'Aladdin' (2019) Review

Synopsis: A kindhearted street rat frees a genie from a magic lamp, granting him three wishes to fulfill his deepest desires. But soon, an evil sorcerer becomes hell-bent on securing the lamp for his own sinister purposes.

Runtime: 128 minutes

MPAA Rating: PG (for some action/peril)

Who should see it? Families and fans of Disney's live-action remakes.

Based on the classic 1992 Disney animation, Aladdin is directed by Guy Ritchie and features a screenplay co-penned by Guy Ritchie and John August. Of Disney's recent live-action reimaginings, this is perhaps the one which I've been most skeptical. Guy Ritchie's filmography is hit-or-miss for me, and the marketing did not inspire confidence whatsoever. Nevertheless, the original is one of my favorite Disney animated features, so I hoped to extract some enjoyment in-spite of rock-bottom expectations. Thankfully, it proved slightly better than the train-wreck I imagined.

Though there are occasional alterations, Ritchie's Aladdin largely adheres to the original's narrative and incorporates many of the iconic imagery, moments, and songs from the animation. Unfortunately, these tweaks hardly enhanced anything and often detracted rather than supplement the story. The 2019 version is 37 minutes longer, but the ancillary runtime's rarely justified since the additions either exist purely for the sake of differentiation, including extra action set pieces, or complicating simple story beats. Perhaps the most egregious issues lie in August and Ritchie's script. This live-action incarnation retains the same message as the animated version, but clumsily communicates its lessons to the audience. There are many scenes in which the film's themes are awkwardly over-explained via dialogue. For comparison, dialogue from the 1992 edition was far more subtle, communicating more meaning with far less effort. 

Changes aside, August and Ritchie combine early story beats to sloppily rush through the first act, which I suspect may confuse those unfamiliar with the animation. Without knowledge of the original, there's not enough development or explanation surrounding particular plot points for new viewers to understand the gist of these scenes. Otherwise, Ritchie's directorial trademarks are deeply woven into this magic carpet, to a distracting degree. One of Ritchie's stylistic tendencies is an editing technique which simultaneously speeds up/slows down objects or actors in the foreground/background. This bizarre blend of hyperkinetic motion and slo-mo was especially noticeable during the parkour chases and choreographed numbers on top of looking incredibly unnatural. On behalf of this stylistic choice and some painfully wooden acting I'll address later, there's an awkward energy which is pervasive in the remake. 

Regarding the musical numbers, "Friend Like Me" was by far the most impressive. However, it still suffered from the inconsistent visual effects present throughout the feature. The other songs each suffer from different issues including obvious auto-tuning, awkward placement (the reprise of the new song "Speechless"), and flimsy execution. Most notably, "Prince Ali" is a very high-energy song, and while there's a colorful presentation of costumes, sets, and effects, the choreography and staging felt very restrained and uninspired. And flat cinematography certainly didn't help matters.

So what is Aladdin's most pressing problem? Well, it's actually Aladdin... Mena Massoud is merely miscast as he fails to exude the character's charm or much personality at all. His performance is very wooden, and it sounded as though he was heavily auto-tuned, so the lead of this musical can't even sing... I think I know why he may have been selected though. His inherent awkwardness came in handy when Aladdin's unsuccessfully charming Jasmine and it appeared as though he was physically inclined to perform much of the parkour stunt-work himself. Meanwhile, there's the lingering question of whether Will Smith could step into Robin Williams' shoes as Genie. The role requires a larger-than-life personality, and thankfully, Smith proved up to the task. It's unrealistic to expect him to match Robin Williams' iconic portrayal of the classic character, but he makes the role his own and lends a lot of personality to the film.

However, the runaway star was Naomi Scott as Jasmine. Scott wonderfully realizes Jasmine's fierce independence and empathetic qualities, serving as an ideal live-action iteration of the character. Scott's singing ability is also on a whole other level than her co-stars, to the point where it sounded like she was slightly auto-tuned in "A Whole New World" so Massoud's lacking talent wouldn't be as noticeable. It speaks volumes that the crew went to those lengths. 

Unfortunately, the rich villainous role of Jafar becomes a one-note antagonist in the hands of Marwan Kenzari. Like Massoud, Marwan Kenzari is miscast and offers a dull portrayal of a robust character, and the film really suffers for it... Elsewhere, Navid Negahban, Nasim Pedrad, Billy Magnussen, Numan Acar, and Alan Tudyk are suitable inclusions as Sultan, Jasmine's handmaiden Dalia, suitor Prince Anders, palace guard Hakim, and the squawking parrot Iago. 

The 1992 animated incarnation transported audiences to a whole new world full of magic and wonder, but Guy Ritchie's Aladdin discards the heart, soul, and subtlety from that treasured magic carpet ride. In their place, audiences will discover an overabundance of sketchy CGI, gaudy scenery, and heavy-handed storytelling. If you've desperately hoped for a wondrous retelling of this animated classic, you'll ascertain Disney's magic lamp couldn't grant that wish. 

Film Assessment: C-

'Ralph Breaks the Internet' Review

I apologize for the delay on this review, as I saw Ralph Breaks the Internet over a week ago now, but I've been fairly busy with school work as the Fall semester is coming to a close. Thankfully, I now have a substantial influx of free time since I've just completed my final assignment and only have one more final left to worry about. Within the last week, I've filled a vast majority of my free time not dedicated to schoolwork with watching a few films in theaters which piqued my interest and I was concerned may soon leave theaters. Anyways, you can soon expect reviews for Green Book, A Private War, Can You Ever Forgive Me?, Boy Erased, and The Hate U Give (I'll try to stick to a review or two a day). Otherwise, I've noticed that the first few weeks of December are relatively light regarding new releases, so I'm going to use that time to catch up on titles I missed from earlier in the year which are currently available via streaming or home media. Aside from that, I'm going to soon put much of my time and attention towards editing a video about Star Wars: The Last Jedi which I've been working on for the past three months. The plan is to release that on December 15th, so it's available on the year anniversary of The Last Jedi's theatrical release, and I'm going to write a corresponding blog post detailing my thought process behind it and any other interesting behind-the-scenes factoids I can piece together.

'Ralph Breaks the Internet' Review

Nominated For: Best Animated Feature.

Video game bad guy Ralph and fellow misfit Vanellope von Schweetz must risk it all by traveling to the World Wide Web in search of a replacement part to save Vanellope's video game, "Sugar Rush." In way over their heads, Ralph and Vanellope rely on the citizens of the internet to help navigate their way, including an entrepreneur named Yesss, who is the head algorithm and the heart and soul of trend-making sit BuzzzTube.

Ralph Breaks the Internet is co-directed by Phil Johnston and Rich Moore, features a screenplay penned by Johnston and Pamela Ribon, and credits its story to Johnston, Moore, Ribon, Jim Reardon, Josie Trinidad, and Kelly Younger. While that certainly sounds like a lot of credited names, it's understandable that a story exploring a world as vast as the Internet would require all hands on deck. Fortunately, all of the individuals mentioned above are in-studio talent who have previously worked on Wreck-It Ralph and Zootopia among other recent Disney animation. With plenty of easter eggs, gags, and background elements alluding to popular Internet and Disney IP, Ralph Breaks the Internet could have easily fallen into the same rut as The Emoji Movie and effectively been two hours of obnoxious product placement. Thankfully, that's not quite the case... Though I suppose the "Oh My Disney" site could potentially annoy some viewers.

Regardless, the filmmakers play on the inner-workings of the Internet in plenty of fresh, exciting ways. As a setting, the Internet is almost a character of its own considering how well it's been intricately detailed and fleshed out by the animators. The rules and logic laid out by this World Wide Web are also fairly consistent with our own, so the events shown felt like a valid visual representation of everything which transpires online. In fact, Ralph Breaks the Internet heavily leans into the realism to provide insightful, much-needed commentary about how we handle ourselves online. It's a sad truth, but the worst version of ourselves often manifest on the Internet, and this film does not shy away from that whatsoever by shining the spotlight on toxic male insecurity. I'll be honest in saying I didn't expect Ralph Breaks the Internet to explore such mature thematic material on account of the age of its target audience. While a fair share of animated films can invoke mature discussion amongst families, the trailers made Ralph Breaks the Internet seem light and breezy, so I, therefore, expected a fun, surface-level adventure through cyberspace. 

By poking fun at the digital landscape and focusing on the ramifications of putting our needs and desires before others, Ralph Breaks the Internet delivers the best of both worlds. The film's equal parts hilarious and heartfelt. The jokes pertaining to the web and Disney itself are genuinely funny while the dilemma facing Ralph and Vanellope's friendship might hit a little close to home for certain viewers. Before I continue though, I'd like to say I was very impressed with how relevant the subject matter of the Internet managed to be. Animation's a very lengthy process, so I'm surprised that the story stayed so current in spite of the Internet's tendency to quickly cycle through trends.

As one would expect, John C. Reilly and Sarah Silverman recapture the delightful dynamic between Ralph and Vanellope instantaneously. Both banter and emotional beats are well conveyed by the two of them, but I'll say Silverman really stood out since she has a larger role this time. Otherwise, I was slightly surprised to see Jack Mc Brayer and Jane Lynch's Fix-It Felix and Sergeant Calhoun be mostly relegated to an off-screen B-plot considering their substantial involvement in the original (though there's an excellent payoff at the end which totally justifies it).

As for Wreck-It Ralph series newcomers, Gal Gadot, Taraji P. Henson, and Bill Hader each are impressionable as the tough-as-nails driver Shank, exuberant algorithm Yesss, and shifty click-baiter Spamley respectively. I was very impressed with Gal Gadot's voice work, in particular, considering this is her first voice role. She even sang a little bit and sounded pretty great, so hats off to her! Meanwhile, Alan Tudyk maintains his hot streak of voicing various characters for Walt Disney Animation Studios by portraying the feisty Internet browser KnowsMore.

And of course, I can't leave out the Disney Princesses... Just about all of the voice actresses who have voiced these characters in other mediums reprise their roles for a series of hilarious, engaging sequences. To tell you the truth, any scenes related to the Disney Princesses and the Oh My Disney site were highlights in my book! Their involvement directly corresponds to one particular musical number which had me laughing hysterically. With the proper context, "A Place Called Slaughter Race" warrants a Best Original Song nomination from the Academy.

Ralph Breaks the Internet may not be quite as focused or emotionally rich as the original, but it's a worthy sequel in every sense. At times, the plot proceedings seem a little scatter-brained and reminiscent of long-winded clickbait articles, but exceptional animation, phenomenal voice work, and a timely message regarding Internet behavior more than compensate for any sketchy online detours Ralph and Vanellope made along the way. Now, let's just hope audience members are able to get a strong reception and Disney's stance on Internet toxicity is successfully installed.

Film Assessment: A-

'Moana' Review

Nominated For: Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song "How Far I'll Go" (written by Lin Manuel Miranda).

Moana observes the thrilling adventures undertaken by young Polynesian islander Moana alongside demigod Maui and dimwitted rooster Heihei to reconcile Maui's mistake and return island goddess Te Fiti's heart, effectively restoring balance to the island life. 

Moana is the second release from Walt Disney Animation Studios this year, the first being Zootopia, and these two releases couldn't be any more distinct (I'm curious to see if both manage to garner appreciation from the Academy come January/February). Moana is co-directed by four of Disney's previous collaborators (both in directing & writing capacities) Ron Clements, Don Hall, John Musker, and Chris Williams. The quartet managed to ensure Moana isn't generic as it should have been by focusing on character growth and story progression, even though they sprinkle elements and references to their previous Disney work. 

The concepts found in Moana sound tried and true, it's the basic archetypal heroine's journey we've grown to be familiar with and even saw earlier this year in Kubo and the Two Strings (Another fantastic animated offering from 2016). The heroine (hero) must set out on a quest to recover such and such items often requiring assistance from a supernatural being or a set of sidekicks. Moana also exploits the traditional Disney animated feature formula, but hey it works. 

However despite everything going against it, Moana still manages to distinguish itself from Disney's ever-expanding animated catalogue. If there were any nitpicks I have about Moana's screenplay penned by Jared Bush, the story was imagined by the aforementioned quadrupled directing talent, Pamela Ribon, and Aaron & Jordan Kandell, it would be that there were a few too many plot conveniences. Bush does though flesh out the charismatic characters of this prolific world in a way unlike most animated fare. 

The animation however was simply breathtaking, not a surprise considering Disney's track record but incredible to say the least. Disney animators craft rich character models suited for their surrounding exuberant environments and effectively blend a three-dimensional world with two-dimensional drawings in the case of Maui's tattoos and a few other choice moments. 

Moana's other strength is its spectacular soundtrack including superb Polynesian-inspired original music from lyrical genius Lin Manuel Miranda, of Hamilton and Into The Heights fame, Opetaia Foa'i, and Mark Mancina. The terrificly talented trio include the empowering princess power ballad we've come to expect from just about every Disney princess release in "How Far I'll Go", a standout supporting character song with "You're Welcome", some memorable Polynesian-inspired tunes with "We Know The Way" and 'Logo Te Pate", and also know Mancina's score is delightful to listen to on it's own. The one song I'll admit not really caring for is "Shiny" but even I can't deny that it's catchy. 

The vocal ensemble amassed for the project is yet another high-point of Moana as each cast member's respective portrayal hits the nail on the mark. Auli'i Cravalho makes a splashing debut channeling the simultaneous apprehensive and adventurous spirit of Moana and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson interjects charisma aplenty into the self-centered demigod Maui. 

I was very impressed to hear both could not only carry a tune quite well but prove to have exceptional voices, and am also quite excited to see where Cravalho's career launches from here. Supporting cast members Rachel House, Temuera Morrison, Jermaine Clement, and Alan Tudyk voice the sagely Grandma Tala, stately father Chief Tui, a narcissistic crustacean Tamatoa, and the dense rooster Heihei who will make you laugh hysterically. 

If none of that was enough to sell you on Moana, I honestly don't know what will. Do know that there's a cute short film beforehand that's basically Inside Out meets the nervous system and a humorous on-the-nose post credits scene so be sure to arrive early and leave late. 

Moana's not Disney's best but it's a fun addition with all the great hallmarks of Disney's animated library; effective humor, endearing characters, exceptional music, gorgeous animation, invaluable messages and a riveting adventure. 

Film Assessment: A