THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS Review

One should not approach the latest from Illumination Entertainment with the lofty expectations of the emotional devastation and weight brought on by the Pixar films, but rather set their sights and mood in a different general direction all together. Of course, with the kind of impactful and more substantial stories that Pixar tells they are intending to make something of a lasting impression on viewers, but the folks at Illumination-the same ones who created the Despicable Me and Minions movies-aren't really up for that-at least not yet. Rather, their latest original offering, The Secret Life of Pets, is a complete farce of sorts-a straightforward comedy that has no intent of connecting on some deep, emotional level with the audience, but instead simply hopes to skate by on its absurdity and slapstick. This can only result in good things as far as comedy goes and by virtue of that mentality it is the comedy that is the best thing The Secret Life of Pets has going for it. To push the Pixar comparison further I went in expecting something akin to Toy Story, but with animals. Given the tone and perceived concept that was conveyed in that first, rather stellar trailer it seemed that was what we were getting. Like Toy Story, the idea of what your pets might do all day while you're at work could be a fascinating world to explore (and maybe they'll stick to this premise in the inevitable sequel), but this movie deviates from that idea rather quickly and becomes more an "animals on an adventure" type movie in the vein of something like Homeward Bound, but with much more ludicrously improbable situations. And that's fine. Really, it is. Not every animated movie has to shoot for the stars and bring about a narrative that is designed to capitalize on momentous moments that forever influence the course of our lives and The Secret Life of Pets is a completely acceptable animated family movie that displays the different types of animated family movies that can be made without trying to hue as close to the Pixar brand as possible. I rather enjoyed the entertaining diversion that is The Secret Life of Pets and I laughed: a lot. Granted, the lack of any emotional investment will lead to that subsequent lack of any lasting impression, but somehow that doesn't seem to matter when what's in front of you is as fun as this is.  

SISTERS Review

Sisters is a comedy of errors that works more because of its sisters than its errors. It's a movie that is amusing based solely on the appeal of its two lead stars rather than the thin premise that presents a situation made amusing by Amy Poehler's bungling and Tina Fey's incompetence. Of course, when one has stars as appealing and with as much chemistry between them as Fey and Poehler the premise doesn't have to be extravagant and even the execution doesn't necessarily have to be flawless-it just needs to give the two stars it's serving a solid jumping off point. In what seems like a move that should have been made a long time ago, Poehler and Fey finally find themselves playing sisters with their relationship being put to the test when their parents decide to sell their childhood home. Of course, given this is a light, rather breezy comedy things don't become too bogged down in the themes of material versus memories, but rather the polar opposites decide to throw one last party to commemorate all the good times they had on what they consider to be hallowed ground. What is great about Sisters is that it so clearly knows what it is and what it wants to be that it aspires to be nothing more than an excuse to watch Fey and Poehler rift for two hours while bringing in some of their closest Saturday Night Live friends to play along with them. Like that sketch comedy show, the material may not always be the strongest, but it can go a long way based on the ability of the players it is in the hands of and while longtime SNL writer Paula Pell is behind this script (and one can catch how in tune Pell is with her stars at certain points) it is in the players that this material really finds life. The dynamic between Fey and Poehler is ripe for comedic opportunity and by casting each of them against type rather than going with the assumed roles it makes for a more interesting film despite the somewhat indulgent running time that could have been trimmed by twenty minutes in the middle. It's not that Sisters is bad or out of touch, but it's not a transcendent comedy, either (not that it was expected to be); the movie simply fulfills one's basic expectations and little more. That said, I had a fun enough time with it.

First Trailer for SISTERS Starring Tina Fey & Amy Poehler

With Trainwreck hitting theaters this weekend, Universal has premiered the first look at the new Tina Fey/Amy Poehler comedy, Sisters. It can only be surmised that anything featuring the talents of Fey and Poehler will be nothing short of greatness, but the jury is out on Sisters and won't be back until Christmas. As much as my twenty-one year old self enjoyed Baby Mama (and don't get me wrong, I'd probably still enjoy it today) as well as their numerous Golden Globes gigs there is something about this trailer that seems to be, well, forced. Whether it is the 80's nostalgia aspect, the love story featuring the (admittedly hilarious) Ike Barinholtz or the attempt to switch things up by having Fey play the outlandish persona and Poehler take on the more prudish one, I can't put my finger on it. Still, there is a lot of hope here as Fey and Poehler's chemistry is undeniable and the screenplay comes from long-time SNL, 30 Rock and Oscars writer Paula Pell as well as being directed by Jason Moore (Pitch Perfect). While the trailer indicates nothing short of a good time it is easy to see the beats this thing is going to hit, but that doesn't mean we know the jokes that will come along with it and I understand that. I'm eager to see what they come up with as I genuinely laughed two or three times throughout the course of this nearly three-minute clip and yet I still feel the need to be cautious. Beyond the headliners, the film has a comedic supporting cast for the ages that includes Maya Rudolph, Kate McKinnon, John Leguizamo, Dianne Wiest, James Brolin, Adrian Martinez, Rachel Dratch, Bobby Moynihan and John Cena. Sisters opens (the day after Star Wars: The Force Awakens) on December 18th.

INSIDE OUT Review

In the latest from Pixar they delve deep into the limbic system and develop the group of forebrain structures into something of an imagination land of their own, completely powered by personified emotions that manage our most treasured possessions-our memories. While the limbic system includes a number of sections of the brain including the hypothalamus, the amygdala, and the hippocampus what is more important is that these hard to pronounce names are what allow the human brain to develop and exercise such abilities as motivation, emotion, learning and again, memory. That Pixar, including director Pete Docter (Up) and his team of writers and animators, have been able to create a world out of this cerebral cortex (that actually grows thicker as you learn to use it) is the first of many accomplishments with Inside Out. That they are able to somehow use this platform as a way to dissect and discuss the passage of time, the stages of life and the love a child has for life and the parents who love that child is pretty incredible. This also puts them in a prime position to explore the type of territory they are best known for. Eliciting emotion is a difficult task for any piece of celluloid, but especially when the characters and situations intended to elicit those emotions are created from scratch-physical being and all. So, what makes the studio as a whole so capable of doing this time and time again? The answer seems to be in that it’s very keen on how these thoughts are presented. Yes, the characters are of an extremely cute quality with their variety of bright colors and their distinctive voices provided by a talented cast, but that these characters hold the power of the mind so precious to their imaginary hearts forces the audience to take the most minor of events that affect them as tragedies in our own hearts as well. This, combined with the fact the film deals (again) with the inevitable changes of life that come with growing up and how hard those changes can be to accept and adapt to allow for Inside Out to settle firmly into the ranks of Pixar’s most celebrated, even if it’s not it’s best.

First Trailer for THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS

With Minions opening a little under a month from now Illlumination Entertainment has released the first look at what they will be offering up to audiences next summer. There is hardly any dialogue in this two and a half minute clip, but more a broad introduction to what seem to be the numerous characters involved in a story that mirrors Toy Story, but with pets. This will really be a test as far as quality is concerned for Illumination as this will be their first non-Despicable Me based film since 2012's The Lorax which did plenty well financially, but wasn't exactly in line with the surprise gem that Despicable Me was two years prior. I wasn't even a huge fan of Despicable Me 2, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to Minions as all of the trailers I've seen look pretty hilarious. All of that said, The Secret Life of Pets seems to have a lot going for it as this teaser trailer really sets up the kind of comedy the film intends to deliver while tapping into those "it's so true, that's why it's so funny" elements that pet-owners will be able to laugh at and recognize while children will simply lap it up because it's animals doing funny things. Given the voice talent on hand and Illumination stalwart Chris Renaud in the directors chair along with Yarrow Cheney I can only be optimistic for what is to come with this picture. The Secret Life of Pets voice cast includes Louis C.K., Jenny Slate, Bobby Moynihan, Kevin Hart, Eric Stonestreet, Ellie Kemper, Lake Bell, Hannibal Buress, Albert Brooks and opens on July 8, 2016.

DELIVERY MAN Review

To evaluate a film like Delivery Man it seems one must be in tune with the career trajectory of Vince Vaughn and much like Matthew McConaughey it seems the guy has fallen into the trap of knowing what his speciality is and sticking to that comfort zone for the reason that it has worked in the past, why wouldn't it continue? Of course, if you've been paying attention to the projects McConaughey has been choosing as of late it is clear he has made some kind of decision to not only play characters who aren't the most charming or admirable guy on screen, but instead he can sometimes be the most downright despicable. Vaughn is in a slump, that is clear, but the problem is that he has been and that Delivery Man is the kind of film he thought might begin to turn that around. Hell, he probably secretly hoped that was what The Internship would do this past summer, but in a landscape of comedies where they push the envelope to the end of the world, a buddy comedy with his old friend can't even drum up enough excitement or laughs to be remembered past opening weekend. Both actors burst onto the scene in hip, independent comedies that would help them get into more mainstream projects, each of which chose more serious material and supporting roles in major blockbusters while attempting to reach that one project that would seemingly put them in the place they were destined to be. They were on a similar trajectory in any sense of the word as McConaughey finally found leading man success in 2001 and Vaughn was front and center in the now classic Old School in 2003. They were able to ride those waves of stability for the better part of the first decade of the new millenium until the well began to run dry. No one expected much from McConaughey after 2009's Ghosts of Girlfriends Past seemed to be the nail in the rom-com coffin, but a mere two years later he began to re-build. The problem with Vaughn is that he's had a number of nails, but somehow he manages to keep finding open space. There hasn't been that huge disastrous story (not counting The Watch of course, but the blame didn't fall directly on him). In any case, not since the fast-talking funnyman decided to do a pair of Christmas movies has he been able to re-claim the kind of comic credibility he had in his Dodgeball//Wedding Crasher prime. With Delivery Man he seems to at least be accepting this truth and trying to find new ground to cover while still incorporating what he is best known for. While he succeeds in proving he has the chops and charm to pull this kind of dramedy off, the film itself feels so middle of the road and inconsequential it is hard to take it as any kind of statement.

MONSTERS UNIVERSITY Review

Leave it to Pixar to deliver a movie that is not only fun, but honest in a way most films for kids tend to avoid. When movies aimed at the younger set skew the truth in order to make everything turn out in the best of ways for the main characters it is hard to sometimes take the lessons it is trying to teach with more than a grain of salt. Now, given the fact we know where the story of Mike (Billy Crystal) and Sully (John Goodman) eventually ends up it is not without surprise it was an adventure getting to that point, but what is slightly surprising is the way in which they so effortlessly stumble upon their careers in a world that's been completely imagined and realized through technology. This authenticity of the world created for these movies lends itself well to the lesson here that you aren't always going to get what you want no matter how hard you work, but instead the cold truth has to be accepted and in some ways you come out stronger and more proud having admitted and come to terms with your own weaknesses. Though the idea of hard work always paying off is a nice sentiment and in a perfect world might be true, the real world doesn't always allow our dreams to pan out the way we hoped and so we have to adjust to fulfill the potential of the hand in which we were dealt. That all may sound somewhat insightful given the fact the point of discussion here is an animated film, but that is what continues to set Pixar so much further ahead of the pack. Sure, they've had their missteps over the past few years as no one was asking for a sequel to Cars and despite the fact I found it gorgeous and engaging the majority of audiences and critics weren't too pleased with Brave. Monsters University may not be the return to top form the majority of people are hoping it will be, but by this point the bar is so ridiculously high for Pixar it is almost unattainable. On the plus side, this prequel to 2001's Monster's Inc. is a hilarious and colorful adventure that will have the kiddies in stitches and the parents chuckling at all the references and college humor their children are too young to even comprehend.