Blue's Big City Adventure review

BLUE’S BIG CITY ADVENTURE:

AN ADORABLE, NOSTALGIA-FILLED TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** out of 4

PARAMOUNT+ AND NICKELODEON MOVIES

Blue, Steve, Josh, and Joe in Blue’s Big City Adventure

 

            Look at that, a film based on a Nick Jr. series I actually have some expertise with for once. Blue the Puppy and her friends escape their Storybook World and end up in New York City in Blue’s Big City Adventure, the new live-action/animated musical based on the beloved Nickelodeon/Nick Jr. TV series Blue’s Clues. 

            I guess, before I dive into this film I should “briefly” discuss my history with Blue’s Clues and the impact it had on me as a little kid. Unlike other Nick Jr. movies I’ve reviewed here like Dora and the Lost City of Gold or PAW Patrol: The Movie where most of my knowledge came from watching random episodes of the TV series with my younger sister (or absolutely zero knowledge whatsoever in PAW Patrol’s case), Blue’s Clues alongside Rugrats were two of the first Nickelodeon shows I ever watched. 

            I used to watch it all the time whether on Nickelodeon or the various home video releases, had a Blue’s CluesCD-ROM game based off the episode Blue’s Birthday that I used to play a lot on PC, and owned quite a bit of toys and merchandise as a kid. I even had the honor of meeting Steve Burns (The original host of the series) at a convention recently and got to share with him just how special that show was to me and my sister growing up. 

            Granted, even though the original run of Blue’s Clues brought so much joy to me as a child and will always have a special place in my heart, I started to step away from the blue puppy around the time the new host at the time, Joe was introduced because I was getting older. I’ve never seen the current series Blue’s Clues and You and I knew about the puppet-themed spin-off show Blue’s Room. 

            Then this movie was announced on Paramount+ which brings all three hosts together and shows the characters leaving the familiar animated Storybook World and venturing through a live-action New York City (Don’t worry, it’s nothing like the Smurfs movies) in a big musical adventure. As someone who grew up with Blue’s Clues, I was intrigued when the trailer dropped online and after watching the film myself…yeah, I found it incredibly charming. 

            The film follows Josh (Josh Dela Cruz) and Blue (voiced by Traci Paige Johnson) traveling to New York City to audition for a Broadway musical. However, when Josh accidentally leaves his Handy-Dandy Notebook behind, it causes him and Blue to become stranded in the mysterious New York streets as the address to the theater holding the auditions was written in the Notebook. 

            Luckily their friends consisting of Mr. Salt (voiced by Nick Balaban), Mrs. Pepper (voiced by Giséle Rousseau), Tickety Tock (voiced by Ava Augustin), and Slippery Soap (voiced by Jacob Soley) come to the rescue with a little help from some familiar faces, Steve (Steve Burns) and Joe (Donovan Patton). 

            The film also stars BD Wong (The Freshman, Jurassic Park franchise, Mulan), Phillipa Soo (The Broken Hearts Gallery, Hamilton, Tick, Tick…Boom!), Ali Stroker (The Glee Project), Taboo, Alex Winter (Bill & Ted trilogy), Steven Pasquale (Rescue Me, Aliens VS Predator: Requiem, Six Feet Under), and features the voices of Joseph Motiki and Cory Doran (South Park, Robot Chicken, Stoked). 

            Overall, Blue’s Big City Adventure is sure to delight young viewers while also providing longtime fans with an adorable, nostalgia-filled trip down memory lane with some old friends. To me, watching this movie felt like I was reconnecting with friends I hadn’t seen in over twenty years and that feeling of excitement and reminiscing of the good old days encounters like that can have. 

            There were a lot of moments in this film that brought me back to my childhood from the opening sequence in the original Blue’s Clues house where I was constantly thinking “OMG, it’s just like how I remembered it!” and seeing all the characters I grew up with to the moment Steve arrives and acknowledges “You? Look how big you’ve gotten!” which really hit the nostalgia hard as well as various easter eggs and references scattered throughout the movie. The best way I can describe it is a feature-length love letter to the Blue’s Clues franchise and it does an excellent job catering to both fans young and old.  

            The songs, while nothing spectacular are incredibly upbeat that perfectly set the tone for the film and the choreography during the musical numbers does make the New York streets come alive (Almost like a kids’ movie version of La La Land…with a blue cartoon puppy running around!). For a musical aimed at little kids, I found some of these songs to be enjoyable with the lively, We’re On Our Way and Happiness is Magic being the catchiest and most memorable to me. 

            The film also plays up the fish out of water narrative often with Josh and Blue interacting in an unfamiliar environment to them which can lead to some good laughs. Most notably gags that somewhat satirize many of the Blue’s Clues tropes such as Josh talking to inanimate objects like salt and pepper shakers, a blue mailbox, and even a coffee cup. 

            Granted, I felt Dora and the Lost City of Gold did a better job with the self-aware humor as that was more of a tongue-in-cheek parody of Dora the Explorer whereas this is much closer in spirit to the source material, but it is funny to see the New Yorkers’ reactions to Josh’s wide-eyed and silly antics. 

            Blue’s Big City Adventure is a musical event worth checking out whether you got kids who love Blue’s Clues or if you, yourself grew up with the series at a young age and now have children of your own. It’s a thoroughly delightful adventure in New York City that is impossible not to be charmed by. 

 

Strange World review

STRANGE WORLD: 

NOT DISNEY’S STRONGEST WORK, BUT THEIR NOD TO CLASSIC ADVENTURE FILMS IS ENJOYABLE ENOUGH! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** out of 4

DISNEY

Searcher and Ethan Clade in Disney’s Strange World

 

            A family ends up in a strange new world in…Strange World, the latest animated feature from Walt Disney Animation Studios. The film is directed by Don Hall (Winnie the Pooh (2011), Big Hero 6, Raya and the Last Dragon) and is pretty much a sendup of classic film serials, pulp magazines, and adventure films even right down to having a teaser trailer done in the style of a 1950s adventure movie trailer. 

            Honestly, the trailer alone was enough to get me into the theater to watch it and yeah, the film gave exactly what it advertised, a fun little animated adventure that pays homage to films and media from that era. As far as campy adventure movies go, it does the job well, but compared to the game-changing features Disney released last year like Raya and the Last Dragon and Encanto, it does feel like a step backwards. 

            The film follows father and son adventurer duo, Jaeger (voiced by Dennis Quaid-The Parent Trap (1998), Any Given Sunday, The Rookie) and Searcher Clade (voiced by Jake Gyllenhaal-Prisoners, Spider-Man: Far From Home, Ambulance) who brave the wilderness and explore new worlds. On one of their expeditions, Searcher discovers a plant that can give off green energy known as the Pando, Jaeger insists on finishing the journey, but Searcher and the rest of the explorers believe that discovering the Pando is good enough, thus causing a falling-out between Jaeger and Searcher. 

25 years later, Searcher is now a farmer and family man who harvests the Pando as a fuel source with his son Ethan (voiced by Jaboukie Young-White-Ralph Breaks the Internet, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, C’mon C’mon) and wife Meridian (voiced by Gabrielle Union-Bring It On, Cadillac Records, The Inspection). 

However, when a mysterious threat starts destroying Pando crops, the family reunites with Searcher’s long lost father Jaeger and must put aside their differences as they embark on a journey to a mysterious land inhabited by surreal lifeforms in order to save the Pando from losing its power. They are joined up by one of Jaeger’s former expedition teammates and leader of the operation Callisto Mal (voiced by Lucy Liu-Charlie’s Angels 1 and 2, Kill Bill: Volume 1, Kung Fu Panda trilogy), the family dog Legend, and a mischievous albeit marketable creature known as Splat on their adventure to save both the Pando and the world. 

The film also features the voices of Karan Soni (Safety Not Guaranteed, Deadpool 1 and 2, Pokémon: Detective Pikachu) as Caspian, Disney regular Alan Tudyk (Wreck-It Ralph, Frozen, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) as Duffle, Abraham Benrubi (ER, Without a Paddle, Robot Chicken) as Lonnie Redshirt, Nik Dodani (Atypical, Escape Room,Dear Evan Hansen) as Kardez, and Francesca Reale (Haters Back Off, Stranger Things, Do Revenge) as Azimuth. 

Overall, Strange World may not be one of Disney’s best animated features, but if you grew up with a lot of classic adventure films like Journey to the Center of the Earth, Fantastic Voyage, or the TV series Land of the Lost or just simply looking for something fun and imaginative to take the kids to, this might do the trick. The strange world itself is visually breathtaking and filled with unique creatures and environments to the point of sensory overload. 

This may not be the most intellectual argument, but the visuals and titular strange world make this movie worth watching on the big screen because it is such a creative and otherworldly world filled with imagination that just leaps off the screen. You can tell the animators must have been having a ball putting this unusual imagery together and it is a very commendable effort. 

However, where the film succeeds in animation and world-building, it doesn’t really excel at story or characters. The plot is essentially a throwback to classic adventure movies from the 50s and is about as complex as one while the characters, despite having some excellent voices behind them and a few standout traits aren’t all that interesting. 

 You got the loving and hardworking father who wishes for his son to follow in his footsteps while the son wants to go his own path (Haven’t heard that before?), the dad doesn’t get along with his own estranged father, but throughout the film they find a way to reconcile. Honestly, the only piece of character development that I found really unique is Ethan being Disney Animation’s first openly LGBTQ+ teenaged character which is handled very effectively, but it doesn’t quite change the fact most of the characters are stereotypes of adventure movie characters or in most of the side characters’ case, underdeveloped. 

I know, this review is all over the place, but I wouldn’t call it a Disney misfire, I’ll gladly take this over something like Home on the Range or Chicken Little any day. But compared to these recent Disney landmarks like Frozen, Zootopia, Raya and the Last Dragon, and Encanto, it lacks the compelling narrative and emotional weight of those films. 

I guess it doesn’t surprise me too much that Strange World isn’t bringing in the box-office profits Disneywanted, but maybe it’ll go the same route as The Black Cauldron, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, and Treasure Planet as a Disney film that underperformed but gained a strong cult following over the years, anything is possible. If you’re familiar with classic adventure movies or just looking for harmless fun for the kids, Strange World isn’t a bad journey to embark on. 

The Fabelmans review

THE FABELMANS: 

LATEST SPIELBERG FILM IS A MAGICAL AND INSPIRING LOVE LETTER TO BOTH FILM AND FILMMAKING! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: **** out of 4

UNIVERSAL PICTURES

Steven Spielberg’s life story comes to the screen in The Fabelmans

 

            An aspiring young filmmaker uses movies to help him see the truth about his dysfunctional family and those around him in The Fabelmans, the new film from Steven Spielberg (Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan, Lincoln). The film is a semi-biographical coming-of-age story that’s loosely based on Spielberg’s childhood and early film career. 

            The film was originally conceived in 1999 with his screenwriter sister Anne under the working title I’ll Be Home, but the project was put on hold for personal reasons until Spielberg finally revisited it while he was still working on West Side Story. I don’t know how much of this film is accurate, but even if it wasn’t based on his personal life, a movie directed by Spielberg about making movies? Sign me up! 

            I’m a sucker for movies about making movies whether it’s documentaries like American Movie or Persistence of Vision, biopics such as Tim Burton’s Ed Wood, James Franco’s The Disaster Artist, or Hitchcock, sci-fi movies about aliens…that also happen to revolve around making movies like Super 8 (Which was produced by Spielberg), or even comedies simply about filmmaking like Be Kind Rewind and Tropic Thunder, I find all of these to be very entertaining and have inspired me creatively with my own ideas. The Fabelmans was a no-brainer, of course I’m going to see it, and this might be a hot take, but The Fabelmans just might be the best film I’ve seen all year, not a hint of sarcasm in that statement…but more on that later. 

            The film follows Sammy Fabelman (Gabriel LaBelle-Max 2: White House Hero, The Predator, American Gigolo) who falls in love with movies and filmmaking after his parents took him to see The Greatest Show on Earth as a child. Throughout most of his childhood and adolescence, Sammy is making his own movies at home much to the delight of his supportive mother Mitzi (Michelle Williams-Blue Valentine, Shutter Island, Venom 1 and 2). 

            However, when complications arise during Sammy’s high school years such as bullies, girls, and the relationship between his mother and computer engineer father Burt (Paul Dano-Prisoners, Love & Mercy, The Batman), Sammy will learn a very important lesson about what it really means to devote yourself to your art. 

            The film also stars Seth Rogen (Superbad, 50/50, Long Shot) as Burt’s best friend Bennie Loewy, Judd Hirsch (Independence Day 1 and 2, A Beautiful Mind, Uncut Gems) as Sammy’s great uncle Boris Schildkraut, Julia Butters (13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, American Housewife) as Reggie Fabelman, Jeannie Berlin (The Heartbreak Kid, Sheila Levine Is Dead and Living in New York, Inherent Vice) as Burt’s grandmother Haddash Fabelman, Robin Bartlett (The Powers That Be, Mad About You, Inside Llewyn Davis) as Mitzi’s grandmother Tina Schildkraut, Oakes Fegley (Pete’s Dragon (2016), The Goldfinch) as Chad Thomas, Chloe East (Liv and Maddie, Ice, Kevin (Probably) Saves the World) as Monica Sherwood, Cooper Dodson (American Horror Story: Cult) as Turkey, Gabriel Bateman (Annabelle, Lights Out, Child’s Play (2019)) as Roger, and David Lynch (Eraserhead, Blue Velvet, Mulholland Drive) as film director John Ford. 

            Overall, The Fabelmans is a captivating cinematic experience and one of Spielberg’s best films in recent years (Which is saying a lot). It’s a very personal look at Spielberg’s childhood and early filmmaking years told through these fictional Fabelmans characters and it’s done incredibly well. 

            I can picture a young Spielberg being mesmerized by the intense crash sequence from The Greatest Show on Earth and attempt to recreate the scene using a Lionel train set. Also, the scenes where Sammy is filming these surprisingly impressive films for a child/tween and doing all kinds of effect tricks is inspiring and fuels the imagination, you can really see the passion and work put into everything he’s doing even if it may not turn out that great in the long run. 

            The film captures the nostalgia of being transfixed by the magic of the movies at a young age (Especially when it’s your first movie in theaters which can be a life-changing event for many) and making your own movies with your friends from school. Anyone who’s ever grown up with movies and aspired to make films when they were younger can easily relate to something from this film, I know I can and it’s thanks to this movie I have a whole new appreciation for those sh*tty movies I made with my friends when I was a child. 

            However, beneath all the twinkly filmmaking magic lies a poignant and heartbreaking family drama involving marriable problems, conflicts between family members and close friends, anti-Semitism by bullies at school, and divorce. While I don’t think this film hits the emotional drama quite as hard as something like E.T., the sequences alone that depict them do such as a scene where Michelle Williams is playing the piano while Paul Dano watches, and Sammy is in the other room finding the information about his parents he didn’t want to learn about done through cross cuts and no dialogue, and another scene near the end with a swooping 360 camera motion that visually tells the audience about this mysterious director Sammy is about to meet. 

            The actors knock it out of the park with Michelle Williams being a major highlight as this supportive but emotionally unstable mother as well as Paul Dano as the overworking and equally supportive father though he doesn’t have quite as much screen-time as Williams, but he makes do with what he has. Seth Rogen is excellent in a rare non-comedic role as Burt’s friend and business partner who may or may not have feelings for Burt’s wife and he too shares some effective scenes with Gabriel LaBelle’s Sammy. 

            I haven’t seen much of Gabriel LaBelle before until this movie, but I can gladly say he’s a potential rising star with his performance as Sammy. He really brings the passion and energy of a teenager trying to pursue a career in filmmaking while also effectively selling the dramatic, family-based moments. 

            The Fabelmans is a magical and inspiring love-letter to both films and filmmaking as well as a captivating coming-of-age tale about growing up and family. It’s a film I feel every young person who aspires to make movies should see in their lives…or anyone even remotely interested in bringing stories to the screen. 

            

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery review

GLASS ONION: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY: 

DANIEL CRAIG AND HIS FAKE SOUTHERN ACCENT ARE BACK IN ANOTHER WELL-CRAFTED MYSTERY! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** out of 4

NETFLIX

Daniel Craig in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

 

            Daniel Craig (Layer Cake, James Bond franchise, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)) returns as master detective Benoit Blanc in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, the latest film from director Rian Johnson (Brick, Looper, Star Wars: The Last Jedi) and follow-up to his 2019 caper hit Knives Out.

            I thought the first movie was an entertaining take on the whodunnit genre with a star-studded cast, very tongue-in-cheek humor, and a captivating mystery that keeps you on your toes. The film was a critical and commercial success when it was released thus spawning a sequel with a one-week limited theatrical release before landing on Netflix soon after. 

            That’s where Glass Onion comes in and like its predecessor, I had a really good time with this movie. I don’t think it’s quite on the same level of quality as the first film, but the cast is putting their all in their performances, the humor gets some good laughs, and the mystery is consistently interesting. 

            The film follows Benoit Blanc (Craig) being invited to a murder mystery party getaway hosted by tech billionaire Miles Bron (Edward Norton-American History X, Fight Club, Moonrise Kingdom) on his own private estate (Complete with a glass building literally in the shape of an onion) on a Greek island.  But when someone actually does turn up dead, Benoit Blanc must peel back the layers of this new murder and find out who the killer is. 

            The film also stars Janelle Monáe (Moonlight, Hidden Figures, Harriet) as Andi Brand, Kathryn Hahn (Revolutionary Road, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Marvel Cinematic Universe) as Claire Debella, Leslie Odom Jr. (Red Tails, Hamilton, The Many Saints of Newark) as Lionel Toussaint, Jessica Henwick (Game of Thrones, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, The Matrix Resurrections) as Peg, Madelyn Cline (Boy Erased, This is the Night, Outer Banks) as Whiskey, Kate Hudson (Almost Famous, The Four Feathers, Deepwater Horizon) as Birdie Jay, and Dave Bautista (Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spectre, Dune (2021)) as Duke Cody. 

            Overall, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is a worthy continuation of the Knives Out storyline while also being an enjoyable murder-mystery on its own merits. Despite being a sequel, this film is pretty self-contained and different in tone compared to its predecessor so you could easily watch it without seeing Knives Out and still have a great time. 

            Really, the only similarities it has with its predecessor are Daniel Craig and the non-linear storytelling. The film will reveal information that you need to know, flash back to it from a different perspective, and give you a better understanding of the bigger picture of what’s being unfolded, which is applicable to the title and the literal Glass Onion because you are peeling layers of the mystery like an onion as the film goes on. 

            This one is a little more comedic than the first film and plays like a mystery-comedy in a similar vein to Clue: The Movie rather than a traditional whodunnit. Granted, the first Knives Out has its share of funny moments, but it is still a murder-mystery at its core whereas with Glass Onion, it often goes back and forth from being suspenseful to comical. 

            Right down to the ridiculous architecture of a giant glass onion observatory standing on top of a mansion with technology so high-tech it puts Tony Stark to shame. I’m just looking at this and thinking “What a cartoonish-looking fortress we got here, and I’m a fan of a show that has a butterfly-themed supervillain who flies in a cocoon ship. 

            It doesn’t just stop at the onion building, the characters themselves are very exaggerated this time around, even more so than in the first film. I don’t think the characters in this film are quite as refined as the ones in Knives Out and felt more like caricatures of characters to reflect the film’s comedic tone. 

Granted, the characters in Knives Out were already caricatures to an extent, but they did feel more realistic and there was enough time devoted to them for the audience to get to know who they are. Aside from the already established Craig from its predecessor, Edward Norton, and Janelle Monáe, I felt many of the characters in this to be rather underdeveloped despite the cast bringing their A-game. 

Daniel Craig is as charismatic as ever as Benoit Blanc complete with the same Southern accent we fell in love with in the first film. He is just having a great time chewing on the dialogue, dismantling and analyzing mysteries, and becoming frustrated when he realizes he’s trying to solve a mystery surrounding by mostly dumb people. 

Much like Ana de Armas from the first film, Janelle Monáe is also a stand-out in this movie as Miles’ ex-business partner Andi. However, giving details about her character would go into spoiler territory which would ruin the fun. 

If you enjoyed Knives Out, you’ll definitely have a great time with Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. Whether you’re watching it on the big screen or next month on Netflix, this is one case worth taking. 

Disenchanted review

DISENCHANTED: 

A CHARMING ALBEIT FAMILIAR REUNION WITH GISELLE AND FRIENDS! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** out of 4

DISNEY+

Amy Adams returns as Giselle in Disenchanted

 

            Amy Adams (The Fighter, American Hustle, Arrival) is back as the fair maiden turned modern-day stepmother Giselle in Disenchanted, the highly anticipated follow-up to Disney’s 2007 musical-comedy, Enchanted. I really enjoyed the first film and thought it was a very funny and clever satire of classic fairy tale and Disney movie clichés with enjoyable songs and musical numbers, the blending of live-action and animation in a unique way, charming characters, and Amy Adams’ star-making performance as Giselle. 

            Upon revisiting Enchanted in preparation for this review, I can say that the first film really was ahead of its time. Granted, there have been plenty of times where other studios took jabs at Disney and their tropes (Most notably with DreamWorks’ Shrek), but you never saw Disney themselves make fun of their own material or do twists on the fairy tale story that much back then. 

            Enchanted satirized popular Disney tropes like the “Marrying a man you just met” cliché, how characters randomly break into song, and even switches up the damsel in distress roles during the film’s climax among too many others to count. You could make the argument the first Enchanted helped pave the way for other modern Disney classics such as The Princess and the Frog, Tangled, and the Frozen franchise. 

            Now we have this sequel released 15 years after the first film with most of the original cast returning and Adam Shankman (Hairspray (2007), Rock of Ages, What Men Want) replacing Kevin Lima as director. I was looking forward to this movie because of all the possibilities a sequel to Enchanted could potentially go like maybe a mostly animated film where the live-action characters travel to the world of Andalasia as a reversal of the first film’s plot or a more Down to Earth movie revolving around Giselle and Patrick Dempsey’s character’s family life. 

            So, I eagerly put the sequel up on Disney+ with great anticipation and…it’s fine! Disenchanted isn’t exactly a complete retread of its predecessor, but it constantly feels like it’s trying to replicate the same magic and hit a lot of the same beats as it. 

            The film is set ten years after the first film and follows Giselle (Adams), her husband Robert (Patrick Dempsey-Grey’s Anatomy, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Bridget Jones’s Baby), now teenage daughter/stepdaughter Morgan (Gabriella Baldacchino replacing Rachel Covey), and newborn baby Sofia moving out of the streets of Manhattan and into the suburban neighborhood of Monroeville. Upon getting there, Giselle realizes it isn’t exactly the quick fix she hoped for and with the commanding presence of Malvina Monroe (Maya Rudolph-Bridesmaids, Big Hero 6, The Mitchells VS the Machines) in-charge, Giselle feels more out of place than ever. 

            This results in Giselle wishing for that fairy tale lifestyle she originally left behind in favor of Robert with a magic wand. The problem with that is she accidentally turns the town into a real-life fairy tale and that her wish is draining all the magic from the animated world of Andalasia. 

            It’s up to Morgan, Giselle’s chipmunk friend Pip (voiced by Griffin Newman-The Tick, Masters of the Universe: Revelation, The George Lucas Talk Show), and their Andalasian friends King Edward (James Marsden-X-Menfranchise, Hop, Sonic the Hedgehog 1 and 2) and Queen Nancy (Idina Menzel-Frozen 1 and 2, Uncut Gems, Cinderella(2021)) to find a way to undo Giselle’s wish and save both the real world and Andalasia before the stroke of twelve (Because of course!). 

            The film also stars Yvette Nicole Brown (Community, The Office, DC Super Hero Girls) as Rosaleen, Jayma Mays (Heroes, Glee, The Smurfs 1 and 2) as Ruby, Oscar Nunez (The Office, The Proposal, The Lost City) as Edgar, and Alan Tudyk (Wreck-It Ralph, Frozen, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) as the voice of the talking scroll. 

            Overall, Disenchanted doesn’t quite have the same magic or wit as its predecessor, but it has enough charm and laughs to make it worth checking out. The film once again plays with fairy tale and Disney movie tropes (Particularly those from stories like Cinderella) and shows the interesting scenario of what if Giselle transformed into an evil stepmother, which Disenchanted has a ton of fun with. 

            Amy Adams is once again the highlight of the film and is as likable as ever, but this film explores a darker, Disney villain side of Giselle after her accidental wish and both Adams and the film itself is having a ball with this idea. The only person who could rival Adams is Maya Rudolph as this snooty town council head complete with two dim-witted henchwomen (That is the only reference to the 2019 Kim Possible movie, I’m going to make in this review…I promise!) who later becomes an evil queen after Giselle makes her wish, she is wonderful as this scenery-chewing villain who may not be as threatening as Susan Sarandon from the first film, but she brings the laughs as an enjoyable comedic villain especially whenever she’s bossing her lackeys around. 

            Which leads to my favorite song and musical sequence in the entire movie where Giselle is transforming into a wicked stepmother because of her wish and clashes with Maya Rudolph’s character over which one of them is “Badder” (Which is actually the name of the song). 

            While I’m grateful this film isn’t a complete repeat of the events of the first Enchanted, it does hit a lot of similar beats. Scenes where Giselle is trying to spread a little magic to reality, another powerful queen as the villain, and a climax involving a fancy ball, I wouldn’t call it lazy or anything, but it does seem like Disenchanted often banks on people’s nostalgia for its predecessor and feels like a lesser version of that film at times. 

            Disenchanted may not be the continuation fans of Enchanted wanted, but if you enjoyed the first film and want to see where the story leaves off or just looking for a good, wholesome, and inoffensive movie for the family, this ain’t a bad one to stream. 

The Menu review

THE MENU: 

AN OUTRAGEOUS NIGHT OF FINE DINING AND CARNAGE! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** ½ out of 4

SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES

Anya Taylor-Joy and Nicholas Hoult in The Menu

 

            Ever wanted to see Hannibal Lecter play The Soup Nazi? That’s basically what you’ll get in the new black-comedy thriller film, The Menu. The film is directed by Mark Mylod (Entourage, Shameless, Succession) and was originally intended to be directed by Sideways director Alexander Payne with Emma Stone in the lead role alongside Ralph Fiennes (The English Patient, Harry Potter franchise, James Bond franchise), but both Payne and Stone dropped out due to scheduling conflicts and it ended up going to Mylod with Anya Taylor-Joy (The Witch, The Queen’s Gambit, Last Night in Soho) replacing Stone. 

            I was very intrigued when I first saw the trailer for this movie, it looked like the dinner equivalent of the horror-comedy film, Ready or Not, which I had no problems with as that was one of my favorite films of 2019. Not to mention, this was only a few weeks after I already witnessed the pure chaos of Triangle of Sadness, which too features an equally wild dinner sequence. 

            I have to say, in a year that also included the likes of Top Gun: Maverick, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, and the MCU films, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, The Menu is some of the most fun I’ve had all year. It’s a perfect blend of jaw-dropping suspense and outrageously funny dark humor, often simultaneously with interesting characters and a fascinating premise that keeps you guessing. 

            The film follows Margot (Taylor-Joy) and Tyler (Nicholas Hoult-X-Men franchise, Warm Bodies, Mad Max: Fury Road), a couple who are cordially invited to eat at an exclusive restaurant on a coastal island owned and operated by celebrity chef Julian Slowik (Fiennes) who has prepared a lavish menu for his guests. However, what starts off as a pleasant evening of fine dining suddenly turns into a nightmare when a string of terrifying events starts occurring in the restaurant, to which good old Slowik constantly reassures the guests that “It’s all part of the menu”. 

             The film also stars Hong Chau (Downsizing, Watchmen (2019), The Whale) as Elsa the restaurant captain, John Leguizamo (Super Mario Bros., Executive Decision, Violent Night) as post-prime actor George Diaz, Janet McTeer (Tumbleweeds, Albert Nobbs, The Divergent Series) as food critic Lillian Bloom, Reed Birney (Changeling, Morning Glory, The Forty-Year-Old Version) and Judith Light (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Ugly Betty, Tick, Tick… Boom!) as Richard and Anne Liebbrandt, Paul Adelstein (Prison Break, Scandal, Imposters) as Lillian’s editor Ted, Aimee Carrero (She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, Elena of Avalor, Level Up) as George’s assistant Felicity, Arturo Castro (Broad City, Narcos, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story) as Soren, Rob Yang (Glass, The Kitchen, American Rust) as Bryce, and Mark St. Cyr (High School Musical: The Musical: The Series) as Dave. 

            Overall, The Menu is a wildly entertaining experience with delicious looking food, death, and immensely funny dark satire. The film takes shots at themes like social class, the life as a chef, food critics, and the food industry in general which can lead to tons of interpretations and discussions what The Menu does on an intellectual level. 

            However, the film is also incredibly funny whether it’s witty character dialogue, a situation the characters get involved in, recipe descriptions and dish names, or just a simple gag. One of my favorite moments involves a character getting shot and killed in the restaurant, everyone starts panicking and freaking out, but Nicholas Hoult’s character is laughing while sitting at his table thinking it’s part of the show. 

I found myself laughing quite often during the film and watching it in a theater with a crowd really enhances the experience. I’m serious, the crowd I saw it with was having a ball and laughing hard at every joke or funny line of dialogue. 

Granted, the movie itself doesn’t really scream “Must be seen on the big screen” as you could still enjoy it at home, but something about seeing it in theaters with a large group of people laughing along and having a great time makes it feel very special. So, if you can see it in theaters with a crowd, definitely take advantage of the opportunity.

            I was engrossed in the storyline wondering where it was going, the film does an excellent job at building tension, keeping you on your toes, and the overall unpredictability of the circumstances. One minute, everyone will be sitting down and enjoying their meals when all of a sudden someone’s ring finger gets cut off or after the most dramatic cheeseburger order in motion picture history, you’re then in the middle of a dinner theater performance of Midsommar(Which is all I’ll say about that particular sequence, but you’ll know what I’m talking about if you’ve seen the film!). 

            The characters mostly consist of wealthy and extremely privileged rich people which is a popular group to take shots at in pop culture lately. While they are often egocentric and self-centered, it’s never to the point where the characters become unlikable, I was with this group of people for the entire ride wanting to see them prevail and was shocked whenever one of them was killed off. 

            The acting is stellar especially from Ralph Fiennes and Anya Taylor-Joy, Fiennes straight-up dominates every scene that he’s in and does an incredible job flip-flopping between being, charming, terrifying, and funny like if a somewhat charismatic serial killer operated a restaurant, you can tell he’s having a blast. Taylor-Joy is pretty much the straight man (or woman in this film’s case) who wants nothing to do with what’s going on with a dry, deadpan delivery and facial expression, she is also very funny with most of her comedy coming from double-takes and reactions to things occurring in the restaurant…need I mention the award-worthy cheeseburger order again? 

            The Menu is a feast of delicately crafted suspense, darkly comical laughs, and scene-stealing performances that’s definitely worth going back for seconds…or perhaps even thirds!  

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever review

BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER: 

SEQUEL EFFECTIVELY PAYS TRIBUTE TO CHADWICK BOSEMAN AND IS A WORTHY CONTINUATION OF THE CHARACTER’S STORYLINE!

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** ½ out of 4

MARVEL STUDIOS

The Panther lives on in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

 

            The gates of Wakanda have been reopened in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the latest installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and follow-up to 2018’s Black Panther. What can be said about the first film that hasn’t been said already? Not only was it a massive critical and commercial hit, but also game-changing in superhero movies as it was the first to feature a mostly African American cast, a more sophisticated and enriching story that steps outside the MCU formula, the flawless casting of the late Chadwick Boseman (Who tragically passed away in 2020) as the titular character, one of the MCU’s best villains with Michael B. Jordan’s Killmonger, and the film would go on to become the first superhero movie to be nominated for a Best Picture Oscar.

            It’s quite impressive how huge the impact of the first film was when it came out and that it became this worldwide phenomenon. Sure, other individual MCU films like Iron Man and Guardians of the Galaxy made a big impression, but not to this extent. 

            Now, we have the sequel with Ryan Coogler (Fruitvale Station, Creed) returning as director and most of the cast from the first film reprising their roles. The film was heavily built up in the marketing as this emotional powerhouse and feature-length tribute to Boseman…and they weren’t lying! That is essentially what Wakanda Forever is, and it’s done very well. 

            T’Challa, the king of Wakanda and original Black Panther has died of an undisclosed illness and the people of Wakanda are mourning the loss of their king and protector. Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett-Malcolm X, Contact, How Stella Got Her Groove Back), Princess Shuri (Letitia Wright-The Commuter, Sing 2, Death on the Nile), M’Baku (Winston Duke-Us, Nine Days, Spenser Confidential), Okoye (Danai Gurira-The Visitor, The Walking Dead, All Eyez on Me), and the Dora Milaje are fighting protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of T’Challa’s death. 

            However, a new threat comes in the form of mysterious blue people not from Pandora, but from the underwater kingdom of Talokan led by their king, Namor (Tenoch Huerta Mejía-El Inferno, The 33, The Forever Purge) which causes a huge conflict between both civilizations. Shuri and Okoye recruit MIT student and genius inventor, Riri Williams/Ironheart (Dominique Thorne-If Beale Street Could Talk, Judas and the Black Messiah) and enlist the help of T’Challa’s former lover and undercover Wakandan spy, Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o-12 Years a Slave, Star Wars franchise, Us) and CIA agent, Everett K. Ross (Martin Freeman-The Hobbit trilogy, Sherlock, The World’s End) to resolve this crisis and hopefully bring peace to both tribes while also potentially finding their new Panther. 

            The film also stars Florence Kasumba (Wonder Woman, Emerald City, The Lion King (2019)) as Ayo, Michaela Coel (Chewing Gum, Black Mirror, I May Destroy You) as Aneka, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Seinfeld, The New Adventures of Old Christine, Veep) as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. 

            Overall, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever may not be as impactful as its groundbreaking predecessor, but it’s still a worthy continuation of the Black Panther storyline and an emotional tribute to Chadwick Boseman’s legacy. From the opening sequence where T’Challa is dying followed by the film reusing the Chadwick Boseman-themed Marvel Studios intro on the Disney+ version of the first movie all the way to the mid-credits scene (There’s no after-credits scene though!), you can tell the cast and crew were speaking from the heart when making this film and honoring both the T’Challa character and Chadwick as well as the impact the two of them had. 

            I did show some skepticism when it was announced that Black Panther 2’s production was still moving forward after Chadwick’s passing because his performance as the character was so iconic and expertly portrayed that I felt could not be duplicated or recast, it would be like recasting Iron Man if Robert Downey Jr. suddenly died, it just doesn’t seem right to me. Luckily, that was not the case as this film makes the bold decision to have T’Challa die and make the characters react to it in the same way we all did when the news broke out and it really works. 

            This personal approach allows the film to be more character-focused compared to other MCU films, which was one of the major strengths of the first movie. In my opinion, the first Black Panther had some of the best characters in any of the MCU films with interesting motives and backstories, charisma, and a sense of realism and many of them are given their time to shine here especially Angela Bassett and Letitia Wright. 

            Angela Bassett is chillingly good in this movie with some of her biggest scene-stealing moments consisting of her giving speeches about political clashes between Wakanda and the rest of the world and this gut-wrenching monologue about her son’s demise. Letitia Wright’s Shuri might be the character who has changed the most since her last appearance as she is now a recluse who has isolated herself from the rest of Wakanda with her technology and is trying to come to terms with the irreversible death of her brother, she is easily the emotional stand-out of the film and honestly carries the entire movie with her performance alone. 

            The action is also exhilarating with another fun car chase sequence like in the first film, some clever uses of slow-motion during certain fights, and a climax with much less CGI than its predecessor (That is one of the few issues I have with the first Black Panther). Oh, did I mention go see this in IMAX? Well, you should! 

            With that said, there are some things that kept Wakanda Forever from being perfect for me, I don’t think the story is quite as strong as the first film and it does feel overstuffed at times. I never felt the runtime as I was watching it which clocks in at around 2 hours and 40 minutes, but there are some side characters’ subplots that don’t really amount to much and either could have been trimmed down or taken out completely. 

            Whatever flaws I have with it, they don’t ruin Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, this is a solid follow-up to the 2018 film and a loving tribute to the late great Chadwick Boseman. It’s the film that proves that even though Chadwick and T’Challa are gone, Wakanda is and always will be…Forever! 

Aqua Teen Forever: Plantasm review

AQUA TEEN FOREVER: PLANTASM: 

SECOND AQUA TEEN FILM IS A WILD GOOD TIME FOR FANS OF THE POPULAR ADULT ANIMATED SERIES! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** out of 4

ADULT SWIM/CARTOON NETWORK

Master Shake, Frylock, and Meatwad in Aqua Teen Forever: Plantasm

 

            The Aqua Teens are back in Aqua Teen Forever: Plantasm, the new feature film based on the popular Adult Swim animated series, Aqua Teen Hunger Force. The series ran on Cartoon Network’s late night programming block, Adult Swim from 2000 until 2015 and even spawned a theatrically released film, Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters in 2007. 

            To put it bluntly, Aqua Teen Hunger Force is basically what The Powerpuff Girls was for Cartoon Network, but for its adult programming block. It was the longest-running series on Adult Swim until it was surpassed by Robot Chicken and set the groundwork for other beloved shows on the block such as The Venture Bros., Metalocalypse, and Rick and Morty to name a few. 

            I was a huge Aqua Teen fan during middle and high school, which was a perfect time to be introduced to the bizarre and irreverent misadventures of Master Shake, Frylock, and Meatwad since I was really getting into adult animated shows back then. From binging episodes either On Demand or the DVD releases to staying up late on weekends and watching them live on Adult Swim, and even going to the theater to see the Aqua Teen Hunger Force movie when it was released as one of the first R-rated movies I saw in theaters. 

            While this is a standalone film with no connections to the previous Aqua Teen movie, I should give my quick thoughts on Colon Movie Film for Theaters. I enjoy the first Aqua Teen Hunger Force movie though I understand why it wasn’t a huge critical or commercial hit. 

            The first film is essentially a feature-length episode of the series with a lot of strange and absurd characters and jokes, the lack of a coherent narrative, and the film itself was heavily underpromoted compared to the much anticipated release of The Simpsons Movie later on that year. It’s like Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny where it’s a movie made squarely for fans and those familiar with the source material will have a great time, but there isn’t much in it for casual moviegoers. 

            Now, we have Aqua Teen Forever: Plantasm, the first in a line of direct-to-video features based on Adult Swim properties and following the success of other films based on adult animated shows released this year like The Bob’s Burgers Movie and Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe. Given that I’m a fan of the series, of course I had to see it and…yeah, I found this movie hilarious. 

            After a falling-out, the Aqua Teens have gone their separate ways with Meatwad (voiced by co-creator, Dave Willis-Squidbillies, Archer, Steven Universe) working (and living) at a dog shelter, a homeless Master Shake (voiced by Dana Snyder-Squidbillies, The Venture Bros., Chowder) living on the streets of New Jersey, and Frylock (voiced by Carey Means-The Brak Show, Welcome to the Wayne) working for a mega-corporation known as Amazin (Clearly, a jab at eBay!). But when a conflict arises involving the evil, 4-inch long (and I don’t mean down there!) tech mogul and Amazin owner, Neil (voiced by Peter Serafinowicz-Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Shaun of the Dead, Guardians of the Galaxy) and an army of mutated plant monsters seeking world domination, the Aqua Teens and their former neighbor, Carl (also voiced by Willis) are forced to reunite and save the day before Something, Something Batman & Robin Reference! 

            The film also features the voices of series creators Matt Maiellaro (Space Ghost: Coast to Coast, Perfect Hair Forever, 12 oz. Mouse) and Willis as Ignignokt and Err the Mooninites, Maiellaro as Markula, and Paul Walter Hauser (I, Tonya, Richard Jewell, Cruella) as Elmer. 

            Overall, Aqua Teen Forever: Plantasm probably won’t win over many newcomers, but fans of the beloved series will be greeted with a chaotic, weird, and totally outrageous reunion. The film is essentially a love letter to Aqua Teen Hunger Force as it is filled with callbacks to episodes of the series and appearances by fan-favorite characters such as the Mooninites, Willie Nelson, and Romulox. 

            The jokes are very funny depending on your tolerance of weird, illogical humor, at first it does dive into the whole “Big corporations are evil” shtick, but once the bizarre Aqua Teen humor gets going where strange things start happening and logic gets thrown out the window, it’s absolutely hilarious. 

            Some of my favorites are whenever the Mooninites break the fourth wall and interrupt the movie by messing with the playback buttons on the screen, rewinding and fast-forwarding or downright removing plot-important scenes which had me laughing on the floor, and insulting the viewer(s). Other gags I found humorous are the film’s Space Jam-themed opening credits sequence complete with a live-action depiction of former NBA basketball player, Shawn Kemp and the Aqua Teens in a Looney Tunes-inspired animation style, a fake ending with part of the original show’s end credits sequence, and Carl tricking out his 2 Wycked car into a monster truck with saw blades in front of it complete with a Mad Max-style costume change and the War Boys’ chrome spray paint from Fury Road. 

            What’s interesting about this film compared to Colon Movie Film for Theaters is that Plantasm is a little more story-based than the first film. There is a conflict and a resolution by the end, but the plot is still mostly an excuse for jokes and in true Aqua Teen fashion, the film has an abrupt ending as well as a post-credits scene just like its predecessor. 

            The animation is great (For an Aqua Teen movie that is!) and the characters and environments are given unquestionable visual enhancements while still retaining their cheap, simplistic appearances. The animation is done by Bento Box Entertainment, who is also behind the animation for Bob’s Burgers and the animators did a fantastic job at making the Aqua Teen Hunger Force look as crisp and clear as ever. 

            If you’re expecting a film with a deep narrative, character revelations, and insightful themes…this isn’t it! However, if you’re an Aqua Teen Hunger Force fan or looking for a silly night of laughs and weird, illogical situations, Aqua Teen Forever: Plantasm delivers exactly what it advertises and proves the Aqua Teen Hunger Force are still #1 in the Hood, G. 

One Piece Film: Red review

ONE PIECE FILM: RED: 

LATEST FILM BASED ON BELOVED ANIME AND MANGA SERIES IS A SURPRISINGLY EFFECTIVE EMOTIONAL ROLLER-COASTER! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** out of 4

CRUNCHYROLL

Uta, Monkey D. Luffy, and Shanks in One Piece Film: Red

 

            Spoiler alert! No, this is not a crossover with One Piece and the Retired Extremely Dangerous, disappointing I know. The Straw Hat Pirates are back in One Piece Film: Red, the latest film based on the popular One Piece anime and manga series. 

            I should make this perfectly clear before we dive into the review, I am not a One Piece expert, I’ve seen random episodes of the series before whenever it happened to be on Cartoon Network’s Toonami block and read a few stories featured in Shonen Jump, but that’s about it. Although, I have a basic idea of the premise, a rubbery pirate named Luffy (Who is basically what you’d get if Mr. Bean, Jim Carrey, and Mr. Fantastic had a secret lovechild!) and his crew/friends go on all kinds of swashbuckling adventures and encounter a bizarre cast of characters along the way. 

            From what I’ve seen the anime was fine, it just didn’t grab me nearly as much as the Dragon Ball franchise, Cowboy Bebop, and most recently, Demon Slayer. Then, this movie comes along after the success of previous One Piece films like 2012’s One Piece Film: Z, 2016’s One Piece Film: Gold, and 2019’s One Piece: Stampede. 

            I’ve never seen any of the earlier films before, nor have I seen any episodes of the series since at least the mid-late 2000s. So, I’m going into this with only my basic knowledge of the source material, other critic reviews, and that it was requested by friends on social media. 

            These are always exciting reviews to do because I’m a total newbie here and going into this with no expectations. Look at that, One Piece Film: Red is a really solid anime feature and apparently, it isn’t canon, so you don’t have to be a purist on the lore to enjoy this one. 

             The film follows Monkey D. Luffy (voiced by Colleen Clinkenbeard-Fullmetal Alchemist, Fairy Tail, My Hero Academia) and the Straw Hat Pirates traveling to an island to attend a concert by world-famous singer, Uta (voiced by Amanda Lee/AmaLee-Zombie Land Saga, Attack on Titan, Pokémon Evolutions). It turns out Uta was a childhood friend of Luffy’s and the daughter of swordsman and pirate “Red Haired” Shanks of the Red Hair Pirates who left piracy behind to pursue a career in singing, thus resulting in her becoming the mega-star she is now. 

            Uta aspires to use her musical talents to bring peace to a supposedly dying world, but beneath her good intentions lies something dark that could bring an end to both pirates and the world as we know it. Luffy will need to overcome Uta’s destructive singing (A songstress villain with a literally powerful singing voice…didn’t I see one of those on Danny Phantom?) and reality-altering powers, stop her from whatever she’s planning, and hopefully get his old friend back before time runs out. 

            The film also features the voices of Brandon Potter (Appleseed XIII, Ghost in the Shell: The New Movie, My Hero Academia) as Shanks, Christopher Sabat (Dragonball franchise, Yu-Yu Hakusho, My Hero Academia) as Roronoa Zoro, Luci Christian (Full Metal Panic, My Hero Academia, Fruits Basket (2019)) as Nami, Sonny Strait (Dragonballfranchise, Psycho-Pass, Ace Attorney) as Usopp, Eric Vale (Dragonball franchise, Fairy Tail, Tokyo Ghoul) as Sanji, Brina Palencia (Fullmetal Alchemist, Black Butler, Dragonball franchise) as Tony Tony Chopper, Stephanie Young (Soul Eater, .hack//Quantum, My Hero Academia) as Nico Robin, Patrick Seitz (Eureka Seven, Bleach, Hunter x Hunter) as Franky, Ian Sinclair (Attack on Titan, My Hero Academia, Dragonball Super) as Brook, and Japanese singer, Ado as Uta’s singing voice. 

            Overall, One Piece Film: Red will likely satisfy longtime fans of the source material, but its powerful melody, stellar animation, and emotional weight may just be enough for newcomers to fall under its spell. Again, this is coming from someone who hasn’t seen much One Piece and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this film. 

            I knew the film was working for me when characters would say things like “Sing-Sing Fruit” and “Sing-Sing World” with 100% seriousness and not having it sound unintentionally hilarious. Perhaps, I snickered at their names at first, but by the climax I was so engrossed in the characters and their dilemmas that I no longer acknowledged how silly those names sounded. 

            The film kind of does the Dragon Ball Super: Broly thing where many of the supporting characters are pushed off to the side and focuses more on the protagonists, that being Luffy and Uta, which in my opinion is where the movie is at its strongest. Uta is one of the most interesting villains/antagonists in film I’ve seen all year, she isn’t necessarily evil as her plan is with good intentions to create a world with only happiness and peace (I mean, who wouldn’t want that?), but her methods are a little out there, when her backstory is told thus and discover the reason behind her plan, it’s genuinely heartbreaking. 

            I enjoy the chemistry Luffy and Uta have in the film as they share a lot of screen-time together, whether it’s through flashbacks of them as children, one trying to talk the other out of what they’re doing, or just spending a good amount of time in the climax fighting each other, good stuff. I also like the arc Uta goes through during the film as a potentially redeemable antagonist that does lead to a satisfying payoff, never thought I’d say this, but One Piecesucceeds where Halloween Ends failed. 

            The animation is gorgeous, especially during Uta’s musical numbers which are a psychedelic visual treat whenever they’re on (Oh, and the songs during them are pretty damn good too!). I’m also glad that the film’s animation retains its hand-drawn roots while only using CGI during various sequences unlike Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero (Which is a movie I did like but wasn’t a big fan of it being only CGI!), particularly during the song segments and exhilarating action scenes. 

            I also found the character designs to be very appealing (And I’m talking about the One Piece franchise in general here!), I always loved how zany and cartoony many of these characters are in both appearance and personality. Sort of like a hybrid of anime and slapstick cartoon animation. 

            I can’t say One Piece Film: Red is one of the greatest anime films ever made, it’s nowhere near the same level of quality as something like Studio Ghibli, Akira, Your Name, or any of the recent Dragon Ball movies. But if you’re a fan of the One Piece franchise or just the least bit curious about this film, I’d say it’s definitely worth checking out on the big screen.