Cars 3

Year: 2017

Director: Brian Fee

Starring: Owen Wilson, Cristela Alonzo, Armie Hammer, Nathan Fillion, Chris Cooper, Tony Shalhoub, and Bonnie Hunt
Tagline: It's not over until lightning strikes.
Synopsis: Even anthropomorphic race cars get old.

Review

First off, can I say how much I love Pixar shorts?  They are terrific and "Lou" is no exception.  It's cute, clever, funny, and tugs at the heartstrings.  I loved it.

As for the feature film itself ... well, I didn't dislike it.  It's way, way, way better than Cars 2 (which it didn't even acknowledge).  Did we need Cars 3?  Not really.  And I have nothing against well-thought-out sequels.  [I love Finding Dory and can hardly wait for The Incredibles 2.]  But this film seems to be mostly a retread of the original film.  Sometimes that tactic works.  Sometimes it doesn't.  I suppose if nothing else, the merchandising from the Cars franchise helps pay for original stories like Coco, which comes out in the fall.

One thing is undeniable, the visuals in Cars 3 are amazing.  There was one scene where it was such beautiful scenery, I had to remind myself that this is an animated film made on computers.  It looks so good.  Pixar continues to excel.

I was, however, disappointed with the music.  The soundtrack is mediocre, as is the score.  Yes, I have high expectations for Pixar scores thanks to Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, WALL-E, Up, and Inside Out.  If Cars has a main theme, I can't think of it.  The music is just there, like an obscure background character: noticeable, but not memorable.

As for the story, it is serviceable, albeit predictable.  Kudos though for a kids movie being about the difficulties of getting older and losing your edge.  When the story was about Lightning and his relationship with Doc Hudson (aka the Hudson Hornet), that was when it really pulled me in.  When it was about the races themselves, not as much.  I was also disappointed that the major plot point in the first teaser trailer -- Lightning crashing -- was far less dramatic and pivotal to the story/character development than promised.

If you're a fan of the first Cars film (or have kids who are fans of it), there's much to enjoy about this one.  If you are looking for a way to beat the heat on a hot summer day, Cars 3 is an admirable way to spend 90 or so minutes.  It's rated G and is clean throughout.

*** Spoiler Section ***

The climax didn't surprise me.  It is clear from the scene on the beach that Lightning is unwittingly training Cruz, not the other way around.  Thus it is inevitable that it is Cruz, not Lightning, who wins the race against Jackson Storm.  It is a strange rule, though, that allows for the climax.  I guess it does have basis in the real world of racing, but it seems intrinsically unfair to switch cars, allowing a fresh car to go against tired ones.

What did surprise me was Sterling's turnabout regarding Cruz.  Granted, he seems a bit untrustworthy from the start.  But there is nothing in his previous behavior that naturally leads up to him telling Cruz to leave.  Of course he wouldn't want her to race, but he has no compelling reason to send her away so that she can't at least watch.  The confrontation feels forced.

Quotable Quotes

• "I decide when I'm done." -- Lightning
• "The beach ate me." -- Cruz
• "Don't fear failure.  Be afraid of not having the chance.  You have the chance!" -- Sally
• "Tell her all the crabs have gone night-night."  "I -- I can't say that.  You tell her!" -- Lightning and Smokey

Wonder Woman

Year: 2017

Director: Patty Jenkins

Starring: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Connie Nielsen, Robin Wright, Danny Huston, and David Thewlis
Tagline: Power. Grace. Wisdom. Wonder.
Synopsis: Diana, Princess of the Amazons, ventures to the outside world to help stop World War I.

Review

Wonder Woman had the unenviable task of having almost the entire weight of the DC extended universe on her shoulders.  She more than proved herself up to the challenge.  Wonder Woman is now one of my favorite superhero movies, DC or Marvel.  This is what a superhero movie should be, primarily because Diana is what a superhero should be.

Diana/Wonder Woman was (easily) the best part of Batman v. Superman.  She was intelligent, enigmatic, and fierce.  Her solo outing and origin story are worthy of the character teased at in that first glimpse.

Gal Gadot is Diana.  Her charisma mixed with an intelligent naivete carry the story.  This is her hero's journey, from a sheltered island paradise to the unimaginable horrors of WWI trenches.  It is also her journey of self-discovery, as she learns just what she is capable of.  And it's a joy to watch.

But what is best about Diana is her inherent goodness.  She has a firm belief that it is her duty to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves.  She and Steve Rogers (aka Captain America) could have some swell conversations about ideals.

Her own Steve -- Steve Trevor -- is also a good man, albeit one who has become jaded by years of brutal war.  He provides a good balance to Diana.  Chris Pine holds his own next to Gadot, which is no small feat.  His character, rather than relegated to sidekick or comic foil, is in many ways shown to be Diana's equal.  Their onscreen chemistry keeps the film rolling along smoothly and humorously.

Wonder Woman is very much a superhero movie and has plenty of action, explosions, and -- of course -- villains to be thwarted.  The climactic battle does become a bit cliched, but nonetheless works within the story.  The best scene may well be when Diana crosses No Man's Land.  I'll leave it at that so as not to spoil anything.  But it is epic.

Also epic is Wonder Woman's theme music.  It was the best part of the Batman v. Superman soundtrack and it is even better here.

I thoroughly enjoyed Wonder Woman.  Was it perfect?  Not entirely.  And there were a few things that kept it in the PG-13 realm that I could have done without.  But it is one of my favorite superhero films, right up there with Captain America: Winter Soldier and The Dark Knight.  Wonder Woman has action and adventure.  But it also has humor and heart.  If you are wondering if you should see it, wonder no more.

*** Spoiler Section ***

There are two main spoilers in the film's climax.  Admittedly, neither came as a surprise to me.  It isn't that they are poorly set up.  The film does a good job handling both.  But the one felt somewhat inevitable and the other I was suspicious about from the moment I looked at the cast list.

That Steve dies is sad.  He's a good guy, which is precisely the point.  He is willing to sacrifice himself for the good of others.  Diana is not the only hero in the film.  And his death is, in some sense, needed to help complete Diana's journey to being a hero among mankind.  She has been disillusioned.  She has seen the worst in men and women, the darkness in their hearts and deeds.  Steve is able to balance that out by showing the best.  He is flawed, but still good and striving for the light.

I was pleased and intrigued that Ares turned out to be Sir Patrick.  It makes him a much more interesting nemesis with much more subtle ambitions and plans.  It was his "peace at any cost" mentality that struck me as being off.

Quotable Quotes

• "I will fight, for those who cannot fight for themselves." -- Diana
• "Have you never met a man before?  What about your father?"  "I had no father.  My mother sculpted me from clay and I was brought to life by Zeus."  "Well that's neat." -- Steve and Diana
• "You lied to them?"  "I'm a spy; it's what I do." -- Diana and Steve
• "It's about what you believe.  And I believe in love.  Only love will truly save the world." -- Diana

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales

Year: 2017

Director: Joachim Ronning and Espen Sandberg

Starring: Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Javier Bardem, Brenton Thwaites, Kaya Scodelario, Kevin McNally, and zombie sharks
Synopsis: Captain Jack Sparrow searches for the Trident of Poseidon.

Review

I'm quite fond of the Rotten Tomatoes website, and it is rare that I see a movie given a rotten green splotch.  Yet my curiosity won over and I opted to venture forth once more with Captain Jack Sparrow.

Well, it's better than the last one.

That's not saying much though.  On Stranger Tides had plot holes so big you could sail the Spanish Armada through them.  Dead Men Tell No Tales isn't all bad.  It has aspects I appreciated.  But let's start with the struggles.

One of the chief problems with Dead Men is that it tries to tell too many stories.  Whose story is it?  We are first introduced to Henry Turner, son of Will and Elizabeth.  And though we spend much of the story with him, his narrative line isn't all that interesting.  Jack of course is central to the story, but his antics are -- yet again -- focused solely on staying alive as yet another cursed villain wants him dead.  We are also introduced to Carina, who serendipitously wants to also pursue the film's MacGuffin in order to resolve her daddy issues.

But wait, there's more.  Hector Barbossa is also back with his own personal agenda.  The villain has his own storyline -- including an excellent flashback when Barbossa gets him monologing.  And then there's a British officer who ... um ... is somehow necessary because somebody else needs to be chasing all the other characters.

Henry's and Carina's stories are the most compelling.  But Henry's is largely sidelined and Carina's is frankly far-fetched.  She claims to be a woman of science (for which she is branded a witch [Seriously?]) and yet she is pursuing a mythical object.  She also seems far too accepting of some of the plot twists.  The whole film, Henry and Carina feel like bland imitations of Will and Elizabeth (characters who were exceedingly more likable, interesting, and charismatic).

Going in to Dead Men, or any of the Pirates films, I didn't expect great, logical cinema.  But this one has moments that are simply ludicrous (I'm looking at you, St. Martin bank).  And there is much that is simply pointless, adding nothing to the story and offering only cheap "laughs."  Did we need Sir Paul McCartney as a pirate?  No.  Did we need that bizarre wedding?  No.  Where did that even come from?

Despite the action, the first two thirds of the film drag.  But then, unexpectedly, things pick up for the climax.  Once we have all our protagonists on the same (familiar) ship, the story holds together better and kept my attention.  Finding the Trident of Poseidon and fighting the ensuing final battle -- while not without problems -- were entertaining enough and well-paced enough to temporarily make me forget all the slog we went through to get there.  And I'll admit, the finale provides some nice closure to the franchise.

Other than the climax, Dead Men does a few other things right.

Captain Salazar (played by Javier Bardem) is a worthy addition to the franchise's villains.  He is intelligent and intimidating.  And his crew are interesting as well, visually that is.  But the most impressive thing is the Silent Mary, their ship.  Watching the ship rise up and strike down opposing ships ... yup ... that's cool.

I was, however, disappointed that Captain Salazar didn't seem to live up to the code he supposedly espoused, at least while alive.  He makes a point to tell Barbossa that he didn't kill men, he killed pirates.  Yet he and his crew have no qualm killing the officers and crew of two British ships.  Granted, the Spanish and the British weren't exactly on historic good terms, but it does undermine Salazar's supposed sense of duty and honor without explanation.

And although ridiculous, I'll admit that the zombie sharks are also pretty cool.  Why they have rotting shark carcasses on the ghost ship I have no idea.  But just add water and boom!  Zombie sharks to chase down Jack and Henry.

The music is also still good.

So, is Dead Men worth the voyage?  That depends on how much you enjoy the franchise.  If you still think Jack Sparrow is the greatest pirate ever, by all means go enjoy his rum-induced antics.  Stay through the credits.  There is a bonus scene which opens the door for yet more adventures.

*** Spoiler Section ***

OK, how many of these films has Hector Barbossa been in?  This makes four out of five if memory serves.  And at no point has there been an inkling that he has any interest in stars, the Trident of Poseidon, or the daughter he left at an orphanage.  All of that I can accept.  Pirate.  But then he meets Carina and suddenly she is both his heart's desire (per the compass) and his "treasure"?  And Carina accepts it, just like that?  That's a bit harder to swallow.

I've never been all that fond of Jack Sparrow.  In the original film, I liked Will Turner the best.  So the ending of At World's End irked me, to say the least.  It didn't help that when I saw the movie the person I was with wanted to leave immediately, so I missed the semi-redemptive post-credits scene.  Flash forward ten years and I did finally get the closure I wanted for Will and Elizabeth.

The film ends and everything is all neatly tied up.  Will is free from the curse and with his beloved Elizabeth.  Henry has Carina.  Jack has the Black Pearl.  Jack and the franchise can sail off into the horizon.  Roll credits ... and cue post-credits scene that brings yet another character back from the dead and opens the door for another sequel.  <face palms> 

Quotable Quotes

• "Find Jack Sparrow for me and relay a message, from Captain Salazar.  Tell him: 'Death will come straight for him.'  Will you say that to him, please?  I'd tell him myself, but dead men tell no tales." -- Captain Salazar to Henry
• "Guillotine?  Sounds French.  I love the French." -- Jack Sparrow
• "I once knew a Spaniard named ... something in Spanish." -- Jack Sparrow

ISFS

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Year: 2017

Director: James Gunn

Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Bradley Cooper, Michael Rooker, Vin Diesel, Kurt Russell, and Karen Gillan
Tagline: You only get one chance to save the galaxy twice.
Synopsis: The further adventures of the misfit Guardians of the Galaxy.

Review

When the first Guardians of the Galaxy came out in 2014, it was unexpectedly different from everything else in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.  It was weird and zany and a lot of fun.  How does Vol. 2 fare?  It's still weird, still zany, and mostly fun.  But it can't quite recapture the freshness of the original.  Considering how much I enjoyed the first one, this one left me disappointed.

The film's opening sequence is, however, stellar.  As the Guardians do battle with a multi-tentacled space monster in the background, Baby Groot obliviously dances to ELO's "Mr. Blue Sky" in the foreground.  And it is terrific.  The whole sequence reintroduces us to the characters and why we want to root for them.  The opening set me up for a better movie than I got.

As with its predecessor, Vol. 2 uses a popular mix of songs from the 70s and 80s.  And the music is part of the story, part of who Peter Quill is.  So even though I don't necessarily like all the songs they include, I appreciate how they work within, and add to, the story.  I will likely never be able to hear "Brandy" by the Looking Glass without thinking of this film.

Another thing I appreciate in the film is the theme of family.  We see deeper into each of the Guardians and also into Yondu and Nebula.  Every character is broken in some way or another.  That's why they come together so well.  And there is a lot of bonding in this film and discussion of what it means to be a family.  Maybe too much, as certain characters seem to shift uncharacteristically far based on how they were portrayed previously.

While the film does a good job with characterization, the plot feels a bit weak.  It wasn't as compelling as the previous story.  It didn't help that the villains/antagonists all seem petty and weak in terms of their motivations.  The main villain started out interesting but ended up feeling bland.

My biggest qualm with the film was its adult content.  The first film certainly pushed the envelope for what is acceptable in a Marvel Studios film.  This one nudges it even more.  There was more crude humor.  And while nothing is explicitly stated or shown, it's very apparent that the Ravagers visit a robot brothel.  The film is definitely not for kids, so it is irksome that it is has toy lines very much marketed toward kids.

While I don't think it lives up to the first film, Vol. 2 is still, overall, a fun trip to the movies.  But be advised before you bring the kids.  And if you didn't like the craziness of the first one, Vol. 2 isn't going to win you over either.  Oh, and there are a whopping five mid-credits and post-credit scenes.

*** Spoiler Section ***

Why do Ravagers have such cool funerals?  They are basically space pirates, yet they have all these neat traditions for a funeral.  It was fun to watch, but felt incongruous with their portrayal.

Quotable Quotes

• "You look like Mary Poppins."  "Is he cool?" [pauses] "Yeah, he's cool." -- Peter and Yondu
• "Does anybody have any tape out there?  I wanna put some tape over the 'death' button." "Nobody has any tape!" -- Rocket and Peter
• "All you do is yell at each other.  You're not friends."  "No ... we are family." -- Nebula and Drax
• "No raccoon or tree creatures were harmed during the making of this movie.  However the same cannot be said for the handlers of the raccoon and tree creatures." -- End credits

ISFS

Born in China

Year: 2017

Director: Chuan Lu

Starring: John Krasinski (narrator) and a lot of fuzzy animals
Synopsis: Follow the stories of pandas, snow leopards, snub-nosed monkeys, and chiru (Tibetan antelope).

Review

I've reviewed quite a few movies on this blog, but this is my first documentary here.  Born in China is a Disneynature film that came out on Earth Day.  It stars giant pandas and snow leopards and showcases the beauty of China.  What's not to love about that?

The film follows four different animal families over the course of a year.  To see the magnificent snow leopards in their natural habitat is, for me, worth the cost of admission alone.  And the panda mommy and baby are cute and cuddly too.  There are also a few shots of a red panda, which might be one of my favorite animals.  And the monkeys are cute enough as well.  Antelope/chiru aren't really my thing, but their story was interesting nonetheless.

If you're expecting a documentary like Planet Earth, don't.  Visually I'd say it is of the same caliber.  But the narration -- provided by John Krasinski -- is definitely geared toward kids.  It's informative, but got a bit twee at times.  And there was quite a bit of animal personification going on.  Overall though, the narration does a good job balancing information with humor.

The film has an overarching theme of families and the importance of them.  I did appreciate that aspect.  And while the similarities with human families were certainly stressed, the filmmakers also acknowledge that animal families are quite different.  Even the four different animal families in the film are different.  You've got the chiru herd, a clan of monkeys, and single mothers with the snow leopards and pandas.

Although this is a G-rated Disney film, I was impressed that it didn't shy away from the realities of the animal kingdom and the circle of life.  It did so in a tasteful manner that's as kid-friendly as you can probably get.  But the fact remains, one animal's survival depends on another animal's demise.  And not every animal survives the film.

If you love animals and gorgeous scenery, I'd say Born in China is worth a gander.  Or it's something to take the kids to if you need to get out of the house.  Did I mention cute pandas and gorgeous snow leopards?

Quotable Quotes

• "She considers this marmot ... no she doesn't." -- Narrator about the snow leopard's dinner plans
• "The herd is many, but the herd is one." -- Narrator

ISFS

Beauty and the Beast (2017)

Year: 2017

Director: Bill Condon

Starring: Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans, Josh Gad, Kevin Kline, Ewan McGregor, Ian McKellen, and Emma Thompson
Tagline: Experience the tale as old as time
Synopsis: Disney's animated classic gets a live action update.

Review

Disclaimers:

1. If you want to go see this live action version of Beauty and the Beast and haven't already, go see it.  Read this review after.  It will all be spoilers.
2. The 1991 animated Beauty and the Beast ranks in my top five favorite movies.  Ever.
3. I had a lot going on emotionally when I saw this live action film.  Some of that might have affected my enjoyment thereof.
4. This is not a short review.

Still here?  Okay then.

You may have sensed this coming from the disclaimers: I was disappointed.  I didn't really like this live action version of Beauty and the Beast.  I don't hate it.  I think it is a decent movie and the visuals are pretty amazing.  But it cannot hold a candelabra to the original.  So even though I went in with mid-level expectations, I left feeling thoroughly disappointed.

I'll limit my critique to three areas: music, story, and characters.

Music
I'll give Emma Watson, Josh Gad, Luke Evans, and even Ewan McGregor credit.  They all do an admirable job of singing their iconic songs.  But as much as I love Emma Thompson as an actress, as a singer she is no Angela Lansbury.  And that was all I could think about during "Beauty and the Beast."  It's the titular song, an Academy Award winning song.  And the warmth and hope that Angela Lansbury imbued into it are lacking.

Of the four new songs, three feel like mere filler.  I would much rather have heard the songs from the Broadway version.  The film teases with an instrumental version of "Home," but no more.  That said, the Beast's solo "Evermore" is terrific and a suitable addition to the film.  It is what's needed in that moment and Dan Stevens' voice manages to be both rich and growling as needed.  "Evermore" was one of the few highlights of the film for me.

Story
This version follows the animated version in many respects.  But as a live action film, it tries to expand the world.  Some attempts work better than others.

For starters, the nature of the curse changes.  Beast's household are slowly turning into objects, becoming less and less human as each rose petal falls.  Rather than living indefinitely as objects, their ultimate fate will be turning forever into lifeless objects.  That does up the ante for them, but it also adds a darker tone and makes the situation and the curse seem more hopeless and cruel.

The film also addresses how the entire village could be oblivious to an enchanted castle not far from them in the woods.  They've all lost their memory of the place and its inhabitants.  Both of those elements work.  But just how much does the curse affect them?  The townspeople still become a mob and set out to kill the Beast for no reason other than Gaston's fear-mongering demagoguery.  At the film's end, I found it difficult to simply dismiss their behavior toward the Beast, Maurice, and Belle.  Throwing in a Mr. Potts and an overbearing wife for Cogsworth added nothing.

One thing the live action Cinderella did well was give more backstories to the characters.  This Beauty and the Beast tried to do that ... but only half-heartedly.  It's a given that Belle's mother is deceased.  Trying to make that more dramatic by having her mother die of the plague in an old Parisian windmill doesn't add anything to the story or to our understanding of Belle.  All it explains is why Maurice wants to live in the clean air of the countryside.  [Side note: Having the enchantress give the Beast a magical book makes no sense, does seem cruel, and feels like a haphazard plot device to facilitate this moment of backstory.]

As for the Prince/Beast, his backstory simply feels lazy and cheap.  His mother dies and his father raises him to be spoiled and selfish.  That's it.  And it bothered me because it seems to take away much of his personal responsibility or accountability.  It's his father's fault.  That cheapens his growth and change in the story.  I'm not saying parents can't emotionally stunt and scar their children.  But the film throws it out there as a shortcut, rather than exploring any depth to the Beast's story.

Characters
The characterizations were what I had the hardest part with.  Nearly every character feels like a watered-down imitation of the lovable and lively version in the animated film.

We'll start with LeFou.  Is he gay?  Yeah.  Is a big deal made of it?  No.  Will your kids ask about it?  I don't know.  Should you talk to them about the movie anyway?  Always.  [That's a soapbox that I may someday get on ...]  It's probably good to explain to kids that LeFou and Gaston have a toxic relationship, platonic or otherwise.  Honestly, the few hints thrown in didn't really faze me.  They don't add anything at all to the film.  But they don't detract either.  And of all the characters in the film, LeFou is actually most like his animated counterpart.

With the animated Gaston, you know from his first moment on screen that he really is arrogant and boorish and not at all suitable for Belle.  He insults her book then gets it muddy!  It's instant dislike.  This Gaston wasn't like that.  Yes, he seems full of himself and far too self-assured.  But you don't feel any immediate distaste for him.  Belle's first interaction with him in the film actually felt rude on her part.  It takes a while for his downward turn and it comes about in a way that makes him feel more bi-polar than villainous.  I'm not sure if the film-makers did that on purpose, or if they simply took for granted that people would dislike him immediately.

Gone is the eccentric inventor who builds overly complicated and dangerous machines.  In this telling, Maurice is an artist and tinker.  He seems to specialize in music boxes.  (I didn't know you could make much of a living at that in a little town.)  Rather than being odd, he's perfectly sane, though bearing some sort of emotional scarring from his wife's passing.  While I missed his lighthearted goofiness, Maurice is more of an active participant in the plot this way.  He openly defies Gaston on more than one occasion.  And that works in this retelling.

The animated bookseller has been replaced in this version by a chaplain who keeps a meager collection of books in the church.  He and Belle appear to be friends.  At the climax, it's clear during Gaston's "kill the Beast!" rant that the chaplain is having none of it.  Good for him.  But I then expected him to come to the aid of Belle and Maurice in some way.  Nope.  He simply vanishes.  He isn't seen attacking the castle.  But he does nothing and says nothing to stop them.  It felt like the filmmaker's simply had no idea what to do with his character, so he simply disappears.

I had a hard time with the household objects.  They feel too much like objects and not enough like people.  They all feel like pale imitations of their animated counterparts.  If they are going to look less human or humanized, then the voice acting needs to compensate by adding more life and humanity.  I didn't feel like any of the actors brought that.  None of them feel endearing.  Moreover, some of the story changes led to characterization changes.  They feel selfish or at least self-centered.  Everything Lumiere or Mrs. Potts do for Belle feels like it is part of a scheme to bring Belle and the Beast together to break the curse, rather than out of genuine concern for Belle's comfort and well-being or for their master's happiness or personal growth.

I'm sorry, but in many ways, the filmmakers killed the Beast.  I have nothing against Dan Steven's portrayal.  I think his voice is great.  And as previously noted, his song "Evermore" is the best part of the film.  But that is not the Beast from the animated version.  They gave him father issues instead of personal issues.  They made him more jaded and cynical and robbed him of the lovable innocence and innate goodness he has in the animated version.  And the CGI of him feels so dark and soulless.  What happened to the intensely blue human eyes that showed the man within the monster?  The film also changes two of my favorite Beast moments.  In the animated version, after the Beast scares Belle from the West Wing with a fit of anger, he then realizes his mistake, immediately regrets it, and does a face palm.  It says so much about who he really is.  The other moment is when the Beast gives Belle the library.  In the animated version it is a big moment.  He is so excited he can hardly contain his giddiness and he wants the moment to be absolutely perfect.  In this version, the Beast shows her the library and then gives it to her almost as an afterthought.

I love Emma Watson.  She's a talented actress.  She simply is Hermione Granger.  But she isn't Belle.  How much of that was her and how much of that was the script she was given I don't know.  But she was not the character I know and love, the character I've sympathized with for 25 years.  She feels less charming and a bit more ... jaded and as though she has a chip (a small chip) on her shoulder.  Her rejection of Gaston's proposal feels more harsh.  Her sacrifice for her father is only to give her time until she can escape.  She seems to approach the West Wing and the rose more out of rebelliousness than out of innocent curiosity.  And when she expresses her love for the dying Beast, I found I didn't really believe it.

One change I do like in this version is integrating the enchantress character (Agathe) into the story.  I like that she remains watchful over the villagers.  The impression I got was that she even leads Maurice (somehow) to the castle.  How else to explain a path that appears one night and disappears the next.  So I guess she knew that Belle would rescue her father and ... somehow things would come together?  It's an odd bit of matchmaking, that's for sure.  Mostly I like that she is there during the climax, not participating at first, just observing.  The visual of her breaking the glass dome around the now petal-less stem is striking.

Conclusion
Like I said, I didn't hate the movie.  And maybe at some point I'll give it a second chance when I'm in a better mood.  But for a movie about seeing beyond superficial appearances, for me there isn't much beyond the flamboyant/Gothic facade.  The magic, the warmth, the charm, and the joyfulness are all missing.  Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go watch the animated classic again.

Quotable Quotes

• "Have you really read all of these books?"  "Hmph.  Some of them are in Greek."  "Is that a joke?  Are you joking now?" -- Belle and the Beast
• "Nobody deserves you!" -- Gaston to his reflection in a mirror
• "I am not a beast!" -- the Beast to Gaston

The LEGO Batman Movie

Year: 2017

Director: Chris McKay

Starring: Will Arnett, Michael Cera, Ralph Fiennes, Rosario Dawson, and Zach Galifianakis
Tagline: Always be yourself.  Unless you can be Batman.
Synopsis: When the Joker unleashes havok on Gotham City, Batman must move past his lone vigilante ways and team up with others to save the day.

Review

Most films don't start until after all the opening logos have finished.  Not LEGO Batman.  Nope, in this zany Batman mythos tour de force we hear Will Arnett's gruff Batman voice narrating from the very first production logo.  From the onset, you know this movie isn't trying to be serious.  Yet for all its joke/gag-a-minute antics, its endless parody, and its winks and nods to every previous incarnation of the Dark Knight, underneath that is a story with heart and a solid message.

LEGO Batman is a zany good time.  The more you know about Batman and his previous on screen iterations, the more fun you'll have.  But even if this is your first Batman flick, it is still fun.  The same goofy humor that was in The LEGO Movie can be found here, though perhaps not to quite the same extent.

For a movie about computer-generated plastic mini-figures, there's a lot of humanity in LEGO Batman.  Batman is a fairly dark hero, with a tragic past and lots of personal demons.  Somehow this film manages to deal with those elements in a way that is kid-friendly and hopeful.  Batman finds healing and meaning in his relationships with Dick Grayson, Alfred, and Barbara Gordon.

I don't really know what else to say.  The LEGO Batman Movie is fun, zany, heartfelt, and well-made.  If you haven't already, go see it.

*** Spoiler Section ***

As a full-fledged nerd, seeing Voldemort, the Eye of Sauron, and Daleks ("British robots ... ask your nerd friends") made me quite happy inside.

Quotable Quotes

• "Riddle me this: what ... just happened?" -- The Riddler
• "Wait, does Batman live in Bruce Wayne's basement?"  "No.  Bruce Wayne lives in Batman's attic." -- Dick Grayson and Batman
• "Pew! Pew, pew!" -- Anyone shooting a gun

ISFS