Final Countdown to Fishes
June 10, 2016
It is the final countdown as it is a week away from Disney/Pixar’s new film Finding Dory hitting theaters in the US on Friday, June 17th. Here in the UK we will have to wait until July 29th! A travesty that it is not an international release date, but here is the full length trailer to get us going.
Finding Dory
The Little Guy is Still Everyone’s Favorite
April 18, 2016
Zootopia (2016).
D: Byron Howard & Rich Moore. W: Phil Johnston & Jared Bush. Starring the voice talents of: Ginnifer Goodwin/Jason Bateman/Idris Elba/Jenny Slate/Nate Torrance/J.K. Simmons/Octavia Spencer/Alan Tudyk/Shakira/Bonnie Hunt/Don Lake.
Disney’s latest feature quietly shines with a universal story about going after your dreams despite the obstacles. The film was released here in the UK under the title, Zootropolis, a title in fact more fitting than Zootopia. Zootropolis speaks to a multicultural creation that recognizes its melting pot complexities while Zootopia seems to speak to an unrealistic ideal. Regardless, within the film the city is referred to as Zootropolis and that’s all that will matter to its audience.
The film follows Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin of ABC’s Once Upon a Time) who becomes the first rabbit cop in the big city. A typical ‘fish out of water against all odds’ story is the main arc of the narrative. However, the Disney team is able to speak to the part of that generic narrative we love while injecting humor and charm through animation. Judy heads to the big city for her break plugging in music as she arrives to her tiny apartment and nosy neighbors. She is quickly judged by her size and non predator status and relegated to meter maid duty. Even her slog through sad radio songs taps into our favorite movie moments and gives the adults in the room a laugh, as do later direct film references that I won’t spoil here.
Embracing the contrasting size of animals and habitats the city of Zootropolis is an animators dream. With a rain forest canopy world to a city built entirely for small rodents, Judy explores the creation of a place where prey and predator co-habitat on two legs instead of four. Judy soon meets trixy sly fox Nick Wilde (voiced by Jason Bateman) and their begrudged teamwork allows Judy to help solve a case. Goodwin and Bateman are excellent here, their voices not too recognizable to overshadow their characters. The most recognizable voice is probably Idris Elba as Police Chief Bogo. Yet his husky English blends well with his routine dismissal of anything sentimental. Like Inside Out, Zootopia gives us complex leads who must navigate the grey areas of life that are not that easy. And unlike The Good Dinosaur, it does not rely on visual splendor to carry a story. Its cleverness is subtle and detail orientated.
Zootopia will surely prove to be a timely piece about acceptance of others as well as a thing we all learn back in kindergarten. Don’t judge a book by its cover. Fear will always be the easy route to change, but not the right kind of change. Its themes and script, written years ago as the production time in animation is very long, are extremely timely with the events of today. Once again Disney proves sometimes what is good for kids to learn is also right for adults to re-learn.
The Same Adventure Full of New Joy
January 25, 2011
Tangled (2010).
D: Nathan Greno & Byron Howard. DP: W: Don Fogelman (based on the Grimm’s brothers fairy tale). Starring (voice talents): Mandy Moore/Zachary Levi/Donna Murphy/Ron Pearlman/M.C. Gainey/Richard Kiel.
Joining the Disney cannon this year is the newly animated feature Tangled. Re-titled to emphasize that the story is not just about the girl in the tower with the long hair named Rapunzel. The change smells a little like a marketing ploy to get a few more boys in the audience. However, regardless of mine and others annoyance at this tactic, Tangled actually turns out to be musically enjoyable and actually not just about the girl.
Mandy Moore, of previous pop star and want-to-be-taken-seriously-as-a-musician fame, delves into her first headlining feature as a voice over actor. Having always preferred her acting over her music, I (like others?) was cautious of whether or not this casting would work to the projects favor. Thankfully, Moore has not only the right amount of spunk in her voice, but also the right amount of innocence and joy to bring Rapunzel to life. In this version the Grimm brothers’ creation longs to break through her prison, yet admits that she’s scared to venture out on her own. Yet the lighting of lamps every year on her birthday (done by her royal parents to commemorate her kidnapping and to light her way home) intrigues her too much to not have an adventure when the right opportunity comes along.
That opportunity comes in the form of Flynn Rider, voiced by Chuck television star Zachary Levi. Full of bravado and Aladdin like stealth, Flynn reluctantly agrees to take Rapunzel to see the lights in exchange for the satchel of his she has stolen. Thankfully, the rest of the film follows their dysfunctional yet charming adventure and relationship. Allowing the adventure and new experiences to be the focus, rather than romance. Even Moore’s Rapunzel doesn’t hide her insecurities and inability to process the world outside her tower, a recognition not tackled in similar Disney films.
Immediately fitting and enjoyable are Alan Menken’s original songs and music. Previously responsible for such musical successes as The Little Mermaid, Beauty & The Beast, Newsies, Aladdin, Pocahontas, and Enchanted, Menken is clearly Disney royalty and there is nothing wrong with that. Tangled is a musical breeze, with Moore’s voice performing well and sounding accessible, but not too perfect. Moore is given the standard, I wish I was living in the real world/get me out of my life tune, but no audience will be able to dislike the use of such a standard when years later it is still so darn enjoyable. Thankfully, the film isn’t riddled with too many duets as Levi’s Flynn, jokingly, can’t sing. More than memorable is Murphy’s Mother Grothel’s song, “Mother Knows Best.” A cross between Ursula and Matron Mama Morton of Chicago, Murphy is clearly so self-obsessed she needs to create her own spotlight and yes, you will love it…or else?
Lastly, what is timeless about Disney animated features is not just their beauty, charm and joy, but also their accessibility and use of small details to tackle difficult human issues. Moore’s chameleon friend is a natural substitute for the imaginary friend a child would have if they were alone so many hours of the day (obviously an imaginary friend is harder to see on screen than an animal). The chameleon, like other Disney animal friends, is Moore’s secret, a manifestation of her loneliness and her desire to care/love something/someone in a way she is not cared for by her own mother figure. Also, Moore’s long blond locks work as another character, binding her to her tower, their magic being the cause of her pain. One could even argue the use of gender constructs in the film, as Flynn being male is able to explore his freedom, while Rapunzel, weighed down by her femininity (and hair!) must be kept cloistered. Yet even if most audiences don’t recognize what is at work in Tangled, they will surely leave smiling, remembering all their favorite Disney classics, and feeling good that they made time to go to the movies.