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Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Soul (2020) in Movies
Dec 30, 2020
Soul is Pixar at its most cerebral
In the last few days I've seen Pixar's latest animation - "Soul" - described by various reviewers as a cross between "Inside Out", "Coco", "La La Land" and "Whiplash". I'll add to that some older movies with more obvious parallels with the story: 1946's "A Matter of Life and Death" with David Niven; 1941's "Here Comes Mr Jordan" with Robert Montgomery and its 1978 remake - a personal favourite of mine - "Heaven Can Wait" with Warren Beatty. For these all tell the story of someone plucked from the world a tad too early.
In "Soul", Joe (Jamie Foxx) is a talented jazz pianist always dreaming of getting to be a big time session musician. He is stuck though in a worthwhile but unappreciated job as a high school music teacher. But his luck is - temporarily - about to change when an old successful student (nice touch) recommends him to provide backing to the fearsome jazz star Dorothea Williams (Angela Bassett).
Just as things seem to going his way, an open manhole cover has other ideas, and Joe falls to his 'death'. Feeling his soul has exited the world too early, and just before he gets his big shot, Joe's spirit struggles to return to the world with the help of reluctant soul/recruit "22" (Tina Fey).
Pete Docter seems to have done it again with "Soul". The man behind Pixar's hugely successful "Up" and "Inside Out" has the magic touch with these animated classics. He's had more than his share of Oscar success. (Although having gone straight to streaming on Disney+, does it qualify for the Oscars this year? Or have they relaxed the rules?) Assuming it is eligible, you'd be a brave man to bet against "Soul" winning Best Animated Feature this year.
For there are some sequences of this movie that are breathtakingly effective. The fall of Joe from the "stairway to the great beyond" to the pre-life domain (as shown in the trailer) is a masterpiece of graphic design. (And do I detect in there a tribute to the "stargate" in "2001: A Space Odyssey"?) What makes these sequences distinctive is not the afterlife soul's or the "great before" souls, who resemble blue variants of Casper. It's the 'counsellors' of the realms. They are surreally drawn Picasso-style in 2D and - although easy to draw for preschooler's with a crayon - might be a bit of a stretch for them to relate to.
But will the kids get it? I know that my 6-year old grandson enjoyed watching it. But ultimately, this is principally a Pixar film squarely targeted at adults to enjoy. Indeed, the themes of death and afterlife might be disturbing for younger children (as in "Coco"). They will certainly struggle to understand the land of lost souls, where those obsessed with their work or hobbies (metal detecting! LOL!) are almost beyond reach. And surely the message of 'enjoying the everyday here and now' rather than getting too wrapped up in career or life goals will only be relatable to adults.
"Soul" is brim-full with Pixar quirkiness. As per normal, the movie has a lot of detail that will need multiple watches. And I can confirm that the pause button helps! For example, "22" has been an earth-apprentice for so many millennia that he has had just about every mentor who's ever passed through. His 'den' is wallpapered with "Hello, My Name is ...." badges, and a pause at that point reveals mentors as varied as Gandhi, Aretha Franklin, Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking! And in the end titles, the usual list of babies born during production are "Recent You Seminar graduates"!
The movie also features two of the most distinctive voices from UK television. Graham Norton plays Moonwind: a sign-spinning hippy and lost-soul-sea piratical captain (I've honestly not been taking drugs). And Richard Ayoade, a UK TV regular but familiar to US audiences from his role in "The IT Crowd", plays Counsellor Jerry (well, one of them!). Alice Braga, as another Counsellor Jerry and most recently seen as the doctor in "The New Mutants", is another familiar voice
For once, Michael Giacchino doesn't get the scoring gig. Instead, this went to the "Nine Inch Nails" partnership of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. (The soundtrack for "Mank" was their most recent work). The music is perhaps not as immediately accessible as some of the previous Pixar scores. But I think will be a 'grower'.
I have a "but" in my review. I sobbed like a young child during parts of "Up". And similarly, I was a mess as 'Bing Bong' faded away in "Inside Out". And yet here, my tear ducts remained stubbornly unchallenged. Perhaps this is a personal thing, and others were a soggy mess after this movie. But, for me, it simply didn't connect with me at the same raw emotional level that Docter's other work (and indeed other Pixar movies) have done. So, for that reason (only), I'm going to hold off my highest rating.
It's highly recommended since, notwithstanding this, it's a magnificent effort. (At the 11th hour, it made my "Number 7" slot in my Top 10 of 2020). It's also worth noting that it's mildly groundbreaking in being the first Pixar movie with a black leading character.
(For the full graphical review, please check out the full review in One Mann's Movies here - https://bob-the-movie-man.com/2020/12/30/soul-is-pixar-at-its-most-cerebral/).
In "Soul", Joe (Jamie Foxx) is a talented jazz pianist always dreaming of getting to be a big time session musician. He is stuck though in a worthwhile but unappreciated job as a high school music teacher. But his luck is - temporarily - about to change when an old successful student (nice touch) recommends him to provide backing to the fearsome jazz star Dorothea Williams (Angela Bassett).
Just as things seem to going his way, an open manhole cover has other ideas, and Joe falls to his 'death'. Feeling his soul has exited the world too early, and just before he gets his big shot, Joe's spirit struggles to return to the world with the help of reluctant soul/recruit "22" (Tina Fey).
Pete Docter seems to have done it again with "Soul". The man behind Pixar's hugely successful "Up" and "Inside Out" has the magic touch with these animated classics. He's had more than his share of Oscar success. (Although having gone straight to streaming on Disney+, does it qualify for the Oscars this year? Or have they relaxed the rules?) Assuming it is eligible, you'd be a brave man to bet against "Soul" winning Best Animated Feature this year.
For there are some sequences of this movie that are breathtakingly effective. The fall of Joe from the "stairway to the great beyond" to the pre-life domain (as shown in the trailer) is a masterpiece of graphic design. (And do I detect in there a tribute to the "stargate" in "2001: A Space Odyssey"?) What makes these sequences distinctive is not the afterlife soul's or the "great before" souls, who resemble blue variants of Casper. It's the 'counsellors' of the realms. They are surreally drawn Picasso-style in 2D and - although easy to draw for preschooler's with a crayon - might be a bit of a stretch for them to relate to.
But will the kids get it? I know that my 6-year old grandson enjoyed watching it. But ultimately, this is principally a Pixar film squarely targeted at adults to enjoy. Indeed, the themes of death and afterlife might be disturbing for younger children (as in "Coco"). They will certainly struggle to understand the land of lost souls, where those obsessed with their work or hobbies (metal detecting! LOL!) are almost beyond reach. And surely the message of 'enjoying the everyday here and now' rather than getting too wrapped up in career or life goals will only be relatable to adults.
"Soul" is brim-full with Pixar quirkiness. As per normal, the movie has a lot of detail that will need multiple watches. And I can confirm that the pause button helps! For example, "22" has been an earth-apprentice for so many millennia that he has had just about every mentor who's ever passed through. His 'den' is wallpapered with "Hello, My Name is ...." badges, and a pause at that point reveals mentors as varied as Gandhi, Aretha Franklin, Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking! And in the end titles, the usual list of babies born during production are "Recent You Seminar graduates"!
The movie also features two of the most distinctive voices from UK television. Graham Norton plays Moonwind: a sign-spinning hippy and lost-soul-sea piratical captain (I've honestly not been taking drugs). And Richard Ayoade, a UK TV regular but familiar to US audiences from his role in "The IT Crowd", plays Counsellor Jerry (well, one of them!). Alice Braga, as another Counsellor Jerry and most recently seen as the doctor in "The New Mutants", is another familiar voice
For once, Michael Giacchino doesn't get the scoring gig. Instead, this went to the "Nine Inch Nails" partnership of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. (The soundtrack for "Mank" was their most recent work). The music is perhaps not as immediately accessible as some of the previous Pixar scores. But I think will be a 'grower'.
I have a "but" in my review. I sobbed like a young child during parts of "Up". And similarly, I was a mess as 'Bing Bong' faded away in "Inside Out". And yet here, my tear ducts remained stubbornly unchallenged. Perhaps this is a personal thing, and others were a soggy mess after this movie. But, for me, it simply didn't connect with me at the same raw emotional level that Docter's other work (and indeed other Pixar movies) have done. So, for that reason (only), I'm going to hold off my highest rating.
It's highly recommended since, notwithstanding this, it's a magnificent effort. (At the 11th hour, it made my "Number 7" slot in my Top 10 of 2020). It's also worth noting that it's mildly groundbreaking in being the first Pixar movie with a black leading character.
(For the full graphical review, please check out the full review in One Mann's Movies here - https://bob-the-movie-man.com/2020/12/30/soul-is-pixar-at-its-most-cerebral/).
Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated Honeymoon (2014) in Movies
May 12, 2018
Contains spoilers, click to show
Okay, so I watched Honeymoon a while back (before my hospitalization), but it’s still been lingering at the edges of my mind – more with a what the fuck sort of connotation than anything else. You’ll have to pardon my lack of screenshots, as my Shudder account has lapsed and because of current going-ons (including surgery within the next two weeks), I haven’t had the chance to resubscribe – though I desperately want to.
I don’t really have a huge gripe with the characters in this one. The acting isn’t what bothered me; rather it was the plot. I don’t do so well with WTF moments when they seem to be way out of the ballpark and that appears to be the case here.
Honeymoon is a romantic horror – if such a genre even exists. I mean, you’ve got this newlywed couple set up in a beautiful, rustic cabin in the middle of the woods. (It even has a VCR!) Anyways, wife goes off in middle of the night, claims to be sleepwalking, but oddly enough earlier in the film we meet a childhood friend. From there, things spiral out of control. Paul tries to confront Bea, but she’s all hush-hush about what is going on with her. Turns out, alien things are involved and that, my friends, is where the movie lost me. Well, between that and the marks that show up on Bea’s inner thigh, which makes it all too obvious what really happened to her.
Of course, Paul continues to play dumb for a while. At least, until he finds Bea in the bathroom stabbing herself in the privates over and over. Because apparently this is something a person would do. I mean, I totally would(n’t). This… I honestly don’t know why I was still watching at this point. Normally I’d have turned to something more intriguing, but you know when you simply can’t pull your eyes away? Yeah, that happened here and let me tell you, the next scene in the movie… just no. Nope.
Unrealistic to a fault and messed up beyond measure, Paul shoves his arm up in there, and yanks out what Bea is so desperately trying to pull out. Because… ANATOMY boys and girls. This movie, seriously, crosses into animated porn territory, complete with fisting and pulling worm-like beings out of a woman. I just… no. It’s not even hot.
The conclusion of the film? Stereotypical false happy-ending bullshit that you see in a lot of horror movies. Someone survives, or so it seems, and then of course at the last minute the bad guy goes for the kill. I honestly have not been able to simply let this one out of my mind. It’s just hovered there, like an itch you can’t quite reach, and I’m hoping this little tirade will finally give me the freedom from it I need. Yet somehow, we’ve got semi-decent ratings on Rotten Tomatoes for this film.
I don’t really have a huge gripe with the characters in this one. The acting isn’t what bothered me; rather it was the plot. I don’t do so well with WTF moments when they seem to be way out of the ballpark and that appears to be the case here.
Honeymoon is a romantic horror – if such a genre even exists. I mean, you’ve got this newlywed couple set up in a beautiful, rustic cabin in the middle of the woods. (It even has a VCR!) Anyways, wife goes off in middle of the night, claims to be sleepwalking, but oddly enough earlier in the film we meet a childhood friend. From there, things spiral out of control. Paul tries to confront Bea, but she’s all hush-hush about what is going on with her. Turns out, alien things are involved and that, my friends, is where the movie lost me. Well, between that and the marks that show up on Bea’s inner thigh, which makes it all too obvious what really happened to her.
Of course, Paul continues to play dumb for a while. At least, until he finds Bea in the bathroom stabbing herself in the privates over and over. Because apparently this is something a person would do. I mean, I totally would(n’t). This… I honestly don’t know why I was still watching at this point. Normally I’d have turned to something more intriguing, but you know when you simply can’t pull your eyes away? Yeah, that happened here and let me tell you, the next scene in the movie… just no. Nope.
Unrealistic to a fault and messed up beyond measure, Paul shoves his arm up in there, and yanks out what Bea is so desperately trying to pull out. Because… ANATOMY boys and girls. This movie, seriously, crosses into animated porn territory, complete with fisting and pulling worm-like beings out of a woman. I just… no. It’s not even hot.
The conclusion of the film? Stereotypical false happy-ending bullshit that you see in a lot of horror movies. Someone survives, or so it seems, and then of course at the last minute the bad guy goes for the kill. I honestly have not been able to simply let this one out of my mind. It’s just hovered there, like an itch you can’t quite reach, and I’m hoping this little tirade will finally give me the freedom from it I need. Yet somehow, we’ve got semi-decent ratings on Rotten Tomatoes for this film.
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Christopher Robin (2018) in Movies
Apr 1, 2019
Endearing and Pleasant
Never was a big “Winnie the Pooh” guy growing up, but I was always familiar with the characters. Christopher Robin made me fall in love with these characters all the same. Now an adult, Christopher returns to the Hundred Acre Woods to reunite with old friends he left behind.
Acting: 10
Jim Cummings is stellar as both Pooh and Tigger. Although I don’t have a huge point of reference, I can say that it felt like he poured his heart into these characters, making them extremely lovable. His tone and inflection just have a way of making me smile. I also loved Brad Garrett voicing Eeyore. That choice is almost a given as his voice is perfect, but I loved how he took the role and made it his own. Amazing job by the cast all around.
Beginning: 9
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Reminiscent of what they did with the Snuggle bear, the characters are not quite animated, but an odd form of CGI. They don’t feel like fake creatures, rather they are a uniquely pleasant creation. Seeing them interact with Christopher Robin and the settings around them was a treat. I loved the way the Hundred Acre Woods are captured and the well-crafted closeups of the characters that evoke emotion. Especially powerful was the montage of Christopher Robin growing into a man at the beginning of the movie. It shows you just how far removed he is from his childhood.
Conflict: 7
Genre: 9
I appreciate it when a kids film can take their material and use it to appeal to adults. Christopher Robin straddles the line between adults and children extremely well and makes it an enjoyable experience for all. I smiled. I laughed. And maybe, just maybe, I got a little teary.
Memorability: 9
The movie hits you with a strong message about the necessity of growing up and the importance of holding on to yourself as you age. Watching it inspired me to remember how it felt to be fancy free without a care in the world and how good that felt. The movie does a great job of sprinkling the message in with the fun of the story.
One of my favorite scenes in the movie is when Pooh and Christopher reunite for the first time. They are sitting on park benches facing away from each other. It’s an endearing moment that helps to get the adventure rolling.
Pace: 10
Plot: 10
Resolution: 10
If this ending doesn’t move you, you are not human. Kidding, but it’s the perfect sappy ending for a sappy movie. The kind of ending that makes you want to start the movie over from the beginning and watch it all over again.
Overall: 94
First Po, then Paddington, now Pooh. I don’t know what it is about these bears that put a smile on my face, but whatever it is, it works! Christopher Robin was definitely one of my favorite movies of 2018.
Acting: 10
Jim Cummings is stellar as both Pooh and Tigger. Although I don’t have a huge point of reference, I can say that it felt like he poured his heart into these characters, making them extremely lovable. His tone and inflection just have a way of making me smile. I also loved Brad Garrett voicing Eeyore. That choice is almost a given as his voice is perfect, but I loved how he took the role and made it his own. Amazing job by the cast all around.
Beginning: 9
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Reminiscent of what they did with the Snuggle bear, the characters are not quite animated, but an odd form of CGI. They don’t feel like fake creatures, rather they are a uniquely pleasant creation. Seeing them interact with Christopher Robin and the settings around them was a treat. I loved the way the Hundred Acre Woods are captured and the well-crafted closeups of the characters that evoke emotion. Especially powerful was the montage of Christopher Robin growing into a man at the beginning of the movie. It shows you just how far removed he is from his childhood.
Conflict: 7
Genre: 9
I appreciate it when a kids film can take their material and use it to appeal to adults. Christopher Robin straddles the line between adults and children extremely well and makes it an enjoyable experience for all. I smiled. I laughed. And maybe, just maybe, I got a little teary.
Memorability: 9
The movie hits you with a strong message about the necessity of growing up and the importance of holding on to yourself as you age. Watching it inspired me to remember how it felt to be fancy free without a care in the world and how good that felt. The movie does a great job of sprinkling the message in with the fun of the story.
One of my favorite scenes in the movie is when Pooh and Christopher reunite for the first time. They are sitting on park benches facing away from each other. It’s an endearing moment that helps to get the adventure rolling.
Pace: 10
Plot: 10
Resolution: 10
If this ending doesn’t move you, you are not human. Kidding, but it’s the perfect sappy ending for a sappy movie. The kind of ending that makes you want to start the movie over from the beginning and watch it all over again.
Overall: 94
First Po, then Paddington, now Pooh. I don’t know what it is about these bears that put a smile on my face, but whatever it is, it works! Christopher Robin was definitely one of my favorite movies of 2018.
Lee (2222 KP) rated Pokémon: Detective Pikachu (2019) in Movies
May 18, 2019
Much better than I was expecting
I never really 'got' Pokémon. I've never watched it, never read it, never had any interest in it whatsoever. I actually gave the game Pokémon Go a shot, as I was already a big fan of Niantic's previous game, Ingress. But swiping balls randomly at floating animated creatures on the screen? Yeah, not really my idea of fun. So, why then would I go watch a Pokémon movie where, for some strange reason, Deadpool is voicing the lead character, a cute little fluffy Pikachu? Well, in the interests of providing balanced, impartial Smashbomb reviews that's why. And, because my nephew asked me to take him...
I guess one of my concerns before heading in to see Detective Pikachu was how exactly the Pokémon we're going to be portrayed. If this was going to be some kind of Smurfs or Alvin and the Chipmunks style movie, where over-the-top CGI characters are thrust upon the world of over-the-top human characters in some crazy adventure aimed at six year olds, then I wouldn't be very happy. Thankfully, it turned out to be the compete opposite.
21 year old Tim receives news that his father, top detective Harry Goodman, has gone missing following a car accident, and is presumed dead. He travels to his father's place of work - Ryme City, a modern metropolis where humans and Pokémon live happily side by side - and joins forces with Harry's Pokémon partner, Detective Pikachu. Tim discovers that he can understand what the wise cracking, cute little Pikachu is saying to him and they set about trying to get to the bottom of the mystery surrounding Harry's suspected death.
I was pretty impressed from the offset just how well this movie is presented. It's set in a world where humans and these strange, wonderful creatures live alongside each other in harmony, yet the Pokémon are never really presented in that wacky manner that I described earlier with other CGI character movies. It's extremely well done and feels both natural and believable. And because the focus of the movie is more on the story, and the mystery to be solved, rather than revelling in the fact that this is a live action Pokémon movie, it made it all the more enjoyable. This felt to me something more alike to 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit'. And I really liked it!
Better still, I rarely felt as though I needed any prior knowledge of Pokémon in order to appreciate and enjoy it. There's a brief explainer near the beginning regarding the whole trainer/balls/battles concept, which didn't make it any less ridiculous as far as I'm concerned, but that just didn't matter as it wasn't really necessary to the main plot. Having never experienced Pokémon in any other media form, I obviously can't comment on how faithful this is to any of that, but as a family movie I'd say this is a pretty big hit.
I guess one of my concerns before heading in to see Detective Pikachu was how exactly the Pokémon we're going to be portrayed. If this was going to be some kind of Smurfs or Alvin and the Chipmunks style movie, where over-the-top CGI characters are thrust upon the world of over-the-top human characters in some crazy adventure aimed at six year olds, then I wouldn't be very happy. Thankfully, it turned out to be the compete opposite.
21 year old Tim receives news that his father, top detective Harry Goodman, has gone missing following a car accident, and is presumed dead. He travels to his father's place of work - Ryme City, a modern metropolis where humans and Pokémon live happily side by side - and joins forces with Harry's Pokémon partner, Detective Pikachu. Tim discovers that he can understand what the wise cracking, cute little Pikachu is saying to him and they set about trying to get to the bottom of the mystery surrounding Harry's suspected death.
I was pretty impressed from the offset just how well this movie is presented. It's set in a world where humans and these strange, wonderful creatures live alongside each other in harmony, yet the Pokémon are never really presented in that wacky manner that I described earlier with other CGI character movies. It's extremely well done and feels both natural and believable. And because the focus of the movie is more on the story, and the mystery to be solved, rather than revelling in the fact that this is a live action Pokémon movie, it made it all the more enjoyable. This felt to me something more alike to 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit'. And I really liked it!
Better still, I rarely felt as though I needed any prior knowledge of Pokémon in order to appreciate and enjoy it. There's a brief explainer near the beginning regarding the whole trainer/balls/battles concept, which didn't make it any less ridiculous as far as I'm concerned, but that just didn't matter as it wasn't really necessary to the main plot. Having never experienced Pokémon in any other media form, I obviously can't comment on how faithful this is to any of that, but as a family movie I'd say this is a pretty big hit.
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated Big Hero 6 (2014) in Movies
Jun 11, 2019
Genuinely Moving
The Marvel Studios movie train has been non-stop over the last few years, from Iron Man to The Avengers, it shows no signs of slowing. Now though, a take-over by Disney has ensured both studios enter into rather unknown territory.
The first film from this collaboration is Big Hero 6, an animated superhero film in the same vein as Pixar’s The Incredibles. But does it reach those dizzying heights?
Big Hero 6 follows Hiro Hamada, a 14-year-old robotics prodigy as he goes about his life in the fictional city of San Fransokyo alongside his brother Tadashi. Hiro has lost his way after a family tragedy and it takes his brother’s robot Baymax to help find himself again.
The story unfortunately is the film’s weakest link, being predictable at best and downright clichéd at its worst. In this respect, Big Hero 6 falls well short of the standards set by the majority of Pixar’s movies.
Thankfully, the visuals are absolutely stunning, a match for Disney’s best, if not quite up to the level of last year’s How to Train YourBig_Hero_6_Poster_2 Dragon 2. The city of San Fransokyo is beautifully realised in sweeping, gloriously colourful shots that show of the animation best when they’re from above.
The characters themselves are rendered in painstaking detail and in particular sequences it becomes difficult to tell the film apart from a live-action feature.
Vocal performances are also very good. Ryan Potter plays Hiro as a vulnerable, pre-pubescent teen who by the end of the film comes to realise just who he is exceptionally well. James Cromwell, Maya Rudolph and Damon Wayans also lend their recognisable voices to people in the film.
However, by far the stand-out is Baymax, a hilariously funny healthcare robot. Disney’s animators should be given plaudits for crafting a character which despite its lack of facial features and emotive tones is so engaging to watch.
Unfortunately, when Baymax evolves into super-Baymax, his characterisation suffers and the funny, caring nature of him is lost somewhat.
The final third of the film delves into generic superhero fodder, but picks up again just before the end credits role with a deeply emotive.
Big Hero 6 also gets increasingly dark the further into the movie you get, the comedic elements get muddled in a plot which isn’t quite sure which way it wants to go and young children may find it a little to scary to stomach.
Thankfully the negatives here are far outweighed by the positives and Big Hero 6 steamrolls itself into a moving finale which leaves itself open for a sequel nicely.
Overall, from stunning visuals to engaging characters, Big Hero 6 continues Disney’s penchant for creating fun and watchable films. Despite a lack of originality, the character of Baymax makes up for most of the other shortcomings and ensures the generic story is genuinely moving.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2015/02/05/genuinely-moving-big-hero-6-review/
The first film from this collaboration is Big Hero 6, an animated superhero film in the same vein as Pixar’s The Incredibles. But does it reach those dizzying heights?
Big Hero 6 follows Hiro Hamada, a 14-year-old robotics prodigy as he goes about his life in the fictional city of San Fransokyo alongside his brother Tadashi. Hiro has lost his way after a family tragedy and it takes his brother’s robot Baymax to help find himself again.
The story unfortunately is the film’s weakest link, being predictable at best and downright clichéd at its worst. In this respect, Big Hero 6 falls well short of the standards set by the majority of Pixar’s movies.
Thankfully, the visuals are absolutely stunning, a match for Disney’s best, if not quite up to the level of last year’s How to Train YourBig_Hero_6_Poster_2 Dragon 2. The city of San Fransokyo is beautifully realised in sweeping, gloriously colourful shots that show of the animation best when they’re from above.
The characters themselves are rendered in painstaking detail and in particular sequences it becomes difficult to tell the film apart from a live-action feature.
Vocal performances are also very good. Ryan Potter plays Hiro as a vulnerable, pre-pubescent teen who by the end of the film comes to realise just who he is exceptionally well. James Cromwell, Maya Rudolph and Damon Wayans also lend their recognisable voices to people in the film.
However, by far the stand-out is Baymax, a hilariously funny healthcare robot. Disney’s animators should be given plaudits for crafting a character which despite its lack of facial features and emotive tones is so engaging to watch.
Unfortunately, when Baymax evolves into super-Baymax, his characterisation suffers and the funny, caring nature of him is lost somewhat.
The final third of the film delves into generic superhero fodder, but picks up again just before the end credits role with a deeply emotive.
Big Hero 6 also gets increasingly dark the further into the movie you get, the comedic elements get muddled in a plot which isn’t quite sure which way it wants to go and young children may find it a little to scary to stomach.
Thankfully the negatives here are far outweighed by the positives and Big Hero 6 steamrolls itself into a moving finale which leaves itself open for a sequel nicely.
Overall, from stunning visuals to engaging characters, Big Hero 6 continues Disney’s penchant for creating fun and watchable films. Despite a lack of originality, the character of Baymax makes up for most of the other shortcomings and ensures the generic story is genuinely moving.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2015/02/05/genuinely-moving-big-hero-6-review/