New Home

Hi guys, I'm moving over to tumblr where you can get my most recent reviews. The address is awesomereviewer.tumblr.com so hope to meet you there.

New Look

Welcome to the home of Awesome Reviewer, where I review movies, video games, and give my random opinions on things that I like or dislike. See if your favorite movies or video games earn my official seal of “Awesomeness.”I’ll also take requests, but mostly try to do newer reviews.

Here is my rating scale it is out of 5:

5/5-“Awesomeness,” The highest rating I can give. It indicates a high level of entertainment that is nearly perfect. A definite watch/play. Rarely given out.

4.5/5-“Fetch Status,” Almost the same as a perfect score, but because of some minor flaw or personal bias it could not make the cut.

4/5-“Muy Caliente,” A impressive title that is done exceptionally well. It has many good things going for it, but it might not be for everyone.

3.5/5-“Caliente,” A very good title that has a lot going for it. Small minor problems here and there, but over all worth a look.

3/5-“Alrightness,” A above average title that may or may not work for everyone. Problems are noticeable, but not distract. Worth a look.

2.5/5-“Time Pass,” Nothing new or impressive. Seen it been there done that. However it offers a familiar experience and you’ll know exactly what to expect.

2/5-(black accent)”I Sat Through That,” A waste of time, that may have been sort of fun, but the end result leaves you saying “Really”and questioning “Why.”

1.5/5 or lower-“WTA (What the Anchovy),” Complete stinker that is not worth your time and is a complete waste of money. There might be something you liked, but the overall product is completely awful and uninspired.

So that’s my basic rating system and that is how I review my movies and video games. However, read the text because it might explain and give a better reason to why I gave the score.

(I'm changing somethings because I didn't like how things were being done. It's a completely new direction. However, my older reviews will still be up. Plus this gives a better idea of what I am about.)

The Lion King

Okay I took a break from my last reviews, but now I'm back and ready to go. I want to start off by reviewing one of the most beloved animated classics of all time, "The Lion King." I went to the theaters about 2 weeks ago and watch the new 3D release of the movie. This review will be split into two sections, one for the movie itself and one for the 3D.

"The Lion King" is the story of a young lion cub named Simba, who gets framed for the murder of his father. He is sent into exile, where he develops a carefree lifestyle. When his home becomes overruled by hyenas and his tyrant uncle, he has to make a decision to take responsibility or keep living his carefree lifestyle. It is probably one of the greatest coming of age stories out there. The movie narrates his life from a a child to teen to finally becoming an adult.

When Simba is young he is naive to the world. Like any any child he easily believes almost anything someone tells him and he is eager to discover new things. When his father tells him that one day he will to be king, Simba immediately gets that sparkle of astonishment in his eyes. However being the naive child he is, he thinks being king is all about having power and just doing what he wants. This can symbolize the way kids think when they are little, they think growing up means you can boss around anyone you want and you have no responsibility. As he goes into exile he develops a more carefree attitude and thinks he has found what it means to be an adult. Like many of us when we were teens, we didn't care for a lot of things and we would kind of push away our family members and have this rebellious phase. But it isn't until we become older that we have to realize it is time to grow up. That is when we really learn what we have to do and step up. Which Simba does when he gets a message from his father. What makes Simba such a powerful character is that no matter who we are we can relate to him because some of the situations and behaviors he has most of us did too.

The movie is filled with great spiritual and deeper messages. One powerful scene I can think of is when Simba's paw falls into Mufasa's paw print. It tells Simba that he has to fill in the footsteps of this great lion. We can see the fear in Simba's eyes he wonder, "will I be able to do this?" Another theme the movie deals with is death. The movie is very blunt on death. On screen we see Mufasa die and a baby cub trying wake up the carcass. "The Lion King" tells us that death is inevitable and we have to deal with it. We can't just stop living our lives. But it also says that the person we lost always lives within us through their wisdom our how they helped develop you into the person you are.

The characters in "The Lion King" are great. We can relate to them and we also have someone like them in our own lives. Mufasa, father of Simba,  is probably one of the most memorable characters in this movie even though he is only on screen for a short amount of time. He is powerful and intimidating, while at the same time lovable and protective.  His wisdom guides Simba through the film and develops him into the man he has to be. Scar, Simba's uncle, is a great villain character. He is funny, frightening, and very intelligent. He behaves as the person in our lives that want nothing more than to see us get harmed. He doesn't show his true intentions and at times feels as if he wants to help, but in reality he just wants to see failure. Timon and Pumba are the comic relief, but we all have people like this in our lives. They teach Simba how to move on and don't let the past hold you back. Even though they bestow a carefree lifestyle on Simba, they wish nothing, but the best for him. When he needs help these two are always ready back him up, like any friend. All the characters are great and very relate able.

The music is beautiful in this movie and I can promise that you will be humming along during and after the movie is over. It capture the spiritual and epic vibe of the movie to a point of pure magic.

"The Lion King" is a fantastic movie that entices you into the story, never once leaving the epic feel. From probably one of the greatest movie intros to the climactic battle to the triumphant pose at the end, the movie comes full circle. In my opinion I believe it to be the best animated film and one of the best movies ever made. It is epic, deep, funny, and very emotional. Epic in scope and Shakespearean in tone. Kids will have fun, adult will reflect back on their own lives, and it's just a perfect film. I give "The Lion King" 5/5, beautifully animated, catchy songs, a story anyone can relate too, and just a great epic.

Now the movie is still fantastic, but what did I think if the 3D? Well i thought it was pretty good, not the best. The 3D isn't up to par with say Avatar, but it is the best use of 3D in an animated film that I've seen. Haven't seen "How To Train Your Dragon" or "Tangled" in 3D. But it does excite me to see more hand drawn movies in 3D. There is a great part where Zazu is flying and it really feels as if he is right there in front of you. I'm not a big fan of 3D, but when used right I won't complain. I give the 3D , 4/5, not completely mind blowing, but effective.

The Sound of Music

"The Sound of Music," what can I say about this great contribution to cinema? Well for starters the movie was a box-office success, grossing over $286,000,000, and it practically saved 20th Century Fox from bankruptcy due to low revenues from "Cleopatra." It also went on to win Best Picture in 1965 and 4 other Oscars along with 5 other nominations.

The story of "The Sound of Music" is about a odd ball nun who becomes a governess for 7 mischievous children of the Von Trapp home. Georg Von Trapp the father is a widower and very strict, he has certain rules in the house such as no singing or goofing off basically anything that reminds him of his wife. However Maria, the nun does not adhere to Georg's commands and goes out of her way to make the children happy again. She tries hard and eventually brings back music and happiness to the family again. She soon falls in love with Georg and complications arise that tests their love and the love of the family as a whole.

The characters are great in the movie, they bring a sense of reality into the movie. For instance the children misbehave to get the attention of their father. And the father tries very hard to be there for his children, even though there are some short comings, and tries to also teach them great moral lessons about doing what is right over doing the popular thing. Maria is free spirited and deals with the complications of doing what her brain tells her over her heart.

The characters a re good and at times very believable, but the acting by the children is pretty weak. The adults give decent to great performances, like Julie Andrews, but the kids lack. They aren't always believable. They seem to be fake. However each child does shine once in a while, but overall they performance leaves much to be desired.

The songs in this movie are great, written and composed by Rodger and Hammerstein and Irwin Krostal. They have a fun melodic flow. Songs start of slow with soft vocal performances and quickly become dramatic and enchanting. Meanings of the most of the songs are mostly in front of you. They are meaningful songs, but the moral is usually thrown at you with little room for the imagination. However songs like "The Sound of Music" accompanied by a powerful scenery transcends the movie to a whole other level.

Moral themes much like most of the songs are up in your face. The movie overall is the importance of family and staying together. The Von Trapp family have so many complications such as the loss of a mother and the way the families lives are changed. Another message in the movie that is handled pretty well is that family is all you can really count on. Leisl has a friend in the movie who she thinks she can trust to the very end, ends up betraying her trust. She is left with only the love of her family.

Overall I think "The Sound of Music" is a fantastic film, it tells a timeless story of the value of family and their unconditional love. The songs are great and very iconic. The movies 3hr running time goes by a breeze. Acting from the children are decent, but at times fake and the morals are kind of thrown to you. However the acting or the shallowness of the message, I give "The Sound of Music" 5/5. The story is compelling and it still manages to tell a powerful story about family.

"The Sound of Music" will conclude this journey we've had reviewing musicals. I know I didn't get to a lot of them, but probably will later down the line with my reviews. I had a fun time doing this and it gave me an amazing opportunity to check out some of these great musicals in cinema. Starting tomorrow I will begin doing reviews of movies I've seen over the summer. Some will be brand new movies I've discovered for the first time, others will be my favorite classics, and most of which will be this years releases.

Mary Poppins

Walt Disney's "Mary Poppins" is the pinnacle of the studios success. No film till that point or since then has been able to match the amount of accolade and success this film had received. It holds the record for the most Oscar nominations, 13, and wins, 5, any Disney movie had ever received. The movie was also a huge financial success becoming the highest grossing movie of its year, 1964, and the following year, 1965. The film went on to gross a whopping $102,000,000>, not much by today's standards, but ticket price was around a dollar per person, so that means over 102,000,000 people have seen this film in theaters and a countless amount of people have seen it on home video. "Mary Poppins" wasn't only a money making juggernaut or Oscar gold, it was also a landmark in special effects. From mixing live-action with animation to using wires to the full effect. It was seamlessly infused into the movie and enhanced it to another level.

I hadn't seen "Mary Poppins" in years, the last time was probably when I was in elementary school, but with the power of Netflix and my recent obsession with musical, I was able to watch this classic film. I completely love this film and had  a smile on my face the whole time. The depressing parts had me choked up and the more funny scenes had me laughing out loud. And I was completely astonished  by the special effects. I could not fathom how they had done it all without the use of computer graphics.

"Mary Poppins" is the story of The Banks children, Jane and Micheal, who are often neglected by their busy parents, so they always need a nanny around. After their last nanny quits on them the father, Mr. Banks, makes an ad for a more stricter nanny. However the kids have their own ideal nanny that they want. The father disagrees and rips up their ad and throws into the fire place. However the winds of change blow and Mary Poppins comes across the letter and immediately packs her bag and enters the lives of the Banks.

The story of "Mary Poppins" is very strong, at times it is very whimsical, but hefty with symbolism For instance wind plays a very strong role in the movie. It suggests that Mary Poppins can't stay at one place for a long time. It gives her enough time to change the hearts of people she comes into contact with. Laughter and being a kid is another strong part of the film. Laughter is important and states that i when a person laughs they can rise from any kind of situation. Regardless of what kind of job we have or how much money we make laughing is the key to happiness, as shown by the character Bert. Bert isn't very rich, but he is happy because he has laughter and his imagination.  It can pick us up and make up feel good again. The movie puts heavy emphasis on being a kid and how precious it is and also on the fact of giving. Not only give money, but giving joy and nourishing the youth.

The songs are probably some of the best in any musical. The Sherman brothers did a magnificent job with the songs and the score. The job they did on this movie is probably their best work. The music is varied from whimsical and fun, to ironic, to very emotional. They are all mostly catchy and a sound track that you might be humming all day long. No matter what the song it fits well into the movie, it doesn't feel like it's just there for show, but instead it's there to enhance the story with smart and full of symbolism lyrics. "Feed the Birds" for instance is a song that may sound like what the title says, but it is much more than that. It is about giving and looking past your nose. Many of the songs are like this and have double meaning that people realize as they get older.

The characters are fantastic, they are colorful and fun. However my favorite character and I am guessing most other peoples favorite as well is Bert. He represents the every man who is happy with what he has and enhances it through other means. He has hobbies like chalk drawing and singing to occupy his time. Bert is played by Dick Van Dyke and he escalates this character to another level, just with his sheer screen presence. He makes the character very charismatic. And Julie Andrew does a great job playing the lead Mary Poppins. Her voice is amazing, screen presence is powerful and charismatic, and she looked pretty good back then too.

Overall "Mary Poppins" is a fantastic movie, it achieves the highest level of story telling, with amazing characters, memorable music, and state of the arts special effects that don't look too dated by today's standards.. The movie also captures the imagination and the youthfulness of childhood in a timeless classic. I give "Mary Poppins" a 5/5, a stunning film and anything else I say will not do justice for the film.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

"Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street," another collaboration of Johnny Depp and Tim Burton, but this time it's a black comedy horror musical. I'm gonna be honest I'm not a big fan of either of these two people. And honestly can't fathom the amount of people that flock to their movies. I'm not saying they're not talented, but I just can't understand the obsession and fascination. Tim Burton is a decent director, but most of his movies are pretty similar in tone and he never really steps out of his comfort zone. I can't judge a director that only does one type of movie, yet people consider him to be a genius in the leagues of Spielberg or Hitchcock. I hardly consider that, he does have some good movies, but I usually grow board of his black comedy/horror movies. I can appreciate him for having a style, but he could put it to use in another genre something out of his comfort zone. Johnny Depp is another person I can't seem to understand the obsession with. People flock to his movies like flies to an apple core. He is a good actor, but he isn't that good. I think he over acts and tries too hard to be corky. I've just never been impressed with him I guess.

However, as much as I don't prefer their movies, I did enjoy this one. It of course had the Tim Burton touch and feel, but I also liked Depp's acting it was solid. I didn't think he over did it and he gave a decent vocal performance.

"Sweeney Todd" is  story about Benjamin Barker aka Sweeney Todd, who's been missing for 15 years returns to London on a boat to find his wife and daughter. He is accompanied by Anthony, who is very excited to come to London. On the other hand Todd is not and he tells Anthony about how he was tragically separated from his wife and daughter by a jealous judge. After telling the story they both separate and go their own way. Todd comes upon a pie shop on fleet street where he meets Mrs. Lovett, who knew his wife and tells him that his wife had taken poison after being raped by Judge Turpin.  Todd becomes angered and wonders what has become of his daughter and Lovett tells him that she is with Judge Turpin. Lovett also returns Todd his old razors with which he plans to get revenge with. Mean while Anthony comes across a beautiful girl who is singing form her window and immediately falls in love with her. He soon finds out that this is the Judge Turpin's home and is beaten by the judge for looking at the girl. After taking a beating he vows to take Joanna, the girl, from her home. The story continues with more deception and twists as Todd tries to get revenge and find his daughter with Lovett. The movie also has romance between Lovett and Todd.

The story was good and interesting, but I thought the dialogue was hard to follow. They are so fast at delivering dialogue that it just sounds like mush. I couldn't make head or tail of what they were saying, which hurt my understanding of the story. I also though the romance between Joanna and Anthony go nowhere. It is underdeveloped and hits a brick wall toward the end. Their love story didn't work for me. Another thing I didn't like was the relationship between Mrs. Lovett and a child worker she takes in, Tobias. They sing a heart touching duet about being there for each other, but throughout the movie mainly towards the end I don't see that song translate into the movie. Lovett does some questionable acts to the boy at the end of the film, I just see that song applied to the film.

On the other hand the music was well intertwined into the film. It didn't seem out of place and they were melodic. The songs fit well with what was happening and had a great operatic feel. They are dark, funny, heart warming, and everything else, except memorable. The songs worked great with the film, but are forgettable outside the context of the story. I can't see these songs part of anything else. The only song that I thought could sort of stand on its own was "Johanna" which melodic and harmonious. It's a song that I can hum and makes me feel. One more problem with the movie was the singing, it wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. The actors manged to sing decently, but they couldn't hit all the right notes.

Overall "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" is a good movie and musical. It's visuals are great and very unique and it has a good story, which is harmed by poor dialogue delivery and some relationship issues. I give the movie a 4/5, Good story and stunning visuals, but non-memorable songs and poor dialogue delivery. My favorite Tim Burton and Johnny Depp film.

Dreamgirls

So today I watched "Dreamgirls," a musical drama about three young ladies and their journey to stardom. I have to say this is a fantastic film, it has everything from amazing music to beautiful visuals to heart. The movie is about going for your dreams and the sacrifices one has to make to achieve those dreams. And what happens when the rug is pulled from right beneath you. The story starts off light hearted and slowly weaves into the more dramatic aspects. From start to finish we as the audience feel and experience everything the characters feel. It's as if we are following them through this journey every step of the way. However, the movie cuts abruptly in certain scenes and it kind of weakens the overall impact. Certain characters are paid less attention to and when something happens to them we are supposed to care.

The acting in this movie was great, every actor portrayed their character well. However, Jennifer Hudson steals every scene she is in. She plays Effie, the lead singer of the group, but is quickly replaced by her friend Deena, played by Beyonce. She is pretty much a diva in the movie. She wants all of the spot light on her and refuses to see the bigger picture for the group. Years pass and she finally realizes what she had. Hudson played the character so well, giving her power and she handled the emotional scenes well. In my opinion the star of the film was Effie as she was the real heart of the film. And instead I think Hudson should have been nominated for a lead actor award instead of a supporting one.

The songs probably the most important part of a musical. The songs are all great and song to perfection by the cast. "Dreamgirls," the title song is beautifully song and harmonized. It feels like a song that only can be song by angels. "Patients" and "One Night Only"(Effie version) are both great songs that made me really emotional. My favorite number are the ones at the end of Act 1, "It's Over" and "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going," both of which are very dramatic and show the shift in the tone of the film.

Overall I think "Dreamgirls" is a fantastic musical and should have been nominated for Best Picture. It hits all the right notes. The songs are great and the acting is good. The story could have been tweaked a bit more to make it flow better.

I give "Dreamgirls" a solid 4/5, good acting, memorable and amazingly well sung songs, with strong characters, but some minor problems in the whole execution.

P.S. I only have a few more musicals to review and then I will start my general reviews. I have seen so many movies over the summer, some new, some old, some good, some bad.

Enchanted

Okay it's time to get back to doing some reviews. I know I've been gone along time, but I just was feeling lazy, but now I'm back and ready to review another musical. This time it is the amazing "Enchanted." To me I think this film is a tad under appreciated, most people don't remember this film or even consider it a great musical. In my opinion it is the best musical of the last decade.

"Enchanted" is the story of a typical Disney princess, Giselle, who wants nothing more than to find her prince charming and have a happily ever after. She then meets Prince Edward, who saves her from a giant, they quickly fall in love and plan to get married the next day. However, Queen Narissa, Edward's step-mother, hears about the wedding and fells threatened so she dresses as a hag and pushes Giselle down a well into the real world. The princess is lost and scared in New York city where she meets Robert, a divorced divorce lawyer, and his daughter, Morgan. Robert is resistant at first, but his daughter insists and he can't say no. In fairytale land, Edward and Nathaniel, the queens right hand man, go in search for Giselle by jumping through the well to the real world. The movie continues as Edward looks for Giselle in the real world wishing to be together again. While Giselle slowly tries to get Robert to change his mind about love and the complications they have. 

The characters are amazing and fun in "Enchanted," and the actors do a great job of portraying them. 

Giselle, wonderfully acted by Amy Adams, is the typical Disney princess, she's sweet, kind, and has an amazing singing voice. Amy Adams does a great job of bringing this character to life and adding so much likability to a pretty much Snow White like character in this day and age. She truly did and Oscar worthy performance and should have been nominated.

Patrick Dempsey does a good job playing Robert. However his character is a little dull and more realistic to the other colorful cast.

James Marsden, Edward, was another amazing performance. He really captured the clueless prince aspect of the character so well. As always he did a great job playing the deal third wheel we wish the main character will fall for.

Narissa played by Susan Sarandon, is one of the wickedest villains in a Disney movie. She mean, nasty, and quite funny. Susan's performance is great and the ending is battle is just amazing.

Now the most important part of any musical, the songs. The songs are done by the legendary Alan Menken and the amazing lyricist Stephen Schwartz. The music and the songs in "Enchanted" are just amazing some of the finest songs in a musical in a long time. "How do You Know" is the great Broadway spectacular in this film. It's such an amazing toe tapping sing along song that jsut captures the imagination. "Happy Working Song" is another fun song. It has so many fun and intelligent lyrics that are fun for kids and even funnier for adults. It's a tune you will not forget easily and might even hum when doing your own house work. The other songs are fantastic too, but my favorite by far is "True Love's Kiss" the most magical song in the movie. It takes me back to classic Disney love songs and makes you want to fall in love (again).

Overall "Enchanted" is a fantastic musical and movie. It has lovable characters, amazing music, and a engaging story. I personally think the movie should have won for Best Original Song at the Oscars. I also think Amy Adams should have been nominated for Best Actress and the movie Should have been nominated for Best Picture. It is that good. To me this is the modern day "Mary Poppins" and Amy Adam is the modern day Julie Andrews.

"Enchanted is a true classic and I give it a 4.5/5. The movie is engaging, fun, and should be more remembered.

P.S. There is a sequel planned for "Enchanted" I don't know what it could be about, but hopefully it gets made and the characters reprise their roles.

Chicago

It's time to talk about the big musical, the only musical this decade and in nearly 30+ years to win Best Picture, it is non other than the showstopping "Chicago." The movie is about a girl named Roxie who wants nothing more than to be famous. She does anything to make her dream come true even cheating on her own husband with a man who says he can make her dream a reality. Unfortunately the he lies and loses his life to the enraged Roxie. She then goes to jail where her popularity rises and she starts to become more famous. She then enlists a smooth talking lawyer to help her be free again. That's when the star powers clash and the movie becomes more interesting.

Chicago has a very colorful cast of characters from a suave talking lawyer to a bribe taking Matron to a jealous starlet. The cast couldn't have been better. They all have a story to tell and try to take the spot light. I personally think Billy Flynn, the lawyer, steals the show especially in the court scene were he sings "Razzle Dazzle." It's such an intense scene choreographed well.

The director does a great job of incorporating the songs into the scenes. It doesn't feel like the characters are just breaking out into random songs, but the songs are actually part of the story.

Now the most important part of a musical, the music. The songs are pretty good, but aren't memorable aside from a few. The only songs that I found really good were the "Cell Block Tango"  and "Razzle Dazzle." The songs are intense and add a lot of layer to the characters.

Overall I think this movie is a fantastic musical and well deserving of the covenant Oscar, the songs are good, the characters and story are fantastic. I give "Chicago 4/5, well directed and top notch acting.  

Moulin Rouge!

Okay I missed a day since my last review my bad, was felling a bit lazy. Well now it's time to review a musical that was nominated for Best Picture, the first of the last decade and the first in nearly 22 years since "All That Jazz." I'm talking about non other than the great love story known as "Moulin Rouge." I have to say the film was deservedly nominated for Best Picture because it did so many things so well. However "Moulin Rouge" is not a traditional musical, it has no original songs, instead it uses other popular songs, this type of musical is known as a Jukebox. The film itself is set in 1899 in the lovely city of Paris, but the songs are all modern classics.

The movie shines in to places one of which is the story. The story is about love and how it can change and make a person feel. The main character is Christian a aspiring writer, who writes great stories of love even though he has never experienced it. Out of sheer coincidence he winds up writting for a show called "Spectacular Spectacular." Christian and his fellow performers go to the Moulin Rouge were Satine mistakes him for a rich Duke/investor. They unexpectedly fall in love when the real Duke shows up and they are tossed into a forbidden romance. The story of love is so true and well executed. We as the audience feel for Satine and Christian and we wish to see them together.

The cast does a wonderful job in the movie. There are so many colorful characters. Satine, played by Nicole Kidman, steals the show though. She does an incredible job and shows off so many sides of her troubled character.

The other great part of this movie is the art direction. The movie is beautiful aesthetically. From flashy lights to grim set pieces, the world feels like a fantasy land. The set up and the way the characters look and dress were just spectacular. The actual directing was amazing to, how the songs were set up to the dance numbers. "Moulin Rouge" is just a sheer work of art.

The only thing that I didn't like were the songs. Don't get me wrong the songs that they used were great and used effectively in the movie, but I wish it had original songs that I could hum to. No matter it is a slight bump.

Overall the movie is great and it tells an great story about love. I really enjoyed the art style, but wish it had original songs. I give "Moulin Rouge" 4/5, a visual masterpiece with a timeless story.

Hairspray

 

Since we've been on the topic of John Travolta, I thought the next movie musical I should review is 'Hairspray," the 2007 edition. I haven't seen the the original, but I do enjoy this version very much. "Hairspray" about a heavyset girl, Tracy Turnblad, who wants nothing more than to be part of The Corny Collins Show, her and her friend watch everyday after school. She soon find out that the African Americans with just as much if not more talent are not being given that same rights. So quickly she begins to fight for integration on television. The movie deals with two major problems in television back in the day one is the lack of color people and the other is how people who didn't fit the American beauty were treated regardless of skin color.

Tracy Turnblad played by Nicki Blonsky did an incredible job for her debut. She played Tracy perfectly. Tracy is a perky lovable girl, who has a lot of energy and is able to dance. She is persistent with everything she does and isn't afraid of what people think , a rare quality in the 60's. Slowly she changes everyone she encounters.

Penny Pingleton played by Amanda Bynes is another interesting character. She is like Tracy in some ways, but fears way to much what people will think of her especially her mother. She is in a forbidden romance throughout the movie with  Seaweed, a African American boy. She hides everything form her judgmental and stuck in the past mother.

Again John Travolta steals the show by playing Edna Turnblad, Tracy's mother, yes her mother. Edna is a heavyset girl who hasn't left her house in years because she fears people will make fun of her because of the way she looks. She is very isolated and doesn't seem to know how the world has changed around her. She is supportive of Tracy, but is to intimidated by other to truly support her daughter. Travolta does an excellent job and I wish he had been nominated for a Best Supporting "Person" Oscar.

Overall everyone in the entire cast is enjoyable and very watchable on screen. Corny Collins played by James Marsden is one of my favorite character in the movie mainly due to Marsden.

The story and plot of the movie is both engaging and fun. The comedy is well blended even into one of the more serious scenes, but doesn't take anything away from the movie and its effect.

The main thing in any musical is the music and boy is the music good in "Hairspray." They all have a vibe of the time period and are well integrated into the movie. Non of the songs feel out of place or out of date. My favorites are "Welcome to the 60's" and the end song "You Can't Stop the Beat." They are great big numbers that show how the world is changing or has changed.

Overall Hairspray is a delightfully fun movie with great songs and an engaging story. I personally think it should have been nominated for Best Picture. I give Hairspray 4.5/5. A fun engaging film with rocking numbers.

Grease

Okay, I know I haven't done a review or an update in like a month, but things happened and I had to focus on that for a while. Well now I am back and ready to do some reviews. Alright lately I've been watching a lot of musicals and wondering why musicals are so rare these days. They are such an extraordinary genre that infuse great story telling with toe tapping hum along numbers. So for the next few days I am going to do reviews on some of my favorite musicals old and new.

Okay to start off I am going to review the most successful musical of all time and one of my favorites, Grease. A story of two teenagers, a preppy innocent girl, Sandy, and a tough self conscious greaser, Danny, who fall in love during the summer time. However, they face problems showing affection when they get back to school because they fear what their respective click might think of them. But in the end they change for each other and they drive off into the skies.

Okay no matter how much I love this movie the story is not the strong point. It is entertaining, but a bit shallow. Danny continuously unknowingly harms Sandy and they break up. They then get back together when Danny sweet talks her. This basically happens throughout the movie until the end. I guess it show the spontaneous relationship teenagers have, never really knowing what they want. There are also some sub-plot that are interesting but aren't handled to well. Like the fake pregnancy thing near the end with the character Betty. The event occurs early on in the movie, but is not resolved until the end of the year.

One place that this movie does shine is in its characters. Who are very interesting and fun. Danny for instance is a this tough greaser, but we see early on that he is a sweet gentleman. It's just when his friends are around he has to put up this fake persona. Overall he is charming and John Travolta does an excellent job.

Sandy is also very lovable, but we do get irritated when she acts so dumb towards her affections for Danny.

Betty on the other hand is a character that is really tough and raunchy. However the closer to the end we get and the more she fears for the pregnancy we get a lot of sympathy for her. We see her put her wall down and see her as a real human being.

Now what makes this movie such a classic and memorable are the songs and dances. If it were nit for the amazing  music in this movie it would have been forgotten along time ago. The songs are remarkable and movie the story, plot, and character development forward. "Summer Nights" a fun song that tells of what Danny and Sandy did during there summer. It was funny seeing the others perspective of the events. "Greased Lightning" another fun song that has the boys working on their car. The dance sequence during the school dance. "You're the One That I Want" the best in the movie in my opinion. So much happens in that song and so much is told. It probably is one of the most catchiest songs ever made. All the songs in Grease are terrific and elevate the movie to classic status.

Grease is a enjoyable and fun movie with a decent story, great cast, and amazing music. It is deservedly the most successful musical ever made and a standard for all musicals. I give Grease 4/5. Fantastic music  and characters, but a lackluster story.

Winnie the Pooh

Well today I also went and saw my favorite yellow bear, Winnie the Pooh. this movie was a delight.

Before I talk about the film I want to talk about the Ballad of Nessie the short that comes in front of the film. The short was also very heart warming and well done. The animation was nice and unique, sort of like Scottish tapestry. Dr. Seuss comes to mind when I saw this short, it was done like one of his stories. It rhymed  and there was a catchy score/ I wish it was a tad longer because it felt sort of rushed. But as a whole it was a great short, something new from Disney, and I give the short a 4/5.

Now back to Winnie the Pooh. All the characters are back in a brand new film that follows a simple plot. The plot is about Pooh trying to get some honey and all the adventures he has along the way with the rest of the cast. The movie starts like the old film with Christopher Robins room, all done in live action.

The animation is a delight, it feels very much like an old Pooh cartoon. They some interesting things with it as well such as a scene where Pooh is in a Honey wonderland. Or my favorite during the Backson song which is done in chalk. And also how they interact with the words in the book.

Voice, probably the biggest concern for fans. Well to eliminate that concern, the voices were spot on. They sounded like the characters we grew up with, occasionally though when Rabbit talked you could get hints of Rabbit.

Another important part of the Pooh films are the songs. Zoey Deschanel does a good job singing the title song. It still gives me the feel of the older film when it played at the start of the film. Another great song is the Backson song, probably my favorite, it felt like the mob song from Beauty and the Beast, but with more subtle and innocent lyrics. It was a fun number and scene. The other songs are good too, like the Winning song.

The best part of a Pooh film is the characters. The characters matter more than the plot. All the characters are back and as lovable as ever. There charm and innocence are still intact. Pooh's as goofy as ever and Tiggers still hyper active. They are all the same and a joy to watch.

The comedy is top notch. This has to be the funniest movie I have seen all year. The jokes are character and situational based. The humor shines because the cast is so great. It does not utilize potty or humor that goes over the kids heads. The jokes are all funny and both adult and children can enjoy them.

The first film was a tad episodic, but this one packed in a tight package that feels like a whole film.

Overall Winnie the Pooh is a delight and joy to see back on the big screen. The run time is a tad short, but they pack so much enjoyment and fun that it is well worth you money. Pooh is enjoyable by all ages and the characters are timeless.

I give this "Silly old Bear" a very strong 3.5/5 for a great film that is enjoyable and entertaining. Stay all the way through the credits, there is a surprise.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

I just went and saw Harry Potter today and boy was it an event. This movie is amazing and a great way to end of a fantastic tn year journey. The movie is the continuation of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, it starts off exactly where the last left off. Which is great, but it feels like you are only watching half a movie. You don't feel the full satisfaction of the movie and it leaves an empty void while watching. However it does not take away from the experience and that feeling is lost the more you go through the film.

The visuals and battle scenes are done well, like you would expect from a Harry Potter film or a grand epic. The movie itself felt like an epic, where battles were going on left and right, body counts were more than expected. However I wish they had spent more time with some of the more major characters that lost their lives for Harry cause. They kind of just moved on after morning for about 2 seconds. But don't get me wrong I was tearing up on some of these scenes non the less.

The movie unravels some of the burning questions we had for the series such as Harry's past or what's the deal with Snape.  It ties up everything well and throughout the film they pay homage to some of the older films.

The character are all the same Harry and the gang are just as likable as ever. The stand out actors in this film were Nevel and Voldemort. Nevel has changed a lot since the first movie and it shows in this movie. He gets some good screen time and he was a joy to watch. Voldemort was played very well and he was sinister. You could feel the danger this man posses. He is cold and evil. I wish the other villains were giving some more screen time.

The movie is a lot darker than the other Potter films, but still manages to put that good old Harry Potter humor in. However this movie is very heavy on emotions mainly because we know the film and journey is coming to an end.

Overall this film is great, the best films I've seen this year. This acting is spot on, jokes are handles well, and the visuals and battles are handle extremely well. I have no doubt that this film will get an Oscar nod for Best Picture.

I give Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part a 4.5/5 a amazing end to an amazing franchise.

"The Boy Who Could Fly"

 Another story I wrote. Thanks for read and please tell me what you folks think.

Our story begins in an old American school, around the late 1800’s.  The teacher just asked her students, “What do yah kids wannna do when ya’ll grow up.”

     “I want to be a fireman.”

     “A nurse.”

     “A taco farmer.”

     “A horse cart racer.”

     One by one each kid answered their teacher except one chubby kid in the back.

     “Skyler Walker, you’re the only one.  Tell us what yah gonna do when ya’ll grow up.” The teacher and the class waited in anticipation for the chubby kid’s response.

     A big grin went across Skylar’s face, “I wanna fly.  Fly like a bird.” He said as he flapped his arm fat like wings.

     “Are yah crazy, Skyler?” The teacher’s smile turned into a grin as she busted out laughing.  Skyler nothing in the world can lift you off the ground.  You’re 277 pounds; it would take two hurricanes to lift you up an inch.  You are also the fattest person in town.  You have more chins than a Chinese phonebook.  You have more layers than a wedding cake and you have your own area code.  There is no way you can fly.”

     Skyler was devastated by his teacher’s remarks about his dream, but he said nothing.  He believed when the time comes they will all eat their own words.  He did not want their bad thoughts to poison his dream.

     That afternoon Skyler was at his locker getting his bag ready for the horse ride home, when all of a sudden he was surrounded by a few kids from his school.

     “So yah think yah can fly?” One of the boys interrogated, “Huh, do yah? Do yah fat boy?”

     Skyler looked down at the floor and began to walk away.  He didn’t want to answer to those jerks because it would cause problems.  Another boy grabbed Skyler by the shirt and banged him on a locker.

     “You don’t want to answer?” The angry boy asked, who was shoving Skyler against the locker, “You know we don’t like weirdoes at this school, especially ones that are as fat and stupid as you.”

     Skyler did not want to answer them.  He didn’t want to say or do anything until the moment.  Every second Skyler was quiet the kids surrounding were getting angrier and angrier.

     “BOOM!” “THUMP!” “SLAP!” “BANG!”

     They boys punched, kicked, and banged Skyler’s head until it bled.  After the horrible beating the boys left Skyler in a puddle of his own blood.  Skyler suffered many weeks of harassment.  No one wanted to help the weird kid out and even Skyler suffered the beatings quietly.  He knew one day a greater being or force will show the mean boys the error of their ways.

     One day the class had a trip to the Grand Canyon.  Being at the Canyon helped Skyler realize that if his dream could not come true, he would die trying to make it come true.  Thinking of the constant harassments and beating, he approached a ledge.  Skyler opened up his flabby arms, closed his eyes, and leaped.  As he fell he began to believe more and more in his dream.  As he believed more he flapped harder.  He flapped as hard as he could, but could not rise.  His heart pounded fast, he started to think what he was doing was stupid.  Before falling into the spikes below, he flapped a little harder and soon enough he began to rise.

     “I’m flying?  I’m flying!” Skyler cheered as he exited the Canyon.

     Once out, he took one last look at the people who did not believe him.  He nodded at them, turned around, and flew to the heavens. 

     As they looked at Skyler fly away, a meteorite from the other direction was hurdling towards the class.  The meteorite fell on top of the class.  It was as if it were sent from the gods themselves, only taking out the teacher and the other non believers. 

        

         

Mean Girls "That is so Fetch"

 

I think it's finally time to review some live action movies and what better way to start than one of my favorite films of all time, Mean Girls. In this post I am going talk about two things, one will be a review of the film and the second will be of starting a new trend. So without any further a due let's begin.

Mean Girls isn't the best film ever mad or even revolutionary cinema, but it is very original, smart, and well done. The over all plot is very simple, it is about a girl, Cady, who is out for revenge because the guy, Aaron, she likes is taken by another girl, Regina George, that she trusted. The plot is not what make this movie great. The colorful characters and execution are what makes this movie shine.

The main character is Cady, Lindsey Lohan, a new student from Africa, where she was raised, who tries to fit in the real world after being home schooled for 16/17 years. She is a well rounded character and very believable as how she adapts to the real world. She is easily manipulated into doing anything because she is very trustworthy and never had dealt with being lied to or back stabbed.

Regina George, Rachel McAdams, is the best character in the movie and possibly the worst person you would want to meet. She controls the whole school and with the snap of her finger she has anything she wants. It is a character you will hate to love because she has a certain charm when she manipulates people and can keep a cool composure even through the annoying thing. She is very passive aggressive, making people feel bad  through creative insults that can sound like a compliment at times.

Gretchen, Lacey Chabert, the right hand man/girl of Regina George. She follows and serves Regina as a faithful friend even though Regina constantly bashes her. Gretchen is a likable character because she always feels like the victim and we feel bad by how Regina treats her.

By far my favorite character is Karen, Amanda Seyfried. She is the essential to the comedy in this movie and Amanda Seyfried plays the airhead bimbo very well. She doesn't play a major role to the events, but she is entertaining and the movie would have not been as great without her.

The other characters are great too and add a lot to the over all movie. Damian is entertaining, Janice is dramatic and layered, Ms. Norbury is smart and delightful to watch. Most of the side characters are shown to have more depth than most movies tend to make side characters.

The comedy and jokes are well done and spot on. Most of the gags will make you laugh. They are also very intelligently written and doesn't really heavily on dirty humor. It comes naturally from the characters and the situations they are placed into. Another thing done well is the connection between the high school/girl world to the animal world, but showing at the same time the real world can be more dangerous. The movie does a good job of parodying/satirizing the real world.

Overall this movie is well written and executed. The comedy is very intelligent and well placed and the characters are interesting and engaging. It isn't a masterpiece, but it is quit entertaining and funny. It doesn't drag on and is probably one of the best high school movie ever made.

I give Mean Girls a strong 4/5. Entertaining and Smart...So "Fetch."

Okay onto our next topic. I wanted to talk to you all about the word "Fetch," a word used a lot by Gretchen meaning awesome or cool. Well I am trying to make Gretchen's dream a reality throughout the movie she tries to make "Fetch" happen, but sadly because of Regina her dream is cut short. I want to try and make "Fetch" happen and make it part of our vocabulary like "Dang" or "Epic." I know you guys think it's retarded now, but I bet when people made "Dang" and "Epic" happen they looked as losers. "Epic used to be a word mostly used by nerds or to describe something of grand scale, but today we use it for everything regardless off scale or awesomeness. So I ask you all today let's make "Fetch" happen. I am already trying, but it is hard without supporters, I need you all, please this is Gretchen's dream we're talking about, So instead of using awesome or cool we replace it with "Fetch," slowly it will catch on and people we begin to use it. We can make it happen people. I will really appreciate if this were to really happen and become part of our normal vocabulary. You all are "Fetch' for doing this and for reading my blog. Please let me know you are all out there helping the cause comment below.

Kung Fu Panda 2

Okay I know, I haven't been up to date with my blog. Well I had a lot of things going on last week, but it's all over now and I can concentrate on mt blog. I'm reviewing Kung Fu Panda 2. I would have normally reviewed the first one, but I haven't seen it in over 2 years, so I'm reviewing the second one. I will eventually have a review for the first Kung Fu Panda up, but not right now.

I saw this movie about a week after it came out and was pretty excited to see it. However knowing Dreamworks track record with sequels, I was a bit worried that this would turn out to be like Shrek the Third, but to my delight it was more like Shrek 2, a sequel that rivals the first.

Kung Fu Panda 2 is a great movie and probably the strongest animated film to be released this year (haven't seen Rango yet). The characters are very fun and I think they get more dialogue than they did in the first film, especially Monkey, who gives some pretty good one liners. Tigress stands out in this film. Her strong role as a supporting character is expanded upon and we get to know more about her. She develops from a hardcore Kung Fu master to a sympathetic and beloved character. It's a good thing because now she has more depth and we have a reason to care about her. The other characters are good and add a lot to this movie.

Lord Shen is probably one of the best villains Dreamworks has put out in a while. He is intimidating, has real motives for what he does, and he very intelligent. He some of the best scenes in the movie and it is a treat to watch him do Kung Fu. It's as if we are watching a moving piece of art and very beautiful to watch his feathers move.

Po, the main character, is as likable as ever and we have more to love in this film. We get to see a side of him that we've never seen and we can sympathies with him much more in this film than in the first. The relationship between Po and his father, Mr. Ping, is very touching and a joy to watch on screen.

The action sequences in this movie are over the top, in a good way. They don't just make the movie exciting, but they also movie the story along. The animation is top notch and are done very well, especially the hand drawn scenes. They add a lot of depth and are done well to connect Po to his past, as his memory becomes clearer, the hand drawn sequences become computer generated. The darker elements are handled well too and make Panda work on a different level than other Dreamwork efforts.

There are only a few problems with this film. First it's the comedy, no the jokes and gags are good (free of pop culture references and toilet humor is minimal), but it's the timing. Some of the comedic moments are done in very random places throughout the film. Sometimes during more serious moments, the jokes ruin the heart felt and edge of the seat moments. Another problem with this film is the pacing, sometimes. In certain scenes it feels as if the director wants the characters to go to the next point. It doesn't ruin the film, but hurts some moments in it.

Overall this film is wonderful and rivals the first. I personally like it more than the first. The characters are great, the animation is beautiful, and the jokes are funny. It is a very well developed film and a shoe in for a  Best Animated Picture nomination. This movie shows what Dreamworks can do and I am excited to see where they go next. The film was also directed solely by a female director a first for the industry.

I give Kung Fu Panda 2 a 4/5. I a excellent score for one of the best films of this year. I wanna know what you guys think so comment below.

"The Adventures of The Filogoofers"

 This is one of the first stories I've ever written. I hope you guys like it, comment below.


     Tikopofy was a wonderful land with magnificent buildings, beautiful forests, and wonderful people known as the Filogoofers. Filogoofers were oddly shaped, their whohas didn’t match there tatahs, their noses didn’t have roses and worst of all they didn’t wash their footsy wootsys. Even though their feet stunk and their noses didn’t have roses they all lived in harmony, except they were terrorized by their king. King Shamafala was not a Filogoofer, but he was just as hideous. He was a big plump man with a twirling mustache across his face; he also had a big white beard that twirled all the way down to his plump jelly belly. His teeth were yellow and his breath smelled like rotten Shushamuri Jell-O. That was not the worst part of him he was meaner than a Rataktabondoogle, but the people were too scared to do anything about it.
      One day the king heard of a far distant land that was inhabited by no one, him being a greedy fellow, he quickly sent out a cry to all the people of the town that he wanted this land. Shamafala quickly boarded 1000 Filogoofers onto a speedy deeverhover and sent them a rowing to that piece of land. As soon as they landed, they met a group of masked bandits. The Filogoofers got very scared, but did not run knowing that the deeverhover had no fuel, so instead they coward and befriended those ghouls. Soon the bandits revealed their true face and told them that they were very friendly and told them to call them Boulysofos. The Boulysofos gave the Filogoofers many goods and invited them to a harvest dinner, where they were served googoos, toolutoolus in floogerberry jam, and the main course a plump tuktak bird smothered in apago sauce.
      The Filogoofers and the Boulysofos lived in harmony sharing the land, until the Filogoofers started to populate. You know how fast Filogoofers breed; well they stole land from their friends for their own selfish need. This angered the Boulysofos’ chief so they planned to attack, but they failed because they were clearly outnumbered and did not have the weapons to back. So they sadly went to the east and never showed their faces.
      King Shamafala heard of the news that his people had gotten more land, he rejoiced and sent an army to see how the people were. When he discovered that his people were happy and prospering, he decides to tax them for 50 percent of any food they grew. This angered the Filogoofers a lot so they decide to rebel because they knew the king could not do anything because he was over there and they were over here. This conflict carried out for years and eventually the king became mad and he sent a dozen of his most elite army. The Filogoofers were not terrorized easily by the armies because they had their own elite armies that were armed with wingdangles and wizwackers. They fought for many years they even got the help of their former friends the Boulysofos who helped fight of Shamafala’s power. They eventually won the war and the king respected them and named the country The United Filos of Jafaygo. As time went on the Boulysofos became really poor and sold of the land they were living in to the Filogoofers, were they lived in happiness again.
      With more land, came more property and more property meant more work and more work meant cheap labor. The Filogoofers had barely any money and could not afford cheap labor, so again the Filogoofers collapsed their friendship with the Boulysofos in attempt to get some labor. The Boulysofos were treated well at first until power took over the Filogoofers’ minds and they started mistreating Boulysofos by not giving them cloths, or enough floogerberry jam during supper and worst of all if they didn’t do something they would make them sniff their nasty footsy wootsys. The Boulysofos went on for years serving their Filo masters, until some Filogoofers were disgusted by the way their friends the Boulysofos were being treated. This form of thinking caused the Filogoofers to split into two separate groups; the Filos who wanted to weld their friendship with the Boulysofos and the Goofers the lazy good for nothings that wanted the Boulysofos to do everything for them. The Filos moved to the north were they lived in harmony with Boulysofos sharing their floogerberry jam and the Goofers moved to the south and carried on their lifestyle.
      For years many Boulysofos tried to escape to the north were they could get some delectable floogerberry jam, but they were always caught and forced to smell their yucky mucky feet of their
Goofer masters. The Filos became angered by this mistreating and decided to become one group again and follow the ways of the north. They fought over the Boulysofos and endangered their land, but eventually the Filos won and they all rejoiced and celebrated with a big jar of floogerberry jam. Even though they were happy the country was a mess, everyone pitched in but it wasn’t a success. So think about this the next time you have a conflict you should talk it out because war always end in poverty and grief. No matter who wins in a war the results never give anyone relief.  

Dreamworks the Next #1?

Okay this is probably going to get me a lot of heat. I am about to open Pandora's Box of animation discussion, but first hear me out. I am a huge fan of animated films and Dreamworks Animation isn't my first choice to get my fix, but something is changing. I am not a fan of just one studio, instead I am a fan of good story with a good concept. My recent favorites have been from Pixar such as films like Wall-E, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, and The Toy Story series. My other favorites are from Disney mostly. Okay before we start all my opinions, I have conceived for a while and has nothing to do with the recent release of Cars 2, so don't think I am bagging on Pixar or any other studio.

First thing I don't understand is, why is there so much hate for Dreamworks Animation? They are a very good studio and they usually put out quality work, like Shrek and How to Train Your Dragon. Well actually, I can understand because during a certain period of time they did put out low quality work such as Shark Tales and Shrek the Third. However I like to think that they just had a dark age sort of like Disney did after Walt died and during the change of the millennium.Even during their dark times Dreamworks managed to release a good movie like Over the Hedge, which got lost in the low quality films. I'll admit that they get a little formulaic with the success of Shrek. They started making films that imitated the humor, but couldn't match the heart. But I think they are coming out of that dark phase and entering a new more enlightened phase,

Okay before we get to in depth, I want to talk about Pixar, a studio that Dreamworks has lived in the shadow of for a long time. Pixar is an amazing studio that puts out high quality work that has brilliant comedy, lovable characters, and heartfelt stories, however, I think they too are getting formulaic. They are riding the success they had with Toy Story. I'm not talking about rehashing the story of Toy Story or playing off its humor, instead I'm talking about the buddy comedy story aspect. All of Pixar's films aside from A Bug's Life has been about a duo out to do something unimaginable. It's not that they make bad films, but the films get exhausting. After watching a Pixar film I feel like I was on a magical trip, but the experience often feels to familiar, kind of like a Disney princess film. I wish that they would do something different, which looks to be Brave, that would feel fresh and take the studio to new heights.

Overall I think the industry is sort of stuck in one place and animated films aren't going to new heights unless someone takes it to a new level. All animated films have been doing similar things to Pixar, such as making buddy comedies . All mainstream animated films tend to be comedies, they touch upon darker subject, but never become to serious. I don't mind comedies, but I would love to see a more serious animated film, something that goes beyond gags. I know it is a industry mainly for kids, but I want to see at least something more, not asking for sex, violence, or profanity, but something more dark or serious.

The only studio that I think that can go to that next level is probably Dreamworks. You guys are probably thinkin, "Dreamworks...really? The guys that make movies with potty humor and pop culture references...really?" And to answer you guys, yes. Yes I think they can take animation to a more serious and different path. Look at it this way before Shrek came along characters were always appealing, sweat, innocent, and nice. After Shrek, characters are a little more raunchy, a little more aggressive, a little more real, and they truly did make the first unlikely hero. Imagine without Shrek, do you think a old man could be seen as a hero. Another reason is because they have gone to that point before, with movies like Antz and The Prince of Egypt, for gods sake they made a movie about Moses. They may have copied A Bugs Life with Antz, but they made it a mature tale of class-ism and took it to that dark place. Even with recent movie like How to Train Your Dragon they managed to make a serious movie with some funny intelligently placed one liners. Dragons was one of the most serious movies I've seen in a long time. They even managed to put some dark moments into Kung fu Panda 2. They have the ability and the guts to take animation to another level, unlike Pixar and Disney who are to concerned with their image. The biggest factor of this company has been the acquisition of acclaimed director, producer, writer Guillermo del Toro who I think can take the studio to that mature and dark place. He is the equivalent to John Lasseter and can be a game changer for Dreamworks. Plus they have the brilliant mind of Jeffery Katzenberg, say what you want, but he is smart. He took Disney to a point of glory that animation hasn't reached in a while and under his supervision Disney got the first animated film to be nominated for best picture and Dreamworks became the first studio to win the best animated film category.

Dreamworks may have had a dark period, where they were trying to copy and ride the success of Pixar and Disney and even the success of their own franchise, but I think they have found their own identity. They have been making hit original movies since 2008 that have good story, concept, humor, and have found the perfect balance. Last year they released 3 movies all of which were either decent (Shrek 4), great (the under appreciated Megamind), and amazing (How to Train Your Dragon). They have a few more sequels in the works, but everything starting from 2013 will all be original aside from the dragons sequel. I think in the next few years we'll begin to see a shift in the industry and I think Dreamworks is going to be leading the change.

I want to read what you guys think, so comment below.