Finding Nemo

 Finding Nemo (2003)

Featuring the vocal talents of Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Alexander Gould, Willem Dafoe, Geoffrey Rush, Brad Garrett, Allison Janney, Stephen Root, Eric Bana, and Andrew Stanton

Directed by Andrew Stanton

Click here for my Letterboxd review

The RyMickey Rating:  C+

Turning Red

Turning Red (2022)

Featuring the vocal talents of Rosalie Chiang, Sandra Oh, Ava Morse, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Hyein Park, Orion Lee, and Wai Ching Ho

Directed by Domee Shi

Written by Julia Cho and Domee Shi

Click here for my Letterboxd review

The RyMickey Rating: B-

Luca

 Luca (2021)

Featuring the vocal talents of Jacob Tremblay, Jack Dylan Grazer, Emma Berman, Saverio Raymondo, Marco Barricelli, Maya Rudolph, and Jim Gaffigan

Directed by Enrico Casarosa

Written by Jesse Andrews and Mike Jones

Click here for my Letterboxd review

The RyMickey Rating:  B+

Soul

 Soul (2020)

Featuring the vocal talents of Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Graham Norton, Rachel House, Alice Braga, Richard Ayoade, Phylicia Rashad, and Angela Bassett

Directed by Pete Docter

Written by Pete Docter, Mike Jones, and Kemp Powers

Click here for my Letterboxd review

The RyMickey Rating: B+

Onward

Onward (2020)

Featuring the vocal talents of Tom Holland, Chris Pratt, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Mel Rodriguez, and Octavia Spencer

Directed by Dan Scanlon

Written by Dan Scanlon, Jason Headley, and Keith Bunin

Click here for my Letterboxd review

The RyMickey Rating: C+

Incredibles 2

Incredibles 2 (2018)

Starring Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell, Huck Milner, Samuel L. Jackson, Bob Odenkirk, Catherine Keener, and Brad Bird

Directed by Brad Bird

Written by Brad Bird

Summary (in 500 words or less):  Picking up immediately after the initial film ends, we find the Parr family still trying to find a way to bring superheroes respect.  With the help of a fan (Bob Odenkirk) who runs a telecommunication firm, Elastigirl (Holly Hunter) goes on a media push in order to help give superheroes a better image and it seems to be working.  However, Elastigirl's increasing popularity comes with the sacrifice of having to leave her husband (Craig T. Nelson), daughter Violet (Sarah Vowell), son Dash (Huck Milner), and baby Jack-Jack at home.  When Elastigirl gets caught up in some trouble with the villain Screenslaver, her family must come to the rescue.

Click here for my Letterboxd review

The RyMickey Rating:  B

Coco

Coco (2017)

Featuring the vocal talents of Anthony Gonzalez, Gael García Bernal, Benjamin Bratt, Alanna Ubach,  Renée Victor, Ana Ofelia Murguía, and Edward James Olmos

Directed by Lee Unkrich

Written by Adrian Molina and Matthew Aldrich

Summary (in 500 words or less): Twelve year-old Miguel (Anthony Gonzalez) is passionate about music and he dreams of being famous like his idol, the late musician/actor Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Brett) who was one of the most popular Spanish icons in his grandmother Coco's (An Ofelia Murguía) era.  On the Day of the Dead in which homage is given to family members who have passed away, Miguel discovers a picture of Ernesto standing next to his departed great-grandmother and he immediately believes that he is related to his idol.  Miguel visits the mausoleum of Ernesto and breaks in, grabbing Ernesto's prominently displayed guitar.  However, when Miguel strums a note on the instrument, he is transported to the land of the dead...and the only way to escape is to find his deceased family members to assist him.

• Coco is a return to form for Pixar, capturing the heart that feels as if it's been absent for a few films.  This film is all about the importance of family and it touched me.
• The vibrant colors are pleasingly eye-popping, creating a visual landscape that never disappoints.
• The Hispanic vibe is a new look for Pixar and comes across much more stylistically appealing than the somewhat similarly themed Book of Life from a few years ago.
• The Academy Award-winning song "Remember Me" is ingenious in its simplicity, able to be reworked into multiple versions as the film progresses, ending with a heartbreaking rendition by Miguel and his grandmother that nearly brought a tear to my eye.

The RyMickey Rating:  B+

Movie Review - The Good Dinosaur

The Good Dinosaur (2015)

Featuring the vocal talents of Jeffrey Wright, Frances McDormand, Raymond Ochoa, Steve Zahn, Anna Paquin, and Sam Elliott 

Directed by Peter Sohn

As much as I say Pixar is without faults, churning out one hit after another, that's perhaps being overly generous, overlooking the fact that films that some people love -- Finding Dory, Up -- just don't hit the mark with me.  Unfortunately, The Good Dinosaur joins that lukewarm bunch.  While the scenic animation is gorgeous and incredibly photo-realistic, the character design is the most basic we've seen from Pixar yet and the story feels like a retread of better animated films of the past.  All in all, The Good Dinosaur is one of Pixar's biggest disappointments.

The story has some strong similarities to The Lion King, although it obviously pales in comparison.  A young dinosaur named Arlo (voiced by Raymond Ochoa) is the runt of his family with a brother and sister bigger and more capable than he.  His father (Jeffrey Wright) decides to take Arlo on a journey to try and make him braver and more confident in himself.  However, on this journey, a horrible flood rushes down a riverbed and carries Arlo's father away.  Pushed to safety in his father's final courageous act, Arlo finds himself on a journey home where he meets several unique creatures including a dog-like four or five-year-old human he names Spot who he befriends on his trek.

Yes, humans and dinosaurs co-exist here and I just couldn't help but think that the potential for this premise could've been more fully realized.  While it's true that Spot is the most engaging character in The Good Dinosaur despite the character not speaking a word, the co-mingling of these two species is disappointingly developed.  Obviously, it doesn't help that the film's main character - Arlo - is bland, paling in comparison to the amusing Spot.  Sure, Simba in The Lion King may not have been the funniest or most unique character, but we cared about his plight.  Arlo's plight lacks a captivating thread for some reason.

Although there are certain aspects of the film that are stellar - a great score by Jeff and Mychael Danna and some beautiful environmental imagery, the story (by a slew of people) and the design of the dinosaurs feel pre-schoolish which doesn't allow for anyone older than the age of ten to really connect with the proceedings.  The Good Dinosaur is a big disappointment and quite possibly my least favorite Pixar film to date.

The RyMickey Rating:  C-

Movie Review - Inside Out

Inside Out (2015)

Featuring the vocal talents of Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Richard Kind, Bill Hader, Lewis Black, Mindy Kaling, Kaitlyn Dias, Diane Lane, and Kyle MacLachlan

Directed by Pete Docter and Ronaldo Del Carmen

When young Riley (voiced by Kaitlyn Dias) and her parents (Diane Lane, Kyle MacLachlan) have to move cross country to San Francisco, the middle schooler finds her life turned a bit upside down (or perhaps inside out is a more appropriate phrase).  Being a pre-teen, her emotions are always on edge and constantly changing and, as this latest entry into the Pixar pantheon informs us, this leads to a rather tricky job for the folks inside Riley's brain who have to control the tween's mood swings.  It certainly doesn't help that the effervescent Joy (Amy Poehler) is finding herself having to match wits with her counterparts Anger, Disgust, and Fear (Lewis Black, Mindy Kaling, and Bill Hader) while at the same time dealing with the fact that Sadness (Phyllis Smith) is taking a much more prominent place in Riley's life thanks to the move to the West Coast.

Inside Out is at its best when it aims for the funny bone.  There is much humor to be had inside the mind of a tween and the script is at its best when it mines for the comedy aspects.  Unfortunately -- and this is the film's one fault -- the flick falls a bit flat when it comes to the more dramatic side of things.  There were two obvious heart-tugging key moments in the film and neither felt as fleshed out as they needed to be in order to really make an impact.  It's certainly a bit disappointing and it keeps the film from garnering the effusive praise I'd like to laud upon it since nearly every single other element is close to perfection.

Perhaps most stunning about Inside Out is the collaboration between voice actors and animators to create two of the most well-thought-out characters I've seen in an animated movie in a long time in Joy and Sadness.  Amy Poehler is captivating as Joy, exuding a charm and ebullience that comes through in her voice from the moment we first hear her speak.  Coupled with the star-like quality of the way Joy looks -- she has no "fine lines" outlining her, but rather this sensation of "fuzzy light" creating a yellowish aura around her -- and you've got a tremendously memorable character.  Not only is Joy incredibly successful, but Sadness is just as marvelous.  Shaped almost like a teardrop, Phyllis Smith is vocally spot-on as the depressed, down-on-her-luck emotion.  And the repartee between these two characters is hilarious and elevates the film far beyond what I thought possible.

Pixar films never disappoint in the visuals department and that's the case here as well.  I've already discussed the lovely character design for Joy and Sadness, but rest assured that the same care and detail went into the development of the rest of the film's cast as well which while all caricatures of what we think emotions may look like or how they may act still succeeds tremendously.  Story-wise the film doesn't quite hit all the notes is aspires to (and that's due in part to a bit too lengthy middle act that never wears thin, but comes awfully close to overstaying its welcome), but overall Inside Out is a winner and one that I look forward to watching again in the near future.

The RyMickey Rating:  B+

Movie Review - Monsters University

Monsters University (2013)

Featuring the voice talents of Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Helen Mirren, Peter Sohn, Joel Muray, Sean Hayes, Dave Foley, Charlie Day, Alfred Molina, Tyler Labine, Nathan Fillion, Aubrey Plaza, Bonnie Hunt, and John Krasinski

Directed by Dan Scanlon

I've avoided writing this review for over a month.  I have no excuse.  It's not like I've been avoiding it out of some Disney guilt because I didn't enjoy it.  In fact, Monsters University was much better than my initial low expectations which had me avoiding it in its first go around in theaters, only catching this one upon a re-release over Labor Day weekend.  I guess I figured I'd have some "Boo withdrawal" when it came to this, but I didn't miss that incredibly cute character from the original Monsters, Inc at all.

Instead, I fully enjoyed this prequel following Mike and Sulley (voiced once again with gusto by Billy Crystal and John Goodman) and their journey through college.  As they enter the hallowed halls of Monsters University, the two are as opposite as could be.  Mike has his eye (singular, naturally) always in a book studying up on how to perform the proper scare, whereas Sulley is all about having the crazy college experience joining the frat Roar Omega Roar immediately upon arrival.  However, when performing their final scare exam, Mike and Sulley have a horrible accident that angers the frightening Dean Hardscrabble (a spot-on Helen Mirren) who nearly expels the two, but instead removes them from the scare program.  This prompts Roar Omega Roar to cut their ties with Sulley and it puts Mike into a depression because all he's ever wanted is to scare.  As the college prepares for their annual fraternity and sorority Scare Games, Mike convinces Dean Hardscrabble to allow him back into the scare program if he wins the Scare Games.  She obliges, however, without a fraternity willing to accept him, Mike seems out of luck until Sulley steps up and helps Mike form their own frat Oozma Kappa.

With the formation of OK, we meet a bunch of new characters who more than make up for the loss of the adorably cute Boo.  The humor derived from these new cast members (voiced by Peter Sohn, Joel Murray, Sean Hayes, Dave Foley, and Charlie Day) is fantastic and I laughed out loud much more than I expected.  While it's true that Monsters University doesn't have the heartwarming characteristics we've come to expect in most Pixar films (although it certainly has its moments of warmth), the flick stays true to its established characters and the enhancement of their backstory rounds them out more fully.

I'd like to write a bit more, but this quickly typed up review will have to suffice for now.  Needless to say, my reluctance to see Monsters University was totally unfounded, so if you're feeling that same way, you should definitely give this a chance.

The RyMickey Rating:  B+

Movie Review - Brave

Brave (2012)

*viewed in 3D*

Featuring the voice talents of Kelly Macdonald, Billy Connelly, Julie Walters, and Emma Thompson

Directed by Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman, and Steve Purcell

From a strictly visual standpoint, Pixar is simply the best animation studio working today.  They have a way of animating movement that is just stunningly accurate and beautiful to watch.  From the opening scene of their newest venture, Brave, their expertise is on display again.  The company really is head and shoulders above anyone else in terms of their slick, vivid, and stunning animation.

Story-wise, Pixar is well-known for their heartfelt tales and Brave is no exception.  Focusing on a female lead for the first time, Brave's story is shockingly simple and that's its one slight flaw.  We get a princess tale here (which has drawn some unwarranted criticism) and while the wheel isn't reinvented, it's perfectly fine.  However, Princess Merida's adventure does lack the originality that we've come to expect from the company and despite its rather short running time, the film manages to drag on a tiny bit during its middle act.

Still, there's a good movie here well worth seeing.  Teenage Merida (Kelly Macdonald) is an independent free spirit who finds herself being tied down by rules and proper royal etiquette by her mother Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson) who only wants to prepare her for the future rule over their Irish land.  The time has come for Merida to be betrothed, but the three men vying for her hand are all lacking in multiple departments.  Much to her mother's chagrin, Merida takes things into her own hands refusing to wed causing quite a rift between the young woman and her mother that even King Fergus (Billy Connelly) is unable to right.  After a tiff, Merida runs into the nearby woods where she comes across a rundown house inhabited by an old woman (Julie Walters) who also happens to delve a bit in the mystical realm.  Needless to say, this crone's magic ends up weaving quite an interesting turn of events for Merida which makes her begin to realize that her life may not have been as bad as she made it out to be.

As I mentioned, the film looks beautiful (Merida's long-flowing locks alone are amazingly well-crafted) and the voice acting is top notch as always, but Brave surprisingly has a "been there-done that" feel to it, culling much of its story from Disney flicks of the past.  Granted, that's not necessarily a bad thing -- Disney animated films are classics for a reason -- but there is something oddly unoriginal which, for Pixar, is a first.

The RyMickey Rating:  B

Movie Review - Toy Story 3 (2010)

Toy Story 3 (2010)

Featuring the voices of Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Don Rickles, Ned Beatty, and Michael Keaton

Directed by Lee Unkrich

I've taken some heat for not liking Pixar's last effort, Up, but even though I didn't love it, I recognize that the animation powerhouse can always be counted on to display heart.  Unlike any other studio, Pixar tugs on the heartstrings and does so in a way that never feels cloying or manipulative.  With Toy Story 2, the Pixar folks brought out the emotion in spades, creating a better story than the original.  Because of my fawning love for the second chapter, I admittedly had little hopes for the final (?) part of the series.

Well, there was nothing to worry about.  While it doesn't quite reach the powerful impact of 2, this third chapter takes us on quite an emotional journey -- one that we humans have been on with these toys for the past fifteen years.

Putting the toys in much more palpable danger than we've seen in the first two parts of these characters' tales, the third effort finds Woody and Buzz's human owner Andy heading off to college.  Having to leave his home behind, he also finds himself leading his childhood in the past as well.  This doesn't sit too well with the toys, who, through a stroke of (perhaps) luck wind up at a day care center where they find themselves incredibly excited to loved by children again.  Still, despite the "love" (and that's a term used very loosely when you're dealing with hyped-up, sugar-highed two year-old crazed toddlers), Buzz, Jessie, Rex, Hamm, the Potato Heads, Slinky Dog, and Bullseye soon realize that this may not be the place for them to be.

Woody realized this long ago and tried to convince his fellow toys to trek back to Andy's house to no avail.  Unfortunately for Woody, on his journey home, he gets picked up by the insanely adorable Bonnie who takes Woody home to her house where he meets up with another cast of cute toys (who I wish we could have spent more time with).  While Bonnie and her vivid imagination makes Woody feel needed again, Woody soon discovers that things at the day care center may not be going too well for his friends.  There's some nastiness afoot there and some toys that seemed welcoming at first may in fact be quite deceitful.

If there's something wrong with Toy Story 3, it's that the plot seems a little too stretched out for what actually happens.  It's essentially a "journey home" tale that could've been trimmed a bit early in its second act before that trek home happens -- there's a little too much introduction and internal/external "is this where we belong" debate at the day care center (in a surprisingly unfunny manner) and it makes the tale drag a bit in the middle.  That said, the film's opening and closing thirds are near perfect.  In fact, there are multiple scenes of sheer perfection (which I'd be more than happy to discuss in the comments) in the second half that really had me blown away, hitting a shockingly emotional level considering these things are simply plastic creations.

Throughout the film, I kept telling myself that this movie really didn't need to happen.  Yes, I was certainly enjoying it, but things were pleasantly wrapped up in the second movie and there was no need (other than for a profit) to visit these characters again.  That thought was silenced in the film's final set piece.  It's a beautiful ending and a perfect way to conclude Buzz and Woody's tale.  The finale is the epitome of what Pixar displays better than any other film studio -- heart.

The RyMickey Rating: B+

Movie Review - Up (2009)

Featuring the voice talents of Ed Asner, Christopher Plummer, Jordan Nagai, and Bob Peterson

Written by Bob Peterson

Directed by Pete Docter (co-director: Bob Peterson)

A painful edit to the grade has been made below...also see addition in bold below...

Unabashed and unashamed Pixar nut here. What they are able to do in terms of story and humor and animation is head-over-heels better than any other animation company working today (including my beloved Disney -- although, they're now one in the same).

I went into their newest venture, Up, with no expectations, however. The trailers never really grabbed me for some reason or another. And, it's entirely a good thing that my expectations were lowered, because, unfortunately, Up falls more towards the Cars "flawed, but still decent" end of the Pixar pantheon rather than the Wall*E "near-perfection" end.

We meet Carl Frederickson as a boy of about five and he longs to meet his favorite explorer, Charles Muntz. He dreams of one day traveling to far-off lands and just plain-old having a life full of fun expeditions. On his way home one day, he meets Ellie, a young girl his age who also has a penchant for adventure. They spark a unique friendship and through what could possibly be the most touching five minutes in a Pixar film ever, we witness in a dialogue-free, music score-only manner Carl and Ellie falling in love, getting married, making their way through the ups and downs of middle and old age, and eventually succumbing to the inevitable -- the death of a spouse. The first fifteen minutes of this film had me riveted. From Michael Giacchino's lilting score, to the top-notch animation, to the amazing caliber of storytelling without even saying a word, the Pixar folks had me onboard and loving it.

Unfortunately, they weren't able to sustain their momentum. Carl meets Russell, a cute chubby kid who simply needs to earn his last badge in Assisting the Elderly in order to become a full-fledged Wilderness Explorer. Carl's a curmudgeon and sends Russell on an impossible mission, hoping to get rid of the pesky kid. Through a series of unfortunate events, Carl decides that he's literally going to pick up his house with balloons and explore South America -- something he had promised his adventurous Ellie that they would do while they were both alive. Unbeknown to Carl, Russell has stowed away underneath his porch and came along for the ride.

And this is where the flick loses its course. It turns into part buddy comedy (of which a good chunk of the "comedy" falls flat...something very surprising for a Pixar film), part 1930s adventure serial (you know, those five/ten minute films that Spielberg mined for his Indiana Jones series). It's an admirable attempt to be sure, but neither the comedy nor the adventure can compare to the serious gravitas we've witnessed in the Carl/Ellie relationship in the film's first act. It's only when the film shifts back to this relationship that I really felt any emotional connection...which is what I expect from Pixar.

And if I'm not experiencing an emotional connection, I at least want to be laughing (see A Bug's Life as a perfect example of a non-serious Pixar film succeeding). Unfortunately, the laughs in this one seem aimed squarely at the young kids in the audience. The entire character of Dug, a dog Carl and Russell meet on their journey, fell flat for me. He was supposed to be the comedic relief, but I'm not sure I laughed at him once.

With the exception of the annoying Dug (voiced by writer and co-director Bob Peterson), the voice talent was top-notch. Ed Asner was a perfect fit for the cranky Carl. Young Jordan Nagai was able to keep Russell from turning annoying (and it was entirely possible that the character could've turned that way). Christopher Plummer was certainly pitch perfect as the villain...I just wish I could've cared for his part of the story a little more.

I realize I'm not seeming up on this film (no pun intended there), but I'd rather see lukewarm Pixar than decent Dreamworks anyday. The film looks great, sounds great (the score by the aforementioned Michael Giacchino is beautiful although slightly repetitive), and contains what may be my favorite Pixar scene ever (the sequence between Carl and Ellie mentioned above). Up is still my favorite animated film of the year at this point, although Dreamworks definitely put up valiant competition in Monsters vs. Aliens. It's just that it's not great Pixar and whenever you don't get great Pixar, you're bound to be disappointed.

Another note about 3D (this seems to be a running point of contention with me), there is nothing 3D about this film. Yes, there is depth here, but there is nothing "coming out at you." That's fine...I don't need to be grabbing for things, but I also think that if you're able to see this film simply in digital format (and not digital 3D), that'd be the way to go. I don't fault Pixar for that, but this 3D bandwagon has been something I haven't been able to jump on yet.

Edit: Unfortunately, I totally realize now that I was grading this film on some bizarre Pixar curve that doesn't apply to any other animated films. Was this movie better than Monsters vs. Aliens? Nope, not really. Better than Coraline? Unfortunately not. I'm not even sure if it's better than Cars...the lowpoint in the Pixar canon. Perhaps this will get a second viewing from me and maybe I'll appreciate it more at that point, but until that day, the B- that I originally gave this film must be changed to the more appropriate grade below. I must (try to) be fair...but please know that I'm crying on the inside...

The RyMickey Rating: C