Michael

Today, while exercising, I finished watching “Michael,” which came out theatrically in April but on Starz in August. As everyone knows, I became a fan of Michael Jackson after he passed because I found out about his life. I had no idea they came out with a biopic of him until after the film came out, since I heard from children who had seen the film. Once it came out on streaming, I checked it out. How accurate did this film portray the King of Pop?

Lynn Venhaus started his review by saying, “In contemporary biopics, well-known artists are usually presented in a typical template – rags to riches, bumpy roads and triumphs during a specific period, not spanning womb to tomb, and “Michael” doesn’t stray from that formula.”

How this story differentiates itself, in this Jackson family-produced film of their famous member, is the undeniable impact of his music and the memorable pop culture moments that Michael Jackson was a part of during his life, which was sadly taken on June 25, 2009 at the age of 50.

The story of the King of Pop begins in the mid-60s in Gary, Indiana, through the Jackson 5 success and their relocation to a large family house, Hayvenhurst, in Encino, CA, to his breakout solo career, stopping at his “Bad” World Tour in 1988.

Venhaus said, “As an artistic innovator who redefined music, dance and music videos, he was known as a perfectionist who had a relentless work ethic. That is also shown in “MJ The Musical,” which opened on Broadway in 2022 and continues to tour the country, concentrating on rehearsals for Jackson’s 1992 Dangerous World Tour, and his career pressures.”

Venhaus continued, “His creative genius and masterful songwriting skills are the major focus of this dramatization, while displaying his painfully shy and sensitive personality. There are glimmers of his compassion (visiting children in hospitals) and humanitarianism (although it doesn’t touch on “We Are the World” or his Heal the World Foundation).”

Important times include meeting Berry Gordy (Larenz Tate) at Motown, and his collaborations with Quincy Jones (Kendrick Sampson) on his first solo album Off the Wall in 1979 and then Thriller in 1982, which is still the best-selling album of all-time.

However, the film really comes alive during the famous pop essentials – filming of the great Thriller video, a choreography rehearsal for Beat It, the iconic introduction of his famous “moonwalk” on the Motown 25^th anniversary special in 1983, besides his solo and group performances with his brothers Jermaine (Jamal R Henderson), Jackie (Joseph David-Jones), Tito (Rhyan Hill), and Marlon (Tre Horton).

Those scenes are the highlights and give the film its oxygen. Jaafar Jackson, who is Jermaine Jackson’s son and Michael’s nephew, is just perfect in his supernatural portrayal of Michael from his teen years into adulthood, while Juliano Krue Valdi plays him at age 10.

Venhaus credits, “Jaafar has the moves, the speech pattern and the megawatt smile down pat, and Valdi is incandescent as the ebullient child singer fronting the Jackson Five. Suffice it to say he thrived in the spotlight.” It’s the real-life material he had difficulties with (however, that’s only hinted at briefly).

Venhaus said, “The struggles with his controlling and abusive father Joseph (Colman Domingo) and sweet but passive caretaker mother Katherine (Nia Long) are shown, but the family’s input on this heavily redacted narrative is obvious. After all, the list of producers includes everyone but his sister Janet and his daughter Paris. who did not sign off on this version.”

You know you are getting a clean version of his life. This is the story the family wants to tell, and this is the movie that we got – 2 hours and 15 minutes, from his childhood in Gary, IN, and stopping at his “Bad” World Tour at Wembley Stadium the summer of 1988. At the end, it says “His Story Continues,” and they announced a sequel being in development in May with a release of either in late 2027 or early 2028, with production starting either late this year or early next year.

If you want the other details, look somewhere else. However, if you want an entertaining slice of life that takes you back to the days when you first heard Michael Jackson and saw his evolution in the music business, those scenes so with such energy and excitement.

Antoine Fuqua, who directed “Training Day” and “The Equalizer,” directed this, and his early career as a music video director is shown. His concert footage is perfectly shot by cinematographer Dion Beebe, who shows the electricity of live performances.

They also show the 1984 taping of the Pepsi commercial accident where Michael’s hair caught on fire from pyrotechnics and he suffered second and third degree burns on his scalp. That suggests taking painkillers, which later caused problems for Michael.

Screenwriter John Logan, who has been nominated for three Oscars for writing “Gladiator,” “The Aviator,” and “Hugo,” and won the Tony Award for Best Play with “Red” in 2010, knows how to make a compelling story about larger-than-life people.

Logan also highlights Jackson as an understanding businessman, knowing exactly what he wanted, in meeting scenes with record company executives and managers.

This film was made for his countless fans, and from the preview audience reaction, this will be a huge crowd-pleaser for those who separate the art from the artist, and is not for the cancel culture.

In quieter life moments, the film shows us Michael’s loneliness as a boy, his escape into a fantasy life with Peter Pan, old Hollywood movies, and his big dreams to be the best at what he did as an entertainer. Venhaus said, “It’s meant to tug at the heartstrings, the perennial man-child dilemma...”

However, the film shows a loving relationship between Michael and his brothers – even when they grew up and he didn’t. In their childhood, those roles are played with great enthusiasm by Jayden Harville as Jermaine, Jaylen Lyndon Hunter as Marlon, Judah Edwards as Tito, and Nathaniel Logan McIntyre as Jackie, with Amaya Mendoza as a young LaToya.

Venhaus said, “His eccentricities include housing exotic animals that were a major part of his menagerie, including Bubbles the Chimp (a horrible CGI visual) …”

The cast includes Laura Harrier as great Motown talent detective and later executive Suzanne de Passe, Jessica Sula as La Toya, KeiLyn Durrel Jones as Michael’s bodyguard/confident Bill Bray, and Miles Teller as lawyer and manager John Branca, who is also credited as a producer. Branca is co-executor of the Michael Jackson Estate.

Mike Myers, who also had a cameo in “Bohemian Rhapsody,” appears as CBS Records president Walter Yetnikoff, who pushes MTV to play Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean in heavy rotation, threatening to pull his artists like Bruce Springsteen, Journey, Billy Joel, and other famous singers on the label if they don’t.

Venhaus ended her review by saying, “While “Michael” is not a documentary or a complete picture, this fictional account encapsulates how Jackson’s talent endures and reminds the audience why they admired his unique four-decade contributions. This is definitely geared to a specific audience who is willing to get lost in the music.”

For those who were lifelong Michael Jackson fans and those who became his fans after his passing should see this movie. It currently is streaming on Starz, so those who have that should see it. You will love this film a lot. I thought I was going to have a full career history of Michael Jackson, but when it stopped at the “Bad” World Tour and said his story continues made me believe they were going to make a sequel. When they make that, I am looking forward to it. Still, this is a film that should not be missed out by any MJ fans. See it and enjoy, because this film probably got his life down right.

Thank you for joining in on this review today. Stay tuned on Friday for the continuation of “Halloween Month 2026.”

From Dusk Till Dawn

Welcome everyone to this year’s “Halloween Month,” where I will only be reviewing films every Friday this year, once again. To start off this month, I will be looking at the 1996 horror action film, “From Dusk Till Dawn.”

Roger Ebert started his review by saying, ““From Dusk Till Dawn” resembles one of those mythological creatures stitched together out of two different species, like a bull with a man’s torso. In this case, we get half of a hostage movie, and half of a vampire gore-fest. The transition is instantaneous. For about an hour, we’ve been following the story of two mad-dog killers and their victims, and then suddenly a stripper in a Mexican bar turns into a vampire, and off we go.”

Genre-hopping like that is the skill of the movie’s writer, Quentin Tarantino, whose work sometimes looks like switching channels. The director, Robert Rodriguez, can only be said to throw himself into the same mindset. This is one of those movies you might like or hate, but you won’t be able to deny its crazy passion.

Actually, a lot of people will hate half of the movie and like the other half. Those who loved Tarantino’s dialog parts in “Pulp Fiction,” will like the first half, especially the great pre-title scene with Michael Parks as a Texas Ranger who creates everything out of a little dialogue. Ebert said, “Those who liked the shoot-outs in Rodriguez’s “El Mariachi” and “Desperado” will like the second half, which is non-stop mayhem in a scuzzy bikers’ and truckers’ strip joint, with lots of vampires, exploding eyeballs, cascading guts, and a weapon made out of a powered wooden stake (I guess you could call it a Pneumatic Vampire Drill).”

Ebert admitted to liking the first half more. After the title part, we get to know the main characters, Seth and Richard Gekko, played by George Clooney and Tarantino. They’ve robbed a bank and left so many dead and wounded (all alerted by a TV news reporter’s digital mayhem readout). Richard has helped Seth break out of prison, and now they’re driving down to the Mexican border with the bank money, and Richard, who is a crazy loon, is shooting everyone he sees, including innocent bystanders.

Staying in a motel on the side of the road, they take hostages: a former Baptist minister (Harvey Keitel) and his children (Juliette Lewis and Ernest Liu). Ebert said, “The minister has left the church after the death of his wife, leaving an opening for another of Tarantino’s passages of theological dialog.” Now the minister and his kids are driving south in a mobile home the Gekkos hope to hide in while crossing the border.

The minister is persuaded to cooperate with the criminals. His son thinks he knows better: “Dad – I watch the reality shows!” Ebert said, “The charm of the dialog in these scenes has a lot of competition from the state-of-the-art mayhem, which leaves blood and brains spattered everywhere. Rodriguez doesn’t make it very real, though, wisely handling the death of a harmless bank teller in flashes too quick to be seen, since more detail would sink the macabre mix of violence and humor.”

In Mexico, the mobile home drives up to the shabby club with a strange décor (this goes next to Jack Rabbit Slim’s in the Tarantino Mall). The doorman is played by Cheech Marin, who also plays two other roles, appearing too often he doesn’t need the vampire story to qualify as undead. The kidnappers and their victims go inside to wait a rendezvous for the money, and that’s when the vampire story begins.

Ebert said, “All I can really say about the last 30 minutes of the film is, if you liked “Dawn of the Dead” (1979), you’ll like this. The plot is forgotten as Rodriguez goes for violence and special effects, including people who morph into hideous creatures in the middle of the barroom brawl. There’s also an outbreak of vampirism among the leading characters, in scenes owing something to “Assault on Precinct 13” and “Night of the Living Dead.””

Ebert continued, ““From Dusk Till Dawn” is a skillful meat-and-potatoes action extravaganza with some added neat touches.” George Clooney makes his film debut after “E.R.” and he shows admirable restraint in going along with the insanity without looking overwhelmed by it. The good things in the movie – especially some of the dialog – are so much better than the rest that you wish Rodriguez and Tarantino had tried to win over this material, instead of simply delivering it. This is a professionals work, but these guys can do better.

I think everyone knows about the famous Salma Hayek dance scene in the bar. That is the highlight of the film, and I think everyone will like this film. I saw this on Paramount+, but currently you can watch this on Pluto TV. Check it out because this is a good action film that centers around vampires, which a lot of people are into. You should see this because you will get into it, as Clooney and Tarantino are just great in this role, especially when Keitel and Lewis show up in the film. Marin is also funny in all three of his roles. See it and enjoy.

Surprisingly, this film got two sequels, which were released directly to video. We will look at the first sequel next week in “Halloween Month 2026.”

Toy Story 5

Last night, I saw “Toy Story 5,” which came out theatrically in June but on Disney+ four days ago. As always, I’m surprised when a new “Toy Story” film comes out, as I feel Pixar is just milking in this franchise, even though each installment has gotten better, and I think they should stop making sequels. However, is this new sequel still having the franchise riding high or is it just a huge cash grab and people have now lost interest?

Following the previous film, “Toy Story 4,” most of the toys are now concealed in the bedroom of Bonnie, now voiced by Scarlett Spears, their original owner, Andy, is now an adult and was going off to college in the third film (who knows how old he is now, and maybe it’s best not to guess). With cowboy Woody (Tom Hanks) now off traveling with Bo Peep (Annie Potts) to help lost toys find new homes, cowgirl Jessie (Joan Cusack) is now the toys’ leader, being Bonnie’s favorite.

That however suddenly changed when Bonnie is given something new, a tablet called Lilypad, voiced by Greta Lee. Bonnie is soon addicted to this tablet, plus being targeted to a little cyberbullying from her online friends. Can the toys save her from this addiction? Also, what’s with the line of Buzz Lightyears that have been shipwrecked on a remote island, and every Buzz Lightyear is reprised by Tim Allen, who sure has his work cut out for him?

Travis Johnson said in his review, “The original Toy Story quite literally changed cinema, but it’s a franchise now – Pixar’s ever-reliable tentpole, more susceptible to the winds of box office potential than creative drive. That’s just the way of things; we’re unlikely to get anything as downright charming, as downright moving, as the first three films ever again.” However, seen as the latest sequel in what is clearly an ongoing franchise, “Toy Story 5” gives so many good things.

Johnson notes, “It’s as sprightly and witty as ever, and it looks better than ever, Pixar in general and this series in particular, always being at the vanguard of the CGI state of the art.” The voice cast is all-star. Along with the reprising cast, plus recent inclusion like Keanu Reeves’ Duke Caboom, Conan O’Brien leads a great roster of newcomers, including Craig Robinson, Ernie Hudson, Shelby Rabara, Matty Matheson, Mykal-Michelle Harris, Krys Marshall, Kristen Schaal, Wallace Shawn, Lori Alan, Jay Hernandez, Blake Clark, John Ratzenberger, Melissa Villaseñor, Jeff Bergman, Anna Vocino, John Hopkins, Robin Atkin Downes, Jerome Ranft, Tyla, and Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio. We now get the necessary climactic chase sequence, the emotional moments that hits you in the feels – everything you know and love from “Toy Story” is there and correct.

However, what’s new?

Johnson answers, “Well, wrestling with digital toys and the thorny subject of children’s screentime is fresh territory, and definitely an area that a series about the inner life of children had to broach sooner or later. The film takes a fairly even-handed view of the whole phenomenon, landing on “All things in balance, but monitor your kids”.” That’s a rightly sensible area that’s sure to annoy parents on both sides of the overall argument, so that’s great.

Johnson ended his review by admitting, “More importantly for the overall series, Toy Story 5 manages a gentle pivot away from the central Buzz and Woody onscreen duo, which is a problem they were going to have to address sooner or later. Tom Hanks was pretty adamant that Toy Story 4 was going to be his last rodeo, though obviously that turned out to not be the case, but even here the screenplay, by co-directors Andrew Stanton and Kenn Harris, struggles to justify his inclusion a little bit. It’s not hard to picture a Woody-free future film at this point; what’s surprising is that it doesn’t seem like such a terrible move.”

This is the best of the franchise since it deals with an issue that is being seen by kids all over. So many kids are getting smartphones and tablets too early and are spending way too much time on them, that they are not spending times with real friends playing outside and doing the normal stuff kids used to do. We can see that with Bonnie, but we do see that there is still hope when we see the ending. Parents have to be careful with monitoring how much time kids spend on their computers and have them spend more time outdoors with friends. This is a great movie for everyone to check out, so see it on Disney+ if you missed seeing in theaters. I did, even though this is one of the movies I wanted to see in the theaters, but we never made that plan.

Strangely enough, when this film premiered, Stanton said that “Toy Story 3” was the end of Andy’s arch, he said they “got another trilogy with Bonnie.” I wonder if he means they have another movie planned, making the sixth film the finale for Bonnie. I still think they should end it, but if they make another one, make that the finale. How many sequels can they make with this franchise? As good as it is, you have to admit that you can’t keep making sequels to this franchise because it will eventually run its course.

Thank you for joining in on this review. Stay tuned next month for this year’s “Halloween Month.”

Happy Feet Two

Eric D. Snider started his review by saying, ““Happy Feet Two” is such a messy, giddy collage of undisciplined storytelling and half-developed subplots that I’m amazed I enjoyed it as much as I did. Like its predecessor, also directed and co-written by George Miller (“Babe: Pig in the City,” the “Mad Max” series), the sequel gets by largely on goofy energy and good-naturedness, not quote-unquote “strong writing” or “clear ideas.””

As you remember from the first movie, the emperor penguins of Antarctica used to express themselves mainly through singing, and despised dancing, until one of them, a penguin named Mumble, reprised by Elijah Wood, taught them the power of dancing. The sequel continues with Mumble now happily married to Gloria, now voiced by Alecia Moore aka Pink (taking over for Brittany Murphy, who sadly passed away), and the entire colony happily singing and dancing all throughout the day. Now, as predicted, because it’s a sequel and history has to repeat, Mumble and Gloria’s shy little penguin, Erik, voiced by Ava Acres, doesn’t dance. He feels like an outsider because of it. Snider said, “It’s a classic reverse “Billy Elliot” scenario.”

Meanwhile, in the part of Antarctica where the penguins are Latinos, the hilarious Ramon (Robin Williams) is trying to flirt with Carmen (Sofia Vergara, using her regular speaking voice). Also, a new penguin named Sven, voiced by Hank Azaria, is introduced. He has a Scandinavian accent and can fly. Yes, a penguin who can fly. Snider said, “He looks suspiciously like a puffin, not a penguin, but maybe that’s a spoiler? Anyway, Ramon is jealous of the attention received by the glad-handing, Harold Hill-like Sven.”

Meanwhile, in the ocean are two tiny krill named Will (Brad Pitt) and Bill (Matt Damon). Will wants to leave the giant krill colony and move up the food chain – really live a little. Snider said, “He and Bill flit in and out of the rest of the film, occasionally intersecting with whatever the main plot happens to be at the moment, and sometimes seeming like they’re in their own movie altogether.”

Meanwhile, a shifting ice formation has trapped all the emperor penguins in a giant valley, preventing them from going to sea and find food. (Climate change is apparently the cause, but that point isn’t really told.) It’s up to the group of penguins who weren’t home when it happened to help them get out and fine a new place for their colony.

That’s a lot for one movie. (Snider said, “I didn’t even mention the flashbacks to Sven’s encounter with humans, or the intimidating elephant seal that harasses Mumble.) The trapped penguins are the real story; everything else is included for funsies, and to give the characters from the last movie something to do.” We can tell that “Happy Feet Two,” released in 2011, is not one of those sequels that was rushed into production because someone had a really good idea for a story.

That being said, it’s continuously funny, sometimes wildly fun, with smooth and exciting animation. It has the right messages about helping one another and the value of every creature. The musical numbers, mainly existing pop songs but some written for the film, are made even better than before by including choreography. Snider ended his review by saying, “One of the original songs is, I kid you not, an operatic aria — characteristic of the film’s likably weird, try-everything-and-see-what-sticks mentality. It won’t be the best cartoon of the year; thanks to “Rango,” it won’t even be the most eccentric. But it’ll do, penguin. It’ll do.”

I wanted to see this sequel in the theaters since we saw the first one in theaters and loved it. However, I missed that chance and had to see it as a rental from the library. I loved this film since the first one was a lot of fun. If you saw the first “Happy Feet” and loved it, see the sequel, which is currently streaming on HBO Max. You will love this one too, as the characters are good, the song numbers are all familiar, and you will love the message of the film. George Miller, even though it is strange that he would take on a children’s film, did a good job in educating viewers that the penguins need help with the polar ice caps melting and we need to save the environment since they can only survive in cold environments. Check it out, see it with your children, and hopefully this will teach everyone a good lesson.

Thank you for joining in on “Animated Environmental Move Month.” I hope everyone enjoyed it and…wait a minute. Next month is October. You know what that means! HALLOWEEN MONTH!!! Stay tuned because I have some exciting reviews planned for everyone.

Weird: The Al Yankovic Story

Today while exercising, I finished watching “Weird: The Al Yankovic Story,” released on Roku in 2022. I don’t think I told anyone this, but I am a fan of “Weird” Al Yankovic, as I think his parodies are some of the funniest. When I heard they were doing a biopic of him, I didn’t see it right away, so it took a little bit before I saw it. Now that I have, what are my thoughts?

Whether you’re a fan of the lyric-changing, polka-loving singer or not, it is hard not to enjoy this truly radical comedy.

James Croot said in his review, “A brilliantly subversive pastiche of the likes of Bohemian Rhapsody or Rocketman, you’re initially lulled into thinking you’re watching something similar to those movies here.”

Even though his parents consider it a disappointment, Alfi Yankovic, played as a child by Richard Aaron Anderson, wants to make songs. His father, played by Toby Huss, would prefer Al joined him at “the factory,” especially after hearing that Al’s plan is changing the words to well-known songs.

“What you’re doing is confusing – and evil,” he scolds. His mother, played by Julianne Nicholson, has a view that sounds like back up. “It would be best for all of us if you would just stop being who you are and doing the things you love.”

However, when a door-to-door salesman, played by Thomas Lennon, ignites a passion of wanting to be “arguably the most famous accordion player in an extremely specific genre of music,” she agrees to buy the instrument, if only Alfie is careful to practice in secret.

Unfortunately, his teenage years, played by David Bloom, have him with the temptations to break out “Satan’s squeeze-box.”

Forced to do the Chicken Dance at a polka party, the evening ends miserably when the cops stop the party and his dishonesty is revealed.

However, after his father destroys the accordion, the young man, now played by Daniel Radcliffe, isn’t discouraged, moving to Los Angeles right after high school graduation. However, success doesn’t come fast – not many bands have a lot for his very certain type of skills – but to does turn out to be nearly overnight.

A combination of The Knack and luncheon meat makes creativity with his roommates, played by Spencer Treat Clark, Jack Lancaster, and Tommy O’Brien, who encourage him to record the song in the nearby bus station bathroom. Croot said, “Mailing it to a local radio station, incredibly, it immediately becomes a high-rotation hit, emboldening Al to try and seek out a record deal.”

Croot continued, “But, after a less-than-successful meeting, he discovers he’ll have to make it the hard way – get the word out via playing live in some less-than-salubrious places – and come up with more music.” “Weird” Al Yankovic and Will Forte play the Scotti brothers that Yankovic meets with.

However, when his childhood icon Dr. Demento, played by Rainn Wilson, hears him, Dr. Demento decides to take “Weird” Al Yankovic as his protégé and help him to become “the future of music.”

Croot said,

What follows is a wild rise-and-fall-and-rise ride best summed by one character’s challenge to “name me one creative genius that doesn’t have a chequered past involving drugs, alcohol and a murderous rampage through the heart of the jungle”.

Yes, while many of Yankovic’s biggest real-life hits (I Love Rocky Road, Eat It, Amish Paradise) and their inspirations are detailed, like Sir Peter Jackson’s magnificent, yet controversial mockumentary Forgotten Silver, everyone will have a point at which they twig that something isn’t quite right.

For some, the opening narration by Diedrich Bader could be a clue (“Life is like a parody of your favorite song – just when you think you all the words…Surprise! You don’t know anything”), for others, it will be the offer to play with Queen at Live Aid, or his relationship with Madonna, played by a fabulous, scene-stealing Evan Rachel Wood.

Croot mentioned,

Key scenes more than just echo movies like Boogie Nights and The Doors, but while the scattershot approach to humour won’t appeal to everyone (just as Yankovic’s parodies sometimes polarise) many of the set pieces and “claims” are truly inspired.

As Al, Radcliffe is a revelation, throwing himself into the role and associated nuttiness with gusto, just as he always seems to do in his “quirkier” post-Potter roles (Swiss Army Man and Guns Akimbo two particular examples).

Around him is a cast of famous people we know. Along with Wood and Wilson, there are also great cameos from Jack Black, Patton Oswalt, Conan O’Brien, and Lin-Manual Miranda.

Croot noted, “Inspired by director and co-writer Eric Appel’s (Die Hart, Brooklyn Nine-Nine) 2010 Funny or Die short, Weird was a deserved winner of the Midnight Madness audience award at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival.”

While sadly not being released in theaters, where it could have obviously become a cult hit, this does seem to have found a devoted audience just as Yankovic’s last film – 1989’s The Vidito from UHF – did in video stores back then.

This is a funny spoof on biopics. “Weird” Al said in interviews that there are nuggets of truth that are sprinkled all throughout the film. He mentioned that Radcliffe was the top choice to star in the film. In actuality, his parents were supportive of his music career, he never had any substance abuse problems, he never had a relationship with Madonna and only spoke to her for about 45 seconds backstage in 1985, so their relationship with purely platonic, and Eat It came after Beat It, and not the other way around. The ending will also make you laugh, as you know that “Weird” Al is still around today, but he is the one artist that is famous, but doesn’t come around a lot, which is good for him, so he is one of the few artists who never went off the deep end. Also, just like how Chadwick Boseman was dubbed over when he performed James Brown’s songs in “Get On Up,” Daniel Radcliffe was also dubbed over by “Weird” Al Yankovic when his songs came on. Check this film out if you’re a fan of Yankovic, as I think you will have a great time laughing throughout the film.

Thank you for joining in on this review. Stay tuned this Friday for the finale of “Animated Environmental Movie Month.”

Happy Feet

In the tribe of Emperor Penguins in Antarctica, community is very important. You have to know how to gather together against the cold, or march to the sea to catch fish for the family. During mating season, the male and female penguins are attracted to each other by their “Heartsongs.” Every penguin has a song that is his or her individual identity. It’s the “voice you hear inside” that makes you “who you truly are.”

When Norma Jean (Nicole Kidman) and Memphis (Hugh Jackman) meet, he is drawn to her shake and her soulful singing. She loves his self-confidence and Elvis-like serenading. When Norma Jean goes off to the sea with the other females, Memphis, unfortunately, has a small mistake with their egg. When it is time for their egg to hatch, he takes longer than the others to crack out. Baby Gloria, voiced by Alyssa Shafer, tries to help and is there to witness his strange behavior. The baby penguin, named Mumble, voiced by E.G. Daily, can’t keep his feet still. He jumps all over the icy area. Instead of being proud of his new son, Memphis is troubled by his “happy feet.” He says: “It just ain’t penguin.” Others see it too, and as the months pass, the entire community decides that Mumble is the eccentric penguin. What’s wrose is he can’t sing at all, and, as the saying goes, “a penguin without a Heartsong is not a penguin at all.”

Norma Jean and Memphis send him to a voice teacher, voiced by Magda Szubanski, but all she can get out of him is an ear-hurting screech. Off by himself, where he can let his happy feet tap dance across the ice, Mumble (Elijah Wood) meets Boss Skua (Anthony LaPaglia), head of a tribe of evil birds who want to make lunch of him. The penguin gets him to tell the story of being abducted by aliens who pokes and explored him and then put a yellow thing around his leg. Mumble escapes from them but keeps this strange incident to himself.

Soon it is time for the young penguins to go to the sea for their first catch. Mumble is actually the first one in the water, which ends up having some dangerous creatures and very little fish. He shows his love for Gloria, now voiced by Brittany Murphy, by catching a fish for her and fighting off some greedy birds to keep it. That night, under the stars, she sings a concert and he tries to sing along, much to the alarm of the others. Soon after, he goes off alone.

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat said in their review, “Wandering the icy wastelands, he meets the Adelie Amigos, a group of five happy-go-lucky Latino penguins who find his moves "so accidentally cool."” Ramon, voiced by the late Robin Williams, the most outspoke one, calls Mumble charismatic. The Emperor Penguin has finally found friends who respect him and his dancing feet. They come up with a plan to help him win Gloria’s heart. However back home, Noah, one of the elders, voiced by Hugo Weaving, sentences Mumble’s dancing and blames him for the loss of fish in the sea. He bans Mumble from the community. Mumble decides he’ll find out the real reason for the fish shortage.

The Adelies tell Mumble about a guru penguin called Lovelace, also voiced by Williams, who answers every question. Brussat said, “He asks him about alien abductions, but his response about mystic beings on a forbidden shore doesn't make much sense. This quirky character has a plastic six-pack ring around his neck that is slowly strangling him.” Deciding this strange thing may be a clue, Mumble, the Adelies, and Lovelace go to where he found it, a journey that will test their strength and friendship.

Brussat said, “George Miller, who co-wrote, produced and directed Happy Feet brings the same creativity, exuberance, and spiritual élan to this animated feature as he did to Babe. He has incorporated so many imaginative elements into the story that it boggles the mind. First, there is the exciting music, which includes rock, funk, opera, rap, liturgical, pop, gospel, and Latin.” The music is composed by John Powell, and the soundtrack also includes songs performed by Prince, Yolanda Adams, Fantasia Barrino, Gia Farrell, Chrissie Hynde, Pattie La Belle, k.d. lang, Jason Mraz, and Pink. Second, there is the great dancing by the penguins. Brussat noted, “These scenes have been choreographed by Warren Coleman who brings together many styles including Zulu, gumboot, Navajo, and Samoa slap dancing.”

Brussat said, “The music and the dance bring out the yearning we've all had to move the body in sync with the rhythms of the earth.” The final act of Mumble’s journey brings him into an encounter with the humans and a connection that justifies all his troubles to stay faithful to his real self. The ecological crisis shown in the story of the disappearing fish is finally told with an inspiring message that had to be told at the right time: We have so much more in common with the whole Creation than we know, and our survival – and theirs – depends upon our realizing that real truth.

I saw this in the theaters with some of the family and we enjoyed this a lot. I think that everyone should see this because they will like this a lot. Sure, it’s strange that George Miller directed this, but he did a good job. The whole family can see this, get into the singing and dancing, and actually learn a true environmental message that hopefully people will take to heart and pass it along. Because this message is something that needs to spread around and make people aware so we can save the environment, which is the underlying message of the film. Check this out and enjoy.

Next week, I will be ending “Animated Environmental Movie Month” with the sequel to this film, which is still a good one.

Coyote vs. Acme

Tonight, my siblings and I went to see “Coyote vs. Acme,” which came out almost three weeks ago. This was one of my most anticipated movies to watch this year, seeing how I’m a huge Looney Tunes fan. Seeing how this has been getting rave reviews from critics, what was our opinion?

Family entertainment can have a habit of being dumbed down, like children are not meant to understand richer subtext. As we know, the point is that as a kid you’re entertained but then as an adult you understand the deeper meanings. “Coyote vs. Acme” begins with a brilliantly funny idea related to every gadget Looney Toon character, Willie E. Coyote, has ordered over the years out in the desert to try and catch the Road Runner. Alci Rengifo pointed out in his review, “As it gets wildly entertaining, the movie never loses its sharpness and even social commentary. Many viewers will first be intrigued by the backstory involving Warner Bros. initially shelving the movie back in 2023 for a tax write-off, then selling the rights to Ketchup Entertainment. We should be grateful someone stepped in to save this charming, witty experience.”

The film starts in 1992, when in a desolate laboratory, Dr. Peter Loore, voiced by pretty much all the major cartoon characters, Eric Bauza, a “toon,” is being chased by evil superiors trying to silence him. After he is forced to jump into one of the famous black holes that can be summoned in cartoons, we flash forward to present day where Willie E. Coyote is stuck in the same routine of chasing after the Road Runner, getting close, but failing miserably with the various Acme Corporation gadgets he keeps ordering. Sinking in depression, he sees a commercial from Albuquerque lawyer Kevin Avery, played by Will Forte, a human focusing in cases with cartoon violence. Willie E. Coyote sees the chance to sue Acme for the countless rockets and other items that have left him damaged from his attempts. Kevin would be fine just asking for his client to get $300 back for failed rocket skates, but Willie E. Coyote wants payment for everything we have seen him use over his time. This strikes a cord in Acme, which is run by the famous Foghorn Leghorn. His top human attorney, Buddy Crane, played by John Cena, who was once Kevin’s classmate at Harvard, is given coyote’s case to win it.

“Coyote vs. Acme” is one of those movies like “Space Jam” or “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?” where it perfectly combines animation with live action, to the point where you stop differentiating the two. It tells you about the times we’re currently in where Warner almost made it disappear without a second thought. Rengifo said, “Director Dave Green works from a screenplay by Samy Burch, which is based on a 1990 New Yorker article by Ian Frazier, a delightful piece of satirical cheer. James Gunn is one of the producers, no doubt helping explain how this film finds a particular poignancy in Looney Toons characters. First the movie works as a funny form of self-commentary, pondering how Wile E. should logically have amassed football-size amounts of Acme gadgets. All this because of his obsessive drive to catch the Road Runner, apparently out of hunger, but maybe it’s just become a consuming passion the way other people thirst for power or explorers seek to climb great mountains.” Not like Willie E. Coyote couldn’t find anything else to eat.

A Looney Tunes movie needs to include fan favorites to show up like Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Tasmanian Devil, Tweety Bird, Sylvester the Cat, Porky Pig, Elmer Fudd, Yosemite Sam, and others. Rengifo said, “None of them are used as just filler and become part of a rather intense detective yarn. Bugs Bunny leaves cryptic phone messages for Kevin and arranges late night meetings out of a Bogart thriller. Daffy knows something but is consigned to a mental health institution. Desert moments of intrigue are framed as if in homage to “Breaking Bad.” The humans are also not reduced to mere gags and turn into walking embodiments of ruthless corporate America.  John Cena’s Buddy Crane is the classic suit just doing his job, which entails going to any length to please his client. He slimily offers Kevin a quick settlement the underdog lawyer is eager to accept, but Wile E. instantly refuses.” Now it becomes an all-out fight. When Kevin tries to get the Road Runner to appear as a witness in Coyote’s defense, Buddy and his lawyer team then try any way to stop that from happening. The ongoing jokes are just Looney Tunes fun, like the plot to catch the Road Runner with a huge mountain of bird feed surrounded by instant glue.

Rengifo said, “Yet, what makes “Coyote vs. Acme” successful and a genuine treat for younger viewers is how it treats the audience, both younger and older, with intelligence. There are more layers to the story than just the court battle. Kevin must assess if the coyote is being honest with him, or using this whole case as a ruse to finally lure the Road Runner into a space of total entrapment.” On top of that, after all this time chasing each other in the desert, maybe Willie E. Coyote and the Road Runner have become close friends than they know? Rengifo said, “The movie features quite the stacked cast which also includes an endearing Lana Condor as Kevin’s niece and assistant, who tries to keep him honest as a lawyer, and Luis Guzmán as Judge Troppogrosso, overseeing the case with farcical seriousness. Yet, above the gags, we’re also taken in by the story and the upfront jabs at corporate culture. Wile E. may have a twisted passion, but Acme is run by the kind of shady figures who would be more than welcomed at the current White House.” In the end, the real heroes are Ketchup Entertainment for saving this film. As awful as the times are, there is someone out there who always cares, which is also the end, needed message of this enjoyable good time.

I think everyone should go see this movie, as this is one of the most entertaining, funny films this year. Especially those who are Looney Tunes fans will enjoy this one a lot. Seeing how they have shaped a lot of our humor; everyone must go and watch this. You will be laughing the whole time and really love this. If Ketchup Entertainment keeps coming out with Looney Tunes films every now and then, I will give them my money to see them. Check this out and have a great time laughing from start to finish.

Thank you for joining in on this review tonight. Stay tuned this Friday for the continuation of “Animated Environmental Movie Month.”