Trolls World Tour is a blast of color and energy but it’s the messaging that elevates it over the first (Movie Review)

Trolls World Tour is a 2020 Dreamworks animated film that is a direct sequel to the 2016 film Trolls. This sequel is directed by Walt Dohrn and stars the vocal talents of Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Rachel Bloom, James Corden, Kelly Clarkson, Mary J Blige and Sam Rockwell. Following the events of Trolls, the new Queen Poppy (Kendrick) sets out on an adventure with her best friend Branch (Timberlake) to stop the Queen of Rock (Bloom) from taking control of all 6 strings of music in the land of trolls!

Much like its predecessor, Trolls World Tour provides a vibrantly colored jukebox musical that gives kids high energy eye-candy.  This sequel improves on a bland (and often annoying) predecessor by providing messages that actually deliver relevance and substance to the sugary coating.

For this second go-round, we are presented with the idea that our differences are what make our society strong, which is a refreshing deviation from the MUST BE HAPPY messaging of the first. The message for the sequel works well as a literal call to let people like what they like but also serves as a deeper metaphor for a diverse society. The most surprising highlight of the film is a musical lesson on how (white) pop music has stolen from other genres and makes strong reference to the fact of white musicians taking from and burying the careers black musicians throughout history.

The film is a lot to take in. From the moment you click play to the very end of the credits, this film is turned up to 100 and doesn’t show interest in turning down. The opening act is basically a montage of troll-filled music videos and little more. We also get very little time or attention given to the other musical troll away from Poppy. Speaking on our protagonist, she is also taken to a really obnoxious places as a character that make her insufferable to spend the film with.

Trolls World Tour is stronger than the first film solely based on the fact that it provides useful messages. Unfortunately, it keeps the over-bearing tone of the first that makes the experience tough to stomach. Don’t rush to pay the high “theatrical release equivalent” pricing to rent this family adventure. Wait for a Redbox rental and let your family have dance-filled fun.

RECOMMENDATION: Rental (Regular Price/Redbox)

Elephant is a beautiful look at majestic giants (Movie Review)

Elephant is a 2020 DisneyNature film directed by Mark Linfield and Vanessa Berlowitz that chronicles the journey of Shani, her son Jomo and their herd as they make their annual trek across the Kalahari Desert.

Elephant is the fifteenth film released under the DisneyNature label with narration provided by the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle. Alongside Dolphin Reef, Elephant marks the first DisneyNature film to be released directly to the Disney Plus streaming service.

Meghan Markle as a narrator was a wildcard heading into my viewing but she pleasantly surprised! Markle delivered a regal voice that kept warmth and fun to guide the viewer through the journey. It was a very intuitive vocal delivery that impressed.

The approach of the script was a nice departure for the DisneyNature documentaries. To reflect the nature of the elephant, the story heavily focuses on a more mythological approach. We spend a great portion of the film reflecting on the importance of family to elephants and a large portion of that is reflected through their ancestry. We don’t learn a lot of factual information about elephants but instead tie into the mythology and intelligence of the majestic creatures.

Not to be tied down, we also get plenty of fun and effervescent moments. I have a personal weakness for baby elephants and Jomo provides all of the adorable mannerisms you’d hope for. We open the film getting to experience the largest land mammals playing and splashing in water. But the film takes viewers through the gambit of emotion, from joy and laughter to tears and heartfelt connection.

The largest issue with the film is that it begins to feel repetitive through the middle portion. We hear many of the same anecdotes and phrases repeatedly, leaving audiences wondering when we are moving on to the next event.

Elephant is a delightful film that shines through as a unique entry to the DisneyNature canon. A more thoughtful approach to documentary story-telling, it’s hard not to get sucked into the story and feel a band with our animal counterparts.

 

RECOMMENDATION: Stream it! Available now on Disney Plus

Dolphin Reef is an underwater delight for the entire family! (Movie Review)

Dolphin Reef is a 2020 DisneyNature documentary directed by Keith Scholey and Alastair Fothergill that follows a 3 year old bottlenose dolphin and his friends and family that live along the coral reef he calls home.

Dolphin Reef is an interesting case as it was initially meant to be theatrically released for Earth Day in 2018 under the name Dolphins. However, it was quietly removed from the release schedule without and update or reason given. The film did however, receive a theatrical release in France in March of 2018. The following year, it was announced that the documentary would instead be released exclusively to the Disney Plus streaming service. Confusion rose once again when the underwater feature was not available when the service premiered. Finally, just before it finally release, Disney announced that Dolphin Reef would premiere on April 3rd alongside fellow DisneyNature film Elephant to kick-off Earth Month.

Dolphin Reef marks the fourteenth release under the DisneyNature label and the first to exclusively premiere on Disney Plus (alongside Elephant). One of the hallmarks of any top-tier nature documentary (series or film) is the cinematography and Dolphin Reef more than delivers visually. The oceanic setting provides a beautiful backdrop for our finned subjects to thrive against. The underwater shots are stunning achievements as we follow the dolphins to several different territories. We experience the adventures of these beautiful creatures in both grand overhead shots as well as wonderfully intimate engagements.

Natalie Portman provides narration for the film and delivers a fun voice to guide the viewer. Her job is certainly made easier by the infectious joy and playful nature of Echo, who is easy to fall in love with. In addition to him and the other dolphins, we also spend time with a plethora of fish and shell species that live among the reef. A group of humpback whales also have a prevalent story to play that feels a bit disconnected from the rest of the ecosystem.

All of the animal subjects provide for plenty of fun shenanigans that both children and adults will have fun with. However, it is the knowledge the script offers that provides the true value. I was given nuggets of information I was previously unaware of, spanning several of the species highlighted.

Possibly the most impressive feat of the film is that it beautifully highlights the need for balance and teamwork among species for the world to thrive and stay healthy. This message is represented wonderfully by putting a microscope on the ecosystem of a reef. The writers then translate that to human involvement and our own responsibility to work with our surrounding world.

My only concerns with the film overall are minor. Some of the editing seemed to be manipulated for the purpose of creating the narrative the filmmakers were constructing. The animals or habitats weren’t physically tampered with but you can sense that the sequence of events felt out of place to piece together the story. The musical score was also a bit over-whelming for the scenes on display. Often times, the dramatic music turned a beautiful moment into something a bit cheesy.

Ultimately, Dolphin Reef is one of the stronger DisneyNature films to date providing a delightful balance of animal fun with educational gems to make it a learning viewing experience. As we all endure the quarantine, this is a great experience for the entire family that will not only allow you all to laugh and smile but also opens the door for greater conversation about cooperation and all of our role in the health of planet.

RECOMMENDATION: Stream It! Now available on Disney Plus