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

The Oscar Should Have Gone To "Trumbo"

Trumbo (2015)

Rated R

Starring Bryan Cranston, Michael Stuhlbarg, Diane Lane, Helen Mirren, David James Elliot, Louis C.K., Alan Tudyk

Directed by Jay Roach

The Story:

Dalton Trumbo (Cranston) was one of Hollywood's best and most prolific screenwriters in the 1940s. Then in 1947, he and 10 other writers were accused of Communism by the House UnAmerican Activities Council and effectively blacklisted by Hollywood. To keep earning a living, Trumbo used different pen names and continued to crank out scripts for low budget films as well as allowing non-blacklisted friends to offer better material which would even win an Oscar that he couldn't even collect.

This is his story.

As I stated in the title of this review, Bryan Cranston should have walked out of the Oscars with Best Leading Man over DiCaprio.

He is a veritable tour de force in this film, being in just about every scene of the movie as either the protagonist or antagonist playing against a great supporting cast.

It's dramatic, it's funny... it's acting.

Perhaps the subject matter gives Hollywood too much of a black eye and that's why he didn't win.

Anything that shows the ugly underbelly of the way Hollywood work(ed)/s might be cause for some to be skittish when bestowing accolades upon a film.

Helen Mirren is effective and totally unlikeable in the film as gossip columnist Hedda Hopper who seemingly takes great delight in destroying Trumbo's career and anyone else she can sink her hooks into.

It's a really good film that is just as relevant today at showing how you have to hold onto your beliefs and convictions, regardless of what the government and others in power try and force you to do.

Because sometimes, Uncle Sam doesn't truly know what's best for anyone.

Very entertaining film, and I quite enjoyed watching this one.

Final Grade: B+/A- range