Learning Responsive Data Visualization
Book
Master the art of building responsive visualizations on the Web About This Book * Learn the...
Roll Player Adventures
Tabletop Game
Your Roll Player characters have been called to adventure! In Monsters & Minions, you went to war...
Heretic: Why Islam Needs a Reformation Now
Book
Continuing her journey from a deeply religious Islamic upbringing to a post at Harvard, the...
A Promised Land
Book
A riveting, deeply personal account of history in the making-from the president who inspired us to...
Oh Boris!: The Man, the Hair, the Gaffes
Book
Robust, rotund and ready for anything, Boris Johnson has blustered, bungled and brokered his way to...
Take Courage: Anne Bronte and the Art of Life
Book
"I was wowed and moved." (Tracy Chevalier). Anne Bronte is the forgotten Bronte sister, overshadowed...
Lonely Planet Ukraine
Lonely Planet, Marc Di Duca and Leonid Ragozin
Book
Lonely Planet: The world's leading travel guide publisher Lonely Planet Ukraine is your passport to...
The Dark Crystal the Ultimate Visual History
Book
Dark Crystal: The Ultimate Visual History is the definitive collection of rare artwork, interviews,...
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Raya and the Last Dragon (2021) in Movies
Mar 1, 2021
In the new Disney animated film “Raya and the Last Dragon”; audiences are introduced to the narrative of the story by Raya (Kelly Marie Tran), who tells that the world has become fractured and she is to blame. A sacred relic that the Dragons used to Defeat the Druun has given her kingdom prosperity but the surrounding kingdoms all named after various parts of a Dragon are envious of their position.
When Raya’s father Chief Benja (Daniel Dae Kim); attempts to unite the other kingdoms, a tragic betrayal results in the relic becoming fractured with each kingdom taking a fragment. As if this situation was not bad enough; the fracturing of the relic ushers in the return of the Druun and they quickly resume turning everything not protected by a barrier of water to stone.
The story then jumps years into the future where Raya and her faithful companion Tuk Tuk (Alan TudyK) are searching the rivers of the kingdoms in an effort to find the location where the last Dragon Sisu (Awkwafina) is rumored to have been sleeping for 500 years.
Raya is eventually able to locate Sisu who is a very playful and animated creature and the two set off to save the day by obtaining the missing fragments through any means necessary. Naturally, their journey will be filled with dangers, adventure, and humor, as the various kingdoms have their own unique visual style and characters; some of whom join with Raya on her quest to provide much-needed support, perspective, and at times; humor.
The movie is visually amazing as the artists clearly were inspired to create a world that combines elements of many Asian cultures yet has its own unique traits. I marveled at the details of the water and ripples and how the railings on a boat showed uneven discoloration and wear in just a casual scene where the characters talked. It is this attention to detail that really adds to the magic of the film as well as the immersion into fantasy.
The supporting cast was great and there are some characters I do not wish to spoil who practically steals every scene in which they are in. My wife and I were captivated from the very start as Disney has created a film that embodies much of their classic themes and yet expands upon them to create a film the entire family will enjoy.
The movie will be released in cinemas and via a paid option for Disney+ subscribers. We attended a press screening at a cinema; our first in almost a year and found the setup to be very safe and it was amazing to see such visual splendor on a big screen.
Disney has once again created a new classic and has given audiences the magic that they are known for at a time when it is most needed.
4 stars out of 5.