tabithawhitehair

First of all if you haven't seen this movie, please go watch it. I was going to give this movie a 4 star review because, I couldn't think of myself praising it that much but really looking back on it, I don't see how this doesn't deserve 5 stars. The main 3 of Ray Romano as Manny, John Leguizamo as Sid, and Denis Leary as Diego is just so classic and amazing. Manny and Diego's character arcs are very emotional (Especially Diego's) and they make up for Sid not being the most complex character by making him literally one of the funniest characters and in my opinion the funniest in animation history. The only scene I don't remember myself enjoying really was just when the mother was running away from the sabers but when she handed the baby to Manny and Sid and disappeared, that really tugged on the heart strings. Diego's character is commonly overlooked but the more I look at it, the more I just loved how Diego was moved by the pack throughout the whole journey. The scene where Manny reflects back on his life made me think about him as a character more and just made him all the more solid as the leader of the group. I may be the only one who picks up on it, but the way Sid follows Manny and Diego to the end just touches me in a way that few other movies do even though it may sound strange. The villains were ok and if anything just enhanced Diego's arc for me but the best part of this movie overall was the big 3 that they hired for Manny, Sid, and Diego. One of the greatest animated movies of all time. If you haven't seen it, please go watch it.

Are you a good witch, or a bad witch?" - Glinda

Following a lage tornado, Dorothy, a teenage farm girl from Kansas, is swept away to the magical land of Oz. Along with her new friends the Scarecrow, Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion, Dorothy must find the Wizard in the hopes he can help her return home.

I can't remember when or where I saw Wizard of Oz for the first time. It's one of those films ingrained in my memory since as long as I can remember and although not one of my favourite films of all time - its still a near perfect movie! The transition from Black and White to Colour is just as striking now as I'm sure it would of been back in 1939. Even though I know what to expect, it still takes me by surprise every time she steps into Munckin City. The performances, songs and dance numbers are extremely zany, catchy and camp but it blends in well with the ridiculousness of the film itself. The actors were well selected and every main character plays there part extremely well - the munchkins are a little flat I have to say but their songs and costumes make up for the lack of acting skills. The 4K image is crystal clear and the downside to that is certain special effects are extremely noticable and not always effectuve - such as the visible trap door when the Wicked Witch appears/disappears in the Munckim City or when the Wicked Witch flies on her broom around the castle and you can tell it's a small toy on a string or wire. Even though I did laugh at these on my recent watch through, i also appreciated the skill and effort it took to achieve such special effects in 1939 - and it would of looked perfectly realistic on CRT TV, VHS and DVD...

Final Verdict: This movie is a classic and a much loved family favourite for many generations. The songs are catchy, the story timeless and the performances are memorable. In 4K the image is so clear and vibrant you'd think the film was made this century!

I am a huge fan of the Despicable Me movies And the Minions were always my favorite characters in them. It made sense to other people I guess that maybe the Minions should get their own movie, intelligently called, Minions. I think I first saw Minions at the theatre and liked it but I recently picked up a Blu-ray copy for another viewing. The film is still very cute I have to say, the animation is well done and the Minions are lovable. What lets the film down however is that there isn't much substance to the story and after a while the singing and silliness just get boring. Each Minion has his own personality and even though they look almost identical it's easy to tell them apart with Stuart and Kevin being my favourites, Bob was a bit too silly. There's a number of songs and brief musical numbers which were funny and endearing to start with but after a couple they became cheesy. My favourite scene was the opening sequence detailing how the Minions came to be and all the failed ventures with previous "bosses".

Final Verdict: It starts well but very quickly it becomes apparent there isn't going to be much substance here, just cute slapstick and some colorful animation. It will certainly keep kids entertained but as an adult I was left wanting more. It's not bad though.