Day 191: The Secret Life Of Pets (2016)

the-secret-life-of-pets-56378a2078351The film I chose for today is one of the most highly anticipated animated films of the summer and I have been waiting for The Secret Life Of Pets since I first saw the trailer. Have you ever wondered what your pets do when no one is around? Do they just sit there and wait for you for are they are up to something when you’re not around? For Max (Louis C.K.) his owner Katie (Ellie Kemper) is his whole entire life and he is content waiting for her to come home every night. Well one night Katie brings hoe an unexpected guess in the form of a big shaggy rescue dog named Duke (Eric Stonestreet). The battle that ensues between the both of them causes them to be lost in the city with a frighteningly psycho bunny (Kevin Hart) after them while it’s up to their friends to come to the rescue. The film also stars Jenny Slate (Zootopia) as Gidget, Albert Brooks (Finding Nemo) as Tiberius, Lake Bell (Children’s Hospital) as Chloe, Dana Carvey (Wayne’s World) as Pops, Hannibal Buress (Daddy’s Home) as Buddy, Bobby Moynihan (Sisters) as Mel, Michael Beattie (Minions) as Tattoo, and the film was directed by Yarrow Cheney (The Iron Giant) and Chris Renaud (Despicable Me 2).

secret lifeI don’t know what anyone else in the world is saying about The Secret Life Of Pets, but I am here to tell you that it may have dethroned Zootopia as my favorite animated film of the year. I still have to see Finding Dory to fully make the call as to what my favorite animated film is, but this movie rocks. The thing that was great about this film is that for the most part the animals act exactly like how their breed or kind would. This was a film that I couldn’t stop laughing from seeing a cat act like a typical cat to the jokes that were delivered with precision. There are some scenes in the film that can be depressing and you’ll see for yourself, but for the most part the film is fun. One of the scenes I was looking forward to the most was the scene with the poodle and his love for System Of A Down. The only thing I can say is that the scene kind of comes and goes pretty quick. So be prepared for it, but it’s also not his only scene. One of the real highlights of the film for me was when Pops (voiced by Dana Carvey) shows up cause his sense of humor is very morbid which is sometimes typical of the elderly. “Hey Pops, How are You.” says one of the characters to which Pops replies, “I’m Paralyzed.” That’s how morbid he can get. The film is a lot of fun to watch and I had a lot of laughs. I am going to give the film an A for a final grade because it rocks. Check it out in theaters every where now.

Day 65: Zootopia (2016)

Zootopia-logoI think I have discussed this before where there is so much anticipation for a film that I just have to see it when it comes out. As far as Disney Animated films are concerned, Zootopia was definitely a must see film for me. Zootopia is a place where predators and prey can live in harmony among each other in this big city. For Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin), she has dreams of being a cop in the city of Zootopia and not being just an ordinary bunny. When she finally achieves her goal of being a cop, she is not taken seriously among her colleagues. That is until she is told to solve a missing animal case, but there is a catch to it. She has 48 hours to solve the case or she has to turn in her badge, but she’ll do it with the help of a sly fox named Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman). The film also stars Idris Elba (Thor) as Chief Bogo, Jenny Slate (The Lorax) as Bellweather, Nate Torrence (My Best Friend’s Girl) as Clawhauser, Bonnie Hunt (Cars) as Bonnie Hopps, Don Lake (Terminator 2: Judgement Day) as Stu Hopps, Tommy Chong (Up In Smoke) as Yax, J.K. Simmons (Whiplash) as Mayor Lionheart, Alan Tudyk (Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story) as Duke Weaselton, Shakira as Gazelle, Maurice LaMarche (Futurama) as Mr. Big, Raymond S. Persi (Wreck-It Ralph) as Flash, and the film was directed by Byron Howard, Rich Moore, and Jared Bush.

Zootopia-1-changeThis is by far the number one movie for the month of March and it is giving Deadpool a run for it’s money on the Top 25 of the year. This film is a classic case of what you see in the trailer is exactly what you can expect from the film. The film is full of laughs as well as the necessary drama that all Disney films have and it has it’s heart warming moments as well. While all of the animals in the film are living in an anthropomorphic world, they are very true to their animal like selves if you get what I am saying. The foxes are sly creatures in real life and Nick Wilde is exactly that. You would kind of expect a Yak to be a free spirited yoga obsessed animal with flies that won’t leave him alone. The city of Zootopia is even divided by sections like the rainforest section or the desert side and you should see how they have it work. There was a lot of detail that was placed into the film and it pays off because it’s cool and very fun to watch. There are references to famous TV Shows and films like Breaking Bad and The Godfather (not that kids will know what that is) which is a little treat for the parents to enjoy while watching it with their kids. This film is definitely one of the best animated films out there in the past year or two. I definitely suggest watching it and with that being said, I am going to give the film an A for a final grade.