Category Archives: animation

“Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation” Trailers and Poster

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Directed by Genndy Tartakovsky, Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation follows Mavis who surprises Dracula with a family voyage on a luxury monster cruise ship so he can take a summer vacation from providing everyone else’s vacation at the hotel. Of course, the rest of Drac’s Pack cannot resist tagging along.

The monsters are all having a great time, indulging in all of the shipboard fun the cruise has to offer, from monster volleyball to colossus sized buffets and exotic excursions, but then the unexpected happens as Drac falls for the intriguing-yet-dangerous captain of the ship. Balancing family, friends and a budding romance might just be too much, even for the most powerful vampire.

The movie is filled with stellar voices by Adam Sandler (Dracula), Andy Samberg (Johnny), Selena Gomez (Mavis), Kevin James (Frank), Fran Drescher (Eunice), Steve Buscemi (Wayne), Molly Shannon (Wanda), David Spade (Griffin), Keegan-Michael Key (Murray) and Mel Brooks (Vlad).

The movie trailer tells us more about the movie, which the kids will totally enjoy. Very clever facial expressions and personalities will draw them to the movie.

“A Wrinkle in Time” Trailers, Poster, Interview with Director

adventure, animation, based on a book, children movies, family movies, fantasy, kid movies, , , , , ,

Directed by Ava DuVernay,  A Wrinkle in Time is based on a wonderful and timeless book by Madeleine L’Engle. My daughter read her book with awe and excitement. The timeless classic came to the screen before in the 1980s. The technology at the time failed to bring the magical story to life.

A Wrinkle in Time Blu-ray/DVD hit the streets. So, if you haven’t seen it yet, nows your chance.

Now, the audience will be able to view the dimensions of time and space, examining the nature of darkness versus light and, ultimately, the triumph of love. Through one girl’s transformative journey led by three celestial guides, we discover that strength comes from embracing one’s individuality and that the best way to triumph over fear is to travel by one’s own light.

The movie’s cast is stellar with Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, Michael Pena, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Zack Galifianakis, and Chris Pine.

DuVernay is a woman of many firsts in the movie industry as a director and screenwriter. In 2012, she won Best Director for her second feature Middle of Nowhere at Sundance becoming the first African-American woman to win the award. For her work in Selma, she was the first black female director to be nominated for a Golden Globe Award and the first black female director to have her film nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. A Wrinkle in Time exceeds a budget of $100 million, making her the first black woman to direct a live-action film with a budget of that size.

The movie’s screenwriter, Jennifer Lee, is best known as the writer and director of the Disney’s Frozen, for which she earned an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

The interview with the director, Ava DuVernay, who tells the storyline and describes each character and how each actor plays the role.  This is a must watch and very informative interview.

The second trailer shows more of the storyline. The CGI is pretty awesome looking. I just hope there are no pan shots of CGI.

“The Star” Trailers, Music, and Vignettes

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Directed by Timothy Reckart, The Star follows a small but brave donkey named Bo, voiced by Steven Yeun. He yearns for a life beyond his daily grind at the village mill. One day, he finds the courage to break free, and finally, he goes on his dream adventure.

On his journey, he teams up with Ruth, voiced by Aidy Bryant, a loveable sheep who has lost her flock and Dave, voiced by Keegan-Michael Key, a dove with lofty aspirations. Along with three wisecracking camels and some eccentric stable animals, Bo and his new friends follow the Star and become unlikely heroes in the most incredible story ever told—the first Christmas.

These are fun to watch, but their language is a bit too modern for the time period.

Enjoy the Vignette about the voice actor for Bo, the donkey.

The list of stellar voice actors is astonishing.

Short Animated Movie, “Puppy!” Trailer

animation, children movies, comedy, family movies, kid movies,

The new animated short Puppy! directed by Hotel Transylvania‘s Genndy Tartakovsky, is attached to The Emoji Movie. In the short, the residents of Hotel Transylvania find their world turned upside down when youngster Dennis gets a surprise monster-sized pet.

“The Emoji” Movie Trailer

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Directed by Tony Leondis, The Emoji Movie seems rather far-fetched and unreal because it is a way out there world that does not truly exist.

Following the story unlocks the never-before-seen secret world inside your smartphone. I never thought of my smartphone having a hidden world within the messaging app is Textopolis, a bustling city where all your favorite emojis live, hoping to be selected by the phone’s user.

This story is definitely for kids because, in this world, each emoji has only one facial expression – except for Gene, voiced by T.J. Miller, an exuberant emoji who was born without a filter and is bursting with multiple expressions. Determined to become “normal” like the other emojis, Gene enlists the help of his handy best friend Hi-5, voiced by James Corden, and the notorious code breaker emoji Jailbreak, voiced by Anna Faris.

The Emoji pals embark on an epic “app-venture” through the apps on the phone, each its own wild and fun world, to find the Code that will fix Gene. But when a greater danger threatens the phone, the fate of all emojis depends on these three unlikely friends who must save their world before it’s deleted forever.

Seems like The Wizard of Oz with a twist in a smartphone.  I ask, “Why can Gene just be himself?”

“Ferdinand” Trailer

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Directed by Carlos Saldanha, Ferdinand follows a giant but reluctant bull with a big heart. After being mistaken for a dangerous beast, he is captured and torn from his home. Determined to return to his family, he rallies a misfit team on the ultimate adventure. Set in Spain, Ferdinand proves you can’t judge a bull by its cover.

Looks like the movie is perfect for kids as a heartwarming animated comedy adventure with a talented cast that includes John Cena, Kate McKinnon, Gina Rodriguez, Anthony Anderson and much more.

Nick Jonas of the former Jonas Brothers band co-wrote and sings in “Home” an original song for the animated feature.  “I’ve always wanted to write an original song for a film,” says Jonas. “When they showed me the materials of the movie, Ferdinand, a story I was familiar with, I was thrilled.”

Listen to part of “Home” in this trailer.

Jonas says “Home ” encompasses the film’s theme of acceptance. “I wrote this song with good friends of mine Justin Tranter and Nick Monson,” says Jonas. “And we wrote about feeling accepted and feeling loved, wherever that place is for you. For me it’s home, it’s my family, people I have closest to me, and the experiences we’ve shared.”

“Captain Underpants” Funny Movie for Kids

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Get ready for an over-the-top, prank-filled superhero comedy that families will love.

Directed by David Soren, Captain Underpants is based on a popular book series and stars Kevin Hart and Ed Helms.

DreamWorks put the movie together, and the winded title is  Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie. It’s a light and zippy movie, brimming with jokes, pratfalls, and action akin to a comic book. It’s aimed at kids who also like slightly gross humor and superhero parody.

This raucously subversive comedy for the entire family tells the story of two overly imaginative pranksters, George and Harold. They hypnotize their school principal, Mr. Drupp, into thinking he’s a ridiculously enthusiastic, incredibly dimwitted superhero, Captain Underpants.

I thought all school principals thought they were superheroes.

Baldwin Voices “The Boss Baby”

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Directed by Tom McGrath, The Boss Baby is a hilariously universal story about how a new baby’s arrival affects a family, told from the delightfully unreliable point of view of a wildly imaginative 7-year-old named Tim.

He wears a suit, speaks with the voice and wit of Alec Baldwin, and headlines in the animated comedy with a sly, heart-filled message about the importance of family. The Boss Baby looks hilarious and should appeal to the entire family.

Its core message is about adapting to a new baby in the family. Families can’t divide their love, which makes it easy for parents and kids to relate to the film. The movie also highlights selflessness and sibling bonding. Parents see a positive theme beneath the exaggerated comedy.

The Boss Baby is a family movie since it gives children the enjoyment and silliness they want while offering parents a narrative about family learning to adjust and build togetherness.

“Despicable Me 3” Blu-ray/DVD

animation, children movies, comedy, family movies, kid movies, sequels

Gru is back for the third time, and this looks funny.

The Blu-ray/DVD is out on the streets, and you can get the entire package with all the special featurettes. The featurettes include a mini-movie for some more laughs.

Despicable Me 3 is a physical comedy. The absurd villain antics and the contrast between Gru’s deadpan personality and the chaos around him. A lot of the humor comes from the Minions’ nonsensical antics. Then there’s Gru awkwardly dealing with his twin brother Dru. Let’s not forget Balthazar Bratt’s extensive 1980s villain vibe.

The movie delivers visual gags more than clever dialogue. Children can relate to the jokes and follow them even if they miss some words. The scenes with the twin-brother dinner awkwardness, identity mix-ups, and the Minions are the main sources of laughs.

The film draws laughs from faces, timing, slapstick, and over-the-top characters rather than witty writing. It’s a movie that the whole family can enjoy together.

“Cars 3” Trailer

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Pixar and Disney are promoting everything that will change from this moment, and what that means is there is an accident on the racetrack. There is a dark car that seems sinister, with the added promotion of a dark story.

All I can say is that I hope Pixar doesn’t disappoint us and keeps to its traditional style of prominent characters and an outstanding storyline.

Cars 3 Blu-ray and DVD are available on the street if you haven’t seen the Pixar movie yet. Now is your chance.