MOVIE REVIEW: ZOOTOPIA 2

 

Detectives Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde find themselves on the twisting trail of a mysterious reptile who turns the mammal metropolis of Zootopia upside down. Testing their growing partnership like never before, they go under cover in new parts of town to crack the case.

Director: Jared Bush, Byron Howard

Cast: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Shakira, Idris Elba, Ke Huy Quan, Fortune Feimster, Andy Samberg, David Strathairn, Patrick Warburton, Quinta Brunson, Danny Trejo

Release Date: November 26, 2025

Genre: Animation, Action, Adventure, Comedy, Crime, Family, Mystery

Rated PG for action/violence and rude humor.

Runtime: 1h 48m

Review:

Zootopia 2 returns with an endless amount of animal puns, a fun crime mystery paired with a buddy/romantic comedy brought to life in a lushly animated kid’s movie which is powered by the chemistry of Ginnifer Goodwin and Jason Bateman.  Jared Bush and Byron Howard take over behind the camera with Bush also writing the script for this sequel which has an infectious energy from the start as we reintroduced into  the Zootopia world.  Each action set piece is packed with an impressive level of detail and depth splashed onscreen that gives the film a palatable vibrancy throughout.  There is plenty to see as we follow our central duo try to solve another large-scale mystery that has them on the run from the police and a wealthy family who’s desperate to hide family secrets.  The plot is far more layered and thoughtful than most family films with it switching gears fairly seamlessly between its central mystery and the duo opposites attract partnership dynamic.  The mystery does offer up some heady allusions to the history being erased along with smatterings of societal and racial inequalities.  Younger kids are sure to miss most of these story threads but you have to appreciate the thoughtful approach which make the story feel a bit more meaningful than just something more mindless.  It all works because of Ginnifer Goodwin and Jason Bateman natural chemistry together as mismatched partners who try to find a way to appreciate their differences in order to become a better pair.  Goodwin easily jumps back into Judy Hopps overachieving, optimistic bunny fur which still feels like a riff on Leslie Knopp from Parks and Recreation.  Jason Bateman has perfected his deadpan delivery now which is perfectly suited for his reformed con artist red fox.  Their back and forth are playful but heartfelt thanks to a sharp script with gives them plenty of emotional depth as they come to terms to the depth of their connection.  They do an excellent job of making it all feel organic and natural even amongst the zaniness going on around them.  Ke Huy Quan and Fortune Feimster join the fray here as Gary De'Snake a pit viper trying to help his family and a beaver conspiracy theorist who joins Hopps and Wilde solve the mystery.  They both make the most of their screen time with Quan bringing his usual earnestness to the role with Feimster providing a sort of manic energy that’s hilarious.  The cast and story make Zootopia 2 a fun journey but it does start to lag a bit in the final act with some plot devices coming off a retread which could have been less noticeable with the help of with a few edits here and there to make it a more efficient experience overall.    

B+

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of Marvel's Eternals & Hotel Transylvania: Transformania

 

My dear reader(s): This weekend I was able to catch up with a couple titles I'd very much been looking forward to, Marvel's Eternals and Hotel Transylvania: Transformania.

Spoiler level here will be mild, just a small, non-plot-specific comment on HT4.

First up: Marvel's Eternals.

D-List Marvel heroes attempt to save the world whilst navigating their own personal soap operas.

'Kayyyyyyy...first I want to say I didn't hate Eternals as much as many seemed to, and I didn't think it was any worse than most Marvel content. There were a few specific things I liked, and more that I didn't like, and for whatever that is worth to you, my dear reader(s), here they are.

The pros:

Richard Madden. I've been taking a pass on a good many comic book movies these days, but there was no chance I was missing a movie with Richard Madden. With Richard Madden in tights, no less. Happy days!

An interesting and diverse cast. Perhaps the most diverse of any costumed hero flick to date. We love to see it.

(Spoiler) turning up in the mid-credits scene. If you're online at all, ever, you probably know, but I won't divulge it here. Suffice to say I squealed even though I knew it was coming.

A couple truly unexpected (at least by me) developments. Mostly Eternals doesn't reinvent the wheel, but there were a few times I thought, whoa, did not see *that* coming!

The potential for some of these characters to get very interesting, assumimg they get some space in a less-crowded future film. The possibility is there. We'll see what they do with it.

The cons:

Eternals is too long, easily by 30 minutes, maybe more. Way too much filler. BUT...

...it also fails to explain most characters fully enough for non-comic readers. No one here is Captain America; the casual viewer could do with an abridged history and explanation of powers for these folks.

Most of the dialogue is awkwardly written and badly delivered, and the story is messy and borrows too much from other genre pictures.

Some of the effects are inexpicably sketchy for such a big-budget effort, and, finally...

...despite their potential, *this* movie didn't make me interested enough in any of these characters to care if I ever see them again. (I'm interested enough in a couple of the actors to care a lot, but that's another matter altogether.)

Marvel's Eternals clocks in at 156 minutes and is rated PG13 for "fantasy violence and action, some language, and brief sexuality."

Eternals is another forgettable bit of fun from Marvel, but it suffers for its bloated runtime, lack of familiar heroes, and failure to flesh out new faces. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Marvel's Eternals gets four and a half.

Marvel's Eternals is now streaming on Disney+.

Next on my weekend agenda: Hotel Transylvania: Transformania.

Van Helsing's Monsterfication Ray turns humans to monsters and monsters to humans.

The fourth installment in the Hotel Transylvania series caused me to utter perhaps the strangest words that have ever come out of my mouth: "I hope this is still good without Adam Sandler!" Drac here is voiced by one Brian Hull. I'm not a fan of Sandler and I'm not 100% sure I'd have noticed the difference if I hadn't known beforehand, but - armed with the knowledge - something definitely felt off with the new Drac. That being said, the HT movies are among my favorites, and I enjoyed this installment quite a bit.

Many faves from the previous films have returned here: Steve Buscemi, Keegan-Michael Key, David Spade, Molly Shannon, Selena Gomez, and Andy Samberg, to name a few. What initially seemed like a limited spooky premise has been parlayed into movies that tell pretty different stories. This one is good fun with a nice message about valuing people for who they are, not who you want them to be. The animation is cute and colorful, if nothing groundbreaking. Transformania plays like a finale, and if it is, it's a good one. If they choose to make more, well...I'll be first in line, despite the fact that this Drac (spoiler alert) really doesn't say, "Blah blah blah." Not even once. *sadface*

Hotel Transylvania: Transformania runs 98 minutes and is rated PG for "some action and rude humor, including cartoon nudity." (Seriously, I didn't make that up.)

Hotel Transylvania: Transformania is a dopey good time for the whole family. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Hotel Transylvania: Transformania gets seven.

Hotel Transylvania: Transformania is now streaming on Amazon Prime.

Until next time...

My 10 Favorite Films of 2020

 

2020 was a strange year on many levels but for movie lovers it was a particularly strange one.  This year was probably the first time I didn’t lurk the halls of my beloved theaters for months at a time.  Still there were plenty of films that stood out, since I’m terrible at making and sticking with a top 10 ranking, here are my 10 favorite films of the year in no particular order. 

Birds of Prey

Cathy Yan’s Birds of Prey was one of the early victims of the Covid Pandemic which is a shame since the film is one of the comic book films that truly found its own voice.  Birds of Prey never feels formulaic or cookie cutter as we see Margot Robbie’s Harley evolve into her own. 

Gretel & Hansel

Oz Perkin’s film went under the radar but those looking for a striking horror film will find plenty to like with the mind bending remaining of the classic fairy tale.  Sophia Lillis continues to rack up impressive performances, films like this should make her big break feel like inevitable. 

The Invisible Man

Leigh Whannell’s remake of The Invisible Man seemed ready made for forgettable horror fodder.  What Leigh Whannel and Elisabeth Moss were able to accomplish is quite an impressive feat.  They take a fascinating angle on the concept which made it fresh and timely, paired with a stellar turn from Moss turned this retread into a taut thriller. 

Wonder Woman 1984

Patty Jenkin’s follow up is a overstuffed and unfocused but that doesn’t keep her film from being fun and trying for something meaningful.  Even if she didn’t quite stick the landing you have to respect Jenkin’s attempt to create a 80s superhero film in tone as opposed to just placing it in the 80s.  Gadot was born to play Diana but Kristen Wiig and Pedro Pascal both put in memorable turns.

Promising Young Woman

There are some films that just stick with you long after you’ve left the theater.  Emerald Fennell’s meticulously crafted debut film fits the bill in spades.  Carey Mulligan delivers a career best performance playing against type as the tragic protagonist.    

Palm Springs

Andy Samberg & Cristin Milioti time loop rom/com seemed tailor made for 2020.  The concept has been done plenty of times before but there’s a sweetness and reflective insight that makes this love story work. 

Sound of Metal

Riz Ahmed has built up a solid resume of strong performances but Sound of Metal might be his best.  Ahmed’s work here is a raw, gritty and authentic, so much so that he’s sure to earn best actor nods come award season. 

Soul

Pixar has tackled some big concepts over the years but Soul feels like another step up.  While the candy colored film still has the hallmarks of a kids movie this is the first one that feels like it’s aimed more at the parents than the kids. 

Freaky

Christopher Landon’s third film continues to show how much a horror fan he is while showing that it’s ok to have fun with some of the concepts.  Freaky’s body swap concept works because Vince Vaughn and Kathryn Newton both go all in with the concept to great effect.

Mank

David Fincher’s labor of love is sure to get plenty of awards nods when the season comes simply because Hollywood loves Hollywood.  Still Fincher’s film is a loving homage to the golden era of Hollywood led by strong performance from Gary Oldman who could make these kinds of films for the rest of his career as far as I’m concerned. 

MOVIE REVIEW: PALM SPRINGS

Stuck in a time loop, two wedding guests develop a budding romance while living the same day over and over again.

Director: Max Barbakow

Cast:  Andy Samberg, Cristin Milioti, Peter Gallagher, J. K. Simmons, Meredith Hagner, Camila Mendes, Tyler Hoechlin

Release Date: July 10, 2020

Genres:  Comedy, Fantasy, Mystery 

Rated R for sexual content, language throughout, drug use and some violence

Runtime: 1h 30min

Review:

Max Barbakow's debut film will feel instantly familiar to lots of people who've seen Groundhog Day, 50 First Dates or even the recent horror comedy Happy Death Day.  At times, the film feels like an amalgam of those film’s ideas, but the impressive thing is that Barbakow’s film does not come off terribly derivative even though it is.  His direction is breeze and easy to like especially once the general concept is laid out.  The story itself is very much in line with Andy Samburg’s type of humor, sophomoric but there is always an air of sweetness and general lack of cynicism.  People who enjoyed previous Lonely Island productions like Hot Rod, Popstar or even Brooklyn Nine-Nine will feel right at home here.  Samburg being paired with Cristin Milioti makes the film work far more than it would in lesser hands.  They both share solid screen chemistry which can make or break these kinds of movies.  Together they make for a likeable couple so much so that you will probably overlook the fact that there a strong rom-com vibe throughout the story.  The film could have made better use of J. K. Simmons because his storyline would have been fun to explore but he still makes the film pop when his character pops up.  Palm Springs is the kind of fun, breezy film that’s eager please and it does for the most even though it doesn’t bring a ton of new to the table.

B

Movie Reviews: I LOVE YOU MAN

Sunday, March 22, 2009
Movie Reviews: I LOVE YOU MAN
IN THEATERS

I LOVE YOU MAN

As his wedding day approaches, Peter Klaven (Paul Rudd) realizes he has no one to act as his best man. Through a series of ''man-dates,'' he finds Sydney Fife (Jason Segel), and the pair become instant friends. But as Peter's ''bro-mance'' with Sydney grows stronger, it threatens his relationship with his fiancee (Rashida Jones), forcing Peter to make a choice.

Cast: Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, Rashida Jones, Andy Samberg, J.K. Simmons



Director: John Hamburg



Opened March 20, 2009.



Runtime: 1 hr. 50 min.



Rated R for pervasive language, including crude and sexual references



Genres: Comedy, Slice of Life

Review:

I Love You Man is charming bromance comedy that can drag at times but is more than aptly held up by it two leads. This film feels like a Judd Apatow production compete with some of his favorite supporting players but Apatow had nothing to do with this, John Hamburg (Along Came Polly) directs this with a relaxed hand. The film moves a pedestrian pace as it presents its admittedly contrived pretext with Rudd in the spotlight. Paul Rudd is solid here playing the opposite of his usual wise ass persona. Instead Rudd gives us a charming dweeb whose awkwardness is embarrassing and funny to watch but endearing at the same time. His character is like the ego in Freud’s psyche model with metro sexual tendencies. The counter to this ego is Jason Segel whose character is just as much a real life ....Id..... Segal delivers lines of man code dogma with such ease that it’s hard to not to see why his character would be such a great friend. Rudd and Segal share wonderful onscreen chemistry and really seem to enjoy working with each other. The supporting cast is rounded out with a bevy of terribly talented comedic actors and actress such as Rashida Jones Jamie Pressley, Andy Samberg and J.K. Simmons. All of which are just spot on in supporting turns. John Favreau in particular shines as Jamie Pressley’s A hole of a husband. The script is solid and full of raunchy banter that’s sure to get more than a handful of laughs and one gross out sequence that’s so quick and unexpected that it might take you a second to start laughing. Pacing is a slight problem and the film feels a tad longer than it’s actual run time, still, I Love You Man delivers plenty of laughs throughout.

B+