbery then gets too involved.  A mafia man named Paris Franz (one of the worst possible names for a villain) becomes obsessed with her.  Franz later tricks her into finding a dead body, who happens to the Franz’s uncle.  In case it isn’t obvious, Paris killed his own uncle.  Batman becomes concerned and tells Batgirl he doesn’t want her on the case anymore. 

I have to admit, this part was almost perfect.  Batman admits that he is worried about her mental health.  She too is becoming obsessed with the case and it has caused her to make some dangerous and stupid decisions.  If Batgirl keeps going down the path she is on, she will turn herself into a murderer, something he doesn’t want for her.  This upsets her and they get into a very heated argument on a roof top.  Then they have sex.  And for the next roughly five minutes, this becomes the focus of the movie.

Normally, five minutes isn’t that long, but remember, this movie is barely over an hour long.  Barbara and Batman stop talking and she regrets the sex.  She actually apologizes for what happened.  Even then, she gets right back into crime fighting.  Barbara pretty much ignores everything Batman told her and goes after Franz alone.  This time, he pushes her too far and she beats him to a bloody pulp.  Only when she realizes what she’s done does she stop.  Batgirl retires when she accepts that she’s going down the wrong path and walks away from being a vigilante.

Now, this is where the graphic novel comes into play.

Batman is called to Arkham because something seems off.  There’s been a murder and people seem to think that The Joker is behind it.  The problem?  Joker has been locked away for a long time.  During a little heart to heart, Batman learns that the person imprisoned is not the real man.  Joker has escaped and left a decoy in his place.

The real Joker shows up at Commissioner Gordon’s apartment and shoots Barbara in the stomach.  Because of the severity of the attack, she is left paralyzed.  Gordon is then kidnapped while Joker strips his daughter naked and photographs her.

I’m going to paus here for just a moment.  Remember that one thing I was going to save for later?  Well, here it is.  I was looking at some reviews and theories about “The Killing Joke”.  Yes, it is sickening for a man to shoot a woman then take photos of her while she’s still bleeding and nude.  I did read one possible idea that made me think.  There are some people who believe that it’s not as innocent (and I use that term extremely loosely here) as it looks.  The movie shows that Barbara is conscious while being undressed.  There is a theory that Joker also raped her.  I don’t know if this is true, but judging by what happens later, I think it might have happened.  You’ll see what I mean.

Gordon is taken to an old amusement park and also stripped naked.  He is forced to go on a carnival ride where he is shown the photographs of his injured, naked daughter.  This is why I think Joker did indeed rape Barbara.  Gordon already knew that his daughter was shot.  He witnessed it.  And being her father, he’s probably seen her naked before, though she was probably a child at the time.  You know, he probably changed some diapers and bathed her.  What could be more shocking that that?  Seeing your child sexually assaulted at her most vulnerable moment.  That’s what drove him over the edge.  After the ride, he’s left in such a state of shock, he can’t even function.  But, this is what Joker wanted: to drive Commissioner Gordon into insanity.

Then we go into a flashback.  We get to see Joker’s origin story.  He was an ordinary man trying to support his pregnant wife.  Instead of being an engineer, he wanted to try and be a stand-up comedian.  He fails miserably, unable to pay the rent.  In a last ditch effort to get some money, he agrees to help some men break into the chemical plant where he used to work in exchange for money.  While discussing this with the two henchman, he is informed that Jeannie, his wife, and unborn child have died in a freak household accident.  Greif stricken, he is forced to continue with the heist.

At the plant, he is forced to wear a red mask and red cape so people think that he is Red Cape, a notorious villain in Gotham.  Things don’t go as planned and the men are shot.  Batman shows up to deal with the criminals.  In the heat of the moment, the man in the red mask trips and falls into a vat of chemicals.  He washes up outside, only to be completely disfigured.  He is now the Joker we all know.  The disfigurement and the loss of his wife send him into madness.

Back in the present day, Batman finds Gordon, shocked but still sane.  Gordon then tells Batman that he has to bring Joker down, but to do it “by the books”.  We go into the final confrontation between Gotham’s masked vigilante and the Clown Prince of Crime.  It culminates in Batman offering to help Joker be rehabilitated but the latter refuses, believing it to be too late.  Joker tells him a joke and they both laugh.  If you pay attention, you’ll notice that after about a minute or so, you only hear Batman chuckling.  It is not stated if he has killed Joker but rather, left open to interpretation.

The voice acting in this is superb.  Mark Hamill is one the best Jokers to have ever appeared, or in this case voiced, on screen.  He has this almost hoarse, breathy voice that sounds like he is teetering on the edge of madness.  He even has the laugh down perfectly.  I’ve seen a lot of the animated Batman shows and heard the different voice actors, but to me, Hamill is tops.  Kevin Conroy is equally talented and amazing.  I can find nothing bad to say about the people who lent their voices to this project.

Content wise, I can find some negatives.  As I mentioned at the beginning of this review, this is not for the faint of heart.  I read the graphic novel before watching this and it is one hundred percent faithful to the source material.  It was well written, both in the book and on the screen.  However, there is a lot of torture and violence.  It is unsettling to see it and I was left highly uncomfortable after viewing the film.  While it is tastefully done and you don’t see the worst parts of it, it is strongly hinted at so you know it happened.  And while it isn’t clear what exactly happened to Barbara after her father was taken, I’ve presented one theory. 

I have to admit, I liked “The Killing Joke” more than I liked “Suicide Squad”.  The flashbacks added to the story and helped to make the Joker a sympathetic character.  It also shows what caused him to go insane.  In this case, it makes sense to me.  Yes, it is hard to watch at times and they didn’t exactly do a great job with Barbara Gordon because she is stuck in the inferior role.  Batgirl is treated more like a rookie who doesn’t know what she’s doing when compared to Batman.  He even scolds her like a child. 

But I would watch it again.  It makes you think, it has a solid plot and there is room for interpretation.  It’s also the most faithful adaptation I have ever seen.  This is coming from the woman who took a class dedicated to adaptations in college.  If you’re strong of heart, give this one a watch.  If not, best stick to a summary of it so you don’t have to see the graphic scenes.

I’m TheCinemaChick and I just have one question. “Why aren’t you laughing?”

Suicide Squad

                Hello everyone!  I’m TheCinemaChick and I’m actually motivated for once!  That’s right, I’m in a great mood and I want to write, so let’s do this.  If you’re wondering what I’m doing right now, I’m listening to a song called “Let Me Fall”, recorded by Josh Groban.  I have to admit, I’m a huge fan of this man.  I went to his concert a few years back and sat in the second row.  His voice is like magic, that I can assure you.  Plus, he’s really hilarious.  He’s coming back into town this year, or early next year, I can’t remember when.  I wish I could meet him, I really do.  I used to sing a lot, you know since I was a total choir nerd, but these days, the most I do is singing along with radio.  I’m not that good anymore because I am really out of practice but hey, that could change, you never know.

                Ah, you’re not here to read about my never ending love of Josh Groban’s music are you?  No, you’re probably thinking, “What movies have you seen recently?  What’s good?  What’s not?  TELL ME!”  I admit, that’s probably an exaggeration, but someone out there might actually be dying to know what I’ve seen.

                If you’re that person, you and I are now best friends.

                The truth is, I haven’t seen many movies lately.  I unfortunately fractured my ankle, so I’ve been staying off it.  I can go out and I’m able to walk, but it’s painful and sometimes just uncomfortable.  So in the past few months, I’ve only seen four films.  Two of them I loved, one I was left a little disappointed in and then there’s “Suicide Squad”.  Hold your thoughts until the end, boys and girls.  We’re going to talk about the latest DC movie.

                I saw “Suicide Squad” with a group of friends that I’ve known for about half my life now.  Like everyone else out there, the trailers had me pretty pumped.  I was excited to see a movie about villains being put out there.  I love Harley Quinn and the Joker.  Those two are some of my favorite bad guys in out of all comic books.  However, they are horribly dysfunctional, let’s admit that straight off the bat.  That is not love, that is psychological abuse which caused Stockholm Syndrome.  If you know anything about the history of these two, you will see just how horrible things are.  Joker repeatedly abuses Harley Quinn, emotionally, mentally and physically. 

                That aside, I also had to keep the last DC movie in mind.  I was also psyched to see “Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice” and I ended up not liking that one.  Don’t get me wrong, there are elements of that film that I absolutely adored.  Ben Affleck as Batman?  He was actually good!  The introduction of the meta humans?  Brilliant!  Gal Gadot as Diana Prince, better known as Wonder Woman?  Yes, please!  My problem with that movie is that it was so long.  Most of the movie was spent building up to the final battle, which ended up being a bit of a letdown.  The humor wasn’t that great and fell flat in most places.  Also, what was up with the random dream sequences?  DC fans, explain the thing to me!

                Note to everyone involved in future Batman movies: PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE…stop retelling the story of his parent’s death!  It has come up in every single Batman film and I don’t think it needs retelling.  Even people who aren’t familiar with this franchise know that he’s an orphan due to tragic circumstances.

                “Suicide Squad” is just a bunch of villains rounded up to defeat another bad guy who isn’t really all that threatening.  I couldn’t really find another plot beyond that.  And that’s being generous.  Most of this movie is spent giving backstory on Harley Quinn and Deadshot.  That’s what it focuses on all throughout.  I can’t deny that Margot Robbie and Will Smith have really good chemistry on screen.  If the other characters had that much screen time, I bet they’d be pretty awesome too.  Seriously, everyone else becomes a background character.  In the trailers, they make Slipknot out to be some really important person in reality (MASSIVE SPOILER ALERT) he barely gets three minutes of screen time.  Why even have him if he’s just going to be wasted?

                That is one thing that really, really bothers me.  Why make a big deal about these people if you’re not going to use them properly?  I’m not as familiar with DC comics as I am with Marvel, so I wanted to know all about these characters.  Captain Boomerang looks like a madman and I wanted to know all about him.  Katana has a sword that traps people’s souls in it.  We get a brief glance into her history but even then, she’s relegated to a role that barely has her speaking.  Excuse me, she was more badass that most of the people in this movie.  Making her so insignificant is an insult to her.

                Ok, I’m going to go on a little rant here.  This movie has a whopping four women that share the screen.  We have Harley Quinn, Katana, Amanda Waller and Enchantress.  As I already stated, Harley is shoved into the forefront.  Katana is stuck in the back, speaking only Japanese and letting team leader, Rick Flag, speak for her and Enchantress…I’ll get to her in a moment.  Let me start off with Amanda Waller.  She is played by Viola Davis, an actress I absolutely adore.  In the film, Waller is straight laced, no nonsense, doesn’t beat around the bush.  She gets to the point without making any excuses.  I honestly thought she was one of the best characters in the whole movie.  Davis brings this quiet intensity to the role that makes you want to hate Waller for using people the way she does, but at the same time, you have to admire that kind of tenacity.

                Harley Quinn is portrayed as some kind of tragic romance story.  I do like the nod to her origins as a psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum.  She did fall in love with the Joker and it turned into a tumultuous relationship.  And in the games, comics and cartoon series, she is insane.  However, she is not overtly sexualized.  In some instances, she does have a somewhat sexy appearance, like in some of the video games, but come on.  Why didn’t she get her Arkham Asylum outfit?  And yes, they did briefly translate her original red and black costume into live action.  I have to admit, it looked hideous.  But, did we need to stick her in shorts so tiny they should be considered underwear?  And did we have to see her getting dressed?  She was pretty much only there to be a sex symbol.  For the most part, Harley Quinn came off as stupid, love sick and useless.

                And this is coming from someone who loves Harley Quinn.  I hated this incarnation of her.  I didn’t particularly care for Margot Robbie either.  Half the time, she spoke as a normal person and then sometimes, a little of that Harley voice would come out.  If you’ve seen the animated shows, you know what I’m talking about.  I can’t stand it when actors can’t keep an accent.  Either commit to the role or don’t.  Then she spends the whole movie trying to be reunited with the Joker.  She doesn’t care about anyone but him and at one point, abandons everyone to be with him.

                Speaking of the Joker, why was he advertised so much?  He’s barely in the movie!  The movie is two hours long and he has maybe fifteen minutes on screen?  I love Jared Leto, I really do.  His music is awesome and if you haven’t seen “Dallas Buyers Club”, I highly recommend it.  However, if you’re not into political movies about drugs and HIV and cross dressers, you should skip it.  I wasn’t sure if I was even going to like him as The Joker because let’s be honest, he had some huge shoes to fill.  People are still talking about the late Heather Ledger’s portrayal. 

                Heath Ledger was gone too soon.  He was an amazing actor.

                I liked Jared Leto’s portrayal of the Joker in this movie.  To me, in reminded of the older versions, a la Cesar Romero and a little Jack Nicholson.  This is not the dark, brooding Joker that Ledger brought us.  This is the Joker that loves to have fun and really play with the people he intends to later kill.  To me, he did a great job.  Leto has gone completely unappreciated because he will always be compared to Heath Ledger.  Both men did this character justice, just in different ways. 

                You know what we see more of than The Joker?  Harley Quinn’s ass.

                Now, let me talk about Enchantress.  I know a few things about this character and I know that her story was messed up.  She did not translate well to the big screen.  This was my first time seeing Cara Delevingne in any movie.  In my opinion, she was a horrible choice for main villain.  First off, she’s barely wearing anything, so way to overly sexualize another character.  Second, I don’t really know what her intent was.  Ok, she wanted to change the world but how?  I mean, she had the swirling cloud of doom for the majority of the film, but other than that, she didn’t do much.  Third, what was up with that weird dancing?  Seriously, it’s the climax of the film, she’s standing by her magic cloud and it looks like she’s just dancing to the music there.  And she barely even puts up a fight.  The climax was such a letdown.

                The Joker and Enchantress were more like romantic interests than threats.

                The final scene sets things up for a possible sequel.  They are already planning on making a Harley Quinn standalone film, which…I don’t know how I feel about that.  If “Suicide Squad” was any indicator, it’s just going to be another two hours of Margot Robbie being unable to pick an accent and showing off her butt in sparkly booty shorts.  In the comics, Harley does leave The Joker and hooks up with Poison Ivy.  They work well together.  I would love to see the interactions between those two women.  The thing is, Harley isn’t just a complete psychopath.  She’s incredibly intelligent!  I mean, she had a doctorate in psychology before all this mess got started!  Show off her smart side!

                Overall, I didn’t care for it.  Just like “Batman vs Superman”, it takes too long to get to the point and I was left wanting something more.  The plot is paper thin and rarely ever comes into play because they focus too much on Deadshot and Harley Quinn.  There are a lot of flashbacks, which do detract from the action a lot.  The Joker is completely wasted due to being under used.  Enchantress comes across bland and boring.

                Again…why did we need to see Harley Quinn’s butt so much?

                I know this is all setting up for the future Justice League movie for the DCEU (DC Extended Universe).  There is a cameo by Ezra Miller, which also made no sense.  It didn’t add anything to the film or tell me more about his character, Barry Allen.  Why was it there?  To say “Look we promise better things are coming!  Just hang in there and trust us!” 

                And this is coming from someone who also loves Ezra Miller!

                I have seen the trailer for the “Justice League” but even then, I’m not terribly interested.  I like the dialogue between Bruce Wayne and Barry Allen.  I like the interaction between Arthur Curry and Bruce Wayne as well.  It has the potential to be good.  However…I’m so sorry DC, but your track record isn’t looking good.

                Look at “Green Lantern”.

                I really wanted to love “Suicide Squad” but with the messy editing, muddled plot and poorly written characters…I couldn’t.  It has good moments but overall, I wasn’t excited about it.  I also saw it in 3D, which was a waste of money.

                You know how children have short attention spans so shows use bright colors and loud noises to keep their interest?  That’s what this felt like.  The movie knew it wasn’t good but look!  Bright colors!  Music!  Action!  Harley Quinn’s sparkly butt!

                Overall, I’m mixed.  I didn’t hate it but I didn’t love it.  I just wish it had tried harder.

                I’m TheCinemaChick and I’m a Marvel.

Zootopia

                Hello everyone out there!  You know me best as TheCinemaChick and I talk about movies a lot.  And I mean A LOT!  I know, I know, I haven’t been active much as of late but you know, things happen and I need to lay low for a bit.  Since that sounds shady, let me explain.  I’ve just been busy and when I wasn’t busy, I was dealing with my bipolar disorder, which has been al out of whack lately.  And, some really great things have happened but I’m not ready to announce that to the general public yet.  No hints either.  It’s something myself and only about…3 other people know and for the time being, that’s the way I’d like to keep it.

So, I have seen some films this year.  I saw “The Fifth Wave” for my birthday, which was absolutely atrocious.  I laughed inappropriately the whole time because well…I guess I’ll just have to write about it to explain it.  Seriously, one of the worst of 2016.

I did see Deadpool and I’m on the fence about whether I should review it or not.  I mean, it was such a popular movie that I don’t feel I need to touch on it.  If you want me to talk about it, let me know!  You know where the comment section is!

So, let’s move on to the movie of this blog.  I’m talking about the newly released Disney animated film called “Zootopia”.  I’m not sure how I feel about this film as of yet.  The thing is, I loved the voice acting.  They had a really good cast, including Ginnifer Goodwin as the main character, Judy Hopp.  As per usual, the animation was astounding, but I’ve come to expect high quality animation from them so it’s really hard for them to screw up the visuals.

Let me step back here for a moment.  I did in fact see “The Good Dinosaur”, which I DO NOT recommend.  It’s aimed at children but it should not be.  There are some topics in there that children just aren’t ready to deal with.  I mean, you see the main character lose a parent in the beginning and there is a scene later where he has to explain death to a little human boy.  I found that part extremely sad and I don’t think a little kid would want to hear about it.  Also, yes, there is a drug trip.  The dinosaur and his human pet eat some berries that have either gone bad or fermented and they hallucinate.  I was uncomfortable watching it as an adult.  Again, not for children!

See, I brought that up because I see this trend continuing.  While “Zootopia” on the surface is a cute movie about a bunny joining the police force and becoming friends with a fox, I don’t think it’s for the little ones.  I admit, it’s full of bright colors and snappy dialogue but honestly, today’s children are smarter than that.  I think they are going to catch little bits of what’s meant to be a moral lesson.  Plus, Disney is really relying on this whole “girl power, women can do anything” trend.  The last few major movies that have come out, especially the animated ones have all dealt with independent young girls who can overcome anything.

I’m all for female empowerment, but we get it Disney.  We learned this from Mulan, Frozen, Brave, Inside Out…the list goes on and on.

And the thing is, Judy is kind of bland and one dimensional.  She only has one mode, eternal optimist.  She doesn’t really grow or change over the course of the story.  All throughout, she’s just the first bunny cop, something they repeatedly nail into your head.  We get it!  She made history!  We don’t need to be reminded of it every fifteen minutes!  And like I said, she’s just always cheerful and upbeat and optimistic, which in itself isn’t bad.  But she doesn’t learn anything.  The lesson I got from the movie is that I should learn how to “hustle” and bend the laws a little bit.  And trust me, she bends the law to her advantage several times, then gets on the fox’s case for the slightest infraction of it!

To me, the most interesting character was the secondary lead, Nick Fox, voiced by Jason Bateman.  He actually had growth and change as a character and he was much better than Judy.  Yeah, ok, she starts off all shady but by the end of the film, I was rooting for him.  His backstory was far more interesting than hers so he became more sympathetic.  I could relate to Nick more than I could a determined bunny.  Sorry guys, I’m just saying, the anti-hero (if that’s what we’re calling him) is far more interesting than the hero.

While the overall tone of the film is light for the most part, they cover some incredibly heavy topics.  To start, Judy’s parents aren’t encouraging and supportive.  She wants to be a cop, they tell her no, stay home and be a carrot farmer.  Then there’s a joke about how many brothers and sisters she has, so yeah they had to include a joke about rabbit reproduction.  They actually show some violence, which is new to me.  Most of the time it’s implied or shown off screen.  In this case, no if someone gets hurt, you see it.  And oh my goodness, they really hammer home a message about racism.  Judy is called “cute” at one point and she says it’s offensive because only bunnies can call other bunnies cute.

Dude, it’s the Oscars all over again!  I watched the Academy Awards to see if Leonardo DiCaprio finally won the gold statue and I left feeling so horrible about myself!  Seriously, almost everyone had some sort of social injustice to preach about.  I had to hear about sexual assault and bullying and climate change…ugh!  Celebrities…you can preach how we should change all these things all you want, I don’t see you making any real efforts to stop them.  Just addressing the issue and raising awareness isn’t going to do anything if that’s all you do!

*sighs*

I’m okay.

Overall, “Zootopia” was pretty good.  I liked most of the characters and the plot was good.  There was a twist I didn’t see coming, but in retrospect, I should have.  The ending was bland and predictable, which is true of a lot of films these days.  I just went into it really wanting to like it but afterwards…I just couldn’t.  I wasn’t as impressed as I had hoped.  Don’t get me wrong, I would love to see a movie that explores this world deeper and focuses on other animals, but I don’t want to see anymore of Judy Hopps.

Would I recommend this movie?  Yeah, if you can swing a matinee for it.  Take the kids as well, they’ll love the witty script and action scenes.  There might be a few things you have to explain to him after the film because I honestly think a lot of more adult themes were slipped in.

Also. I know that Shakira was cast in the movie as Gazelle.  Don’t get your hopes up.  She’s not in the movie until the final ten minutes.  She’s mentioned a lot and you get to hear her speak I think three times in the entire run time.  Why promote her casting if you’re not going to use her?  She was just shoved into the background.

One tiny spoiler.  There is a huge Breaking Bad easter egg that had me laughing.  You’ll know what it is when you get there.  I was laughing pretty hard at that.  I can’t spoil why it was so funny but trust me, it’s a good one!

Also, Alan Tudyk voices a minor character named Duke Weaslton…sound familiar?  Since he played the Duke of Wesselton (always mispronounced as Weaselton) in “Frozen”?  I see what you did there, Disney.  Two thumbs up to that!

Again, overall, I don’t care for “Zootopia”.  It lays on the social issues too much and relies on a bland, uninteresting character to tell the story.  I’m also a little uncomfortable that they have a naturalist club in the film.  Kids, if you don’t know what that is…ask your parents.  I ain’t touching this one.  It’s in the movie…where Tommy Chong is.  Don’t know Tommy Chong?  Again, ask your parents.

I’m TheCinemaChick and if I were in Zootopia, I’d like to think I’d be a ferret.