slyweazal Reviews

The Boy and the Beast (2015)

"Kemono: The Movie"

[8/10 · 7 December 2015]

Like a male version of "The Cat Returns" - full of beautiful animation, appealing characters and themes, speckled with a few moments of honesty, a lot of familiar anime tropes, and some spotty pacing/storytelling.

Fortunately, the film is sufficiently well made and intentioned that if you're able to accept the director's priorities and not get hung up by less-than-subtle exposition, it's a totally charming, indulgent time.

Movies like this fill a sweet spot: the kind of comforting sentimentality that makes you feel good on sick days.

If you're reading this, chances are you're familiar with the director's work ("Wolf Children," "Summer Wars," "Digimon," etc.). As the title of this review indicates, this movie delivers that content...more than any other film in existence. Enjoy.

How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014)

Early review from from a fanboy (NO SPOILERS)

[6/10 · 10 June 2014]

I saw HTTYD 2 at the LA Film Fest on 6/9/14 in 3D with the director and America there in person.

While I am a "fanboy" of the original, I do think there's enough objective quality that anyone can recognize the dialog, acting, music, animation, character design (aside from Hiccup, darn it) were all higher quality than most would expect from a kid's film. In fact, I think it's quite nearly Pixar quality.

My expectations for HTTYD 2 were understandably high, but at the very least I just wanted it to be AS GOOD as the first.

Unfortunately, that's not the case so please adjust your expectations accordingly.

PROS:

• Even better animation, textures, and epic, awe-inspiring scale

• Same lovable characters, appropriately aged

• Toothless being Toothless

• Stunning 3D

• Solid acting (except for Jay)

• More great dragons

• SOME beautiful scenes/moments (not enough compared to original)

CONS:

• Messy pacing. Big things happen with little suspense or anticipation...sabotaging the drama and satisfaction of those scenes.

• Dialog can be cringe-inducingly cheesy.

• Main villain is barely even a character he's so undeveloped.

• Jay's acting (just wait for his last line)

Overall, it lacks the depth, refinement, dialog, and compelling pacing of the original. BUT, it's not a "bad movie"! It's head-and-shoulders above most kids films, but compared to the first one...it is a step down. Still very enjoyable and definitely not terrible - just don't expect the first one.