The Super Mario Bros. Movie, by Cameron J. Czaja
Whether you’re into video games or not, one can’t deny not knowing one famous video game character that has delighted people of all ages and that character is nonother than Mario from the Super Mario Brothers video game series by Nintendo. From his red hat and blue overalls to his famous catchphrase “it’s a me,…
Cinderella (1950), by Albert W. Vogt III
After watching all the Rocky/Creed films, what more logical selection would there be to follow them than Disney’s original animated classic Cinderella (1950). As I have indicated in reviews of other examples from the golden age of Disney animation, their magic is almost entirely lost on me. For instance, when I go to the Magic Kingdom and I see the title…
The Jungle Book (1967)
What do we make of The Jungle Book (1967)? I ask because it comes with one of those Disney disclaimers before it plays on Disney+, the Mouse’s way of retroactively apologizing for its insensitivities of the past. I get it, now that I have seen it (finally), though there are worse representations within the pantheon of Disney titles. There is…
Sleeping Beauty, by Albert W. Vogt III
Perhaps The Legionnaire is bigger than even I realize? It could be that in quantity of reviews, anyway. When somebody recently suggested on social media that I review Disenchanted (2022), it came with the caveat that I should first watch Enchanted (2007). Fine, says I, who am I to deny all my fan. . . ? I liked neither of them, but dutiful wrote an…
Disenchanted, by Albert W. Vogt III
So, now that I have seen Enchanted (2007), does Disenchanted (2022) make more sense? Honestly, I have no idea how to answer that question. I suspect that I could have watched the second of these Disney fairy send-ups and I would have at least gotten the gist of what they were trying to accomplish. Whether it lands is a separate debate. What I…
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, by Albert W. Vogt III
By now, if you have been reading The Legionnaire for some time, I would think you would know what a release of an animated movie means for me. If you are new, I will spell it out anyway: I gather my nieces and head to the cinema. One day, they will get too old for these things, or so…
Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, by Albert W. Vogt III
Before you go thinking that I am getting soft on Disney, let me offer to you some valid reasons for watching Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937). Foremost, it was the first color anything to be shown in movie theaters. Think about that for a second. Today, we take for granted that what we see on the screen is…
Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World, by Albert W. Vogt III
If you pay attention to such things, you might notice that Disney often puts out sequels to its so-called animated classics. They rarely get much press or are seen in theaters. Instead, they are cynical cash grabs hoping to capitalize on most people’s lack of attention to detail. You can picture the scenario, right? A careworn mother of three…
Strange World, by Albert W. Vogt III
The de facto chorus in “America” (1968) by Simon and Garfunkel talks of going to look for the title country. It is about two people, boyfriend and girlfriend presumably, who board a bus in their quest. They spend most of their trip observing either the people around them or the scenery they pass. At one point, the man…
Pocahontas, by Albert W. Vogt III
It may seem counterproductive to praise somebody else for somewhat similar work, but earlier today I saw Screen Junkies’ “Honest Trailer” for Pocahontas (1995). It was fantastic. The review, I mean, not the film. The movie is every bit the steaming pile of hot garbage I had heard it to be. It was the “Honest Trailer” that inspired me to finally…
The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, by Albert W. Vogt III
Now to once more dig into my favorite Disney films, and those are of the more obscure variety. I have probably already explained this before, but back when the Disney Channel started, with cable television in its infancy (yes, I am that old), they had to find programming. Lots and lots of programming. During the day, when I…
WALL-E, by Albert W. Vogt III
There is a faint memory in the back of my brain of seeing a preview for WALL-E (2008) and thinking that Disney was doing a strange sequel to a personal childhood favorite of mine, Short Circuit (1986). The title character of the former looks like a cute version of Johnny 5 (voiced by Tim Blaney) in the latter. They have similar…
DC League of Super-Pets, by Albert W. Vogt III
The summer is coming to a close. Who am I kidding? I live in Florida. Summer will be with us well into October, meteorologically speaking. There is a sobering thought as I sit here on a sweltering Friday evening doing my best to ignore the need for air conditioning. At least it is quiet, relatively speaking. The old man I live…
Minions: The Rise of Gru, by Albert W. Vogt III
This summer, my sister has decided that my nieces are at the age where they do not need the constant stimulus that is the summer camp environment. My description is based on firsthand experience working as a lifeguard, and seeing busloads of young ones being dropped off at the pool. The squeals still sometimes haunt my dreams. To…
Lightyear, by Albert W. Vogt III
Unlike the rest of humanity, I guess, I do not get excited for the next Pixar movie. Because I look at my reviews as a ministry, I go to the theater to see them more out of a sense of duty than anticipation for the next Disney production. I am willing to be pleasantly surprised. Though not Pixar,…
The Bob’s Burgers Movie, by Cameron J. Czaja
While I may not be the biggest fan of the animated television series Bob’s Burgers (2011-presen), I have seen some episodes and appreciate it for what it is. I have been looking forward to watching The Bob’s Burgers Movie on the big screen for quite some time for one reason: it’s a traditionally animated film. I’ve stated on The Legionnaire before…
Incredibles 2, by Albert W. Vogt III
Since I had already done The Incredibles (2004), why not do the sequel, Incredibles 2 (2018). Why did they drop the “the,” anyway? One of my favorite online film reviewers (other than myself, of course), Red Letter Media, once surmised that the reason why Revenge of the Jedi was changed to Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983) was to save money. “Return”…
The Bad Guys, by Albert W. Vogt III
Be warned: much of what is about to follow in this review of The Bad Guys will involve me being an older guy and not understanding aspects of a film not aimed at my demographic. I figure I might as well get this out of the way at the beginning. Actually, my main criticism of the film can be…
The Lion King (1994), by Albert W. Vogt III
Man, you would have thought Disney smeared poop on celluloid and sent it out to theaters for its loyal public to view when it released in 2019 the live-action version of the animated classic The Lion King (2019). I did not see it, so I would not know. Nor do such things stir me to any kind of emotion…
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996), by Albert W. Vogt III
Two years ago my dad was watching Versailles (2015-2018), a dramatic Netflix series about the famous palace of the same name built by King Louis XIV of France. It was my dad who introduced me to history, and many of the films we have watched together over the years have been of the historical variety. After viewing them, our…
Fantasia, by Albert W. Vogt III
When it is late at night, especially on a Thursday or a Sunday, and I am grading, I like to find something that I can put on in the background. I am not paying complete attention to it because my work is my priority. What I want is something to look up at when my eyes need…
Zootopia, by Albert W. Vogt III
When Zootopia (2016) came out, it was at the beginning of the strange Disney odyssey that I have been on for the past six years. It started with an ex-girlfriend convincing me to get an annual pass, and has now, er . . . blossomed to where I am part of a duo that has a YouTube channel…
Turning Red, by Albert W. Vogt III
I was a little disappointed that Turning Red did not play in any theater near me. It worked out well with my schedule for the weekend, but I do love going to the cinema. I have documented this elsewhere, and honestly, I could have made it work. I was surprised, too, to not see it among the offerings this weekend. Instead,…
Wreck-It Ralph, by Albert W. Vogt III
The first time I saw Wreck-It Ralph (2012), it was during my time working as a lifeguard for the city of St. Pete Beach. By the way, I worked at a pool, not the beach. During the summers, our facility hosted a movie night. For a film buff like me, you would think these evenings would be exciting. Several factors mitigated…
Isle of Dogs, by Albert W. Vogt III
I am writing this review on my birthday. I know, what a nerd. One of the joys of a birthday, if not being productive, is getting love and support from friends and family. One of the phone calls I got this morning are from two of my best friends, a husband and wife duo that I helped get…
Fantastic Mr. Fox, by Albert W. Vogt III
If you have been following along with these reviews of Wes Anderson films, you will note a few repeated themes. For this Catholic, the most troubling of these is when there are brief shots of sexual acts. He creates these beautiful scenes with pleasing color palettes, innovative camera placements and movements, and the positioning of characters in…
Sing 2, by Albert W. Vogt III
As I stood outside of the theater after Sing 2, my youngest niece asked me what I thought of the movie. Ah, to have the innocence of an adolescent once again. . . . I had to go back and see what I thought of Sing (2016), a film that I saw in preparation for the sequel that came out…
Lady and the Tramp (1955), by Albert W. Vogt III
At some point in my early childhood, I saw Lady and the Tramp (1955). I am not sure how, or why, but it was probably one of those things parents put on to entertain their children while they fall asleep. I believe my sister and I watched it together, and for whatever reason it made us really enthusiastic to…
One Hundred and One Dalmatians, by Albert W. Vogt III
I might as well get the most out of my Disney + subscription, no? Recently, the old man I live with accused me of being a “princess” lover because I forced him to sit through Tangled (2010). That is not hard as the man never moves, nor does he particularly care what is on the television in front of…
Peter Pan, by Albert W. Vogt III
When I recently watched Lady and the Tramp (1955), I took note of the requisite disclaimer that appears before the film talking about the racial depictions in it. Today’s film, Peter Pan (1953), has the same thing. One of the points it makes is how the way people of color, native peoples in this one, was presented wrongly then and is…
Encanto, by Albert W. Vogt III
There was somewhat of a role reversal for The Legionnaire this past weekend. Usually, Cameron would be the one to see the animated films given my distaste for them. Yet, the past few days had another unusual twist in terms of my typical movie going experience: company. Under normal circumstances, I will look forward to seeing a movie like House of…
Robin Hood (1973), by Albert W. Vogt III
After returning home from a day spent at the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow (did you know that is what Disney’s EPCOT stands for?), I decided to put on yet another Mouse production. Not any would do, and there are many that I am still resisting until one of you, my loyal fans, suggest them. In pondering…
Paw Patrol: The Movie, by Cameron J. Czaja
Hello everyone! For those who are wondering, yes, I am still part of The Legionnaire, and I still plan on writing reviews down the road. I do apologize for my absence as I’ve had a crazy work schedule, working eight days in a row at one point, and I had no weekend days off in the…
Toy Story, by Albert W. Vogt III
Have you ever felt like a monster for not liking a certain movie? The reverence with which people talk about Toy Story (1995) makes it seem like it could rival some of Hollywood’s all-time greats. I suppose there are those out there who would make that exact argument. I am not among that group. While I will admit to being…
Tangled, by Albert W. Vogt III
One thing I must hand to Disney for: their movies are usually short and to the point, even the musicals. Lately, I find myself pressed for time in the evening. Part of this is due to my desire to get back to watching Downton Abbey for the third time through, and also owing to an increasingly busy schedule. Downton Abbey is…
Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters, by Albert W. Vogt III
In the early 2000s, the Cartoon Network came up with the novel idea of showing animated shows late at night that were themed for adults. It made sense. After a certain time of the day, their target audience is usually in bed. Hence, how do you fill the other twelve hours or so of the day where they are not…
Pinocchio, by Albert W. Vogt III
The last time I saw Pinocchio (1940), I believe I was about four-years-old. No, I was not four in 1940. I am not that old. Instead, the movie was playing at the old Wheaton Grand Theater, in grand old downtown Wheaton, Illinois. It is funny the things you remember, is it not? Even though I was so young, that day I saw Pinocchio there stands out…
Alice in Wonderland (1951), by Albert W. Vogt III
When I wrote about The Sword in the Stone (1963), I discussed how it was one of two Disney VHS tapes my family owned. Given that it is a tale knights, chivalry, and the wizardry of Merlin (voiced by Karl Swenson), it was considered “my movie.” I also briefly mentioned how Alice in Wonderland (1951) was my sister’s. This was the situation…
Sing, by Albert W. Vogt III
With the imminent release of Sing 2, my sister recently suggested that I take my nieces to see it. It is part of the reason she put Sing (2016) on my suggestion list on social media. I remember previews for the original. Nothing about it made me think that I must see it. It is animated and basically a musical. Well, kind of,…
Brave, by Albert W. Vogt III
Call this a pre-emptive strike. My Disney friends have been plotting for years to get me to watch every single movie the Mouse has ever produced. In hindsight, it is kind of funny that I have not seen more of them. My former distaste for everything Disney has been well-documented. However, I cannot say that was always the case. My…
The Last Unicorn, by Albert W. Vogt III
There really is no accounting for taste, is there? I know there are some that have looked at the titles I enjoy and thought, “What the heck is wrong with this person?” I point out this immutable truth only as a disclaimer for what is about to follow. In the end, I will remind myself that such sentiments…
Coco, by Albert W. Vogt III
Though I did not see Coco (2017) in theaters, part of my usual policy of avoiding animated films, the way people talked about it left one with the impression that it is the greatest film since, I do not know, Casablanca (1942)? People laughed, cried, and everything else in between. Normally, any movie that can accomplish such a visceral reaction from…
The Mitchells vs the Machines, by Albert W. Vogt III
There are so many films out there today, and there does not appear to be any slowdown in their production. When motion pictures were first created, there was a great deal of consternation as to their function. Even in the late nineteenth century when the invention was in its infancy, people understood the power of images. If for…
Inside Out, by Albert W. Vogt III
Minor complaint: when I first saw Inside Out (2015), there was a short film before it about a volcano. It was a lesson about growing old, finding new purpose, and renewal. It was cute, too, because there was another island with which it was in love. Yet, when I re-watched the same film recently, the short did not appear. I guess…
Moana, by Albert W. Vogt III
My brother-in-law has a hilarious penchant for singing tunes. He is not a gifted vocalist, but that is part of the fun. When he hits the high notes in certain ballads, he screeches somewhat like a teenager going through puberty. My sister and I get a kick out of it, whereas my nieces roll their…
Beauty and the Beast (1991), by Albert W. Vogt III
Another classic Disney film I have never seen has fallen. This time it is Beauty and the Beast (1991). Actually, I saw Beauty and the Beast (2017) before, but I guess the live action version does not count. Because I am only a lukewarm Disney fan at best (despite my commercial habits), I never understood…
The Little Mermaid, by Albert W. Vogt III
The Little Mermaid (1989) is a good movie, but I do not care for it. I feel like I need to tread carefully here because I have too many friends that love this movie, and the last thing I want to do is upset them. But we all have those films, no? The ones that everyone acknowledges is good…
Big Hero 6, by Albert W. Vogt III
To those of you who have been trying for a few years to get me to watch Big Hero 6 (2014), I am sorry it took me so long. To one person in particular, assuming this person reads this review, I particularly apologize I never watched it with you. And, maddeningly, with Hollywood not releasing…
The Croods, by Albert W. Vogt III
You may remember that The Legionnaire already did this year’s The Croods: A New Age, the sequel to 2013’s The Croods. Our apologies for doing reviews out of sequence, but hey, no one asked us to take a look at the original first. So I blame all of you. I am kidding. Anyway, Cameron did…
Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation, by Albert W. Vogt III
A startling revelation came about yesterday as I wrote my review of Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015): they have announced a Hotel Transylvania 4. Oh . . . no. Here I was thinking my viewing of Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation (2018) last night would finally end this particular Adam Sandler nightmare. But, no, there is…
Hotel Transylvania 2, by Albert W. Vogt III
Okay, here is the review of Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015). Hotel Transylvania 2 picks up pretty much where Hotel Transylvania (2012) concluded. Dracula’s (voiced by Adam Sandler) daughter Mavis (Selena Gomez) is getting married to the idiot human backpacker Jonathan (Andy Samberg) who haphazardly stumbled upon the title resort in the last film. In yet…
Hotel Transylvania, by Albert W. Vogt III
It was not until I paused Hotel Transylvania (2012) about fifteen minutes in that I realized Adam Sandler was voicing Dracula. That is not a good thing, at least not in my book. There was a time in the 1990s and early 2000s when people thought he was funny, but I guess that went away.…
Raya and the Last Dragon, by Cameron J. Czaja
After years of sequels and a year absent of any Disney animated films, we nowhave a completely original Disney animated film, which is Raya and the LastDragon. This was a film that was supposed to be released last year but due to theongoing pandemic, it was delayed to this year. Normally, I would get botheredby…
Tom and Jerry, by Cameron J. Czaja
Throughout history there have been many rivalries that mankind has witnessed and that stood the test of time. We have the United Kingdom and France, New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, and Catholicism and Protestantism, just to name a few. In the fictional sense, however, there is one rivalry that has been going strong…
Soul, by Albert W. Vogt III
How does one describe Soul (2020)? I have plenty to say about it, in case you might be worried by that opening line. But as I sit here on a chilly January morning reflecting on my experience of watching it, I am having trouble coming up with some kind of clever introduction. When I first…
Paddington 2, by Albert W. Vogt III
Often sequels attempt to build on some aspect of their predecessor. Whether the producers (or sometimes fans) feel there was an element of a film’s plot still to be resolved, or simply to continue making money off the franchise, subsequent films in a franchise tend to build off one another. That is not always the…
Paddington, by Albert W. Vogt III
When I first learned to read, books fascinated me. In the small Catholic school I attended for most of my elementary school education, there was a commensurately tiny, one room library. I spent as much time there as I could. There were computers there, the only in the school (I am that old), and I…
The Incredibles, by Albert W. Vogt III
Have you ever had an identity crisis? Maybe you have worked hard in crafting one way of life for yourself, only to have unforeseen events impel you to adopt another one? As this is the Advent season, one of the themes that you find throughout the readings is the need for preparation. 1 Thessalonians 5:2…
The Croods: A New Age, by Cameron J. Czaja
It’s been seven and a half years since The Croods (2013) was first released and before I saw this film, The Croods: A New Age, I had trouble remembering the events of the first film. I mean, I remember the premise and the characters in it, but I had completely forgotten how it ended and I had to…
The Emperor’s New Groove, by Albert W. Vogt III
For a little while now, a small cadre of my good friends were trying to get me to watch The Emperor’s New Groove (2000). Okay, they really want me to see all the Disney movies. But since I have taken to letting the supporters of The Legionnaire determine the movies we review, they took this…
Ratatouille, by Albert W. Vogt III
The first time I saw Ratatouille (2007) it was during my time as an Assistant Youth Minister. I was on a bus traveling from Florida up to Hidden Lake Camp in Dahlonega, Georgia, for that wonderful week of trying to keep middle school teens in line amongst the pristine setting of the Southern Appalachians. At…
Trolls World Tour, by Albert W. Vogt III
My Chicago Bears stunk up Soldier Field on Sunday afternoon in losing to the Indianapolis Colts, putting me off football for the rest of the weekend. There is enough bad news in the world. Thus I did not care to watch the Monday Night contest(s). Instead, I resumed working my way through the extensive list…
Dumbo (1941), by Albert W. Vogt III
God’s timing is always surprising. Not in the sense that, oh no, the hamster has died, but rather the kind of surprise that leads you closer to the divine. It comes in big and small forms, and it happened as I was about to sit down to write this article. The last Disney film I…
The Black Cauldron, by Albert W. Vogt III
As I am in a little bit of a rut, inspiration for which movies to review has been a little hard to come by for me. Thus I turned to social media and the first suggestion to come my way was The Black Cauldron (1985). Another Disney movie, of course. Weirdly, I have no recollection…
The Three Caballeros, by Albert W. Vogt III
These are strange times. I spent this past weekend at Disney, so I thought it appropriate to bookend my trip with reviews of two of my favorite Disney cartoons of all time. Last week it was The Sword in the Stone (1963). Today it is The Three Caballeros (1944). When cable television first became a…
The Sword in the Stone, by Albert W. Vogt III
Do you remember VHS tapes? Disney always had distinctive containers that encased their films. They were these white, plastic, folding contraptions as opposed to the run-of-the-mill thin cardboard sleeves. Opening them always came with the creak of flexing synthetics, but signaled the magic therein. My family had two of these treasures, one for me and…
Mulan (2020), by Cameron J. Czaja
After watching the CGI remake of The Lion King (2019), Aladdin (2019), and Dumbo (2019) last year I’ve come to the conclusion that Disney remakes are inevitable and I just have to just accept them. Despite all that, one Disney live action remake that I was intrigued about was the live action Mulan because of the potential it had. However because of COVID-19,…
Who Framed Roger Rabbit, by Albert W. Vogt III
When I was a much younger lad and saw Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) for the first time, I do not recall thinking much of it other than the giggles of an innocent child’s mind. I do remember it getting some attention for its use of animated characters alongside live actors, though in hindsight I…
The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, by Cameron J. Czaja
To follow up my review for The Spongebob Squarepants Movie (2004), I shall now do a review for the standalone sequel The Spongebob Movie: Sponge Out of Water (2015). Unlike the first film, I had been more aware of film criticism and went into this one ready to critique it. Part of me, however, had a good…
The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, by Cameron J. Czaja
“Are you ready kids?!” If the first words you think of after hearing that phrase are “Aye aye, captain!” then you may be a fan of SpongeBob SquarePants like myself. I was nine years old when the series premiered in the Summer of 1999 and it couldn’t have come out at a better time. I was living in…
A Goofy Movie, by Cameron J. Czaja
Ah 1995, a year in film where we great classics such as Apollo 13, Braveheart, and Toy Story. One film, however, that came out during that year that has received a cult following happens to be A Goofy Movie, which features one of Disney’s greatest characters Goofy. Despite being born in the 1990s and growing up on cartoons that…
Scoob! by Cameron J. Czaja
Even though I was a huge Scooby-Doo fan when I was a little kid, I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about watching Scoob! or if I was going to see it when it first came out. I’ll elaborate on that part. So, because theaters are still closed due to Covid-19, Scoob! was getting the video on…
The Lorax, by Cameron J. Czaja
For a while now I was indecisive on what movie I should review next for The Legionnaire. Then I realized that Earth Day was approaching soon, so I decided that my next review will be Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax. I beat around the bush with this one. I actually strongly dislike this film and it’s one of…
Treasure Planet, by Cameron J. Czaja
Now that I covered Atlantis: The Lost Empire, I shall now follow up that review with another Disney animated film with similar themes: Treasure Planet. I’m sure most of you have read Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic tale Treasure Island before, right? Well this is almost that same story but with a science-fiction twist that I thought was…
Atlantis: The Lost Empire, by Cameron J. Czaja
The other week while I was looking for something to watch, I saw two Disney films from my childhood on Disney + that were, in my opinion, completely underrated. The two films that I’m referring to are Atlantis: The Lost Empire and Treasure Planet. Indecisive on which one to watch, I decided to do a double feature and…
Up, by Albert W. Vogt III
In 2018, for the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party I dressed up as a young(er) Carl Fredericksen (voiced by Ed Asner) from the 2009 Disney classic Up. I had never seen the movie before, and I am not going to rehash my “interesting” relationship with the Mouse. It was an easy enough costume to…
Mulan, by Cameron J. Czaja
Earlier this month I was prepared to watch the new live-action version of Mulan, which is based on the 1998 animated film. Those plans changed however due to the coronavirus pandemic that is currently happening in America, which resulted in nationwide theater closures and a suspended release date for the new Mulan. As bummed as…
Chicken Run, by Albert W. Vogt III
With COVID-19 making life a little harder to live, particularly for movie reviewers, I have decided to go back and watch some classic movies and review them. If you pay even the slightest attention to the news these days, it makes it seem like a seeming apocalypse is afoot. One thing this panic has done…
Onward, by Cameron J. Czaja
It’s been two months since 2020 began and I finally watched a film that I was anticipating and that movie was Onward. As you know by now, animation is one of my favorite genres of film because those types of films have the potential to be something great on a visual level. Recently, however, I’ve…
Frozen, by Albert W. Vogt III
Before reading the rest of this review of Frozen, if you have been reading my previous work on this blog, ask yourself, “How do I think this is going to go?” If your answer is anything less than stellar, you may want to stop right about . . . here. One thing I would like…
Sonic the Hedgehog, Cameron J. Czaja
Ah Valentine’s Day, a day where couples can spend time together and watch a newly released film. Unfortunately, I can only relate to the second half of that sentence and the movie that I saw on Valentine’s Day was Sonic the Hedgehog. While I’m somewhat of a fan of the video game series, I was…
Spies in Disguise, by Cameron J. Czaja
The last week of December is probably one of my favorite weeks of the year because not only do we celebrate the birth of Jesus, but we start to get a lot more movies coming out, some of them I’ve been anticipating for a while. This week I saw two new films, but the one…
Playmobil: The Movie, by Cameron J. Czaja
I thought I was going to get a break from reviewing a film this week because usually there’s nothing big coming out the week after Thanksgiving. Or so I thought. What peaked my curiosity to see Playmobil: The Movie is how they were going to make a movie about the Playmobil toys and how bad…
Frozen II, by Albert W. Vogt III
Very soon into Frozen II, my friend Scott leaned over to me and said, “Holy *%#$ this is the Fifth Element.” It took all my powers of restraint to not laugh out loud at an inappropriate time in the movie. Essentially Elsa (Idina Menzel) is the Fifth Element, and with her powers she is the…
The Addams Family, by Cameron J. Czaja
I wouldn’t say I’m a huge fan of The Addams Family, but I am a causal one. When I heard they were making an animated film based on everyone’s favorite macabre family I was somewhat excited. The last I saw anything associated with The Addams Family was the Broadway adaptation several years ago and to…
Abominable, by Cameron J. Czaja
Something I noticed before watching this film about a yeti is that this will be the third animated film within a year involving yetis. The first one was Small Foot (2018) and the second one was Missing link, which came out earlier this year. I have seen both Small Foot and Missing Link and I…
Dora and the Lost City of Gold, by Albert W. Vogt III
Dora and the Lost City of Gold is about the title character, Dora (Isabella Moner), a socially inept teenager with deadbeat parents who seemed content to let their only child be raised by a monkey. Along the way, mom (Elena, played by Eva Longoria) and dad (Cole, played by Michael Peña) wander into the jungle…
Toy Story 4
Before I begin, let me get a disclaimer out of the way: I have not seen Toy Story 1, Toy Story 2, or Toy Story 3. Actually, you could probably name a Disney movie and I have not seen it. I do not typically go in for that sort of thing. But I have a…
Pokémon Detective Pikachu
Before seeing Pokémon Detective Pikachu, a friend of mine who loves the franchise told me, “If you’re a fan of Pokémon you’ll love it. . . .” If you are keeping score at home, I do not fall into that category. I am not going to take the time to defend my nerd status. However,…
Missing Link
Movies that want to take themselves seriously try not to schedule their releases when there is a competitor involved. Sometimes this involves other reasons like the need for reshoots or world events causing them to make other plans. More often, though, it is because a movie wants to maximize its profits and another big time…
Lego Movie 2: The Second Part
I needed a break after last week’s Miss Bala misery. I noticed that Cold Pursuit was also out this week, but wished to avoid another bleak weekend. Something lighter was in order, I felt, and so it was off to see Lego Movie 2: The Second Part. I am not a huge fan of animated films. Being without a wife and family…
Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse
I decided to make my first review a light one: Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse. Like many people, I have been taken in by the Marvel craze. Then again, given my penchant for their comics when I was younger, this was probably predictable. I have to confess, though, to not being the biggest fan of animated movies. Being usually…
The Legionnaire 