Rio: Predictable, but the presentation enhances the experience

Rio (Animation, Adventure, Comedy)

Directed by Carlos Saldanha

Starring the voices of Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway and George Lopez

20th Century Fox | 2011 | 96 min | Rated G | Released Aug 02, 2011

Video:

Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC

Video resolution: 1080p

Aspect ratio: 2.40:1

Audio:

English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

English: Descriptive Audio Dolby Digital 5.1

French, Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1

Subtitles:

English SDH, Spanish

Discs:

50GB Blu-ray Disc

DVD copy

Digital copy

The Film 3.5/5

After seeing a trailer for Rio, I wasn’t expecting much when I finally sat down to watch the movie. The trailer consisted of animals shrieking or screaming and performing stupid moves such as dancing. I also dislike that every scene has to be punctuated with a blast from the subwoofer. I chose to watch your trailer and you’re going to hold my attention for two minutes, so you don’t have to blast noise at me to keep me watching. I'll decide whether something is interesting or dramatic by myself, thanks. That’s becoming a huge annoyance.

Anyway, let’s get back to the movie.

I love the way Rio opens. There are birds everywhere and they are happily dancing. The colors are very striking and I don’t think I have ever seen a more colorful movie. Birds and other animals seem to cover most of the colors in the spectrum and the look of the movie is appealing throughout.

Blu (Eisenberg) is a tiny young macaw and he’s captured during the opening scene. We see him rescued by a girl named Linda (Leslie Mann), and he’s completely happy as her pet for the next 15 years. The two share a bond and it’s a heartwarming relationship. Their world is turned upside down when an ornithologist begs her to take Blu to Brazil as he’s thought to be the last male of his species. Linda is reluctant, but eventually agrees.

The two fly to Rio and Blu is introduced to Jewel (Hathaway), his prospective mate. Jewel is more concerned about escape and can’t understand why Blu tolerates humans. The two are left overnight to begin their courtship, but a boy steals them and sells them to a gang which deals in rare birds. 

The remainder of the story shows what happens as Linda tries to find Blu. She initially rescued him before he learned how to fly and it becomes clear that he still hasn’t discovered how it’s done. Blu is aided by a variety of other birds as he attempts to find Linda. The gang enlists minions to find Blu and Jewel, resulting in a number of fights and chase scenes.

Rio lacks the heart of Pixar movies, but it does have some redeeming qualities. The story is far from original and it’s not difficult to guess the entire plot after a few minutes. Despite that, some of the scenes are quite charming. It’s fast-paced and doesn’t contain any dull moments. I imagine younger children being captivated by Blu’s adventures and the color scheme and ever-present Brazilian music is more than enough to hold their attention. 

I enjoyed the story. Yes, I knew what was going to happen, but I found the characters quite likable. The animation becomes more detailed as the story progresses and some of the scenes contain incredible detail. The music is catchy and will be burned into your brain if you’re not careful. This movie won’t change your life, but it’s an enjoyable way to spend 90 minutes.

Video Quality 5/5

The most obvious thing about the picture quality is the excellent use of color. The transfer boasts a variety of appealing colors and will capture your attention. The backgrounds seem a little unfinished in the opening scenes, but that’s a stylistic choice and not a fault of the presentation. Later scenes, such as those in the Carnaval, are full of detail. You can clearly make out feathers and hairs on the various animals, and some of the scenery looks spectacular. This is a feast for the eyes and shouldn’t disappoint anyone.

Audio Quality 5/5

The English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix matches the excellent video quality. The opening scene hints at what is to come and features a pounding Brazilian beat with a multitude of birds singing and squawking. Dialogue is clear throughout the movie and background sounds are frequently worked into the mix.

Special Features 4/5

The extras are all presented in full HD:

The Fruit Stand (1:29) – A deleted scene in which the animation is unfinished.

Explore the World of Rio – An interactive map with four locations to explore.

Saving the Species: One Voice at a Time (24:49) – The best of the features includes comments from the cast and crew.

The Making of Hot Wings (8:02) – Talking about some of the music used in the movie.

Boom-Boom Tish-Tish: The Sounds of Rio (13:30) – A more in-depth look at the music.

Carnival Dance-o-Rama – Learn various dance moves.

Welcome to Rio Music Video (1:37)

Taio Cruz – Telling the World Music Video (1:54)

Rio de Jam-eiro Jukebox (8:34) – Includes five songs from the movie.

Postcards from Rio – Create your own postcards.

The Real Rio (9:31) – Cast and crew comment on the real place.

Theatrical Trailer (2:26)

Digital Copy “How To” (3:35)

Angry Birds:

Trailer (1:32), Nigel Mashup (2:17) and Exclusive Clue Video (0:28)

BD-Live

Rio is fun to experience at least once. It’s suitable for the whole family, but children will probably get the most from it. The Blu-ray presentation is wonderful and makes a slightly above average story a lot easier to enjoy. 

Overall score 4/5 

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Ratatouille: The friendliest rat you'll ever meet

Ratatouille (animation, comedy, family)

Directed by Brad Bird and Jan Pinkava

Starring the voices of Patton Oswalt, Lou Romano, Ian Holm and Janeane Garofalo

Disney / Buena Vista | 2007 | 111 min | Rated G | Released Nov 06, 2007

Video:

Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC

Video resolution: 1080p

Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

Audio:

English: LPCM 5.1

English, French, Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1

Subtitles:

English SDH, French, Spanish

Disc:

Single 50GB Blu-ray Disc

The Film 5/5

Remy (Oswalt) is a young rat with an enhanced sense of taste and smell. When he saves his dad from eating food laced with poison, he’s given a job as food tester for the whole colony. Remy quickly becomes bored with the job and dreams of better things. After seeing a TV cooking show, he decides that he would like to be a chef. Unfortunately, he’s almost killed by the TVs owner and the entire colony is discovered and forced to leave her house.

Remy is separated from his family and talks to an illustration of Gusteau, the TV chef, because he’s alone and there’s nobody else to talk to. When he discovers Gusteau’s restaurant, he finds that he knows the function of every member of the staff. Remy gets into trouble when entering the kitchen, but he adds ingredients to the soup and the customers love it. He’s discovered when trying to leave and Linguini (Romano), the kitchen boy, is told to kill him. But the worried look on Remy’s face stops Linguini in his tracks and he realizes that Remy fixed the soup. The two decide to work together.

Although Remy can be understood by other rats, that’s not the case with humans. Instead, he uses gestures to communicate and is very expressive. His tiny shrugs and nods are easy to understand. Quite by accident, Remy discovers that he can control Linguini by pulling at strands of his hair. The two practice at home and come up with a plan to do the same at the restaurant. He hides under Linguini’s hat and continues to prepare food by controlling him.

The story is well thought out and quite complex in places for an animated film. The 111-minute running time is necessary to show everything in detail. The streets of Paris look real and it’s clear that the Pixar team researched the setting thoroughly.

Linguini is trained by Colette (Garofalo) and starts to develop feelings for her, but it’s Remy’s skill that wins the approval of the restaurant’s customers. Linguini is deeply resented by the head chef (Holm), who knows that Linguini is Gusteau’s son and the restaurant’s rightful owner. The problem is, Linguini doesn’t know that.

The film is full of peril, chase scenes and humor, and has a little action. The characters are well developed and Remy is easy to like. It’s challenging to make a rat appear friendly and lovable, but Pixar somehow pulls it off. Remy is always happy and smiling and chooses to walk upright on two feet. I think that was done to make him appear more like a human and less like a rat. He’s also very particular about cleanliness and washes his paws before preparing any food.

The restaurant eventually captures the attention of food critics and is visited by Anton Ego (Peter O’Toole), who is the most famous critic of them all. He’s hard to impress and had written off Gusteau’s as insignificant years ago, but decides to see why it’s become relevant again. One of my favorite scenes happens in the restaurant when Ego takes his first bite of food, but I’ll let you discover what happens for yourself.

The film has a lot of important messages. It shows us that it’s wrong to steal and that family is important. But most of all, it’s about following your dreams. Remy is a rat. How can he possibly become a chef? Even if he did, how could he succeed? I imagine that children watching the film could be inspired by Remy’s achievements. Maybe a few will grow up wanting to be chefs, and they are rarely out of work.

I can’t watch the film without thinking about Hans Landa’s speech in Inglourious Basterds where he asks Perrier LaPadite what his reaction would be if a rat entered his home. How would that differ if a squirrel were to enter? It’s true that humans often have a problem with rats, and many of us actually fear them. It’s quite an achievement to invent a rat that we like and root for as he attempts to live out his dream. 

All of Pixar’s movies are worth owning, but Ratatouille just edges out Up as my favorite. If they ever decide to do another sequel, I hope that we get another story about Remy. It’s aimed at older audiences more than the likes of Cars and A Bug’s Life, but children will still be able to enjoy it.

Well done, Pixar.

Video Quality 5/5

Ratatouille looks fantastic on Blu-ray. You can see the individual hairs in Remy’s fur and the way it beads when he gets wet. The colors are striking and the sheer amount of detail in background scenes tells you all you need to know. This is a reference quality presentation that's ideal for showing off your home theater.

Audio Quality 5/5

The lossless LPCM 5.1 track is full of subtle detail and delivers well during all of the louder scenes. Although there’s very little traditional action, your system will receive a full workout during chase scenes and when Remy is trying to avoid being captured. The sound has good depth and you’ll hear the surrounds highlight quieter effects such as vegetables being chopped or background conversation in the restaurant. Dialogue is crisp and clear throughout and there’s really nothing that falls short of perfection.

Special Features 3.5/5

Lifted (5:02, HD) – One of my favorite short films from Pixar.

Your Friend the Rat (11:16, HD) – Remy and Emil talk about the history of rats in an amusing way.

Gusteau’s Gourmet Game – Control Linguini and help him meet incoming orders.

Fine Food and Film (13:54, HD) – Director Brad Bird and chef Thomas Keller talk about some of their ideas for the film.

Animation Briefings

Documentary Shorts

Deleted Scenes (15:06) – Three scenes that were removed before they were finished.

Deleted Shots R.I.P. (3:12)

The Will (2:48) – With composer Michael Giacchino, featuring an alternate score for one of the scenes.

Remembering Dan Lee (3:00)

There are also five Easter eggs. Press the left button on your control while in the main menu. It works for the top or bottom item.

Ro-Dead Commercial (0:12, HD)

Yes! Shots (1:06)

How to Pronounce Ratatouille (0:55)

L’ecole Culinaire D’Pixar (1:02)

Producer Plays Trombone (0:50)

Pixar has produced some wonderful films and all are worth owning. The Blu-ray presentations are all just about perfect and Ratatouille is no exception. The film has heart and warmth and is a fun place to visit. It doesn’t have the constant action of some titles, but the story is gripping throughout. Adults will be pleasantly surprised at the depth of the story, although very small children may lose interest. That would be a shame, because I rank it as Pixar’s best, and that’s saying a lot.

Click here to find out where Ratatouille ranks among my Top 20 animated films. 

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My Top 20 animated movies: Part 4, #1-5

My Top 20 animated films (continued)

I would just like to mention that Grave of the Fireflies was included in my Top 20 dramas and has therefore been omitted from this list. It would have placed second.

Here are my Top 5 animated films:

5. Ratatouille (2007)

Directed by Brad Bird and Jan Pinkava

Starring the voices of Patton Oswalt, Lou Romano, Ian Holm and Janeane Garofalo

If you have read my other three articles in this series, you’ll know I love Pixar. The Incredibles, Finding Nemo, Cars, Wall-E and the Toy Story trilogy narrowly missed making my Top 20, but all are worth owning. Ratatouille is my favorite entry from the studio and I would love to see a sequel one day. Remy (Oswalt) is a rat, gifted with an enhanced sense of taste and smell. He can tell the other rats what’s safe to eat, but aspires to be something more. After seeing a cooking show on TV, he discovers that he would like to cook. He seems naturally gifted and teams up with Linguini (Romano), who works as a kitchen boy in a Parisian restaurant. Linguini has no talent as a chef, but Remy finds that he can control him by tugging strands of hair while hiding under his toque. His food is popular with the customers, but he has to find a way to realize his ambitions. His journey is a lot of fun. Remy communicates almost entirely through body language when he’s with humans and his little gestures convey a lot of feeling. He’s such a happy little guy that it’s difficult to dislike him.

At 111-minutes, Ratatouille might not hold the attention of young children, but there’s no questionable content. It’s informative and charming, but lacks the constant action associated with most animation. The Blu-ray presentation is among the best you’ll find.

Click here for my full review.

4. Ponyo (2008)

Directed by Hayao Miyazaki

Starring the voices of Noah Lindsey Cyrus, Frankie Jonas, Liam Neeson and Tina Fey

My love for Miyazaki’s films started three years ago when I bought Ponyo on Blu-ray. After seeing his charming view of the world, I sought out every other title I could find from Studio Ghibli. Ponyo (Cyrus) is a little fish with the face of a girl and she escapes her underwater home and encounters Sosuke (Jonas). He rescues her when she becomes trapped in a discarded bottle and takes her home in a bucket. After licking blood from a cut on his finger, she starts to take on human form and the two become friends. Sosuke’s mother, Lisa (Fey), accepts the situation and knows that Ponyo is magical. Ponyo’s father (Neeson) looks for her because her presence in the human world is causing nature to be out of balance. The story is delightful and I love watching the two children grow closer. Ponyo loves ham and is capable of performing magic, while Sosuke accepts her for exactly what she is. Like other Miyazaki films, it’s a good place to visit. People respect each other and there are no villains. The weather and the balance of nature are the two biggest situations to overcome, and the whole story is a lot of fun. The animation is beautiful, especially during the opening scene in Ponyo’s home under the sea.

The Disney Blu-ray is an ideal way to experience this colorful world. Some might argue that Ponyo is aimed at young children, but I would say that the whole family should enjoy it. I don’t find it childish at all.

3. Spirited Away (2001)

Directed by Hayao Miyazaki

Starring the voices of Daveigh Chase, Jason Marsden, Suzanne Pleshette and David Ogden Stiers

Spirited Away won an Oscar for Best Animated Feature. The story starts simply enough when Chihiro (Chase), a 10-year-old girl, discovers an old amusement park with her parents. Although deserted, the stalls contain hot food. When the parents start to eat, they turn into pigs. She encounters Haku (Marsden), a boy who lives in the town, and he explains that she can only stay if she finds work. Chihiro begins the story as a whiny brat who complains about everything, but learning to work and taking responsibility for saving her parents changes her. She begins a long quest and we encounter all kinds of strange beings along the way. It’s probably the most complex of Miyazaki’s worlds and needs the full 124-minute running time to show us everything in sufficient detail. Chihiro helps Haku discover his true identity along the way and meets an interesting multi-limbed character named Kamaji (Stiers), who runs a boiler room and is happy to help her.

Some of the scenes are a little scarier than those in films such as Ponyo or My Neighbor Totoro, but it's still suitable for the whole family. There’s no Blu-ray release as yet, so you’ll have to pick up the DVD or wait a while if you want to own it.

2. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)

Directed by Hayao Miyazaki

Starring the voices of Alison Lohman, Shia LaBeouf, Patrick Stewart and Uma Thurman

The film was originally released in the US as Warriors of the Wind, but the extensive cuts lost the essence of the story and ruined it. The post-apocalyptic setting is epic in scope. Humans have polluted the Earth to such a degree that all that’s left are deserts, and jungles filled with poisonous plants. The people have to wear breathing masks to avoid the toxic air. Princess Nausicaä is a teenage girl with a good heart. She’s in tune with nature and the creatures inhabiting her strange world, and appreciates her surroundings. Her first instinct is to trust people and she believes that there’s good to be found in everyone. This vast journey shows us an unusual world filled with threats both real and perceived. Nausicaä has a few secrets and hopes to transform her damaged world. The ignorance of some of the people she encounters threatens the safety of all humans and everything she’s trying to achieve.

This is one of Miyazaki’s most adult-orientated films, but I wouldn’t stop young children from seeing it. The Disney Blu-ray is a big improvement over the DVD and I would recommend it to anyone.

1. My Neighbor Totoro (1988)

Directed by Hayao Miyazaki

Starring the voices of Dakota Fanning, Elle Fanning, Tim Daly and Pat Carroll

To be honest, I’m not sure whether Totoro is Miyazaki’s best film. It’s like trying to decide which of your children you prefer over the others. All of his films make me smile and I’m always moved when I watch any of them. Miyazaki sees things that most of us take for granted and manages to capture it in simple animation. The reason I have put Totoro above his other films (today at least) is the relationship between sisters Satsuki (Dakota Fanning) and Mei (Elle Fanning). Satsuki looks out for Mei, while Mei mimics her sister and obviously loves her. When the girls and their father move into a new house, I love seeing the determination on Mei’s face as she curiously explores her surroundings. For around 30 minutes, we focus on those charming scenes. Then, one day, Mei goes exploring on her own and meets a huge Totoro, who is a magical creature living in the nearby woods. He’s not threatening in any way so Mei goes to sleep on his belly. The two girls befriend the creature, who can only be seen if he wants to be seen. The world is a wonderful place, free of danger.

Young children will probably love My Neighbor Totoro, but adults should see something in it too. It’s beautiful and full of innocence, and shows us what it’s like to see the world through the eyes of a child. A Blu-ray release could come within a year or so, but it’s only available on DVD at present.

Click here for my full review.

If you have read the entire list, you’ll see that Hayao Miyazaki features prominently. Seven of the films he directed made my Top 20, and he wrote the screenplay for one of the others. If you haven’t checked out his films because they are Japanese, please consider giving one a try. All are dubbed into English and feature actors that you’ll be familiar with. I can’t promise you’ll love them as much as I do, but the potential reward is worth the time investment.

Did I include your favorites on my list? Thanks for reading and feel free to comment or post your own favorites.

Click here to see #16-20 on my list.

Click here to see #11-15 on my list.

Click here to see #6-10 on my list.

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My Top 20 animated movies: Part 3, #6-10

My Top 20 animated movies (continued)

You've seen the bottom 10 in my list of favorite animated movies. I love them all and it's difficult to place one above another, but the Top 10 do have something extra in my opinion.

Let's continue with the next five:

10. Monsters, Inc. (2001)

Directed by Pete Docter, David Silverman and Lee Unkrich

Starring the voices of Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi and Mary Gibbs

Monsters, Inc. produces power for the city of Monstropolis by scaring kids and storing the energy produced in their screams. The two principals are Sulley (Goodman) and Mike (Crystal). Sulley is a giant furry beast with purple and blue fur and regularly tops the company standings as chief scarer. Mike is small, green and has one huge eye, and is Sulley’s assistant. They have doors with direct access to children’s bedrooms in the real world and get to work each night. Things are complicated by Randall Boggs (Buscemi), who is trying to cheat his way to the top of the standings. Direct physical contact with a human child is thought to be dangerous and possibly lethal, so a team stands by to sanitize any infected monsters. When Sulley inadvertently brings a little girl called Boo (Gibbs) to Monstropolis, he finds out the truth about human contact. With the help of Mike, Sulley tries to hide the little girl until they can get her home. The reason I love Monsters, Inc. so much is its heart. It’s a cute world and Boo is adorable. There’s a lot of clever humor throughout the movie and it lives up to Pixar’s high standards.

There’s nothing in the film that would scare children, so it’s a perfect family film. The Blu-ray presentation is strong in all areas. I could watch this film every few weeks and never get tired of it.

9. Wallace & Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)

Directed by Steve Box and Nick Park

Starring the voices of Peter Sallis, Helena Bonham Carter and Ralph Fiennes

Here’s another claymation movie. It was good enough to win the Oscar for Best Animated Film, and it deserved the award. There were three short films in the series before this feature; all are funny and worth owning, but none match the quality of Were-Rabbit. For those new to the characters, Wallace (Sallis) is an inventor living in Northern England and Gromit is his faithful dog. The two run a service to protect people’s vegetables from the jaws of unwanted rabbits. They have a warning system similar to the one used in Thunderbirds and Wallace’s inventions are used to capture and store the rabbits. Gromit doesn’t speak, but says so much with his body language. He’s the source of most of the humor. There are jokes in almost every frame; both visual and verbal. The pair is hired by Lady Tottington (Bonham-Carter), who fears that her grounds are being overrun by rabbits. The expressions on the faces of the model rabbits are hilarious.

There’s no Blu-ray release as yet, but the first three shorts and a later fourth installment can be found on Wallace & Gromit: The Complete Collection Blu-ray. It isn’t actually complete because it’s missing this film, but it’s a must-own. Wallace & Gromit is funny, innocent and suitable for the whole family.

8. Bolt (2008)

Directed by Byron Howard and Chris Williams

Starring the voices of John Travolta, Miley Cyrus, Mark Walton and Susie Essman

Are you fan of Pixar titles? If I didn’t know better, I’d swear that Pixar created Bolt. It looks and feels similar and has so much heart. Bolt (Travolta) is a dog who stars in a TV show in which he has superpowers. That would make a good movie in its own right, but it gets even better. Bolt escapes from the film studio by accident and is separated from Penny (Cyrus), his owner. He listens to the advice of a group of pigeons and enlists the help of a cat named Mittens (Essman), who claims she knows how he can get home. They eventually run into a hamster, Rhino (Walton), who thinks that Bolt has real powers. They make their way across America in search of the film studio and Penny. Bolt keeps me laughing. It mixes slapstick humor with clever comments and astute observations. Watch how Mittens teaches Bolt to act like a real dog and you’ll see what I mean.

The movie is a good choice for the whole family and the Blu-ray presentation is flawless. The picture quality is perfect throughout and check out the sound during the sequences in which Bolt starts in the TV show.

7. Up (2009)

Directed by Pete Docter and Bob Peterson

Starring the voices of Edward Asner, Christopher Plummer, Jordan Nagai and Bob Peterson

Up is Pixar’s most adult-oriented release thus far, but it still contains enough fun and action to hold the attention of any child. There’s a silent montage near the start of the movie which tells the story of Ellie, who is the wife of balloon salesman Carl Fredricksen (Asner). The sequence takes us through their initial meeting as children and ends with Ellie’s death as an old woman. You’ll almost certainly cry or at least have to hold back tears. Carl and Ellie always planned to visit South America, but never got around to it. Carl decides to make the trip on his own by attaching balloons to his house so that it will fly. He finds Russell (Nagai) – a boy scout trapped on his porch – and the two make the trip together. They are joined by a weird bird and Dug (Peterson), who is a dog with the ability to talk using a device on his collar. The movie is very colorful and is full of action once the group is assembled. There are some other truly touching moments and I would urge anyone to see this film.

It’s suitable for people of all ages and has something for everybody. The humor is funny because it’s an accurate observation on the way people behave. Dug is the funniest character, but they all have their moments.

6. Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989)

Directed by Hayao Miyazaki

Starring the voices of Kirsten Dunst and Phil Hartman

Talking of heart, it’s time for some more Miyazaki. Kiki (Dunst) is a 13-year-old witch, and in her culture that means she has to spend a year on her own providing a service in another city. She’s just learning her craft and can barely fly her broom, but sets of with her cat, Jiji (Hartman). She finds a small town and helps the owner of a bakery by returning a baby’s pacifier to a customer who left it behind. The owner offers her a place to stay and suggests that she start a delivery service. It’s a delightful coming-of-age story in which Kiki learns to become independent and finds out about friendship and romance. She has great respect for her elders and quickly wins their approval. Jiji has almost all of the best lines and his sarcastic comments are genuinely funny. There are no villains, just situations and problems to overcome.

Kiki’s Delivery Service is charming and funny. It should entertain the whole family. There’s no Blu-ray release yet, but expect Disney to get around to it in a year or two. There are at least two DVD versions and the dubs are different. Be sure to research which one you want to own if you have previously seen the movie and have a preference.

For #16-20 on the list, click here. 

For #11-15 on the list, click here.

For #1-5 on the list, click here.

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My Top 20 animated movies: Part 2, #11-15

My Top 20 animated movies (continued)

I promised yesterday that I would reveal the next five movies from my 20 favorite animated titles, so here they are:

15. Watership Down (1978)

Directed by Martin Rosen

Starring the voices of John Hurt, Richard Briers and Ralph Richardson

The first thing you should know is that I love rabbits. That made me curious about Watership Down, so I borrowed the DVD from my local library. Richard Adams’ novel tells the story of a small group of rabbits threatened by a development scheme which could destroy their home. Fiver (Briers), is a young rabbit with a gift; he catches glimpses of the future. He sees imminent danger and encourages the other rabbits to leave, but only a small group listen. Hazel (Hurt) is Fiver’s brother and leads the group as they search for a safer home. They are joined by Bigwig, Silver and Buckthorn. The group faces dangers from other animals, rival warrens and humans, and the quest continually encounters perilous situations. The film is informative for anyone interested in group dynamics as we see how the individuals find their roles in the new order. It also shows the difference between those with strong character and those who are too weak to do anything but follow the established rules. There’s a lot of blood as the rabbits fight for survival, and there is no shortage of death.

I wouldn’t recommend showing this to small children as it could give them nightmares for years to come. It’s suitable for older teens and up though. I’m anxiously awaiting the arrival of the German Blu-ray and I’ll write a full review after it arrives.

14. Tangled (2010)

Directed by Nathan Greno and Byron Howard

Starring the voices of Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi and Donna Murphy

Are you tired of seeing Disney films involving princesses and too many songs? I was, and that’s why I resisted the temptation to see Tangled. But after a while, I caved in and gave it a try. It was a pleasant surprise in more ways than one.

It’s the story of what happens when Rapunzel (Moore) and Flynn Rider (Levi) meet. Rapunzel is kept trapped in a tower by an old woman who taps her powers in order to remain young, while Rider is a thief. The two go on an adventure that’s full of discovery and action. You’ll also meet Pascal, a chameleon who has befriended Rapunzel. He doesn’t speak, but his body language is hilarious and he steals a few scenes. Maximus is the other source of humor. He’s a horse who spends his time tracking Rider in an attempt to bring him to justice.

Disney’s 50^th animated title is a delight and suitable for people of all ages.

Here’s my full review.

13. Bambi (1942)

Directed by James Algar, Samuel Armstrong, David Hand, Graham Heid, Bill Roberts, Paul Satterfield and Norman Wright

Starring the voices of Hardie Albright, Peter Behn, Stan Alexander and Bobette Audrey

Bambi is a prime example of classic Disney. The main theme of the film is innocence, and it details the early years in the life of a young deer. I saw the film as a child and again recently when it was released on Blu-ray, and found that I had forgotten just how beautiful the story is. Bambi is raised by his mother and befriends various other forest animals such as Thumper the rabbit and Flower the skunk. We see Bambi learn how to walk and talk, always with the help of his friends. Like any youngster, he’s curious about his surroundings. The film is full of scenes in which he discovers new things and learns how to interact with his environment. The one scar on the film’s beauty is the death of Bambi’s mother. It happens offscreen, but it’s obviously something which could disturb small children. In fact, I know a few adults who won’t watch it because of that event. The remainder of the story is full of charm and we see how Bambi and his friends discover love and choose their mates.

The Blu-ray presentation is outstanding and the film looks great considering it’s almost 70 years old. Bambi gets my vote for the most beautiful story Disney has ever told.

12. Castle in the Sky (1986)

Directed by Hayao Miyazaki

Starring the voices of James Van Der Beek, Anna Paquin, Cloris Leachman and Mark Hamill

Sheeta (Paquin) is a young girl who falls from an airship at the start of the story. She wears a magic crystal which enables her to float safely to the ground. She meets Pazu who is a boy about her age and the two become friends. Friendship is a common theme in Miyazaki’s films and often forms the foundation of the story. The pair are being chased by pirates who want the crystal for themselves. Sheeta learns that knowledge of the crystals was once common and that an entire island was created which floated in the sky. The crystal is thought to have the power to show the location of the legendary island and so they try to establish its whereabouts. The story is full of action and adventure, as well as some surprises along the way. It works because of the sense of friendship between Sheeta and Pazu, and it has plenty of charm.

The film has been released on Blu-ray in Japan, Australia and the UK, so a North American release can’t be very far away. It's a good family film and can be enjoyed by people of any age.

11. Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)

Directed by Wes Anderson

Starring the voices of George Clooney, Meryl Streep and Bill Murray

Wes Anderson’s adaptation of Roald Dahl’s story is often funny, but also contains serious themes which might be lost on some children. It uses stop motion and tells the tale of Mr. Fox, who has trouble resisting the temptation to steal from the local farmers. He’s not a very good father and can’t be trusted by his wife, but has a certain roguish charm. The film mixes standard animated action with a quirky sense of humor that’s more subtle than that found in most stories. His antics put his family and other animals in danger as the three farmers he robs team up and decide to kill him. The humor is close in style to that used in Bottle Rocket and The Darjeeling Limited, rather than something you would expect to find in an animated film. The story isn’t afraid to show animals being hurt or even dying, so caution should be used if you’re planning to watch it with smaller children.

The Blu-ray presentation looks incredible and the voice acting is strong throughout. There’s no other animated film quite like this one.

Here’s my full review.

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Fantastic Mr. Fox: Wes Anderson's signature style shines through

Fantastic Mr. Fox (animation, adventure, comedy)

Directed by Wes Anderson

Starring the voices of George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Bill Murray and Michael Gambon

20th Century Fox | 2009 | 87 min | Rated PG | Released Mar 23, 2010

Video:

Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC

Video resolution: 1080p

Aspect ratio: 1.85:1

Audio:

English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

French, Portuguese, Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1

Subtitles:

English, French, Mandarin (Simplified and Traditional), Portuguese, Spanish

Discs:

50GB Blu-ray Disc

DVD copy (with digital copy)

The Film 4.5/5

Wes Anderson’s films are traditionally quirky and full of complex themes, and his adaptation of Roald Dahl’s Fantastic Mr. Fox is no different. Don’t be fooled by the fact that it’s animated (stop motion); this material is not targeted at children.

When we join the story, Mrs. Fox (Streep) is telling Mr. Fox (Clooney) that she’s pregnant. The two proceed to rob a chicken farm and narrowly escape capture. Mrs. Fox makes him promise to look for other work now that they are about to become parents. Mr. Fox agrees and finds a job writing a newspaper column. 

Mr. Fox settles down in his new life, but always regrets giving up his old ways. He’s also tired of living in a hole in the ground and wants a better home for his family. He goes to see Badger (Murray), who advises him about properties for sale in the area. Fox wants a house near three local farms, but Badger suggests that the neighborhood is too dangerous. The local children even have a rhyme about the farmers:

Boggis, Bunce and Bean

One fat, one short, one lean

These horrible crooks

So different in looks

Were nonetheless equally mean

Fox is aware of the danger, but yearns for his former chicken-stealing days. As Anderson regularly reminds us, these are wild animals. Fox can’t deny his nature and buys the new house so that he can be close to the three farms.

His decision goes directly against his promise to his wife and that was his first mistake.

There’s a lot of humor in the film, but it’s generally quite subtle. The family sits down to eat dinner and they eat like wild animals. The food is gone in seconds. Their son, Ash, is moody and craves attention from his father. He spits on the floor when he’s angry or disappointed and he clearly has problems. When his cousin Kristofferson comes to stay, the situation worsens. Fox seems to favor Kristofferson over his own son and compliments him constantly.

Forget that we’re dealing with animals for a moment and think about the story. If that happened in a regular movie, we would be dealing with a typical family drama. Husband and wife break promises and have trust issues, while their son is being raised by parents who don’t understand him. This is not the kind of story that small children would understand, although some of the scenes are funny and contain action that would appeal to a child.

Fox enlists the help of Kylie Opossum and the two steal chickens from Boggis. The action is typical animated fare and the way the two sneak around is funny. They lace blueberries with a sedative to get past the dogs and the way the dogs react is also funny. They successfully steal from Bunce and plan to stop once they steal cider from Bean. For the final robbery, Ash wants to come along. Fox won’t let him, but allows Kristofferson to take part. He seems to have very little idea that such a decision could hurt his son’s feelings.

The robberies are fun to watch, especially when the animals wear bandit hats. It reminds me of the robbery in Bottle Rocket when the participants decide to wear similar hats even though their victims have already seen their faces.

Ash yearns to be an athlete and wants to emulate his father’s success at Whack-Bat (a game which parodies cricket). Kristofferson is a balanced individual who regularly meditates and knows karate. Ash is extremely jealous of his cousin and his ability to win his father’s approval.

The three robberies annoy the farmers, so Bean (Gambon) decides to organize the trio and plans to kill Fox. This is where the film starts to take on a more serious tone. Mrs. Fox discovers that her husband has been lying to her and scratches his face in a fit of temper. This scene annoyed one of my friends who expected the film to be lighthearted and suitable for the whole family. Mrs. Fox acts like the wild animal she is. There’s another scene in which one of the animals is maimed. Although it’s presented in a humorous way, it could disturb people.

The remainder of the film deals with the three farmers finding ways to threaten the existence of Fox and his friends. They escape by tunneling deeper, but face the threat of starvation if they don’t find a solution. Some of the other animals resent Fox for putting them in such a dangerous situation.

There’s considerable peril which could worry small children, and a lot of humor which would probably fly over their heads. It was only given a PG-rating, but be aware that not every child will like this harsh world. The animals are true to their nature.

The reason I like the film so much is the style of humor. Like Bottle Rocket and The Darjeeling Limited, the characters speak with a sense of irony or sarcasm and most of the humor is tongue-in-cheek. It feels similar to Tarantino or the Coen brothers at times. There’s no swearing, but every character uses the word "cuss" in situations in which they would normally swear. I found that particularly funny. One animal questions why a ransom note was made using words cut out of a magazine when everyone already knew the identities of the kidnappers. That’s also funny to me. The missions all have elaborate titles and remind me of the way Tarantino uses chapters in his stories.

Fantastic Mr. Fox is an exercise in style. Mr. Fox himself is very stylish, dressing smartly and using his trademark whistle when he thinks he’s being clever or cool. Clooney was a great choice for the part and the other actors all do a good job too.

The story is essentially about a dysfunctional family and shows how Ash attempts to come to terms with his existence. Will Mr. Fox eventually become a better father? Will Ash grow up and take responsibility for his own actions? Do Mr. and Mrs. Fox strengthen their marriage, or will the trust issues tear them apart? There’s a lot going on beneath the surface.

Video Quality 5/5

The look of Fantastic Mr. Fox is virtually flawless. The frames were shot digitally with a high quality camera and the detail is superb throughout. You can see every hair on the puppets and the stitches in their clothing. Some scenes look deliberately flat when shot from a distance and the color palette is full of brown and yellow tints, but that’s all intentional too. I didn’t spot any errors in a single shot and the presentation looks as good as anything I’ve seen.

Audio Quality 4/5

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track has its moments, despite the quiet nature of the film. Most of the story is driven by dialogue, but there are occasional bursts of sound in scenes involving music or explosions. The rear speakers aren’t used prominently, but there’s no cause for complaint overall.

Special Features 3/5

The features were all shot in high definition.

Making Mr. Fox Fantastic (45 minutes) – A six-part feature which can also be viewed all at once. Topics include the look of the film, how it was adapted from the book and how the puppets were made. There’s an in-depth look at the filming process and a look at the actors behind the voices. The final segment shows Bill Murray talking to some of the animators.

A Beginner’s Guide to Whack-Bat (1 minute)

Fantastic Mr. Fox: The World of Roald Dahl (3 minutes) – Touching on the main points shown in the opening feature.

Trailer (2 minutes)

Fantastic Mr. Fox has a lot of intelligent humor and subtle charm and it’s clearly aimed at adult audiences. I wouldn’t rule out showing the film to children, but be aware that wild animals sometimes show their true nature and their world can be brutal. I’m a fan of Wes Anderson’s work and this met all my expectations in terms of style and humor. It’s one of the most complex and unusual animated titles I have seen and recommended for fans of subtle humor. The world is an interesting place to visit and the film is a lot of fun if you go in with the right expectations.

Overall score 4.5/5

Click here to see where Fantastic Mr. Fox ranks among my Top 20 animated films.


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Princess Mononoke: Raised by wolves, but ultimately human

Princess Mononoke (animation, adventure, fantasy)

Directed by Hayao Miyazaki

Starring the voices of Billy Crudup, Gillian Anderson, Clare Danes and Minnie Driver

Miramax | 1999 | 133 min | Rated PG-13 | Released Dec 19, 2000

The Film 4.5/5

Here’s another film from Studio Ghibli that hasn’t yet seen a Blu-ray release. If you read my recent review of My Neighbor Totoro, you’ll know that I love Miyazaki’s animation, themes and characterization. This film has a different feel to Totoro and is aimed at older audiences.

The story lasts 133 minutes and is quite violent in places. The opening scene shows a boar possessed by a demon, which is an immediate threat to a village. Ashitaka (Crudup) tackles the beast and ultimately kills it, but injures his right arm in the process. The arm is essentially possessed and the infection is expected to spread throughout his body, killing him. He’s a danger to his own people and reluctantly has to leave in search of a cure.

Like most of Miyazaki’s characters, Ashitaka is a good person. One clue to his character is the way he treats Yakul, the red elk that he rides. The two seem like partners and it’s clear that he loves the animal.

Further clues to Ashitaka’s character can be seen when he saves another village from attack and rescues two drowning men from a river. We see that his infected arm seems to have additional strength and that enemies hit by his arrows can be decapitated. As I mentioned at the outset, the film is aimed at older audiences than those targeted by Totoro. It’s bloody and violent in places and death is always a possibility.

The first magical scene takes place in a forest. The locals fear it and the tree spirits that live there, but Ashitaka has no such fears. He sees the tree spirits as happy and childlike and willingly follows their directions. They lead him and the injured men to safety. He also catches a glimpse of the Forest Spirit, which is an altogether more powerful entity and has a big role to play in the story.

Ashitaka returns the men to their town and is thanked by the town’s ruler, Lady Eboshi (Driver). She’s one of the most interesting characters in the story. She’s capable of giving people a chance where others wouldn’t and has taken in prostitutes and lepers and given them honorable roles in her town. But she’s also fiercely ambitious and thinks she’s powerful enough to kill gods to gain more wealth and power. She’s a truly divided woman, but not definitely good or evil. She does seem to genuinely want to help the people under her care and protection. Her character changes significantly by the end of the story.

Princess Mononoke has been raised by a wolf-god (Anderson) and regularly rides one of its two cubs. She hates humans because she only ever sees them harming the forest. Her character is wild and reckless and will attack the town in an attempt to stop the people causing further damage to her beloved forest. She feels that if she kills Lady Eboshi, the threat will cease to exist.

Miyazaki’s animation doesn’t look modern. It has the look of a watercolor painting and is simply drawn; but with simple drawings, he’s capable of expressing a lot of emotion. When Ashitaka looks at his elk, the animal looks friendly, loving and intelligent. Its gaze and simple expression conveys all kinds of positive feelings. The forest is also a beautiful place and you’ll find that you want to see it protected and unharmed. The tree sprites project joy and innocence and that innocence is a common theme in Miyazaki’s work. I’m not sure how he does it, but it’s powerful and moving.

The final act is full of action and a number of key characters suffer major wounds. It’s not clear who will live and who will die, but not everyone survives. Some of the animals in the story are much more than dumb beasts and many are gods capable of mutual respect when they encounter souls who deserve it. There’s a sense of that respect throughout the film and the characters live by their own honor code.

Miyazaki places us right in the middle of the action and commonly uses a panning technique as if the frames were filmed instead of drawn. He also takes his time establishing scenes and it’s common to see water ripple, grass wave in the wind or clouds move across the sky. He seems to revel in the beauty of his worlds and I find that it helps me appreciate it all the more.

The conclusion of the story feels satisfying and right. It’s not a contrived ending at all, but one which could actually happen given the personalities of the characters and their situation. It’s interesting that Miyazaki’s villains usually consist of misguided people rather than truly evil individuals. This is often the case in real life and it works better than having a stock villain like those found in most animated movies.

The actors do a good job in the English version, but the Japanese dub is included with English subtitles for anyone wishing to experience the original version.

I have only seen Princess Mononoke three times and found it a bit muddled the first time. It improved with each viewing and I now consider it just below Miyazaki’s very best work. If you thought My Neighbor Totoro and Ponyo were too childish, give this a try.

Let’s hope that a Blu-ray release isn’t too far away.

Overall score 4.5/5

See where Princess Mononoke ranks among my Top 20 animated movies.

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My Top 20 animated movies: Part 1, #16-20

My Top 20 animated movies

Animated movies rarely get the respect they deserve. It’s common to hear people refer to them as cartoons and to regard them as lighthearted entertainment fit only for children. I suppose that idea comes from the fact that the majority of us enjoyed short cartoons when we were kids.

Classic Disney titles have been around for over 70 years and focus on material that is suitable for young children, but that doesn’t mean it’s not suitable for adults.

My Top 20 includes a number of Disney titles. Some have universal appeal while others are aimed at older audiences. Other films on the list contain messages that can appeal to people of any age. Some of the themes are complex and will only be understood by adults. I’ll mention which category each of my selections falls into.

It’s important to keep an open mind about animation and not label it as something too childish to bother with. You’ll miss out on some stunning stories if you do. There are currently 51 animated titles in my Blu-ray collection and the number would be much higher if other titles were available on the format.

Those of you who read my Top 20 Drama articles will know that Grave of the Fireflies is among my favorites. For that reason, I chose to omit it from this list.

That’s enough talk; let’s get started:

20. A Bug’s Life (1998)

Directed by John Lasseter and Andrew Stanton

Starring the voices of Kevin Spacey, Dave Foley and Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Pixar’s second movie focuses on a colony of ants. The story is about standing up to bullies and pursuing your own course even when you’re regarded as different or weird. That’s a good message for children. Flik (Foley) is a young ant with an imagination. He invents laborsaving devices to help his colony gather food for a group of aggressive grasshoppers, led by Hopper (Spacey). When an accident causes the gathered food to be lost, Flik is sent on a trip to enlist bugs willing to help the colony stand up to the grasshoppers. They are essentially getting rid of him and don’t expect him to succeed, but he returns with help. The new allies help the ants come up with a plan to defeat the grasshoppers. It’s a coming-of-age tale with lovable and quirky characters.

The animation looks great, especially on Blu-ray. Every blade of grass looks real and the detail is incredible. The story is a little scary in places, but is ultimately a lot of fun. It’s suitable for the whole family. 

19. How to Train Your Dragon (2010)

Directed by Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders

Starring the voices of Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler and Craig Ferguson

Here’s a movie that I expected to love, but it didn’t really grab me the first time I saw it. Maybe I was in the wrong mood that day because my opinion of it improved significantly on the second viewing.

The story is similar to the one in A Bug’s Life in some ways. It tells the story of Hiccup; a young Viking hoping to hunt dragons like most of the town’s inhabitants. The problem is, he’s undersized and seemingly lacks the requisite skills. He likes to invent things and one of his weapons hits the most ferocious species of dragon, a Night Fury. When he eventually discovers the injured beast, he finds that he’s unable to kill it. Instead, he names it Toothless and builds a device that will enable the dragon to fly again. The two form a bond and he starts to question whether his people are right in their assumption that dragons are dangerous and should be killed on sight. The story is full of action, which peaks during the flight scenes.

The Blu-ray presentation is excellent and the story should interest the whole family. There are currently eight books in the series and second movie is due to be released in 2014.

18. Mary and Max (2009)

Directed by Adam Elliot

Starring the voices of Philip Seymour Hoffman, Toni Collette and Eric Bana

Mary and Max is one of the weirdest animated films I have ever seen. It’s full of dark humor and is often sad, but I find myself laughing most of the time. Mary Daisy Dinkle (Collette) is an 8-year-old Australian girl, with a birthmark the color of poo, who picks a name at random from the Manhattan phone directory. The name is that of Max Jerry Horovitz (Hoffman), a 44-year-old Jewish man with Asperger’s Syndrome. Both are terribly lonely, so when she writes to him, the two develop a friendship. The dialogue is hilarious. Mary thinks that babies are found in the bottom of beer glasses; Max informs her that they actually come from eggs laid by rabbis. If you are Jewish, they are laid by Catholic nuns. If you are an atheist, they are laid by dirty, lonely prostitutes. The whole movie is full of similar dialogue. Max is brutally honest and says things that are completely inappropriate for 8-year-old Mary.

The claymation looks highly-detailed on Blu-ray. I wouldn’t be comfortable showing the movie to small children because it could raise some awkward questions. Themes include sex, theft, alcoholism and death. If you like weird humor, this is probably something you should check out.

17. Whisper of the Heart (1995)

Directed by Yoshifumi Kondô

Starring the voices of Brittany Snow, David Gallagher, James Sikking and Cary Elwes

If you read all 20 recommendations, you’ll see Hayao Miyazaki’s name mentioned several times. Although he didn’t direct Whisper of the Heart, he wrote the screenplay, and his imprint is all over the movie. Shizuku is a girl of about 13 who doesn’t really know what she wants to do with her life. She’s clever and creative, but lacks direction. She's intrigued when she discovers that almost every library book she checks out has previously been borrowed by the same person. When she meets the boy, the story starts to take off. It’s a charming story filled with people who are generally good. Children respect their elders and the elders have time to encourage the children. Friendships are strong and meaningful and it’s a nice world to spend some time in. It’s a coming-of-age story in which Shizuku discovers her calling in life. Don’t make the mistake of thinking it’s a teen romance; there’s so much more going on than that. Miyazaki creates characters that you’ll quickly like and often come to love.

Whisper of the Heart is released on Blu-ray in Japan on July 20, so there’s a good chance it will be available elsewhere by the end of 2011 or the start of 2012.

16. Princess Mononoke (1997)

Directed by Hayao Miyazaki

Starring the voices of Billy Crudup, Gillian Anderson, Clare Danes and Minnie Driver

Princess Mononoke is an animated film dealing in adult themes. Its 133-minute running time is barely sufficient to explore the vast world and complex story and it’s a little disjointed at times, but seems smoother every time I watch it. It was the highest-grossing film in Japan until Titanic was released.

Our hero is Ashitaka (Crudup), who saves his village from a possessed boar, but suffers a wound that could eventually result in his death. He is forced to leave the village to seek a cure. He rides an elk and shares a strong bond with the animal. Ashitaka is a noble and heroic young prince who always has good intentions. We see him save two men from drowning and he returns them to their village. He enters the Forbidden Forest, which is considered certain death, but it turns out to be nothing of the sort. Ashitaka encounters forest sprites who are full of joy and childlike wonder, and they lead him to safety. As with virtually all Miyazaki films, most of the danger comes from misunderstandings rather than true evil. The story is deeply spiritual and demonstrates Miyazaki’s love of nature. Princess Mononoke is raised by wolves and hates humans, but Ashitaka tries to show her that not all humans are bad. It’s a sprawling story filled with gods and mystery, but the long running time never feels boring. The simple animation style is beautiful and the music enhances the whole experience.

There’s no Blu-ray release as yet, although it will eventually happen. The DVD is worth checking out if you don’t have the option to stream it. The story is quite violent in places with bloody scenes involving enemies being decapitated. It may not be suitable for small children.

Here's my full review.

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