Let's Go "Pocoyo"!!

Pocoyo (2005)

TV-Y

Created by David Cantolla, Luis Gallego, Guillermo Garcia

The Story:

Pocoyo is a curious little 4 year old boy who enjoys hanging out with his best friends Pato and Elly. The narrator (Stephen Fry) guides us through each episode as we wonder what exactly will Pocoyo be up to this time.

Oh. My. Goodness.

I've never been one to be first to the party, but I'm one that happily tells you how great the party is once I arrive.

Which leads us to Pocoyo.

Clearly, having started in 2005, I'm a little late to the adventures, but flipping through Netflix earlier this month, there Pocoyo was staring back at me while I was looking for something to watch with Remy.

And isn't he cute?

That's what I thought, so I figured what the heck, how back could it be?

I was greeted with adorable 3D animation with minimal (normally flat out plain white) backgrounds but some of the cutest characters ever to grace an animated series. These are roughly 7 minute episodes that are packaged together to make one full show that runs less than 30 minutes.

So, do you have children? Grandchildren? Just like fun animation? Then this is the show for you!

Okay, it's for your kids, but you're totally going to enjoy having it on in the background.

The music is good. The animation is adorable. The narration is soft and charming. The characters themselves absolutely charming.

Dialogue, aside from the narrator is minimal.

That said, the narrator will ask once or twice if the viewers can help Pocoyo (or whomever) if we can help solve the problem, and you will hear a few children voices chime in with assistance to get the story back on track.

Then 7 minutes later, the next segment begins with the theme song and the character introductions.

The writing is rather clever, and the characters all have very distinct personalities.

Given a choice of hundreds of animated shows that you can be forced to endure alongside your children, I would easily place this one in the Top 10 shows you could watch and enjoy on repeat viewings.

You might even find yourself watching along after the kid leaves the room...

Just saying...

:)

Viewer Discretion Advised:

The episode "Elly's Doll" darn near killed me.

I started laughing so hard, I could not catch my breath.

I thought, "this is it, I'm going to die...at least I'm going to die laughing..."

Thankfully I did manage to recover, though my wife's continued laughter kept triggering me to laugh again.

I was beginning to think she was after the insurance money!! :)

Needless to say, I did come back the next day to watch the episode from start to finish.

I did indeed still laugh, just not as hard, or as life-threatening as the previous evening.

Thank goodness!

Pocoyo is currently streaming on both Netflix AND Amazon Prime.

There are 4 seasons available on both. The 4th season introduces a new character and changes narrators. Still enjoyable, but not quite the same as the first 3 seasons.


"Bye bye, See you soon!" ~ The Narrator

I Can't Believe They Made A "Trolls" Movie

Trolls (2016)

Rated PG

Starring Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Zooey Deschanel, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Christine Baranski,

Directed by Walt Dohrn & Mike Mitchell

The Story:

The trolls are the happiest little critters that live in the woods. The Bergens are the most miserable. When they discover that they can become happy by eating trolls, well, you can pretty much guess that the trolls are going to have to work really hard to have a happy ending to this film!

I never saw a preview for this film. No trailers. No anything.

I heard it was coming, and I thought, really? Trolls? Those little ugly dolls from when I was growing up?

Really?

How is Dreamworks going to make this into a film?

And this is Dreamworks, and aside from Shrek, they make some pretty fun movies, but it will likely tank at the box office.

But hey, that Justin Timberlake song is pretty catchy, so what the heck, I'll rent it for the kids.

So I did.

Then I watched it.

Oh my goodness.

No matter what I was expecting, which admittedly wasn't much, I was blown away with how much fun and enjoyment I had watching this one.

It was cute. It was silly. It was fun.

It was a musical!

And in a good way, where the songs enhance the story, not become the story.

A mix of new songs and some classics mixed in for fun, it's easy to be swept up by the proceedings and you'll be as happy as Poppy (Kendrick) as the movie rolls along. Accompanied on her journey is Branch (Timberlake) the one troll in the kingdom who doesn't share the affinity of optimism and happiness that all the other trolls embody.

Yep, you get sucked in to this fun little world, and if you're not careful, you'll get sucker-punched by an emotional wallop late in the film.

I know I did.

When "True Colors" is sung, the reaction is heartfelt and genuine.

I still get a little misty-eyed thinking about it.

So, once again, well done Dreamworks.

I enjoyed this one so much, I bought it.

"For the kids".

:)

Following Storks, this looks to be a really fun year for animated films, with 2 very different, very unexpected films vying for Best of the Year honors.

 Final Grade:  B+

I Should Have Let It Stay A Secret..."The Secret Life Of Pets"

The Secret Life of Pets (2016)

Rated PG

Starring Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet, Kevin Hart, Jenny Slate, Ellie Kemper, Albert Brooks, Lake Bell, Dana Carvey,

Directed by Chris Renaud and Yarrow Cheney

The Story:

Max (Louis C.K.) is a terrier who lives a happy life with Katie (Kemper). Until one day she brings home a stray named Duke (Stonestreet) and the two just don't get along. Naturally, one day Max's attempt to get rid of Duke wind up with them both on the lam from the law, and when Snowball (Hart) shows them the seedy underside of abandoned pets in New York City, they both just want to get home as soon as possible.

Sound familiar?

Yep, it's the plot to Toy Story, only this time substitute pets for toys, and you're guaranteed a smash hit for the whole family.

Except for all the charm and heart, this movie forgot to add most of that in.

The framework for the story was already done for them by Pixar, Illumination Entertainment forgot to add in all the fun, excitement and warmth that made Toy Story an instant classic.

Instead, they relied on a host of funny comedians and hoped that they would be enough to make this one fun on its own.

Ooops.

Doesn't really work that way.

I think the two most enjoyable characters in the film were voiced by Albert Brooks and Dana Carvey, and they were minor characters that show up in the 2nd half of the film.

At the end of the day, it's not unwatchable.

I've just seen too many animated films by all the studios continually push that bar ever higher, and it's not enough, for me anyway, to just be an animated film to entice families to watch together.

Final Grade: C

An Idea Most Fowl... "Free Birds"

Free Birds (2013)
Rated PG

Starring Owen Wilson, Woody Harrelson, Amy Poehler, George Takei

Directed by Jimmy Hayward

The Story:

Reggie (Wilson) is a turkey who cannot make his flock understand the truth about their fate.  Enter Jake (Harrelson), a turkey on a mission:
To go back to the first Thanksgiving and get turkeys off the menu.  Using an experimental time machine named S.T.E.V.E. (Takei), the birds take flight and wind up in Plymouth.  With the help of the local population, these two birds must outwit the pilgrims who want them dead...and cooked to a delicious ending!  Who will succeed?

To my knowledge, this is the first full-fledged animation venture from Reel FX Creative Studios.

And for the most part, they do a decent job with what they produced.

The animation looks lush and vibrant and the voice acting is decent.

Basically, it's an okay story that will entertain the kids for 90 minutes and won't sap all of the willpower of the adults who are watching.

The problem with that, we've grown accustomed to Pixar and the other animation studios really stepping up their game in recent years to deliver masterpiece after masterpiece.

When we receive something lesser...

Somehow we feel cheated.

So I'm looking forward to their next film, I just hope they work a little harder on the script.

Final Grade: C

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Sorry, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving will remain the only film in rotation so far...

Gentlemen...Start your Mollusks! "Turbo"

Turbo (2013)
Rated PG for potential snail peril.

Starring Ryan Reynolds, Paul Giamatti, Bill Hader, Samuel L. Jackson

Directed by David Soren


You will believe a snail can drive!

The Story:

Turbo (Reynolds) is a garden snail with dreams of something bigger...faster... of racing!  His brother Chet (Giamatti) is the voice of reason, ie: the dream-killer who must remind Turbo that he is a snail, and nothing more.  Ah, but when Turbo finds himself suddenly blessed with speed, it's only a matter of time until he will put up or shut up at the Indy 500 going against his own personal hero, Guy Gagne (Hader).

The critics were wrong.
The audiences were wrong.

What Were They Thinking?  Or Watching?

This movie was amazing!

From Dreamworks, they are bringing another underrated and unheralded masterpiece to theaters to be ignored by the masses.

In 2013 (okay, technically 2012) it was Rise of the Guardians.  In 2014 (okay, technically 2013) it is Turbo.

Going For the Top 10 List Again This Year!

This movie was hysterical.

First, in no small part to the writers who crafted a movie that works for kids and the parents lucky enough to hang out with said kids.

Second, a stellar voice cast filled with recognizable names, but also a lot of great actors who you would know if you saw them, but may not recognize their voices.

"And I Didn't Even Say #$@$@# Once In This Movie!"

Samuel L. Jackson ? Yeah, he's a given.

Michael Pena?  You know him, but unlike Luis Guzman, his voice isn't as obvious to the ear to create a mental picture.

The voices all blend with the story and you don't feel like it's stunt casting.  It's natural, and possibly aside from Mr. Jackson, you don't think, oh yeah, that's THIS GUY every time the snail opens their mouth.  Bill Hader all but disappears under his accent as the film's required bad guy.  Plus, he's not even that bad...at least until the end.

Naturally, Ryan Reynolds imbues Turbo with the very essence of Ryan Reynolds.  I'm not sure how he got a bum rap with RIPD and this movie both opening on the same weekend.  They were both good, but this film was significantly better.

The story itself is just the latest variation on The Little Engine That Could.

"I Think He Can!"

Let's put it another way...

Did you like Ratatouille?

Well then, here you go.  Substitute rats for snails...and cooking for racing.

Bam! Game over.

And while it's not technically everyone can race for everyone can cook...

The message is similar, and translates beautifully to the screen.

:)

Well done to Dreamworks as well for crafting a lush environment that easily makes you forget you're watching animation from time to time.

Welcome to 2014, and for now, Turbo is the film to beat.

"We Have A Winner!"

Animated OR live action.


Final Grade: A

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Bought it.  Probably watching it again soon.

This Will Get You In The Spirit..."A Charlie Brown Christmas"

Christmas Time is here...

The Story:

Straight from the comic pages of the newspaper, the Peanuts gang came to television in their first (and best) animated special in 1965.

Nearly 50 years later, is it a dated relic or a timeless piece of holiday awesomeness?

I think you already know the answer to this one.

:)

Aside from being a variety of Charles Schulz's strips strung together, there is an overarching storyline that has Charlie Brown looking for some acceptance during the holiday season.  Naturally, his arch-nemesis Lucy will use him by roping him into being the director of the Christmas play.

Naturally, in true Charlie Brown fashion, he makes a mistake, is ridiculed for it, and feels mortified.

Thankfully, the gang all realizes that maybe Charlie Brown was on to something, especially after Linus' stirring rendition of what Christmas is really all about.

Maybe at the end of the day, they all learned a little something?

Hmm... watching the other specials...  apparently not. ;)

Plus, for those that feel that Christmas is too commercial, starts earlier every year, etc. etc... Schulz said it first back in the 60s, so it's nothing new.

Also central to the story, the remarkable Vince Guaraldi who composed some stellar Christmas tunes to score the special.  Many of those are ingrained in our consciousness, so you accept the jazzy score as part of Christmas.

It's also nice that several of the selections get airplay on the radio this time of year, that's how good the songs were.

It's not Christmas time without this one.

Final Grade: A+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor:  It gets watched at least once a year, and yes, I do own it.

The Discovery of the Missing Link... "The Croods"

Not your typical stone-age family...

The Story:

Grug (Nicholas Cage) has spent his life keeping his family alive.  However his oldest daughter, Eep (Emma Stone) in typical teenage fashion is looking to broaden her horizons outside of the cave.  When she meets a mysterious stranger named Guy (Ryan Reynolds), she longs to go with him on his quest for a better tomorrow.  When the cave is destroyed by an earthquake, Grug will have to follow Guy on their quest to find safety on higher ground.  Trying new things is bad, and that's all Guy is really about.

This was a cute movie, perhaps overhyped by my kids on how great and awesome it was.

:)

It was good, don't get me wrong.

The animation was beautiful and the voice acting was tremendous.

Nicholas Cage is somewhat restrained in his role.  How often can you really say that about any Nicholas Cage role, since, oh I don't know... the 80s?

Ryan Reynolds plays himself, as usual.  Of course, as I've said before, I absolutely love Ryan Reynolds and all that he does.  Been a fan since Van Wilder, and enjoy anytime he turns up in a movie.

The movie centers around Emma Stone, and functions as a coming of age story for her where she will reject her father to follow the man that has stolen her heart.

Thankfully, she's less rebellious and stubborn than a red-haired mermaid that I know...

Plus, the makers do realize that ultimately the dad wasn't such a lunk-head, and without him, none of them would have survived.

So they managed to pull the movie back up and save it at the end when the father and daughter share their goodbyes.

Dads, get  your tissues ready, that's going to be your girl someday.

:: sigh ::

The colors in the movie are lush and vibrant.  I wasn't the biggest fan of the character models.  Some odd dinosaur choices, and the Croods themselves have an unusual body composition. 

Of course, I'm a guy that likes simple cavemen stories...

Like the Flintstones. ;)

Final Grade: B+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I'm pretty sure there's a kid or 7 that will demand this be under the tree this holiday season...