Onward (2020) --- “There Is A Magic Hidden Inside Each Of Us.”

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     Directed by Dan Scanlon (Monsters University) and written by Scanlon, Jason Headley (A Bad Idea Gone Wrong), and Keith Bunin (Horns), Onward (2020) is an animated modern-day fantasy film by Pixar Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures. Set in a suburban fantasy world, two teenage elf brothers, Barley (Chris Pratt) and Ian Lightfoot (Tom Holland) are given their father’s (Kyle Bornheimer) wizard staff and a spell that will bring him back for one whole day. But when the spell goes awry and they only have the bottom half of their father, Barley and Ian set out on a quest to find a rare magical stone that will grant them the power they need to finish the spell to see their dad before time runs out.

     Pixar has been coming out with a lot of films and while Onward may not be Pixar’s best and most memorable film, it does have heart and an emotionally filled story that springs from a deeply personal place and is almost borderline heartbreaking: the possibility of being able to spend one more day with a parent who has passed away. Director Scanlon was inspired by the death of his own father when he was just a year old, while his older brother only had hazy memories. Through his loss, director Scanlon and his co-writers Headley and Bunin create a high-energy fantasy world filled with unicorns, mermaids, elves, centaurs, and more but due to technological advancements making life easier, magic and fantasy have been supplanted by the mundane and suburban. The film features an odd mixture of old and modern styles, like making houses in the shape of oversized mushrooms and using baby dragons to serve as perky and slobbery pets. It’s a colorful and beautiful animation that uses an episodic structure to go from place to place in a sort of breathless fetch-type quest but inserts a few moments where the pace slows down and allows for the characters to interact with each other in a meaningful way.

     The voice performances were great. Tom Holland (Spies in Disguise, Spider-Man: Far From Home) is spectacular as the shy, awkward, and unsure teenager Ian Lightfoot, while Chris Pratt (Avengers: Endgame) is outstanding as Ian loud, boisterous, and overly optimistic older brother, Barley Lightfoot. Together, Holland and Pratt share a heartwarming and effortless camaraderie that helps them carry the story. I have never really been a fan of Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Downhill) but here her voice is almost unrecognizable and she does a pretty good job as Ian and Barley’s mom, Laurel Lightfoot. Octavia Spencer (Ma!) is excellent and really gets into her role as Corey the fearsome and ‘vicious’ The Manticore. Louis-Dreyfus and Spencer are a charming comedic duo and help balance each other's character out.  The supporting cast, including Mel Rodriguez (Running Wilde, Community) as Laurel’s boyfriend Officer Colt Bronco, is good. 

     Overall, Onward (2020) is an entertaining, delightful, and magical road trip about two brothers finding common ground with each other. The story is funny, emotional, engrossing, and filled with endearing themes about family and second chances that will capture the attention of both kids and adults. The cast performances were fitting, funny, and they all had great chemistry together. I highly recommend this film for both kids and adults.

Final Vote --- 7.5 of 10 stars

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Brave (2012)
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I Still Believe (2020) --- "One Love Can Change Your Life"

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    Growing up Jeremy Camp ( KJ Apa) did have much but he always had the love of his family (Shania Twain & Gary Sinise), who supported his dream of a musical career. After graduating high school in 1999, he leaves his Indiana home to go to a Christian college in California where he meets a girl named Melissa Henning (Britt Robertson). Their relationship is not an easy one and early on they are faced with life-altering decisions when Melissa gets sick but despite all that Jeremy knows that she is the one and chooses to stand by her side no matter what. Through the twists and turns, they discover that God is always present in the midst of suffering and that he turns all things around for our good. Directed by the Erwin Brothers (I Can Only Imagine, Mom’s Night Out) and based off of the memoir of the same name by Jeremy Camp, I Still Believe (2020) a faith-based romance drama about the remarkable true story of Christian singer, Jeremy Camp’s journey of love, loss, healing, hope, and faith. 

     This is the Erwin Brothers’ latest Christian music biopic after the success of I Can Only Imagine, which follows the story of the Christian band MercyMe's lead singer. The story talks about living outside of fear, which is a strong message that can sometimes be lost on people because they don’t know how to see beyond their current circumstances. However, this film tells in a way that allows the audience to connect with it and feel as though they're being spoken to personally. The main takeaway from I Still Believe is that you can meet anything head-on with faith and you don’t need to be some big Christian superstar to do that, you just have to be the person that God made you be and be receptive to his Word. It’s about remaining faithful to God not only when miracles happen but even when the enemy tries to attack you because he makes all things work together for my good (Romans 8:28). This is a story about how a couple’s journey of faith-inspired people to renew theirs and know that no matter how hard things get God will always be there with you. Right in the middle of the fire with you. And considering everything that's going on in the outside world, people need mature and clean stories about things that matter, things that will lift their faith and build their hope, especially those who don’t know any better. 

     The filmmakers are not subtle in foreshadowing what’s about to happen in each scene, but that doesn’t take away from the richness and intimate nature of the story. The video quality, cinematography, and audio are cleverly and creatively artistic. The film’s soundtrack seamlessly integrates Jeremy Camp’s music in a way that enhances the audience’s experience but doesn’t turn it into a product placement show. In addition to the visuals and music, the film’s editing is incredible. The film is split into three sections that are each of a completely different tone but it's all weaved together into one cohesive film that will resound with many viewers for generations to come. The first act is light and fun, the main characters are practically on top of the world, it's young and innocent. The second act is more mature and serious, there are some moments that try to lighten things up but it eventually ends on an ominous and serious note. The final act is heartbreaking at first but soon the characters start to heal and then end on a hopeful note. This was a story that was difficult to properly present due to its scope, but the filmmakers handled the editing like professionals with respect and sensitivity.

     The cast performances are incredible throughout. KJ Apa (Riverdale), a young Samoan-Kiwi actor from New Zealand, brings a lot of charisma to his performance as Jeremy Camp. Here he gets to showcase his musical talent by being featured in several songs and playing the guitar for the role. Although Apa garnered fame in America by appearing as lead character Archie Andrews on the near-soap opera/cartoon TV series Riverdale, he is an incredible actor who understands how to project a wide range of emotional depth that allows for him to bring audiences along on this emotional journey. Britt Robertson (For the People) beautifully balances herself between love and anger and grief as Melissa Lynn Henning-Camp. Robertson most excels when she gets to interact with more emotional content and her character’s professions of faith help to anchor the film in certain difficult scenes. Together Robertson and Apa have great chemistry together but this is no surprise considering that they acted as love interests in A Dog’s Purpose (2017), where they also had great chemistry. The rest of the supporting cast - Gary Sinise (Sgt. Will Gardner) as Jeremy's father Tom; Shania Twain (singer/songwriter) as Jeremy's mother Terry; Melissa Roxburgh (Manifest) as Melissa's sister Heather; Nathan Parsons (Roswell: New Mexico) as Melissa friend and The Kray lead singer, Jean-Luc; Abigail Cowen (Stranger Things, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) as Jeremy's second wife Adrienne - all performed great and while their roles were small or limited that didn’t stop them from being heard.

    Overall, I Still Believe (2020) is an entertaining faith-based music biopic that stands apart from most romantic dramas of its kind because it mixes realness and raw emotion with a wonderful story about hope, faith, and love that God has given us. The visuals and soundtrack were beautiful, while the cast performances were solid and impactful throughout. If you enjoyed the Erwin Brothers' faith-based film I Can Only Imagine (2017) then you're going to enjoy I Still Believe. This is an inspirational and powerful love story that you don’t want to miss.

Final Vote --- 8 of 10 stars

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Mulan (1998) --- “This Time, The Princess Saves The Prince.”

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     Directed by Tony Bancroft and Barry Cook (Walking with Dinosaurs 3D), and written by Robert D. San Souci, Mulan (1998) is Disney’s 36th animated film - the 9th in its Disney Renaissance period - and based on the Chinese legend of female warrior Hua Mulan. Set during China’s Han dynasty, Fa Mulan (Ming-Na Wen), the daughter of aged and ailing warrior Fa Zhou (Soon-Tek Oh), takes her father’s place during the general conscription. Despite living under a patriarchal regime, she cleverly disguises herself as a man and goes off to train with fellow recruits. Accompanied by her ancestral dragon, Mushu (Eddie Murphy), she uses her smarts to help ward off a Hun invasion, falls in love with a dashing captain (BD Wong), and proves that she’s as capable a fighter as any man.

     Mulan was the start of a new direction for Disney’s animation studio because it combined the traditional elements of a brave heroine and an animal sidekick with material that appears to be far more mature and adventurous. It’s one of those “kids films” adults can enjoy without feeling an obligation to take a kid along. Rather than being a reanimation of a Grimms Brothers or Hans Christian-Anderson tale, the story is based on a Chinese legend about a female warrior known as Hua Mulan. The writers are reverent in their depiction of Mulan as a female warrior, specifically in the sense that the story presents the male characters as buffoons - with the exception of the Emperor (Pat Morita), Mulan’s father, and Captain Shang (B.D. Wong). Mulan not only defies convention but also the desires of society - her peers and family - that she heed to the advice of the local matchmaker and marry whoever is arranged for her. The film’s message is clearly a stage for feminist empowerment but it also shows how inevitably Mulan's heart skips a beat when she starts getting close with Captain Shang. While Mulan breaks from tradition in which the damsel is saved by the knight in shining armor, it is also still adamant about the heroine finding romance and living happily ever after. It’s a timeless story about doing what’s right, following your heart, and being open to finding love.

     In their first-time feature film, filmmakers Cook and Bancroft do an excellent job of utilizing the film’s visual style to break away from the modern Disney animation seen in previous films by utilizing Chinese and Japanese style artwork, specifically, that seen is Asian style anime. This goes to show that Disney was aware that they needed to utilize new and experimental styles if it ever planned on improving its work with each new animated film. The animators and film editors work hard to create computer-enhanced battle scenes with sweeping camera movements to entrap the audience’s attention and intimate moments to bring them into the story. In addition to the visuals, the music by Jerry Goldsmith (Star Trek series, Rambo: Last Blood) and Matthew Wilder (Mulan) is memorable and more action-packed than some of Disney’s other work. Of the many songs, several of them stand out as unforgettable such as Reflection (sung by Lea Salonga), I'll Make A Man Out Of You (sung by Donny Osmond), and A Girl Worth Fighting For (by most of the cast.)

     The voice acting is solid throughout, in fact in terms of characters, Mulan has more in common with male Disney leads than female leads. Mulan (Ming-Na Wen) is a thinker, she’s resourceful like Aladdin, quick to act like Prince Eric, and willing to sacrifice herself for the sake of others like Hercules. In addition, she speaks her mind and doesn’t waste her time pinning after a guy, she is very much a woman ahead of her time. She disguises herself as a man and takes her father’s place in the army, not because she wants to see what it's like for a change but because she loves him and values his life above hers. And even though she later doubts herself and her reasons, along the way she found her inner strength, which some Disney Princess before her lacked, and its this strength, this inner beauty, that helps her get the guy at the end.

     In terms of the villain, Shan Yu (Miguel Ferrer) is simple but effective. And while he is not as memorable as Jafar, Ursula, Maleficent, and the Evil Queen, he is more menacing because of his simplicity and by that I mean he doesn’t have any magical powers or secret weapon, all he’s got is an army of Hun soldiers that leave a path of destruction in their wake - no prisoners, no mercy. He’s more human and more relatable to real-life villains from history like Hitler or Bin Laden. Of course, he doesn’t have much depth to his character but there is enough of him to be effective and perfect for the story.

     As for the rest of the supporting cast, they did well in adding to the story. The Emperor’s consultant Chi-Fu (James Hong) reminds us how many men looked at women in this culture during this time. He provided an added element of contrast that was needed for the story and that couldn’t only come from the film’s main villain. In contrast, Mulan’s fellow comrades, Ling (Gedde Watanabe), Yao (Harvey Fierstein), and Chien Po (Jerry Tondo) acted as the film’s comic relief and proved that they trust and are loyal to Mulan despite having been lied to about her identity beforehand. And last but not least, Eddie Murphy is hilarious as the voice of Mushu, a small skinny dragon with more fire than a grown dragon. He provides his own level of comic relief and delivers some unforgettable lines that are reminiscent of  Robin Williams as the Genie. And as Mulan’s sidekick, he is one of my favorites aside from Aladdin.

     Overall, Mulan (1998) is a wonderful and entertaining family film that is definitely a must-see. The animation has improved and the story offers a new kind of heroine to a world that has been dominated by your standard damsel-in-distress Disney Princesses. The songs are classic, the action is incredible, and the voice performances are unforgettable. This is a story about breaking from tradition for the sake of love and teaches us to find the inner strength inside of ourselves.

Final Vote --- 7.8 of 10 stars

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Movies Similar

Aladdin (1992)
Beauty and the Beast (1991)
Emperor's New Groove (2000)
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Mulan (2020)
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A Quiet Place (2018) --- “If They Hear You, They Hunt You. Silence Is Survival”

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     In the not too distant future, Earth has been overrun by mysterious and extremely dangerous extraterrestrial creatures with ultra-sensitive hearing. Two parents (John Krasinski & Emily Blunt) struggle to survive in a desolate New York City in a new era of utter silence. Since this new enemy is attracted to sound, even the slightest of sounds, like a whisper, can be deadly. It’s been 12 months since the invasion and while an otherwise joyous event is threatening already frail stability, this resilient family is still going strong. The rules to surviving this muted dystopia are simple: No matter what, don’t ever make a sound. Directed by John Krasinski (A Quiet Place Part II), co-written alongside Bryan Woods (A Quiet Place Part II, Haunt) and Scott Beck (A Quiet Place Part II, Haunt), A Quiet Place (2018) is a highly original sci-fi horror thriller that is sure to keep you at the edge of your seat. 

     Most great horror films have achieved greatness because they make the audience become actively invested in the fate of the characters and involved in the events that are playing out before us. Rather than being a passive observer in an unfolding horror flick, A Quiet Place is designed to make audiences an active participant in a game of tension. It is a tight thrill ride that quickens the heart rate and plays to the audiences’ expectations while at the same time never treating us like idiots. Very early one we learn that sound is dangerous in this new world and that danger is intensified with the film’s opening 10 minutes. The rest of the film takes place nearly a year after that tragedy and now the unnamed family is preparing for the arrival of a newborn baby in a world where noise is deadly. Director Krasinski knows the kind of monster it takes to make a successful monster film and here he is smart in how he regularly and unexpectedly sets up auditory expectations and yet he manages to not overplay his hand. This is a world where sound is deadly and the story is told in a very subtle, no-nonsense, and clever way to build tension and pull the audience into this world, encouraging us to experience what the characters experience. A Quiet Place is definitely the kind of film where less is more and no audible dialogue conveys an entire conversation.

     Since we live in a world where we use noise to express ourselves it's hard to imagine that constant sound being taken away. Noise is such a big part of who we are as humans and the film uses it in a way that charts new ground for horror survival films. There are times when the silence becomes claustrophobic and feeds into the growing tension by amplifying the impact of even the faintest of sounds. In place of no audio dialogue, the characters communicate through American Sign Language which helps add a layer of the importance of silence. And since there is almost no dialogue, the film relies heavily on its visual storytelling, especially when it comes to the aliens. Taking a page out of Ridley Scott’s 1979 template, Krasinski mostly avoids long, lingering shots of the creatures choosing instead to only focus on fleeting glimpses of them here and there until the ultimate final scene. In addition, Marco Beltrami’s (A Quiet Place II, Underwater) musical score is understated by utilizing only a slight emphasis on certain scenes without ruining the carefully controlled sound design and editing. 

     The film takes time to establish the Abbott family throughout the course of the film. John Krasinki became famous on the American version of The Office for being able to express a myriad of thoughts and feelings with just a simple look at the camera. Here he puts his skills to use but in a more dramatic context as Lee Abbott. He describes his character as being a survivalist whose main focus is getting his family through each day alive and possibly finding a solution to fighting back. His real-life wife Emily Blunt (A Quiet Place Part II) portrays his character’s wife, Evelyn Abbott. She gives an equally strong performance where she sensitively raises her children to be fully-formed and fully thinking people, and all while preparing to give birth in a world where a baby’s cry could be deadly. Millicent Simmonds (Wonderstruck) and Noah Jupe (Suburbicon, Wonder) are great and compelling as the children Regan and Marcus, especially Simmonds whose real-life deafness adds to the authenticity of her performance.

     Overall, A Quiet Place (2018) is a gripping, compelling, and expertly made a film that is unlike anything I have seen before. The film demands you to watch it silently as every piece is calibrated for maximum tension. The acting is incredible and solid throughout especially since there is no audio dialogue between the characters. If you a fan of films like Netflix’s Bird Box (2018) or just simply Jim from The Office then I highly recommend that you check out this film.

Final Vote --- 9 of 10 stars

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The Way Back (2020) --- "Every Loss Is Another Fight."

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     Directed by Gavin O’Connor (The Accountant) and co-written alongside Brad Ingelsby (Out of the Furnace, Run All Night), The Way Back (2020) is a fictional sports drama about a man’s last shot at redemption. In high school, Jack Cunningham (Ben Affleck) was a basketball star who could have punched his ticket to college or even the pros but due to his rough relationship with his father, he chose to walk away. Now his construction job is beating him down, alcohol abuse is slowly destroying him, and he’s been separated from his wife Angela (Janina Gavankar) for over a year. He’s essentially hit rock bottom but an opportunity presents itself when the head Priest at his former catholic high school asks him to step in part-time as the school’s basketball coach after the current coach has a heart attack. Unfortunately, their team is terrible and the last time they won a game was when Jack was on the team, back in the ’90s. Reluctantly, Jack accepts the position and as the team starts to win he may have found the strength and motivation to confront his demons, going on a journey towards healing, rehab, and forgiveness. 

     Over the years there have been a lot of films made about someone or a group of people redeeming themselves after a tragedy and most of those films are centered around sports. Not all of them are done well but they all manage to teach audiences a message about strength, overcoming adversity, and never giving up. In The Way Back we have a well-crafted storyline that evolves as the character evolved by slowly revealing the emotional depth of the main character with each scene. Not to mention the trailers hold a lot back, except the bare minimum so that the audience can go on the journey with the character. It's a poignant story that has been told a number of times but is told with such realism and attention to detail

     In addition to the story, the cast performances are incredible. Ben Affleck (Netflix’s Triple Frontier) has never been a favorite of mine. Sure I’ve enjoyed some of the films he’s been in but I have never cared for him as an actor, although his work as a producer seems to be his strength. Nonetheless, while I didn’t care for his acting in this film, he played Jack Cunningham quite well. I am not sure I could think of anyone else that could have done the role justice and played it with just as much realism and believability as he did. When his character gets angry, it becomes evident on his beet-red face, there’s no catharsis for the rage, instead, it sits there inside of him like poison. He doesn’t shy away from the character's flaws and failures and any information pertaining to how he let himself get to this point is left until the right moment. Janina Gavankar (The Morning Show) as Angela, Jack’s ex-wife who’s trying to move on, balances a levelheadedness that Jack lacks by demonstrating that she still cares for him but is also unsettled by his alcoholic behavior. Michaela Watkins is superb as Cunningham's sister Beth and her wistful way of expressing to her brother that she wants him to seek help is spot-on. The rest of the supporting cast also do a great job in their respective roles but I did feel that there were many moments in which they were underutilized, Gavankar and Watkins included.

     Overall, The Way Back (2020) is an entertaining film that demonstrates that when given to someone who cares about the story, it can be crafted into a compelling story about strength, overcoming adversity, and never giving up. It’s about fighting through the pain and coming out on the other side a new person with a new point of view. It’s about asking for help even when you're ashamed to do so or don’t believe you need any. With that being said, I was not overly blown away by what the film was trying to accomplish simply because, while it is a tune I’ve heard before, it dribbles the ball for far too long before finally making the last shot long after the time has expired. Nevertheless, if you're a fan of redemption sports films like this then I would highly recommend it to you, otherwise, I can’t say that you will be overly left out if you choose to skip it.

Final Vote --- 7 of 10 stars

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