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Movies

Zootopia #TheToiBoxOfWords #film #review

moviereview
So, in case you don’t know, I’m going it alone with my monthly movie reviews from now on. This is my first solo effort. It’s mostly the same review I’ve been doing with some minor changes. I’d love for you to leave comments or responses to any of the questions I pose. Thanks for sticking with me through this transition.

If anyone is interested in my experience of watching Zootopia, click here to see my notes.

This review will consist of me asking myself 10 questions and answering them to the best of my ability.

Wikipedia
Wikipedia

1. What is this film about?

In an animated world where mammals are the peoples of the world, mammals have evolved. Predators and Prey live together in harmony, mostly. At the center of this utopia is the great metropolis of Zootopia. It’s a city, a jungle, tundra, and more where a bunny has a chance to live out her dream of becoming a police officer. When the country bunny hits the big city, she quickly learns that Zootopia isn’t the Mecca she hoped it would be; plus, there’s a mystery to be solved to which no one believes a bunny can do.

It took me a while to realize that there were no reptile, bird, or other talking animal characters. At least I don’t think so.

2. What did I think of the title, poster, and or trailer?

I’m really disappointed that I missed this in the theater. It just wasn’t in the cards for me. I remember thinking the movie looked cute; plus, I love animals and figured that there was probably some great social lesson to be learned in the end. But if I’m being totally honest, the main reason I wanted to see this was because of the Sloth clip.

3. What did I think of the main character(s) and how the actors performed them?

I thought the voices fit the characters well. I especially thought Bateman, Idris, and Slate fit their characters perfectly. I know there must be a lot that goes into making a voice come alive and match up with an animated image, but for me, it’s hard to judge whether or not they really performed well. I either like the match or I don’t.

4. What did I think of the direction and cinematography?

Again, when it comes to animated movies, I don’t know how much cinematography makes a difference, but in terms of direction, I get it. Someone has to decide if the voices sound right and match up, someone has to make sure what’s going on the background applies but doesn’t detract, etc… I’d say Byron Howard and Rich Moore did a great job conveying so much emotion in such a lighthearted setting.

5. What did I think of the soundtrack and score?

I enjoyed the soundtrack and score. They seem to go together well; songs coming in at the right moments that were built up by the score. I liked the use of popular music and the original song performed by Shakira.

6. What did I like about the story as a whole?

I thought the best part of the story were there not-so-hidden social messages that overflowed in this story. I could see small children missing some of them, but any adult who didn’t pick up on these messages were in denial. Themes of racism, bullying, discrimination, stereotypes, and more filled this story and I truly appreciate that.

7. What did I not like about the story?

Even though I saw it coming, I didn’t like who the villain ended up being. I understand that it was all a part of teaching the lesson that we humans still haven’t learned. Oppression will eventually make some people angry and desperate in dangerous ways. We have to stop keeping people down.

Without giving too much away, I wish the movie had addressed some ways in which the Zootopia community was going to keep other “underdogs” from doing crazy stuff like the  villain did.

8. Would I recommend this movie to others and what would I rate this movie?

Yes, I would totally recommend this film. Even if viewers don’t get the social messages, it’s very entertaining. I did actually LOL a few times.

On a scale of 1 to 5 movie reels, I give this film 5 reels.

MLoveIt

9. Is there anything I would have changed or done differently?

I think I would have tried to include the entire animal kingdom, but who knows; there may be a very good reason Disney didn’t go there with this story.

10. Was there anything in this movie that could be related to me or anything I have written?

I have not yet attempted a tale with talking animals as the main characters, but I’d love to give it a try. In any case, I do often slip in some sort of social message in my writing; sometimes I do it without even realising I’m doing it.

Watch, rent, or buy this movie here.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

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About Toi

All About Me Monday No. 02 #thetoiboxofwords #geek

I’d like to start the day off by counting my blessings. Here’s number 25.

blessings

Currency (printed or coin money)

While working on a story, set in a time of little technical and social-economic advancements, I begin to realize what a blessing currency is. I’m not talking about a love of money and the pursuit of it; this isn’t about greed. I’m talking about economic exchanges. While the barter system will never go out of existence, it’s nice to not have to depend on it daily.

Currency gives us options and opportunities. If everything we acquired in our lives was based on trading, I don’t believe many of the riches people in the world would still be so rich (this could be a good thing or a bad thing). Currency eliminates the need to always have something that someone else wants in order to get what you want or need. If I had to carry chickens with me everywhere I went in order to pay for clothes, fuel, entertainment, etc. I don’t think I’d be going out very much, not that I do anyway. I’m blessed to live in a world with currency, even if it isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be.

Now it’s time for some inspiration with My Geekdom 25: Hellboy

geekdom2
Pins from Pinterest that inspire me and indulge my geekness.
Click image to visit my boards

Pinterest board
My Geekdom

You may or may not have noticed that I have a thing for angels, demons, and other similar creatures. For me, Hellboy is the ultimate misunderstood hero. As much trouble as the Hulk has to face, Hellboy may actually have it worse- I mean “Hell” is in his name.

So let’s break this down into the most basic quandary. He’s red (that’s not normal). He has horns and a tail all the time, not a shapeshifter (that’s really odd and scary). He has a hand that looks like a brick wall (that’s really intimidating). Oh and he’s the spawn of hell, an actual demon, but still a good guy (see why adoption and proper care is so important).

I like heroes that break the norm and challenge people to look at themselves and face their own demons, so to speak. Even with the current popularity of superheroes, in general, there are still many people who won’t even consider reading about or watching anything related to Hellboy. I think that’s part of the reason some people won’t pick up my Eternal Curse Series, but there’s more to it.

In any case, people who do give Hellboy a chance soon find that the wise-cracking, cat-loving, monster to be a true blue hero who just happens to be more than a little rough around the edges.

Now it’s time to get a little personal with my Top 5Animated Comic Book Movies (24).

sample This is a list of my top five something. Most of the time my lists are pretty static, but sometimes I do change my mind. While I do try to apply some logic to my choices, sometimes I pick things that make no sense and for no good reason other than “I like it.”

Wikipedia

Animated Comic Book Movies

1. New Frontier, DC

2. Batman – Red Hood, DC

3. JLA Paradox, DC

4. Planet Hulk, Marvel

5. Next Avengers, Marvel

If DC could consistently do with their live action films what they’ve done with their animated features, and some of their TV shows, maybe they could have a movie monopoly like Marvel. As of right now all they currently have is one good Superman movie that they are trying to use as a bridge to bring in a new Batman and all new Justice League down the road. Until recently, you’d think Batman was the only hero in the DC universe because of the success of past movie franchises, but hopefully that will all change soon.
BTW- I <3 Batman!

So now, it’s time to end things on a more biographical note with my Listography of: My Guilty Pleasures (24).

listography

These are the lists that tell my life story. They are in no particular order and some of them are very personal. Please be nice, and if you want to share, I’d be glad to take a look at what you have.

My Guilty Pleasures & Vices

– White Cheddar popcorn and chocolate together

– Violent Foreign Films (not sure why they have to be foreign, but violent US films don’t appeal as much)

– Saying I’m “pissed off”. (I rarely am, usually only annoyed, but I need to find a better way to express myself.)

– Shifter love stories (though finding non-erotica or non-YA ones is becoming harder, I might lose this GP)

– Dog and puppy videos any time of the day.

– Cursing when I’m angry (I’ve actually gotten better at this, and all my anger issues in general, but until I get complete control of my tongue, it’ll always be on my list).

– Robot/Android/Cyborg, etc… movies, books, shows, whether A-list or D-list. Can’t get enough of em.

While I’m no monster, I’m definitely not a saint, but this is all I can think of right now.

Listography are books and a website dedicated to helping you write or consider your autobiography through the process of making lists.

Go ahead, add your two cents. I’d love to know about you.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords

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Movies

Renaissance Review – Mock Squid Soup No.10 #cinephiles #film #review

Wikipedia

This review will consist of me asking myself 10 questions and answering them to the best of my ability. However, before I do that, let’s take a look at my clues from last week.

#1 This is an awarding winning French film that, like so many others, did not do well at in U.S. box offices, but has since built up a cult following.

#2 The story is a dark tale of the future that cleverly ties into the fictional past of (the release year of the film) 2006 to help explain the mystery that’s being solved in the movie.

#3 This is a black and white film of a different caliber, with some well-known actors lending their talents this relatively low budget (for its type) film that has an awesome tagline: Paris 2054. Live forever or die trying.

Sorry about that last clue. I worried I made the clues too vague, but just coming out and saying that the film was animated seemed too easy.

New: see my viewing experience notes here.

1. What is this film about?

Like many sci-fi or futuristic movies, this film is about the pursuit of eternal youth or eternal life, two completely different things. It starts with a female scientist, Ilona, who seems to be in search of something, but before you have a chance to even wonder what it is, she gets kidnapped. This isn’t a spoiler; it’s the premise of the movie’s trailer. So in comes Captain Karas and the reckless sister, Bislane (I assume these are common French names.) to solve the case. With the investigation on, it doesn’t take long to realize that the company Ilona works for might have something to do with her disappearance I mean their name is Avalon and their slogan is “Health. Beauty. Longevity. Avalon. We’re on your side. For life.”…Right.

2. What did I think of the title, poster, and or trailer?

I’m not crazy about the title; I think it’s too vague. I guess it’s supposed to represent the genetic Renaissance of the future that makes people look and feel younger longer, but I feel like the movie didn’t emphasize that. Maybe the title means something else entirely and I just missed it.

I liked the trailer the first time I saw it which is why I wanted to see the movie, but I didn’t have a firm grasp on what the story was really about. I just thought it looked cool. I mean it’s an animated black and white movie made for a mature audience; how is that not cool? It turns out that the movie is more about Captain Kara’s investigation, but I won’t give away any details.

3. What did I think of the main character(s) and how the actors performed them?

Honestly, I didn’t think there was anything that really stood out about the voice work. Daniel Craig’s voice is distinctive, but that’s it. It sounds like trained actors reading lines in character. Nothing spectacular, but the animation is amazing. I feel like this was supposed to be a character-driven story, but I didn’t really connect with the characters. However, I didn’t dislike any of them and was able to easily follow along with Karas’s investigation. BTW- Karas’s character does have a very interesting back story.

4. What did I think of the direction and cinematography?

There are times when the images are hard to see, but that’s when you figure out how to look at the shadows around the light. The graphic artists were the real stars of this film and I guess the director helped all that come together.

5. What did I think of the soundtrack and score?

There were times when the music was a bit surreal and then there were times when I felt like James Bond was about to step onto the scene. The geek in me really liked that.

6. What did I like about the story as a whole?

I thought it was clever how the mystery of this story was tied into the past, the year 2006, which was the release year of the film. Overall I thought the story was really good and appreciated the little twist at the end.

7. What did I not like about the story?

I thought the relationship development was rushed and almost unnecessary, but people just don’t release movies without some kind romantic link. Also, I’m not sure if I picked up on a goof or glitch or what. There is one quick scene that I keep going back over, but I still can’t make sense of it.

8. Would I recommend this movie to others?

Yes, but I’d be picky about who I’d share it with.

9. If yes, who? What would I rate this movie?

Some people just don’t connect to animation and forget about black and white. I’d be sure to share this with an open-minded crowd. At least there are no subtitles, so that by itself will increase my audience.

On a scale of 1 to 5 movie reels, I give this film 4 reels.

MLikeIt

10. Was there anything in this movie that could be related to me or anything I have written?

I haven’t written anything like this, but I have penned a few thoughts and or cautionary tales of the future. I think what I learned most from this film is that no matter how much time passes, some people will always be greedy and someone will always have to keep them in check.

Watch, rent, or buy this movie here.

Mock Squid Soup – Film Society

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MOCK! and The Armchair Squid are proud to introduce Mock Squid Soup: A Film Society. Each month, on the second Friday, we shall host a bloghop devoted to movie reviews. We invite others to participate and post their reviews…Don’t be shy; come join the fun! 😀

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like it let me know and share it with others. See you next time, Toi Thomas. #thetoiboxofwords