Luca

Have loved Pixar for years, well ever since seeing the first two 'Toy Story' films and 'A Bug's Life' when they first came out. Pre-2010 their films were consistently never less than very good and their best efforts outstanding. Pixar did start to vary post-2010, especially in the sequels, but the past seven years or so has seen some of their best work in 'Inside Out', 'Coco' and 'Soul'. Did like the concept for 'Luca', even if it was not a creative one.

'Luca' turned out to be very, very charming and very high quality. It is not one of Pixar's best films by all means, other films of theirs are more creative conceptually and deeper and more complex emotionally and is not as good as their previous two films 'Soul' and 'Onward'. At the same time, there is more than enough to 'Luca' to stop it from being lesser Pixar, a list that includes most of the sequels post-2010 and 'The Good Dinosaur'.

There is not an awful lot that is wrong with 'Luca'. It is very slight and takes its time to get going.

Also thought that the portrayal of the bullies was overdone and on the stereotypical side.

On the other hand, the animation is stunning. Especially the vibrant colours and beautiful Italian landscapes, while the characters expressions and movements are nuanced and natural. The music is a nice mix of stirringly upbeat and poignant-sounding in the quieter moments. As well as having an affectionately Italianate sound. The script is smart and knows its target audience without trying too hard to appeal to them or anybody outside it. The humour is genuinely amusing, while there is plenty of heart without being too sentimental.

While the story is slight and not perfectly paced, it makes great nostalgic use of the Italian setting and doesn't resort too much to cultural stereotyping. Appreciated its handling of the messaging too, the messages are great and relatable ones that have a lot of resonance and relevance that could easily have been preachy but not once does the messages of loyalty, friendship and respect feel forced or condescending. There are plenty of sight gags that come thick and fast and they are genuinely funny, but there is a warm heart and poignancy too. Particularly in the friendship between the three leads. The characters are worth engaging with, only the bullies don't quite come off, while the climax has plenty of excitement. The voice acting is dynamic and emotive with the accents not coming over as too stereotyped.

In conclusion, very good. 8/10.

Coming from a place which is very close to Cinque Terre (where the imaginary Porto Rosso is meant to be part of) I watched the movie with a lot of expectations: well I must say that I have really enjoyed it: the story is nice, the main characters are enjoyable and both the location and the scenery have been well described (assuming we are talking about the '60s).

The soundtrack in the Italian version of the movie was very nice as well.

Well done Pixar!

Stop it Pixar! Just stop it! Even the simplest stories are becoming masterpieces in the hands of Pixar. I don't know how they do it. It doesn't take the emotions risks like an Inside Out or Soul, nor is it a masterpiece of a screenplay like the Toy Story franchise, but boy oh boy I love it. Probably, its biggest flaw is also it's strength. It doesn't try to be the next masterpiece. It's Luca. It's a fun crowd pleaser with the typical Pixar emotional moments. It doesn't brake boundaries, but that's okay for me. For what it is, it's perfect! The story is sweet, and the characters are charming and lovely with real development. Yes, the story is a little predictable at times, but it doesn't bother the story much for me. I also love that the villain is the complete opposite of a twist villain. From the moment he pops on screen, you know he's the baddy, and he fits the movie very well. What makes this movie stand out, are the visuals. Holy crap, this movie is gorgeous! Literally the most beautiful movie I've seen this year so far. Also, the score, holy crap. Everything fits with the beautiful country that is Italy. I already know a lot of people will think it fits too much in the Pixar formula, but what can I see. The formula works, so why change it. It has his flaws, and it probably is not the next Pixar masterpiece, but it does work perfectly for what it is.

Sadly enough It's the same old Disney formula that we are used to, for some reason Disney/Pixar keep churning out these beautifully crafted pieces of animated art with the most wild and unique settings but somehow keep opting for the most predictable and cliche storytelling in their arsenal.

And yes, you can have the argument that it is a movie primarily focussed for kids, but I'd say that's not an excuse to keep coming back to the same cookie cutter storyline. Not every Disney movie needs to be about friendship and acceptance.

Having that said the movie is still beautifully made and even makes you crack a smile at times. I love the Italian setting they went for and the voice action is superb. I especially liked the voice acting of Giulia done by Emma Berman.

It's a fun lighthearted movie, but that's about it. I'd still recommend it if you just want to sit back and relax or of course to watch with your children.

7/10, if you play it safe, you will never stand out.

Oh, and I loved the cat.

This story is set at the coastline of Italy. The concept is, if these fish go onto land they transition from their fish form into what appears to be a human form. So a young fish, tired of the rules of his parents, goes on land and meets a similar young fish, but both of them take the forms of young boys.

There are a number of interesting elements, most surrounding a yearly race, and the two young fish converts befriended a young red-haired girl.

The story gets enough complex that it is hard to describe in a few words, but the writing and animation teams did a superb job of pulling it all together and keeping it interesting.

My wife and I watched it at home, on DVD from our public library, and we laughter often. In total it is just a super entertaining animated feature.