Saturn Awards 2018: Best Animated Film Release

Animated movies are not my favorite.  I usually feel “meh” about them, and I watch them with a sort of obligation instead of a sense of excitement.  What kind of animated film is nominated for a Saturn Award? Hopefully better-than-average!  Let’s see.  (By the way, Loving Vincent not being nominated is a travesty.  I stared at that movie.  It was so gorgeous!  Not quite a fantasy…but not quite not a fantasy, either.  Come on, Saturn Awards!)

Cars 3:  The first one was okay, the second one was okay, and the third one was okay.  Okay?

Coco:  When I saw this was coming out I thought, “Disney is remaking The Book of Life?”  The Book of Life was an explosion of color, a cute love story, and Guillermo Del Toro.  Coco is okay.

Despicable Me 3:  The first one was unexpectedly great, the second one was just as charming as the first, and the third one had a lot of humor put in there just for me.  Soooo fluffy.  The eightiesness of the villain made me laugh all the way through.  The daughters still don’t get on my nerves like I thought they would, and Gru and the minions are still trying to be a little evil, despite their other life choices.  I’d watch it again.  That’s saying a lot.

The Boss Baby:  I liked it.  It was funny, had very clever moments, and Alec Baldwin was the perfect voice choice.  I don’t remember the ending, though, which is weird.  I always liked the book, and for some reason was expecting a simpler story.

Your Name:  By far the most grown-up of the bunch, Your Name is a fantasy about body-switching across time.  It is intricate, and you have to pay attention or you may lose the story.  I kept drifting off and having to go back and rewatch.  This is the type of animation that bores me.  I think it’s the muted color pallets.  The Studio Ghibli films affect me the same way.  The story, however, is unique.  Animated films are rarely unpredictable, but I had no idea about this one.

 

The Verdict:  Despicable Me 3.  Silly and fun…not the best message about family, but did you really expect Gru to have a regular childhood?  (I can hear someone yelling at me: “Noooo!  Your Name was far superior!”  To which I say…write your own opinion pieces, then.)

 

Image credit: images.alphacoders.com

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip (2015)

Quick opinion:  Nothing special.  Not the worst thing I’ve ever seen.

Happy to see: Kimberly Williams-Paisley!  I’ve loved her since Father of the Bride in 1991!

Reunion: Jason Lee and Eddie Steeples starred in My Name is Earl together!

Why are you in this?:  Everyone, starting with Jason Lee, continuing to wasting Bella Thorne as basically eye candy,  and ending with…John Waters?  What???

Unexpectedly funny moment:  Simon hiding in Miles’ (Josh Green) pants when he’s about to be bodily searched at the airport.  Simon goes down the leg of Miles’ pants and is so scared he pees, which puddles on Miles’ shoe.  The TSA agent sees it and gives Miles a dumbfounded look.  Miles exclaims, “It’s not mine!”  The agent replies, ” You holdin’ it for someone else?”  It’s the only time I laughed.

Isn’t this a kids’ movie?:  Alvin and Simon frequently pick up Theodore and use him as a missile, but it was very disturbing that they threw him into Tony Hale’s crotch!  Theodore will be in therapy for years!

Final thoughts:  These movies are a waste of time. I watch them for Jason Lee, but now it’s kind of sad.  I hope he’s overpaid.  I know I’ll watch the next one…but I probably won’t enjoy it.

Image credit: communitynews.com.au