ModishMovies

That isn't to say that everyone in this show is rich, but the people behind it clearly had enough money to build at least eight public schools with the money they spent on useless technology and a whole entire building for this dumb concept.

If every scene's dialogue was improvised, as I have heard, this film owes itself entirely to the fantastic two leads. Without them, there would be no emotion, engagement, or perfect connection between the characters and the audience. Their relationship is at the heart of this film, finding just the perfect balance of awkwardness, humor, and discomfort in serious and upsetting subjects. Individual scenes and moments don't have payoffs, but the ending of this film is such an emotional roller coaster that I sincerely hope I don't forget this film so that I don't have to watch it again. Themes of death, loss, love, and friendship are explored so poignantly and touchingly. Netflix better promote this film right or else it will go unseen by far too many people, which is unfortunate because this film truly is for everyone.

Let's get the obvious out of the way: The animation is great. It's lively. It's colorful. It's about on par with where you would expect computer animation to be in 2019. The film also has a satisfying ending that is sure to please nearly all viewers, especially those in the target audience.

But this franchise really isn't for me. The humor is dumb and rarely inspired. The story tries to make itself seem more important and interesting than it really is. The characters are forgettable and there are too many side characters when there's no need for that many other than to build up the star-studded cast.

This film rips off Thor: Ragnarok's wonderful line, "Asgard isn't a place; it's a people." I never thought I'd be saying this, but Smallfoot deals with the philosophical theme of monsters vs. humans in a much more nuanced and understandable way.

The dragons are still cute, though, but I don't understand why they are treated exactly like dogs from their facial expressions to the "boy's best friend" habits. I love the world this film creates as well as the magical animation moments, but not so much the (human) characters. It's all right for kids, though, I guess, so what's the harm?