Zootopia Review

Zootopia

"Life's a little bit messy. We all make mistakes. No matter what type of animal you are, change starts with you."  -Judy Hopps

       Disney's new animated animal-centric movie Zootopia is directed by Byron Howard (Tangled, Bolt), Rich Moore (Wreck-It Ralph), and co-directed by Jared Bush. Zootopia stars Ginnifer Goodwin as Judy Hopps, Jason Bateman as Nick Wilde, Idris Elba as Chief Bogo, Jenny Slate as Bellwether, J.K. Simmons as Mayor Lionheart, Don Lake as Stu Hopps, Bonnie Hunt as Bonnie Hopps, Nate Torrence as Clawhauser, Tommy Chong as Yax, Alan Tudyk as Duke Weaselton, and Octavia Spencer as Mrs. Otterton.

Disney: "How's that for a cast?"

 

      Zootopia centers around a hopeful and eccentric bunny named Judy Hopps whose dream has always been to be the first bunny cop ever. Cops, in this animal world, are primarily predators and big animals such as lions, elephants, bison, bears, etc., which makes it that much more difficult for Judy to be a cop due to all the stereotyping of bunny needing to be a carrot farmer instead. She proves everyone wrong with dedication and gets the opportunity to work in the city of Zootopia where all animals live together in harmony regardless of species. Since Chief Bogo, the bison in command of ZPD, didn't want a bunny cop in his sqaud in the first place, she's placed as a meter maid. Judy does her mundane job. She brings in a criminal unannounced to the station and the, not so happy, Bogo gives her 48 hours to solve the case of a Mr. Otterton who's been missing along with 13 other animals. Along the way, she blackmails the sleazy fox Nick Wilde who hustled her near the beginning of the movie since he's the only lead she has to find Mr. Otterton. One colorful and enjoyable event leads to another and by the end, Judy finds out that this case might be something bigger than she expected it to be. 

Hey Judy, when you send letters to others, do you use haremail?

*buh dum tss*
 

      I'll be upfront about it, Zootopia was fantastic. The thing is, I expected it to be good for the reasons it was in the trailers: funny, cute, engaging, and it's Disney. It turned out to be something that I wasn't expecting at all. Zootopia is a timely film that sends a message about racism and stereotyping; something that's more relevant in society today than it has been for a while. Although this is an animated Disney movie aimed towards kids, I truly believe that Adults will enjoy it more than kids. I think that adults will understand the issues in society we face today more than kids obviously, but that isn't to say that kids won't get it at all. Kids understand stereotyping to a point. They get that some kids bully other kids because of their skin color, disability, height, or anything else. It's just that Zootopia has layers upon layers of issues being tackled that doesn't stop at the speciesism we see at the surface of Zootopia. One layer includes drug references, another sexism. Still, the main issue is stereotyping which they explained spectacularly. Kids will enjoy it for the animation, colors, animals, and even some of the "aww" moments. I just think that adults will love it even more for giving them a wonderful example of how to teach kids that being mean to others and not including them because of what they look like is bad.

Whatever type of race, ethnicity, sex you are, you can do whatever you set you're mind to. We shouldn't hold people back with stereotyping. 

 

       Zootopia's downside isn't anything more than just not being as funny as previous Disney animated films. It's definitely not unfunny. I laughed plenty of times at the film and TV references that were sprinkled in Zootopia. For you TV nuts, there is a reference acknowledging the show Breaking Bad. It's a clever, yet subtle reference. Also, it's one that, again, kids won't get, unless their parents love to confuse their kids on what some chemistry teachers do as their part-time job. The incredibly slow sloth at the DMV was the reference that had me laughing like crazy. If you have ever been to the DMV, then you can definitely get the true metaphor for what it's like to be there. I'm making it sound like Zootopia only has references going for it. It doesn't though. Even though, the humor wasn't on par as some other Disney films, the story was very well done. It was almost like a buddy-cop film in some respects. The story was especially engaging because of this. Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps made a fantastic duo that solved the original case and more with wits.

 Nick and Judy talking to Flash the sloth. Oh my god, this has to be the prefect representation of getting my license. SO ANNOYING!!!

      Just like any other Disney movie, the animation is beautiful in Zootopia. I specifically enjoyed how each of the districts of Zootopia was shown. Tundratown's ice looked perfect. You could see each of divits in the ice left by vehicles and animals. The Rainforest district looked wet and humid. The rain hitting each object was such a miniscule animation that maybe was or wasn't need. Regardless, I'm overjoyed that the animators took the time to make everything look so good. Even the animals walked and acted like their individual species to such detail, which is something I wasn't expecting too much out of.

Tundratown would be the place to be. Well, maybe it's because I, personally, like the cold.

       In the end, I left the rambunctious child-filled theater happy. The relevant topic of racism and stereotyping in our world today is a heavy topic for kids to understand, but Zootopia gives them an idea of what real stereotyping is like. Parents can get an idea of how to talk about this dilemma with their kids. Zootopia isn't devoid of heart and humor either. It definitely has more heart than humor, which I feel might be a little strange to come out of an animated movie for kids. However, I can't at all complain with the results of another modern classic Disney movie.

4.7/5

PRO

• Relevant topic that kids should be familiar on
• References to popular culture
• Judy Hopps' and Nick Wilde's chemistry
• Animation is beautiful

CON

• Heart over humor might be unexpected

 

Zootopia is rated PG for some thematic elements, rude humor and action

 

Click here to watch the trailer

 

Zootopia is in theaters everywhere now

 

      Thanks for reading my review, everybody! I really appreciate it. Please subscribe to my blog and follow me on Facebook here and Twitter here to get updates on new reviews and trailer drops. Also, if you've already seen Zootopia, comment and let me know what you think of it. Thanks again!

Eddie the Eagle Review

Eddie the Eagle

"You're Eddie the Eagle...Just fly!" -Bronson Peary

      Eddie the Eagle is the new sports biopic directed by Dexter Fletcher (Wild Bill, Sunshine on Leith) and stars Taron Egerton as Eddie Edwards, Hugh Jackman as Bronson Peary, Jo Hartley as Janette (Eddie's mother), Keith Allen as Terry (Eddie's father), Iris Berben as Petra, Tim McInnerny, and Christopher Walken as Warren Sharp.

Eddie! Eddie! Eddie!

  

       Eddie the Eagle is about Eddie 'The Eagle' Edwards, an aspiring British athlete whose one dream is to just participate in the Winter Olympics. He's been told that he won't amount to anything throughout his life, even from those closest to him. However, one day he finds the sport of Ski Jumping and commits to it. The one problem is that the British Olympic committee doesn't want him to do it because he is the only Ski Jumper and to send people to the Olympics, they would have to use a lot of money. They keep making up rules for him to overcome, but with determination, Eddie finds his way to be the only British Ski Jumper at the Winter Olympics. How does he place? Does he do well? Do any serious injuries happen to him? Go watch it! It's worth your time to figure out.

Calm down, Hugh! I liked it, I didn't love it!

      Eddie the Eagle has a good amount of things going for it, but the best has to be my favorite newcomer in Hollywood, Taron Egerton. This guy is a star. I first saw him in Kingsman: The Secret Service in 2014, which I believe put him on the map. He was amazing then and he's amazing now. However, in Kingsman, he portrayed a completely different character than he did in Eddie the Eagle. In Kingsman, he was a reckless and badass spy, while in Eddie the Eagle he's a bullied, yet determined and funny athlete. I actually saw a couple of interviews of Eddie coming off of his Olympic appearance in Calgary and Taron resembled his persona extraordinarily well. He's likable-- no. He's lovable. You root for him all the way through his eventual final slope, for which he doesn't even place in the top 3. He actually finishes last. I don't consider this a spoiler because history already has recognized this. This actually happened. The reason this movie exists is solely based on Eddie's charismatic demeanor. He was excited about just being at the epic games and being the only representative of Britain for the downhill skiing event. He pumped up the crowds for every turn he got. Honestly, Eddie the Eagle would have not been anything but a brush on the shoulder if it weren't for the charming Eddie Edwards played by the talented Taron Egerton.

Unfortunately, Eddie Edwards never had a Hugh Jackman on his team.

      Like any other sports movie/biopic, Eddie the Eagle has to be an inspirational tale. It goes through the same kind of steps that we all know from a sports movie: a kid has dreams of becoming an athlete at a championship, he/she tries the sport and can't seem to do it well, he/she finds a coach who fell off the map from their heyday in said sport, the coach trains him/her (with a montage), he/she runs into trouble pertaining to entering or going to the championship of said sport, he/she goes and eventually proves his/her worth in the sport. This all happens in Eddie the Eagle. Not to say it's necessarily a bad thing because Eddie the Eagle does it fairly well. Again, it all goes back to the protagonist of the story, Eddie Edwards. A little side note: Hugh Jackman as Bronson Peary is fine, and that's it. He's fine as a washed up coach, but he seems to not be able to add much to an already repetitive story that we've seen. If nothing else, Eddie the Eagle doesn't butcher the tropes of a sports movie. It just doesn't really amplify them either.

  
"Might as well jump! Go ahead an' jump!" -Van Halen

It's not a true sports movie if there isn't some sort of Van Halen song!

       
      One more thing that really worked, even though the story was repetitive as can be, is the writing. It was funny when it needed to be or could have and it was serious when it was appropriate to be. The tone might have seemed somewhat ridiculous, but that was Eddie's training; It was ridiculous. Apparently his training, in real life, consisted of him jumping off rooftops since he there was no snow where he lived, and many more weird routines for practicing. It definitely shows in the kind of things he did in the movie. Then there were the scenes when Eddie was hurt physically and emotionally. You can feel for the guy since he isn't a professional athlete. He's a normal everyday guy who sees the bright side in his failures of doing what he wants to do more than anything. Honestly, I choked up a little during some scenes. I never really realized, in my own personal life, that different doesn't mean bad.

 

The real Eddie 'The Eagle' Edwards feeling on top of the world!

      I can't say for certain that everyone will love the movie, but I can say that you'll walk out of the theater with a big smile on your face. Yes, Eddie the Eagle has many of the same moments you've seen in an inspirational sports film. However, you're along for the ride through Eddie's struggles and accomplishments. I even learned a thing or two about perseverance, focus, and keeping things light. Eddie the Eagle might not win you over in terms of overall story, but the down-to-Earth Eddie is what makes the movie so vibrant.

3.7/5

PRO

• Taron Egerton's Eddie 'The Eagle' Edwards
• Inspirational message
• Eddie's training process is ridiculous and funny 

CON

• Repetitive sports story
• Doesn't add too much else to keep itself distinct from other sports movies

 

Eddie the Eagle is rated PG-13 for some suggestive material, partial nudity, and smoking

 

Click here to watch the trailer

 

Eddie the Eagle is in now in theaters everywhere

 

Thanks for reading my review, everybody! I really appreciate it. Please subscribe to my blog and follow me on Facebook here and Twitter here to get updates on new reviews and trailer drops. Also, if you've already seen Eddie the Eagle, comment and let me know what you think of it. Thanks again!