After rewatching Frozen, I realized that the film as a whole was far from perfect.  With endless plot holes, a basic pop soundtrack, and a familiar story, it was hard to appreciate the original film.  I recall liking it the first time, but maybe it was just catchy and really stuck in my head for the months following.  While Frozen 2 still has a lack of needed explanation for certain plot lines, it is a definite step up from the first film.  This is already a contested opinion between fans young and old, but I stand by it for the following reason...

To start, the music in the sequel holds more weight.  Children may not like every song as much as they did for the original film since none of the tunes have stuck as much as "Let It Go".  The break-out song of this film was marketed to be "Into the Unknown", which is not the most creative song on the soundtrack, but still seems craftier than "Let It Go".  Kids might struggle to catch on to the melody, but the lyrics are more fulfilling and Idina Menzel's (Enchanted​) voice carries it quite well.  Her voice truly defies gravity and is such a treasure to the listener.  Along with the new hit, audiences can enjoy a cheesier song from Olaf and a hard-hitting love ballad from Kristoff.  Olaf's song is similar to his debut in Frozen, but Kristoff brings older viewers the nostalgia of artists like Meatloaf or REO Speedwagon.  It's a fun and intentionally ridiculous 80s tribute.  These songs are a treat for adults and kids alike.

Furthermore, the voice work and script for this follow-up are more exciting and creative.  While Olaf did not have too many lines in the original film and still annoyed me, it appears he has more lines in the sequel but never comes off as overly annoying.  Idina Menzel, Kristen Bell (Veronica Mars, Forgetting Sarah Marshall), Jonathan Groff (Mindhunter), and Josh Gad (Beauty and the Beast, 21) round out the cast again with a few extra voice actors in minor roles.  Menzel and Bell voice the young sisters so fittingly.  Gad plays a slightly more matured Olaf, but still sounds like a curious snowchild.  The big breakout for me with this film was Groff's ability to sing.  I'm a big fan of Mindhunter and Groff's character in the Netflix show is so different from Kristoff; it took me a while to realize they are played by the same person.  I can see this ensemble making a few more films together if everyone stays aboard the wintery franchise.

While I do like the sequel more than the original, there are a few choices that are flawed and leave the viewer pondering.  A couple of the things that were left unexplained in the first film are brought back and explained in this film, but this film has characters choose certain paths that are unnatural.  At one point, a main character (trying to avoid spoilers still) makes a choice that contradicts everything the film sets up.  It left me scratching my head and wondering if they just couldn't figure out a better way to progress the plot.  I still give praise to this plot for being more original than the first film, with no real villain for the sisters to face off with.  This is more about character development than it is about a battle at the end, creating a refreshing story for Disney.

I would go amiss without mentioning the visual effects.  I saw the film in Laser IMAX and it was totally worth the big screen experience.  The ice shimmers across the screen and while there is not a lot of real action sequences, there are quite a few moments where the beautiful landscape shines bright with the reflecting snowy overlay.  There was one point where the pine trees looked so realistic that I had to do a double-take and look away from the screen for a minute.  It truly is amazing what modern technology has done for artists and animation studios.  

The Bottom Line: This darker sequel progresses the characters that kids and adults already love, but has flaws that are left unexplained and contradictory.

Score: 7/10

For those of you patiently waiting for a glimpse of Jake Gyllenhaal's Mysterio, I feel your pain.  With my bias towards the friendly neighborhood superhero, I need to see the trailer for Spider-Man: Far From Home and I need to see it asap.  In the midst of the wait, I was able to see an early screening of the new animated Spider-Man film.  Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is one of the best movies that Marvel has released to date.  I truly believe that Stan Lee (Doctor Strange, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Avengers: Age of Ultron​) would be extremely proud of this film.  Combining diversity with animation and a stacked cast results in a new type of Marvel movie.  The story somewhat follows the same formula as previous Marvel films, but this is a new evolution for the powerhouse that is pushing out at least three movies a year.  

Sony Pictures Animation succeeds in a fresh style for the superhero that has been around forever.  Spider-Man was always my favorite Marvel superhero and this film keeps the character fresh.  The animation style is like nothing I've seen before, ranging from blurry vision to clear-cut characters.  The vibrancy of the colors kept my eyes glued to the screen at all times.  I have heard some complaints about the blurriness, but personally it makes for a beautiful big-screen experience.  Unfortunately, I only saw this on a regular screen and will need to see this again on either Dolby or in 3D to get even more out of the experience.

Spider-Man fans have been waiting for the debut of Miles Morales in the MCU, and we finally get a brilliant portrayal of this character.  Shameik Moore (Dope) contributes the voice for the new Spider-Man, but he is joined by many other characters that voice the hero.  Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit, The Edge of Seventeen, Ender's Game), Jake Johnson (Jurassic World, Safety Not Guaranteed), John Mulaney (Mulaney), Kimiko Glenn (Nerve), Nicholas Cage (Teen Titans Go! To the Movies), and Chris Pine (Star Trek, Wonder Woman) all voice different renditions of the superhero (unless I am missing someone, which is totally possible with the amount of characters).  This stacked cast could have slowed down the film, but rather the film proceeds smoothly so that children can remain entertained throughout the film.

Furthermore, the soundtrack is perfectly chosen for the hero's big-screen debut.  Post Malone's original song for the film is worthy of an Oscar-nod along with the original soundtrack that is crucial to the fluidity of action.  Pop culture references constantly pop onto the screen, creating a re-watchable animated film.  In fact, images of Chance the Rapper are on the screen so often that I wonder if he is making royalties off of the film.  Either way, there are some great Easter Eggs throughout the film for adults to enjoy.  No matter how often they pop up, it is exciting to see them.

The Bottom Line: With all of the live action Marvel films from the past to the present, it is a nice refreshment to see this unique animated take on one of the foundation characters for the MCU.

Score: 9/10

Image credit: ​By Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America - Stan LeeUploaded by maybeMaybeMaybe, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22896794

Mulan will remain as one of Disney's best films for a long time.  Personally, the film is categorically within my top three Disney films.  After 20 years, the animation and effects are still clean and superb.  The music never gets old and the story about a girl saving China to bring honor to her family and nation still remains relevant.  There are a lot of broad themes throughout the film that make the viewing a learning lesson, and yet the storyline is extremely entertaining to watch.  There is action for kids to maintain their attention span, but also moral values to keep Mulan as a tool for adults to teach from.

The cast clearly put in effort during the voice acting sessions, bringing out strong characters and whimsical scripts to accompany them.  Miguel Ferrer (Traffic) is terrifying as the lead villain, Shan-Yu.  Yet, Eddie Murphy (Coming to America, Shrek) as Mushu is hilariously exaggerated.  At the center of the story is of Mulan, voiced by the charming-but-tough Ming-Na Wen (Street Fighter).  The list of voice actors go on-and-on as the film is densely packed with characters to support Mulan's journey.  While the voice actors are important, the directors chose to use different actors for the singing portions which are crucial to Disney's cinematic formula.

Mulan has the most recognizable soundtrack out of every Disney film with hits including "Reflection", "I'll Make a Man Out of You", and "A Girl Worth Fighting For".  Donny Osmond's (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat) voice provides the overly-masculine Shang tracks.  Lea Salonga (Aladdin) provides a powerful counter to Osmond's Shang.  One of the themes portrayed through the music is the role of gender in modern society.  For a 1998 film, Mulan was progressive and remains progressive the more we learn about Hollywood's scandals.  I look forward to the live-action remake that is set to release in 2020, but I hope that they can keep the messages from the original film and modernize them even more.

The Bottom Line:  Mulan gives audiences the hero it needs and questions gender roles in a way that adults and children can both understand clearly.

Score: 9.8/10

Image credit: ​By Gkaidan - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=67121492

Over a decade later, Brad Bird (Ratatouille, The Iron Giant​) picks up the story of the Parr family right where he left it in 2004.  Once again, the Parr's are back in action as they balance their family life with fighting crime.  Incredibles 2 spends more time on the family life than the original film, bringing out a relatable experience for moviegoers.  Sarah Vowell (A.C.O.D) and Huck Milner create the voices of Violet Parr and Dashiell Parr as they both go through the struggles of growing up.  These characters are sassy, but also clever.  At times they act smarter than their elders, which is reflective of real life families in many cases.  The youthfulness of this film shines the brightest with the "innocent" baby, Jack-Jack.  Jack-Jack is a fun character to watch and he makes us question whether or not superpowers are dangerous or not. 

The relationship between Bob Parr and Helen Parr has a lot of interesting development in this sequel as well.  Their roles from the first film are nearly flipped around entirely.  Bob acts as the stay-at-home dad while Helen fights crime to protect her family.  Craig T. Nelson (The Family Stone) and Holly Hunter (The Big Sick) return to voice these characters respectively.  Once again, they are well-spoken and perfect fits for the characters.  As the story unfolds, Bob and Helen make the audience question stereotypical family roles.  Certainly, there can be enriched discussion after the film about these roles and their place in modern society.

For the most part, I really loved this sequel.  However, the original story still stands taller than this new installment.  The villain in Incredibles 2 is not nearly as strong of a character as Buddy from The Incredibles.  The effects are improved, but storyline is more important to me than visuals.  If this installment had stayed more focused on the Parr's family dynamic throughout the whole film, then it might have held more weight than the addition of Screenslaver.  Screenslaver is a decent villain, but does not introduce anything new to the superhero filmography.  Updated effects make for smooth animated action sequences, although Screenslaver is nothing special.  

The Bottom Line: Incredibles 2 is a fantastic watch because of the Parr family, but falls short with the crime-fighting subject.

Score: 8/10

After 18 films, Pixar still continues to release it's greatest content yet!  When I first heard about Coco, I admittedly had extremely low expectations for the film.  None of Pixar's recent films had felt fresh, original, or great since Inside Out.  However with Lee Unkrich at the film's helm, Coco transcends the recent films to become a masterpiece from the studio that started it's animation dominance with Toy Story.  

Coco is beautiful and full of detailed animation that is hard to fully admire through the constantly progressing storyline.  Taking place during Dia de los Muertos, the animators are burdened with creating intricate costumes for many of the characters.  With all of the pressure, the animators do a great job of creating smooth transitions and glorious settings.  One of the highlights of the artwork was the spirit animals.  These neon and often glowing animals are vivid and full of imagination.  Aside from that, the movements of the characters are fluid and there never appears to be a slip up in the film that probably took many years to produce.

Similarly to Inside Out, the storyline for Coco is full of heart and empathy.  The film centers around a young boy struggling to find himself between his passions and his family's values.  Of course, there are multiple twists and turns along the way.  We meet sensitive characters and awesome creatures that help guide Miguel towards the correct path.  While the film is formulaic, it still feels fresh because of the revelations that occur.  A nice addition to this Latin film is the soundtrack which includes mariachi tracks and orchestral Latin compositions.  For a film that centers around music, the original and compilation soundtracks mesh together well.

The Bottom Line: Coco is the greatest Pixar film to be released since Inside Out, revolving around a young boy's journey in finding himself.

Score: 9.5/10

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them continues the Harry Potter franchise with a similar tone and ambience.  The magic that young adults grew to love with the original series returns with new ideas and old ideas jumbled together to create a fresh storyline.  This spin-off is almost as intriguing as the previous installments, but it will take time for audiences to reconnect and separate from the older films.  No, this film does not revolve around Mr. Potter.  Rather, we get a whole new set of characters and a storyline that precedes the time of the young Hogwarts students that we fell in love with.  

The setting for Fantastic Beasts takes us to a different time period right away.  Newt Scamander, played by Eddie Redmayne (Les Miserables), precedes Harry Potter's childhood by about 70 years.  The audience is not isolated to the small world of the original films.  This is a larger scope of worldly magic, opening the mystic universe to our muggle eyes.  The original films never grew stale, but it is nice to move away from that world to explore new wizards and witches.  Newt, Kowalski, Tina, and Mary Lou are fun characters to spectate as their lives get flipped upside-down when they collide with each other.  Dan Fogler's (Kung Fu Panda, Balls of Fury) safe portrayal of Kowalski is an especially nice mix with Scamander's exploratory attitude.   

The writing is familiar, which it should be considering it was done by J.K. Rowling.  It appears that this is her world, and she wants to keep it that way.  Another familiar face returns to the directing chair to helm the film.  David Yates, the director of four other Harry Potter films, brings back the charm and dark reality of the character worlds.  When Yates took over in the original films, there was a turn towards a darker story, where Voldemort became more prevalent.  Yates perfected this tone and will likely do the same with Fantastic Beasts.  For now, IMDB claims that Yates is set to direct all five of the Fantastic Beasts films.  While I am not in any way opposed to this idea, we will see if he actually stays on board for all five films.

A lot of my praise for Fantastic Beasts is due to how relatable it is with the original films.  The new aspects are mostly praise-worthy as well.  The story is decent, the creatures look good, and the new cast is nice to see.  My main complaint with the film comes at the very end.  As with all Harry Potter films, there is a twist at the end.  The twist is not terrible, but I worry about one of the casting choices revealed at the end.  I will not spoil who pops up, but if you have seen the film you know who I am talking about.  To me, this actor is not a great fit for the new role.  However, we will see what happens when he is give the chance to truly act the part.  Aside from this, I highly anticipate the next installment.  I especially am excited to hear that Jude Law will be joining the franchise as young Dumbledore.  I think he will fill those shoes very well!

The Bottom Line: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them takes an original storyline and places it in the wizarding world that younger audiences were so fond of a few years back.

Score: 9.3/10

Image credit: ​By Gage Skidmore - Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=53412978

Disney's newest outing in live action remakes stands true to the success of the original animated film.  The "tale as old as time" remains relevant to society with it's depiction of love and different levels of societal classes.  Beauty and the Beast has deeper messages hidden in its storyline, but is still enjoyable as a family film filled with charm and attraction.  Sticking to a storyline that has already been put to the test on the big screen can be hard, but Bill Condon's (Dreamgirls) direction gives the film a fresh setting and jaw-dropping effects.  Throughout the film, animation still prevails with normally inanimate objects.  Lumiere (played by Ewan McGregor [Trainspotting, Star Wars]) shines as bright as he did in the original film, and Cogsworth's (played by Ian McKellen [The Lord of the Rings]) gears turn once again in the new adaptation.  The two actors for these roles heavy lifting with their voice acting roles.  While McGregor was able to charm as Lumiere, I'm not sure that I buy his French accent.  It was a bit over-the-top, but it did not detract too much from the film.

The best roles are saved for two very prominent actors of our time.  Dan Stevens (The Guest) is unrecognizable as the beast, which is a good thing.  After the opening scene, we get a scary image that takes time to gain the audience's trust.  His role is much different from his other works.  Stevens seems to be one of the most versatile actors in Hollywood right now.  

Speaking of versatile actors, Emma Watson (Harry Potter) graces the big screen once again as an iconic Disney character.  In this remake, Belle is different from the original film.  This time, she is a much more empowered character.  Watson's work on feminism clearly made its way into the film, proving that equality in movies is possible.  No one could do a better job in this role than Watson, and no one is more fitting.  Condon makes it very clear that this story is more based around Belle than it is around the beast.  

Of course, this wouldn't be a Disney live action adaptation without a reworking of the original score.  Usually, pre-recorded performances distract me from the screen as I watch clear lip-syncing.  However, I applaud Beauty and the Beast's sound crew for making the singing look as realistic as possible.  Sure it is not as authentic as the Les Miserables performances, but this is as good as it gets!  The massive scale choreography is also exciting to watch as the cast dances to iconic songs such as "Belle", "Be Our Guest", and the titular song "Beauty and the Beast".  Of course, "Gaston" remains as one of my favorite Disney songs ever with a job well done by Josh Gad (Frozen) and Luke Evans (Fast & Furious 6).  These familiar names play off of each other with a grand stage presence.  Evans is menacing as hell and Gad brings another wimpy character to life.

The Bottom Line: Beauty and the Beast ​brings back a tale as old as time with grandeur and charm-filled acting that could only be produced by the familiar faces in the cast.

Score: 9.3/10

Image credit: ​By http://flickr.com/photos/nieve44/ - http://flickr.com/photos/nieve44/418072188/, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2099783

When superhero movies start to grow stale, there is one thing that Hollywood can do to revive the genre... more LEGO movies!  After The Lego Movie, I craved more LEGO Batman.  After a few years, I was still excited for this film and it did not disappoint.  The Lego Movie introduced us to the crazy world of the LEGO cinematic universe, unknowingly opening a whole new children's film sub genre.  Yet, this film is a fun time for adults along with children.  Subtle jabs at political figures (President Trump himself) and self-centered characters push the film's subtle adult humor.  However, an inspiring message for the kids is still revealed towards the end of the film.  That way, we don't feel guilty about the film's education value.

Throughout The LEGO Batman Movie, I was constantly trying to figure out who was voicing each character.  Of course, Will Arnett (Despicable Me, Ratatouille) returns as one of the best cinematic Batman characters ever along with Michael Cera's (Juno, Superbad, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World) addition of an oddly flamboyant Robin.  Other familiar names round out the cast of villains and heroes.  Zach Galifianakis (The Hangover, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)) might not be your typical Joker, but I will admit that I enjoyed his rendition more than Jared Leto's (Requiem for a Dream, Dallas Buyers Club).  

Whenever a film as innovative as this one comes out, I have to take the time to admire the effects.  As a LEGO action movie, this film has some super cool effects that had me wondering how hard it is to create such a film.  Warner Bros. seems to have struck gold, but I am sure they put in a lot of gold in the creation of this piece of art.  The cast is probably expensive enough, but the LEGO effects must have taken a lot of workers and time as well.  I should be able to maintain my interest in this genre for at least the next half-decade.  I know nothing about the NINJAGO universe, but the trailer for that next franchise installment already has me hyped!

The Bottom Line:  This is truly a family film that LEGO and Batman fanatics can enjoy in the same theater.

Score: 7/10

Image credit: ​By Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America - Chris McKay & Will Arnett, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=56228004

I apologize in advance for all of the Harry Potter news you have been/will be hearing in the upcoming weeks.  Personally I am a Harry Potter fan, but not a hardcore fan that knows every single line of every single scene.  Still, this franchise was great to grow up with and filled me with joy every year that a new film came out.  I have read all of the books as well, remembering a time where a friend of mine ended up getting punched for revealing the ending of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.  Starting off as a young adult series with a few oddities, the franchise became really dark at the end of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.  This next film in the franchise was even darker, playing with dream sequences and character connections to steer Harry and his friends towards a bigger battle later to come.

At the very start of the film, the tone is completely different from the previous films.  Dark clouds surround the characters as dementors fly towards them.  Clearly, something has gone terribly wrong and the tension is building towards the ultimate ending.  As the first film for David Yates's (The Legend of Tarzan​) direction, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix masters the new tone, crafting a whole new adventure for the Hogwarts students.  The special effects add to the dark palette, only ceasing to shadow over the audience during holiday scenes.

As with all of the other Harry Potter films, there are some new and unique characters that are cast well for the film.  Evanna Lynch (G.B.F.​) adds a quirky character who later becomes extremely important in the franchise.  Just as in the books, we get a sense of the odd mentality that Luna Lovegood has.  Another great addition is Imelda Staunton (Chicken Run).  Her portrayal of Dolores Umbridge gives me chills every time.  Constantly correcting people, she is a villain that seems friendly on the surface but turns evil very quickly.  If that isn't creepy enough, she is apparently a crazy cat lady who collects plates of magical cats.  While these characters add uniqueness to this part of the franchise, they still come off as a bit cheesy.  This cheesiness helps the franchise to attract children's attention, while still darkening the tone for audiences that have matured over time.  I look forward to watching David Yates's expansion of the franchise with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them!

The Bottom Line:  This Harry Potter film is dark and quirky, captivating audiences that are young and old.

Score: 7.5/10

Image credit: ​By Andy F, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14269682

Every image on the screen flutters with finesse and glows with glory.  This tale of a boy trying to save himself and his family is an extraordinary accomplishment in the realm of animation.  Sheer beauty engulfs the screen at all moments, whether it's a sword-fight between a monkey and an evil twin or just the background image of a mountain shining in the sun.  As a first animated feature film directed by Travis Knight (Coraline), surely he will return to direct many more and become a well-known creator in time.  Kubo and the Two Strings reminded me of the spectacular films created by Hayao Miyazaki.  The story is created for adults and children alike.

My favorite part about the storyline is its traditional creativity.  The story relies on magic, dreams, and music to mesh together purity and ingenuity.  There are creatures that terrified me and I am 22 years old!  Honestly if you want to bring children to this film, I would be prepared for the nightmares that they will have afterwards.  Two evil twins are brilliantly designed to remind audiences of the horrifying imagery in past films.  They act as a sort of homage to Kubrick's twins in The Shining.  Yes, I just compared this child-friendly animated film to one of the most horrifying films of all time.  Don't worry, it's not quite as scary but there are some aspects that could provoke a child to wail in the theaters.  I will say that aside from the horror story aspects, there are some twists that are easily predictable from the beginning of the film.  Kids may not see these twists, but adults will most likely realize their foreshadowing early on.  Still, the story is epic and told in an interactive manner to keep us grasping at the next step.

I would be completely amiss if I did not discuss the use of music and art in Kubo and the Two Strings.  Within the first twenty minutes of the film, we see the creativity behind the project.  Kubo picks up his musical instrument a plays a song that tells a story.  Origami art flies around the screen, battling each other for glory and honor.  The animation is smooth and seemingly flawless; yet, it is unique and attractive.  New creatures strike us with swords, wings, and paws throughout Kubo's journey to redeem his father's pride and defeat his extended family.  Along with the original music and sleek animation, we hear familiar voices in new roles.  Charlize Theron (Mad Max: Fury Road, Hancock), Rooney Mara (The Social Network, Her), George Takei (Mulan, Star Trek), Matthew McConaughey (Interstellar, The Wolf of Wall Street, Dallas Buyers Club), and Ralph Fiennes (Harry Potter, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Schindler's List, Skyfall) all contribute their vocal chords to Kubo's epic adventure.  All of their voices give away who they are, but their characters are unusual parts for the individual actors.  However, I did get a mix of Ramses and Voldemort for Fiennes's character, but it was fun to hear nonetheless.  Credit must also be given to up-and-rising star Art Parkinson (Dracula Untold​), who plays Kubo.  This role gives him more to do than his role in Game of Thrones, but let's not even go there for now...

The Bottom Line:  Kubo and the Two Strings is the most respectable animated film since Miyazaki's genre-dominance.

Score: 9.7/10

Image credit: http://www.geeksofdoom.com/GoD/img/2016/01/kubo-and-the-two-strings-laika-530x297.jpg