Sing 2 – Thoughts and Ramblings

Years of raising children has put my wife off animated films.

Spirited Away [50 New-Old Movies for the 51st Year #8]

A couple of months ago, I turned 50 years old!  And to add to all the real life goals and challenges that that brings, I’ve created at least one as it relates to movies and this blog–watch a film I’ve never seen before which cam out in each year of my life (thus the “Old-New” terminology), and then write a bit about it.  This is Post #8.  Spoilers ahead.  

The Lego Movie 2 – The Second Part

Everything’s not awesome
Things can’t be awesome all of the time
It’s not realistic expectation
But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try
To make everything awesome

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

OK, this is the film that demonstrates more than any other that we are genuinely in some sort of golden age of cinematic comic book adaptations.  Not because, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is perfect (it’s not), but because it includes geeky material that is so esoteric that even comic book nerds would find it a bit obscure, and yet which movie studio executives are apparently still confident will pull in enough of an audience to make the film profitable.

Teen Titans GO to the Movies (with Spoilers)

I only recently discovered Teen Titans Go!, as my two younger, nerdier children began to tune in to the animated series, and get a lot of joy out of the frantic, stream-of-consciousness style of humor. When word came through that there was a movie being made out of the concept, the cleverly titled Teen Titans GO to the Movies, they were definitely down to see it. And since it was coming out while we were in the USA on holidays, when entertainment is more freely part of the schedule, it was an easy choice to get out there and give it a go, even though I’d personally have rather seen Mission Impossible: Fallout.

The Incredibles 2

After a fourteen year wait, the sequel to 2004’s The Incredibles has finally come to the big screen.  In today’s sequel-heavy climate, it’s a bit surprising that it’s taken so long.  Indeed, nowadays we could hardly have been surprised if those 14 years had been filled with a part 2, a part 3, a prequel and baby Jack-Jack getting his own spinoff trilogy.

But as it is, we’ve just got one film…finally.  Not that we haven’t wanted more.  The first film was a real winner–it successfully blended fun action sequences with stylish visuals, engaging characters, lots of humor and a decent plot.  The superhero stuff in particular, whilst not original to anyone with familiar with comics, was visually innovative and, generally speaking, way cooler than anything we’d seen in animation up to that point.

So how does this sequel measure up?  Does it measure up to the expectations that we have of a sequel of one of the famed superhero family animated classic?

47 Great Movie Moments #20 – Toy Story 2

Continuing with this series of 47 moments in film that I love (Why 47?), today, for #20, we have a look at one of the greatest animated movies ever.

47 Movie Blogs #37 – Top 4 Animated Films

Given the choice, I wouldn’t normally choose to watch an animated film.  Like many parents, I’ve watched a disproportionate amount of them over the years, and while there are lots that are only suitable for children, there are plenty that have got a lot going for them.  Enough that it was a bit difficult to limit myself to four. 

Minions – Some quick comments

So…Minions was showing at the drive in this week.  And we just had school holidays with the kids, and though we did some fun things, we never got out to the movies.  And Tuesday night is cheap night at the drive-in, where you only pay $20 per car, rather than buying individual tickets.  And my kids wanted to see Minions.

So…all that to say, I went and saw Minions a few days ago.  And uh, well…I kind of feel like I took one for the team.

I mean, it wasn’t a terrible experience or anything.  And I like those little Minions as much as the next guy.  Cause, you know, they’re yellow, and they talk funny.  And they bump into things. 

Things that make you go “Wha–!?!?!??!??!!!?” – Twilight of the Cockroaches

Years ago, I was the local video shop (which at the time was a bit of a quest to get to), choosing this week’s entertainment, when I came across something I had never heard of before: a Japanese, half animated / half live action film called Twilight of Cockroaches. The movie promised an apocalyptic allegory after which I would never look at cockroaches in the same way again. I picked it up and the resulting viewing experience turned out to be one of the strangest ones I’d ever had. From memory, it drove away more than one friend who started it with me (including the woman who later became my wife), and though I have never seen it since it has left an indelible mark in my memory.

So, going off of that indelible mark only, and absolutely no further research whatsoever, I’m going to try to recount the movie’s story.