Joe's Written Reviews - Planes

It is no secret that I am a fan of Pixar films. In fact, I would go so far as to call myself an obsessive, having watched every film in their lineup with the exception of Monsters University.

However it is also no secret that I have honestly felt that the last few Pixar have fallen a little flat to my expectations. Cars 2 was exceptionally lackluster and Brave felt more like a Disney film than what we have come to expect from Pixar. However seeing as Planes was made by DisneyToons Studio, not Pixar, my statements thus far are rather pointless to the current discussion.

Planes is set in the same world as Cars and Cars 2, my two least favorite Pixar movies. It follows the adventures of Dusty Crophopper, a cropduster who…say it with me… dreams of being more than he was built for. He gets his chance when he becomes a part of the Wings Around the World race. He becomes the underdog of the competition and through...say it with me… his heart and tenacity, he comes out on top and shows everyone what he was truly capable of.

If you haven’t figured it out yet, this film is STOCK! There is absolutely nothing original in this plot. Not one thing in this story is a twist on the standard underdog sports story. If you've seen a sports movie, you have seen everything Planes could have to offer. There are absolutely no surprises, everything happens when you imagine its going to happens.

This film commits perhaps the greatest sin any film with any sort of association with Pixar could make - playing safe.

Not only has the story been done to death, but so have the characters. Dusty is the nice guy snarker with a big heart. Chug, is the stupid but well-meaning friend. El Chupacabra is the eccentric nutter. Been there done that.

Arguably, the most interesting character in the story is probably Skipper, Dusty’s grounded trainer, who essentially plays the same role that Mickey does in Rocky. In fact, his background is probably the best part of the movie. This is perhaps one of the first animated movies in either Disney or Pixar’s lineup to deal with a battle in World War II and it is very interesting and compelling to watch. Unfortunately the scene is short and the film doesn't do much with it beyond exposition dump.

While the film does look lovely (it looks like a Pixar film), the film just doesn't compare to what I've come to expect from either Disney OR Pixar. And the fact that this film announces a sequel, Planes: Fire and Rescue, in the FREAKING CREDITS doesn't help the situation.

Whether this film should have been direct-to-DVD or theatrical, I am honestly conflicted. The film’s animation is theatrical quality, the soundtrack isn't too bad (a bit too rock heavy, where Cars was a little too country heavy), and this has perhaps the first Disney/Pixar animated war sequence. But the film is stock and predictable as hell.

If you can find it, watch it. But if you can’t find it, you aren't going to miss much.

MOVIE RATING: Borrow/Rental

Joe's Written Reviews - Epic

While an aspect of this film did intrigue me, I can honestly say that I was reluctant to watch Epic. Not for anything inherently bad I saw in the film, as the trailer revealed almost nothing about the plot (outside of the standard shrinking human trope), but rather the fact that I have become fed up with the Ferngully-Ant Bully style story. However upon seeing the film, I am surprisingly pleased.

Epic is based William Joyce's children's book, The Leaf Men and the Brave Good Bugs. It is the story of M.K., a 17 year old who is estranged from her father. Through a series of events, she finds herself drawn into the middle of a war between the guardians of the forest, the Leafmen, and their mortal enemies, Boggans.

As stated previously, I had very low expectations for this movie. It seemed like the usual "humans are evil/protect the environment" story that has become cliche in modern entertainment. But surprisingly  there are only two humans in the entire story, M.K. and her father. Instead the film goes out of its way to state that the forest is able to protect itself through the Leafmen, which is a nice change of pace.

Almost all the voice actors do a marvelous job, in particular Christoph Waltz as Mandrake, the Boggan leader, and Colin Farrell as the commander of the Leafmen, Ronin.  In fact Ronin and Queen Tara are so good in this movie that I found myself more interested in their story than that of M.K.. I honestly would prefer a prequel to this movie focusing on Ronin, Tara, and Nod's father.

Nod's father, however, brings up a major problem with this movie. There are a lot of things going on and we are (like M.K.) thrown right in the middle of it all. The problem is that much of the background information is oftentimes either far more interesting than the actual narrative, like Nod's father or Professor Bomba's past, or too vague or quickly glossed to be effective, like M.K. and Nod's "romance", if you can call it that.

There was a lot of problems with this film, but it is better than I expected. With a complex mythology that is honestly more interesting than the actual film narrative, I feel that if a sequel or prequel better used the unique atmosphere, there could be something really great here.

That being said, I do think that Epic is worth a watch. But I would wait until the price goes down before I bought a ticket.

MOVIE RATING: Check It Out

Joe's Written Reviews - Star Trek into Darkness

To ensure continued and unique content for both It’s Tail Time and Phoenix 8 Productions, I have decided to do written reviews of new theatrical releases that I see. Cinema in Review will be reserved for older films available on DVD.

            I can think of no better film to start my written reviews with than Star Trek into Darkness. J.J. Abrams has hit it out of the park with this science-fiction spectacle that may in time even rival the classic Star Trek films.

            The film follows the adventures of the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise as they go on the hunt for a dangerous Federation terrorist. Their adventure takes them deep into Klingon space, and into the middle of a conspiracy that could destroy them all.

            The story is well-written and expertly paced. The plot creates the right amounts of tension and nostalgia to please both Trekkies and non-Trekkies. It assists in the character arcs of both Spock and Kirk, who have come a long way since the first Star Trek. There are plenty of references and nods to the original series, and while one is very heavy-handed, they work very well and feel natural. They manage to give this a feel all its own while still honoring the legacy of this nearly half-century institution.

There is a twist in this movie that I will dare not reveal, but I honestly could see it coming from a mile away. Regardless of that fact, it is perfectly executed and makes this film so much better for it. You will not be disappointed.

All of the characters are great. Kirk and Spock are spectacular and gain a great deal of character growth, with a friendship that feels real and natural. Uhuru and Sulu both get amazing and surprising development in ways I couldn’t possibly have seen coming. Scotty and Chekov are incredibly funny; while Carol Marcus joins the crew in a strong, yet heartfelt performance.

But of all the characters, Benedict Cumberbath as Harrison steals the show. He just owns the damn thing and I would recommend this film just for his performance alone. He manages to come across as vicious and bloodthirsty, while also possessing a charm and emotionality that makes it hard not to root for him.

You will not be disappointed. See this movie in theatres if you can, and buy it on DVD at your earliest capability.

The Rating: MUST BUY!!!