Saturday, August 26, 2017

Moana (2016) (Movie Review)


     Back in the early 1990’s, I was privileged to grow up with some of Disney’s greatest animated movies, and looking back on that time, I was never really aware of the great Golden Age of Disney animation I was living in until years later. Well, I’m going to say it now before it’s too late … “the current  two-thousand-teens mark a new Golden Age of Disney animation”. There was a time in which it seemed that Disney could never produce an animated film better then Pixar, but they’re actually surpassing most of what Pixar has done in the past couple years. With films like “Frozen”, “Big Hero 6” and “Zootopia” receiving critical acclaim, and breaking records at the box office, it seems that the studio is finally souring again just like in its glory days. Disney’s more recent 2016 animated movie “Moana” is yet another outstanding entry to their collective works, and personally, this is the Disney movie that has won me over to this new Golden age. After the death of traditional 2D animation, I was in denial that I could ever truly love another animated Disney film. Well, not only is “Moana” my personal favorite of the 3D animated Disney movies, but I might just put it among my top five favorites Disney films in general. It’s a film that stays true to the Disney formula, but it also adds new layers to it, along with a big splash of creative originality.


   “Moana” is Disney’s 56th animated studio feature, and might just be their first original fantasy story that’s not adapted from any existing source material. Previous Disney movies like “Tangled” and “Frozen” were all adapted from existing fairytales and novels like “Rapunzel” and “The Ice Queen”, but “Moana” is a completely original tail that’s heavily influenced through Polynesian Mythology. While myths of the demy God character Moui do stem from the real Polynesian islands, there was still no specific literary score material for “Moana”, which makes the end product feel all the more special. In this movie, Moana is an island princess who sets sail for an adventure across the sea in an effort to save her island from a mysterious darkness that’s slowly killing her home. Her goal is to find The mystic and mischievous Demy God named Moui who was responsible for angering a Goddess and setting the Ocean world out of balance. Through her courage and a heart of gold, she puts the self-centered demy God on the path of redemption, and a friendship ensues between the two. So together they aim to bring balance back to the ocean by calming the angered Sea Goddess. On their quest they sail to various mystical islands, battle pirates, a giant crab monster and come across various other oddities along the journey.


     The first thing that won me over is the character Moana herself. Oh, my goodness … I absolutely adored this character. For the longest time both Belle from “Beauty and the Beast” and Pocahontas were tied as my favorite among the classic Disney princesses, and Anna from “Frozen” was my favorite of the new modern age. As of now, I think Moana is quite possibly my favorite of all the Disney girls. 

It’s hard to explain, but there’s something about this character that feels very special, and sets a new standard for the Disney princesses. She has all the same cute quirks and a contagiously cheerful personality that made previous characters like Rapunzel and Anna appealing, but she also has the same strong, independent, character driving force that I loved from many of Hayao Miyazaki’s Anime characters. Most especially, the combination of Moana’s strength and love made me think of Princess Nausicaa from “Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind”. The opening scene alone in which she chooses to protect a baby sea turtle instead of taking a pretty item from the beach summed up everything great about this character and it’s easily my favorite introduction scene to any of Disney’s princesses. Another great aspect of Moana’s character is that while she clearly has her own wants and dreams that go against the order of her tribe, she’s also still very committed to her ruling position. The majority of Disney Princesses are all vary rebellious to their royal positions and rarely ever have any interaction with the people of their kingdoms. Moana on the other hand actually dose go out among her people, helps them with their daily lives and just puts her all into her position of leadership, which is really refreshing. It’s also great to see a Disney Princess from a different ethnicity, and not just another blond girl. On a side note, I’m so glad that Moana was able to stay single, and didn’t draw attention to the fact in any way. Personally, I felt that recent Disney movies like “Brave” put way too much emphases on the notion that the girl didn’t fall in love and stayed single. There’s also some very funny self-referential hummer aimed at common princess tropes, most notably of all is that a non-princess will still be labeled as such.   


   The voice cast, while small is still phenomenal, especially new comer Auli’I Cravalho who supplies the voice of our lead princess. She’s definitely a new talent to watch out for, and brings the character of Moana to life with a breathtaking voice, and lots of passion. Dwayne Jonson is also very good and extremely charismatic as the self-centered Demy God Moui, who’s one of those jerk characters you love to hate. Dwayne Jonson in general has always been a charming talent and it’s great to finally see that appeal come to life in an animated character. Other animated characters voiced by celebrities typically fall victim to being obvious stereotypes of themselves, but Dwayne Jonson brings the character Maui to life with that same love that Robin Williams himself brought to the role of the Genie way back in Disney’s “Aladdin”. 

The cute comedic side characters also provide some laughs, most notably is Maui’s little tattoo that comes to life, and seems to have the most personality of any one. On that note, I love how Maui’s tattoos can come to life and tell stories, as it’s visually captivating and something that I’ve never seen before. Alan Tudyk is also very funny as a brainless rooster, although he admittedly is the most useless animal side kick I’ve ever seen, and usually Disney’s comedic animals can be just as funny as they are helpful … but not this rooster. I also really liked the kooky grandma character, which actually brings me to one of the film’s most shocking moments (Spoilers ahead). It’s not uncommon for one of the parent characters to get killed off in a Disney film, in fact at this point it’s almost a tradition, but I never would have expected Disney to kill off a funny grandma character, that never happens. Her death was also earned, and a genuinely emotional moment that wasn’t overly dramatic.    


   Another one of the films great strengths is its enchanted ocean setting. Personally, I can’t remember the last time I felt this submersed in a films magical environment. Unlike say “The Little Mermaid” that only featured an underwater Kingdome with mythical mer-people, the ocean setting of Moana takes on a completely unique life of its own and features some of the wildest things I’ve ever seen. We have Goddesses becoming one with the surroundings of nature, a different realm full of monsters that dwell under the ocean floor, people coming back from the dead as animal spirits, and even the Ocean water itself is like a living entity with its own distinct personality. There’s a very atmospheric scene in which Monna discovers a cavern of ships, and through pounding on the drums it causes the lanterns to flare up and a tapestry comes to life telling the story of her ancestors. Just about everything from the setting, to the culture, to the myths intrigued me. The stunning 3D animation speaks for itself. Of course, it looks great, with very absorbing colors, but the backdrops half the time are some of the most photo realistic to come from a Disney production. There’s even select moments in which traditional 2D animation is woven in with the 3D cells, and it’s such a cool effect that celebrates both the old and the new. 

    One thing that appeals to my own personal taste is the overall tone and pacing of the movie. I love how this film takes it’s time allowing the audience to get to know the characters while also letting us enjoy the films unique environment. It never feels rushed, but also has a great deal of energy and fun on display. Having said that, there are some people, particularly little kids that might feel the exact opposite, and may find it a little boring in places. I say this mostly because when I saw this movie in the theater, I heard a lot of kids asking their parents when the film was going to end. This is where many young adults, or maybe adults in general may take more away from this film then their kids. The scenes that might come off as boring to little children may be quite impactful to some older viewers. Personally, I felt the film delivered more than enough entertainment, as well as some well-placed action scenes. I loved all the sinister creatures our heroes battled on their journey, and felt they came in a nice variety, with unique designs, and even their own charms. One of my favorite action highlights is when our heroes are attacked by these little coconut pirates, who all had fun designs and I loved the visual details of their ships.  


     I especially liked the giant crab monster, which is probably the most bizarre detour in the whole film, but extremely entertaining. He might just be my favorite of the one-shot villains, kind of like Madam Mim from “The Sword in the Stone” who’s only there for one scene but still very memorable. His villain song too is a lot of fun in just how colorful and wired it is. On that note, lets finally talk about the songs, as this is without a doubt one of Disney’s best animated musicals. These songs are outstanding as they both sound great, and add substance to the films themes, ideas and characters. Dwayne Johnsons “You’re Welcome” is probably one of the catchiest tunes I’ve heard in years, in fact it’s bouncing around in my head right now as I’m talking about it. The musical number “We Know the Way” boasts another very upbeat melody that will be playing around in your head after you hear it. My personal favorite number is the triumphant “I am Moana” song which was both touching and got me thrilled. Of course, the big break out song is “How Far I’ll Go”, which thankfully didn’t over stay it’s welcome the same way “Let it go” did back in “Frozen”. 


   If I had any problems with “Moana”, it would be that the film occasionally recycles some very familiar elements and tropes from previous films. We have an ignorant parent who can’t see passed his own narrow sited mind, we have the two friends breaking apart even though we know they’ll get back together, etc. However, the execution of all these tropes, the story in general, and especially the moral at the end are all masterfully handled, so there’s really not much to complain about. For every recognizable Disney formula on display, there’s some clever twists to other time warn clichés, and again the films setting continues to excite the imagination with no shortage of creativity. The climax also plays with expectations, as it starts a blazing spectacle in which our hero’s battle a giant lava monster, but then it gradually transitions into one of the most touching and impactful finales I’ve seen in recent years. Without a doubt, this one final scene of Moana slowly walking down the split Ocean road toured the ragging monster just gave me chills all over. It was shot beautifully, it got me right in the “feels” and … Oh, it’s just one of my favorite Disney movie moments. 
    

   All in all, “Moana” combines everything I love into one highly entertaining animated experience. It has great music, the atmosphere of its magical setting is consistently enticing, and even the moral was very meaningful without shoving the message down your throat. Of course, Moana herself just seemed to combine all the best Disney princess into one perfect package, while still feeling like an original character who could stand apart from the crowd. All in all, I loved this film, and love it more with repeated viewings. While I also loved previous 3D princess movies like “Tangled” and “Frozen”, this one just really got to me, and felt special. I’d easily put “Moana” among Disney’s best Princess offerings, in fact it’s now my personal favorite, and considering how big their lineup has been … that’s really saying something.


 I give “Moana” a solid 5 stars out of 5.


Thursday, August 24, 2017

Game of Thrones: My 10 Favorite Battles


In all my experiences watching TV, and can’t even think of another series that’s felt grander or more cinematic then the HBO series “Game of Thrones”. Despite some controversial content, this is honestly one of my all time favorite shows, largely thanks to its compelling characters, captivating story, complex themes and a large scope that rivals any other network program. Seriously, just about every episode looks and feels like something grand that belongs on the big screen, and no-where is that more obvious then with this shows epic battle scenes. With season seven over and one final season on the way, this feels like the right time to count down my personal top 10 favorite battle scenes thus far from the acclaimed “Game of Thrones” series.


#10 Young Ned Stark vs. Arthur Dayne from “Oathbreaker” (Season 6 – Ep.3) 


Season 6 featured many flashbacks that helped provide us fans with some much needed answers. A personal highlight of mine is seeing a young Ned Stark (before he was played by Sean Bean) in one heck of a cool sword fight. Most of the battles on my countdown are fairly large in scale, but this is a special exception in which it's a small scale fight with only a hand full of people. The sword fighting choreography on display is great, and when the match concludes it puts a new light on Ned Stark’s character. It's intense, and it also works as a prelude for the surprises to come.   
   

#9 Surprise attack from Euron’s fleet from “Stormborn” (Season 7 – Ep. 2) 


In what was intent to be a good move of strategic planning, Yara’s fleet of boats have set sail, but are suddenly attacked by her evil uncle Euron. This is perhaps the most exciting action scene to be featured in the second episode of a season, and it just closed things with a bang. It’s also a rare treat to see a ship-to-ship confrontation in this show, and while it definitely brings to mind “Pirates of the Caribbean”, it features just enough cracking action without being as over the top as those movies always got.


#8 Brienne of Tarth vs The Hound from “The Children” (Season 4 – Ep. 10) 


There’s plenty memorable one on one duals in “Game of Thrones”, but the one I always found the most memorable and brutal is in the season four finally when Brienne of Tarth fights The Hound for custody of Princess Arya Stark. Not only are both skilled warriors, they’re also both two towering giants with almost matched strength and mass. Kind of the show in a nutshell is how it gets us to cheer for both sides, and it’s especially challenging to decide who to root for between these two fan favorite characters. I also love the fighting variety on display during this dual, as it starts off almost playful with strait up sword fighting, and then things take a sudden left turn with brutally tense fist fighting. It’s a satisfying clash between two great characters, and it ends on a nail biting note.  
  

#7 Nightwalkers attack Hardhome from “Hardhome” (Season 5 – Ep. 8) 


The malevolent army of frozen zombies called Nightwalkers had been built up big time for the first four seasons of the show. Now at last in this deeply thrilling attack near the tail end of the fifth season, we see just how lethal, frightening and unstoppable this army of the dead truly is. As these magic zombies launch their surprise attack on the base camp of Hardhome, we get a perfect blend of horror movie thrills and spectacular blockbuster action. John Snow is personal one of my favorite characters in the show, and it's here we see both his heroism and skill at work as he fights off the invading beasts. He even manages to slay one of the zombies, which is no small accomplishment. This was one of the more terrifying battles of the show, but it also delivered a powerful, game-changing payoff as John Snow meets the Night King and for the first time realizes who his real adversary is in this war. 


#6 The Battle of the Bastards from “Battle of the Bastards” (Season 6 – Ep. 9)


The penultimate episode of every season usually delivers the best action, and here’s the one that’s described by fans as the greatest battle sequence in the shows history. John Snow makes it on my list again, this time he’s leading an army to liberate his home from the clutches of the Bolton’s and their wicked ruler Ramsay. The set-up for this confrontation couldn’t be better as two half-sons fight for what they believe to be their rightful homes. Not only is the fight itself stunning to behold, but it’s also one of the shows most intense and brutal battles. We have piles of bodies relentlessly being built up, claustrophobic battle field atmosphere, white knuckled fist fighting, and our hero’s are constantly at tense odds. We also have one of the shows best hero’s fighting against one of the most despised villains, and it all ends with some savagely satisfying vengeance to boot.


#5 The Battle of Blackwater Bay from “Blackwater” (Season 2 – Ep. 9) 


While the show had featured some decent action, this was the epic battle that established once and for all the sheer scope, cinematic quality and thrilling tour de force that is “Game of Thrones”. When a massive fleet invades Kings Landing, our favorite dwarf Tyrion Lannister finally shows what he’s made of and rallies the men to defend his home Kingdome. We see a magical weapon called “Wildfire” used to even the odds, sinking several ships, and that’s just the beginning. What follows is one of the most spectacular battle sequences ever featured on television, but it’s also boasted with an equal amount of powerful drama. Seeing Tyrion bravely defend his home and get nothing for it in return made me respect his character all the more, and highlights just how cruel this world can be. 


#4 The Fighting Pit Massacre of Meereen from “The Dance of the Dragons” (Season 5 – Ep.9) 


When Queen Daenerys Stormborn frees the slaves of Meereen, she finds that her actions make dangerous new enemies. The most terrifying of her foes being the mysterious masked killers called the Sons of the Harpy. While viewing a tournament, her coliseum is suddenly invaded by a small army of Harpies, who are intent on slaying her and all her allies. This is a deeply thrilling seen that puts our hero’s at odds, and had me biting my nails wondering how they’d escape. Fortunately, just when all seemed lost, the queens loyal Dragon named Drogon returns and battles the Sons of the Harpy in a fiery spectacle. While we’d seen her dragons many times throughout the show, this was the first full on battle in which we see a dragon in action against lethal foes. Despite being a fire breathing dragon, it’s still an intense battle as the Harpies manage to wound Drogon. Thankfully both Drogon and our favorite heroine escape the coliseum, marking this the first time we see Danny flying on the back of her dragon and just a plain unforgettable moment.


#3 The Night’s Watch vs. The Wildlings from “The Watchers on the Wall” (Season 4 – Ep.9) 


This really is one of the shows most sensational battles because the whole episode is an hour long action packed siege. Castle black is invaded by the free folk from the other side of the wall, who’ve come in greater numbers than anticipated and have freaking giants and mammoths on their side. After four seasons, it was a real treat to finally see a battle featuring actual fantasy creatures like Giants and so forth. Now obviously I’ve praised this show for feeling more cinematic then most other programs, and this battle truly features some of the shows most cinema-worthy visuals. Despite all that, this all-night castle siege ranks higher for me because it’s the first to feature John Snow as the main focus. As he fights to protect his castle he finds himself on opposing sides with his lover Ygritte, who’s leading the rebellion of free folk. When the dust clears, the battle ends on one of the shows most tragic notes as John Snows secret lover dies in his arms. It’s a powerful ending and makes this battle one of the most hollow victories in the shows run.


#2 Fire versus Ice from “Beyond the Wall” (Season 7 – Ep. 6) 


Once again John Snow finds himself battling the Nightwalkers, and while he and his alies try to capture a corpse to show to the Kingdome, they find themselves trapped on a frozen lake. As the situation gets more intense, Daenerys Stormborn comes flying in on her dragon to rescue her friends, and it leads into a very exciting clash between fiery dragons and icy zombies. Holly cow, not only was this a thrilling rescue scene, it was also a dream come true as we finally see a battle between two different fantasy creatures. I also like the novelty of seeing two polar opposite creatures fighting. We also have soldiers with magic fire swords slashing through these icy monsters, which is nothing short of awesome. While the rescue is successful, it all ends in tragedy as one of our dragons is killed by the army of the dead, who then revive the beast as one of their own. This eventually leads to one of the shows greatest cliff hangers as we see the Nightwalkers bring down the wall with a zombie dragon on their side. It may be over the top, and looses the realism the show began with, but for me, a battle between dragons and zombies is just too cool to glance over.  


Before I reveal my favorite battle, here are some other action scenes that deserve an Honorable Mention ... Arya vs. the Waif (Season 6 – Ep.8)
Jaime and Bronn vs. The Sand Snakes (Season 5 – Ep.6)

Barristan & Grey Worm vs. The Sons of the Harpy (Season 5 – Ep.4)

Ned Stark vs. Jaime Lannister (Season 1 – Ep.5)
and 
The Hound vs. Beric Dondarrion (Season 3 – Ep.4)



#1 Dragons attack Lannister convoy from “The Spoils of War” (Season 7 – Ep. 4) 


After a humiliating defeat, Daenerys Stormborn is riding on her dragon and leads an assault on what remains of the Lannister army. Even though this wasn’t a battle from a penultimate season episode, no other battle thus far from this show left me feeling more breathless then this epic surprise attack. We have Dragons in full force setting flames on a powerful army, there’s great tension as new dragon killing weapons are unveiled, and best of all is the thrilling final charge of Jamie Lannister against Daenerys Stormborn. It’s a rare case in which we see two of the shows most iconic characters on the battle field against one another, and naturally we can’t help but cheer for both sides. This is simply “Game of Thrones” at its most pulse pounding and stunning to behold, as this battle is nothing short of an exciting, epic, fiery spectacle.       

The End

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016) (Movie Review)


     When I was a little child I was crazy about having my parents read me fantasy based stories. I couldn’t get enough of really classic fables or fairytales, and the first thing that always drew me to them was the titles. Strait to the point with today’s movie, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is a very colorful title and harkens back to classic fantasies that seemed to sum up the whole story at once. Of course this 2016 fantasy adventure is also set in the “Harry Potter” film universe, which I’m a devoted fan of. I’ll admit, after “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Part 2” wrapped-up the journey of our hero’s, I felt very satisfied and done with the series. It didn’t need anything else, Harry Potter’s story had a perfect beginning, middle, end and I just didn’t find myself that excited for a spin-off movie set in this universe. Well, I sat down, gave it a watch, and it turned out to be an unremarkable but mostly welcome add on to the series. It really builds on the mythology of the universe, explores places never seen before, and honestly ... it brings back the “MAGIC” that I found lacking in the later HP films. Now I loved this series almost consistently but even at their best, the later films just lacked that same magic touch. “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” while far from perfect at least brings back the colors, the other worldly atmosphere, and it made me want to explore their wizard world.   



      Set several years before the birth of Harry Potter, the magical community is currently in a state of distress as sinister forces are at large, and hiding secretly in the human world. While most magical authorities are trying to root out these threats, a visiting wizard from England arrives in New York with a very special suit-case. Soon upon arriving, the visiting wizard gets his suit-case accidently switched with a mortal’s identical looking case, and that becomes the start of a lot of problems. Turns out that the case contained several magical creatures that the wizard aimed on returning to their proper homes in America. Well, thanks to this switch of suit-cases the creatures have been unleashed in New York where they run amok. To make matters worse, those other evil forces are causing chaos and using the newly escaped beasts as scapegoats for their actions. Now our visiting wizard must join forces with a female wizard detective to track down all the magic beasts, root out the evil wizards, and the mortal who initially opened the case also gets himself roped in for the adventure. The simplicity of this premise is both a strength and weakness, as it works for an exciting mini-adventure in a larger universe, but it doesn’t leave much of an impression either.



     The concept is actually very similar to an old cartoon show titled “The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo”, in which several mystical creatures are accidently set loose and need to be put back in their magic box. It’s a set-up that lends itself to many creative possibilities, and it dose fit within the borders of the established Harry Potter universe. The setting of New York also gives us a unique look at how the wizarding world operates in America as opposed to Britain. This helps give the movie its own atmosphere and I love all the details of this universe never explored before. There’s a shady magic pub hidden behind a painting, which reminds me of the alien saloon from “Star Wars”, just with a fantasy makeover. My favorite addition of all is when our hero’s actually enter the magic suit case and discover a whole world within where all the magic beasts thrive. 

The concept of another magical universe inside of a tiny suit-case is sensational, and something we’ve never experienced from any of the previous HP films. The suit case world also has its own magical dream-like atmosphere and visually it’s stunning to behold. In general, the special effects on display are a mixed blessing. I love the set designs, and the overall visual layout is great, but I found the creature effects to be very mediocre. For all the unique creature designs, they just look like cartoons that only exist in a computer. Take for example the winged Hippogriff named Buckbeak from the earlier HP movies, I knew it wasn’t really there with the cast, but it never felt like a special effect, it honestly felt like a real living creature. The beasts in this film by contrast just don’t have the same genuine feel, and I never got the impression that the characters were really interacting with them.  



     Speaking of characters, this is one of the films bigger set-backs when compared to the other HP movies. The characters from the original films are so iconic, memorable and even the smallest side character could stand out. While the cast in this film is clearing giving it their all, and are even likable on some level, they just can’t leave an impact of any kind. I do love the setup of a mortal person going on an adventure with two wizards from opposite sides of the world, and there is even some real chemistry between them. I also like the inclusion of this one female wizard telepath who can’t always control her talents. While she can be annoying at times she also adds something new to the series that we’ve never seen before. With all that said, this is still an average group of characters at best, and I really can’t even remember any of their names. Also part of the appeal from the other films was seeing kids and teenagers going on these larger than life adventures. Putting childish adults in these situations just lacks the same charming touch.  



      My biggest issue with this movie by far is that both the tone and the simplicity of the story aren’t always consistent. Half the time the movie is just trying to be this funny little adventure with these characters chasing down these magical creatures. The other half gets kind of dark and ugly as there’s a subplot revolving around these disturbed kids and their hidden secrets which this bad guy is trying to exploit. It’s so tonally jarring to go from silly shenanigans with cartoon monsters to something that’s trying to be a slightly dark entry in Harry Potter lore. Once we get to the climax, the movie no longer has anything to do with the magical beasts that the film is named after. It’s all about our hero reaching out to this cursed child while also fighting off an evil wizard, and it’s very distant from what the film started as. There’s also pointless set-up’s for other potential spin-off movies that have nothing to do with this film. Then there's random appearances from talented actors like Jon Voight and Johnny Depp who again are just there to hint at other potential films. 



    In the end, I really think this film would have worked better as a standalone movie that wasn’t bound to the Harry Potter universe. The overall simplicity of the story is perfect for a standalone fantasy film, but being tied-in to a classic series like Harry Potter measures you to a high standard where it needs to give me more than simple derivative entertainment. Yes, this film brought back the magic touch I felt lacking in later films, but it didn’t give me much beyond that. It didn’t tell me anything I wanted to know, and to be honest, I don’t think it will hold up for repeated viewings. I watched it once and enjoyed it, then I watched it a second time and found it kind of lacking. This is one of those harmless rentals but it’s not something that left impression either. While not the most persuasive reason to start a new cinematic Harry Potter film universe, it still had its merits and a fine piece of magical entertainment. If you’re curious you’ll get your fill of magic and fun. You Just need to be in the right mind-set for a film of this sort and don’t raise your expectations to the same high Harry Potter standards. My advice, don’t think of this as a Harry Potter movie but more along the lines of the lighthearted fun and magic of “Bed knobs and Broom Sticks”. Certainly not on par with the original Harry Potter, but very magical in its own right, and I’m genuinely intrigued to see where the series will go from here. 

I give “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” 2 ½ stars out of 5.