Category Archives: Family

11.25.16
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Moana

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In Disney’s latest animated musical, Moana, the teenage daughter of a village chief, sets out to save her island and her people, with the help of a troublesome but fearless demigod named Maui.

We all know from previous experience you’ve got to rush to the theaters whenever Disney releases an animated movie – and this one’s definitely worth it. Moana is not a princess movie – even Moana herself denies that she’s one. There are story elements and character arcs that will remind you of Aladdin, Frozen, and more, but Moana is as distant from the “Disney princess” genre as it gets. Auli’i Cravalho, 16-year old Hawaiian native and newcomer to showbiz, voices our lead and brings tons of heart and independence to her character. Moana isn’t looking for a prince to save her – she knows only she can embark on this journey to save her island. Disney wouldn’t have thought to create a heroine like that 10 years ago, and I’m glad we live in a world where our next generation will be getting films like these. Cravalho not only delivers her character’s courageous soul, but also a few memorable musical numbers with a voice that I’m sure will get her somewhere soon. You know who else can sing? Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who sings my favorite and arguably the catchiest song in the movie, and he also delivers a phenomenal voice performance as the self-absorbed demigod who reluctantly joins Moana’s adventure. Disney hired the right person to write Moana‘s songs in Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda. Although there is less singing than in Tangled and Frozen, and you probably won’t catch your children singing the songs from this film like they did with “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” and “Let it Go” a few years ago, the songs here were much better written and a lot more enjoyable for me.

Should Moana enter the race to the Best Animated Feature Oscar alongside Finding Dory and Zootopia?  Well, I’d say that it absolutely should. Who thought that Disney could release two computer-animated movies in the same year without the Pixar trademark and they’d both be so successful? The animation is stunning, and the ocean and the creatures living in it, from sea turtles to stingrays, look gorgeous thanks to the hard work put into the movie’s visual appeal. The uniqueness and entertainment of Moana is why you should definitely see this one on the big screen. The movie’s humor is mostly aimed for younger audiences, but it still had me laughing hard throughout. Although some plot elements at one point feel too familiar from other Disney films, as well as the message about how every individual is important and can make a difference, it’s the way it’s executed that makes it all fit perfectly in the end, and will be sure to leave a huge smile on your face.

Disney has done it again with Moana, an extraordinary, heartfelt, and wonderfully executed musical adventure that the whole family is sure to love. A beautifully looking tribute to Polynesian culture and mythology, this is one entertaining journey that you should not skip watching on the big screen. Stay tuned after the credits for an extra gag, and make sure to be there on time for a fantastic short film before the feature.

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08.16.16
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Pete’s Dragon (2016)

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A reimagining of Disney’s cherished family film, Pete’s Dragon is the adventure of an orphaned boy named Pete and his best friend Elliott, who just so happens to be a dragon.

Disney is continuing their surprising streak of great live-action remakes with Pete’s Dragon, which is based on the 1977 live-action classic, instead this time, the dragon is given a visual update with CGI instead of being hand-drawn. And once again, Disney succeeds at bringing a charming, family-friendly world of CGI to life. Although there isn’t as much visual weight and realism to the dragon as there was to the incredibly photo-realistic environment and characters in this year’s Jungle Book, there’s enough charm and fun to make it another solid and spirited Disney family flick. The is a splendid cast that helps carry the film that includes Bryce Dallas Howard, Wes Bentley, Karl Urban, and Robert Redford. Oakes Fegley, the child actor who plays Pete, does a remarkable job acting in front of his costars and sometimes in front of nothing (in the scenes in which his character must interact with Elliot). The majority of the film, however, didn’t require as much interaction with computer-generated surroundings as the leading child actors from The Jungle Book and The BFG, hence making Fegley’s performance less impressive and unique as the other actors and overall, I felt much more connected to the leads from the other two films. The standout of the cast is definitely Howard, who brings lots of life and energy to her character and delivers a notable performance from the film.

This movie may be a great time for families and especially younger kids, but that’s really the only target audience for the film. If you watch this film looking for a great story, you might not be satisfied. The story has lots of soul, but the film’s second half starts to slow down a little bit before entering familiar territory and following a formula used by too many family films.The story of a kid trying to protect an extraordinary being while the adults’ greed and fear prevents them from understanding the situation as well as the protagonist has already been used plenty of times. E.T. and How to Train Your Dragon are just a few examples of films that follow the exact same formula during most of their runtime. When the movie tried to get exciting during the final act, it was hard for me to care because of how cliched it mostly was. However, the film concludes with a great message about family and preserving your surroundings.

Although it does get too familiar at times, I can bet you Pete’s Dragon will be a great time if you go see it with your family, with lots of soul and great underlying messages, as well as outstanding cast members and writing. I wouldn’t recommend this if you’re looking for the best movie out there, but if you want to see a fun and touching family film, then Pete’s Dragon is unlikely to disappoint you.

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07.03.16
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The BFG

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In Steven Spielberg’s live-action adaptation of Roald Dahl’s classic children’s book, an orphan girl named Sophie is taken to Giant Country by a big, friendly giant, and together they set out to stop the man-eating giants of Giant Country from invading the human world.

The BFG reteams my favorite director, Steven Spielberg, with Oscar-winning actor Mark Rylance, cinematographer Janusz Kaminski, and composer John Williams, to bring Roald Dahls’ imagination to life. Spielberg stays true to the story and of the book, as well as all the hilarious and nonsensical vocabulary spoken by the titular giant. This movie is so visually ambitious that it feels like Spielberg imagined a universe the size of Tolkien’s Middle-Earth when he was working on this movie. And that’s definitely not a bad thing in this case. You can feel how much visual imagination and work Spielberg put in this movie, that you can guarantee it’s from the same person who brought you Jurassic Park, Jaws, and E.T., which is exactly what I was hoping to get from this movie, if anything. The visual effects are so vivid and very well done, even though they don’t always blend in well with the live-action setting. Janusz Kaminski, who has worked with Spielberg before a million times, provides marvelous cinematography to the film, bringing the film some memorably beautiful shots. Whenever there’s an action scene, instead of providing constant fast cuts, Kaminski lets you enjoy longer shots of his style, to John Williams’ lively score that has a Star Wars meets Harry Potter vibe to it. Whenever Kaminski is shooting a Spielberg-directed film, you can alkways guarantee you’re up for something good.

The BFG also brings the best out of its main cast. Mark Rylance delivers a heartfelt performance as the lovable BFG, who may just make you cry by the end of the film. Winning an Oscar just isn’t enough for him, as he doesn’t hold back on putting his heart into this performance. I thought at first that Rylance would be the highlight of the cast, but I was clearly wrong. Eleven-year-old Ruby Barnhill, who plays the main character Sophie, steals every one of her scenes (which is pretty much every scene in the movie). It’s often hard to rely on child actors to pull off in films, but Barnhill nails it as the adorable and wholehearted lead role. There is also a pleasant supporting cast, including Shaun of the Dead‘s Penelope Wilton as the Queen of England, and The Prestige‘s Rebecca Hall as the Queen’s maid.

One of the reasons I love Steven Spielberg as a filmmaker so much is because of the tremendous amount of passion he has when it comes to movie making. Whether he’s teaching you about friendship in E.T., a history lesson in films like Schindler’s List and Lincoln, or trying to make you afraid to go into the water in Jaws, you always feel how much passion and hard work he puts into directing his films. Every film of his feels so personal and strong without exception. Here, you feel how hard he clearly tries to teach you a lesson: No matter how different you are, don’t ever let anyone bring you down. From this, I can even infer that the character of the BFG resembles Spielberg himself. I’ve read biographies about him, and I know that he, too, never fit in, but his differences were what made him unique, which is exactly the case with the film’s titular character.

So, if you’re still wondering, is The BFG a movie worth going to see? And if so, should you see it with your family? I believe that this movie is definitely worth a watch, and it’s not a movie that you should immediately go rush to see, but at some point I advise you see it because it’s a fun experience, and it’s a large box office bomb as of right now, so you should see it to go help it make some more money. If you’re a Spielberg fan, you’ll especially like this movie like I did. At one point in the first hour of the movie, I was starting to feel concerned that it would get repetitive and start to drag, and I felt like kids would probably get bored at that point. However, it picks up later and finishes very well. There’s some pleasant humor in there that’s quite enjoyable, and feels like it came right out of a Roald Dahl book, which it really did. This doesn’t feel a lot like a 21-st century live-action Disney fantasy, but more like a film that comes from the imagination and heart of Steven Spielberg. It may let down younger kids with its different form of entertainment than most family films, but audiences 11-12 and up will probably enjoy this movie. If you’re looking for a movie you can guarantee the whole family will consistently enjoy, then Finding Dory is probably the better movie to watch, but The BFG is still a film that you can smile at and even applaud by the end.

An elderly giant man holds a little human girl in his hand, while both look at one another.

06.19.16
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Finding Dory

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One year after the events of Finding Nemo, Dory begins to have flashbacks of her childhood and sets out on a journey to find her parents. Along the way, she becomes captured and taken to a California public aquarium, where Marlin and Nemo attempt to rescue her within.

Finding Dory is a movie we’ve all been awaiting for thirteen years (just a year short of how long I’ve been alive). Its beloved predecessor Nemo is a film I’ve grown up with and watched more times than any other film in my life, so Dory isn’t just another newly released animated movie for me, it’s practically the sequel to my childhood. So for such an anticipated movie, this one definitely did not disappoint. Ellen DeGenres once again brings such charm and fun to the iconic amnesiac fish, and Albert Brooks is able to hold on to what made him so great as Marlin in the first film. Not to mention the newcomers of the cast,  Modern Family‘s Ed O’Neill as an octopus and Ty Burrell as a beluga whale, Eugene Levy and Diane Keaton as Dory’s parents, and The Wire costars Idris Elba and Dominic West as two hilarious sea lions, who all do a remarkable job in their roles. The animation in this movie is absolutely beautiful, with more vividness and color than before. The way the ocean, fish, and underwater habitats were animated doesn’t try to be as photo-realistic as The Good Dinosaur, but focuses more on bringing back the familiar settings from the first film and much more, and still pays off just as well (and adds a lot more to the overall film).

The one thing I loved about Finding Dory more than anything else is the messages it tries to convey about family. Pixar’s movies are known to touch your heart and make you shed a few tears, and this film is no different. Unlike its predecessor, its title does not refer to a journey with the purpose to find someone physically, but this time around, our protagonist is trying to find herself. Dory’s journey to find her family is more emotional than physical, as she struggles to remember her past and who she really is. The message in this film about how family will never give up on you and that nothing is closer than your family was very touching. This movie, however, also explores the theme of living with disability. As all you viewers of the first movie know, Dory struggles with short-term memory loss, and you can see how this adds challenges to her everyday life. Her friend Destiny, a near-sighted whale shark from the aquarium, struggles with her visual impairment and always has to make sure she never crashes into any walls. Pixar’s ability to bring depth to fish and make them feel human in both Finding Nemo and Finding Dory is so intriguing and applaudable, as it’s something no other studio is really capable of doing. We’ve seen them do this before to toys, bugs, and other different things we’d never imagine be done. This is something that makes Pixar unique, as many other animated studios have similarly tried these things but it’s never really worked that well. Pixar can practically do anything with the amazing potential they have. My one problem with the film is that a few messages and lines get somewhat repetitive, but this did not bother me too much. Also, the way the movie’s climax plays out feels too forced  and unrealistic, and was probably only done to bring some excitement for younger audiences. Nevertheless, Finding Dory is another wonderful Pixar summer feature that you should definitely go watch with your family, not not just alone.

Also, there is a short film called Piper that plays before the feature film. The short is about  a young sandpiper bird learning to behave like her flock, searching for clams on a sandy shore with some of her mother’s instructions. On the way, she learns how to be resilient, brave, and try new things. Not to mention that all this is told without any dialogue. This short is animated marvelously, and it’s overall a very cute short that you should look forward to before the film begins.

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04.16.16
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The Jungle Book (2016)

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Rudyard Kipling’s beloved story of Mowgli, Baloo, Bagheera, and Shere Khan returns to the big screen in Disney’s latest live-action remake, directed by Iron Man‘s Jon Favreau. This trend has been very frequent lately, with Disney trying to reboot every one of their animated movies with a live-action feature film. I’ve seen it fail many times with films like Alice in Wonderland and Maleficent. Over the rest of 2016, we will be getting three more of these remakes from Disney (an Alice in Wonderland sequel in May, a Spielberg-directed BFG adaptation in July, and a Pete’s Dragon remake in August). However, The Jungle Book is the one remake I anticipated and expected a lot from because with The Jungle Book, there is an enormous scale of where a director can take a live-action CGI-filled remake today, and the idea of a Jungle Book remake felt filled with many opportunities to make a rarely excellent remake. I am slightly surprised that this movie did not let me down. The visual effects are gorgeous and like nothing I have ever seen. Some of the film’s shots made my jaw drop. It’s easy to differentiate between what’s real and what isn’t, but the visuals in this film still paid off and really impressed me. The scenery is magnificent here and sets a new boundary for blockbuster CGI, but most of the animals felt very unrealistic because they all got human-like characterization, and it would have turned out better if the only animals with a voice cast were the main characters (Bagheera, Shere Khan, Baloo, etc.). Either way, there was a lot of CGI here that made me wonder exactly how they did that. This movie’s visuals were truly incredible and set a new bar for computer-generated imagery.

My favorite part of this movie was the stellar cast. The casting choices in this film were perfect; the actors were well known in order to attract families and audiences of all ages. None of the actors in this movie let me down. Bill Murray was a fantastic casting choice as the voice of Baloo, as he delivered the humorous and charming spirit that Baloo had in the original 1967 film. His character entertained me as much as I wanted him to in this movie. Ben Kingsley also didn’t disappoint as Bagheera. He was cast very well and I feel that he gave the character a great personality and a lot of life. Idris Elba may have been my favorite part of this movie, as he blew me away as Shere Khan. His villanous voice fit perfectly and truly intimidated me in the movie. Christopher Walken was another one of my favorite voice actors in this movie. I loved his take on the classic Jungle Book song “I Wan’na Be Like You” and character’s fun yet intimidating attitude. Scarlett Johansson and Lupita Nyong’o also knocked it out of the park in their smaller but still wonderful roles that you definitely remember from the original movie. Not to mention newcomer Neel Sethi, who portrays Mowgli in his feature debut. Sethi did an overall very good job as Mowgli, as he was very entertaining to watch and to embark on an adventure with him.

The Jungle Book did not only impress me, but it also entertained me a lot. It’s a challenge to bring such a beloved story back to life, master such visuals in a live-action movie that’s dominated by CGI, and to make a great family feature as well. This movie manages to bring back many of the elements we loved in Disney’s 1967 classic, as well as new elements to bring a somewhat new story as well. The humor is very well written and the pacing is very good too. You can tell the movie isn’t trying too hard to be a family movie, but isn’t willing to sacrifice its heart and family entertainment for VFX, which is what makes Disney able to do a remake of their own better than other fantasy studios like Warner Bros. (who happen to have a Jungle Book film in the making as well). Expect a lot of humor and throwbacks to the original movie, like a few of the score’s elements, and what’s better than Scarlett Johansson singing “Trust in Me” during the credits?

The Jungle Book is one of the rare remakes that is able to top its predecessor(s). This one feels a lot more like another adaptation of the book rather than a remake of the 1967 version, bringing back elements from the older film, yet still delivering a new and unique story within. The visuals are fabulous, the directing is perfect, the cast is superb, and there is no reason why you should not go and enjoy this movie with your family, ideally in formats like 3D and IMAX.

Official artwork poster of the film

03.06.16
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Zootopia

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In a city of anthropomorphic animals, a fugitive con artist fox and a rookie bunny cop must work together to uncover a conspiracy.

Disney strikes again with Zootopia, a buddy cop comedy, a political crime thriller, an urban mystery, and everything else you would not expect from a movie of its kind. Zootopia reminds us why animated movies are made. The clever humor, fantastic cast, and thoughtful messages make this Disney’s best animated feature since Wreck-It Ralph. I honestly did not expect this much from the movie, especially since the marketing didn’t make it look like anything great. Instead, I got a very smart, mature, and insightful animated tale that families can enjoy, and I even feel that adults would enjoy and understand this movie more than kids. It has tons of references, jokes, and concepts that adults would especially understand and take in. But it does still have a good touch that kids will enjoy as well, including promoting tolerance and teamwork and has a fast pace and great humor for younger audiences, including a hilarious scene with a DMV office run entirely by sloths. The animation is also splendid, with very vivid settings, colors, and tons of different mammal species.

Ginnifer Goodwin is great in the strong lead role: a bunny who aspires to be more than she is, and to make a difference. Her character is easy to sympathize with, and is put down by many peers but always tries harder. Although this aspect of her character at first seems very cliched, it becomes unique once the big message kicks in. Goodwin’s voice performance was very charming, and she was able to carry the movie along very well. Jason Bateman was the perfect choice to play con artist-turned sidekick fox Nick Wilde, as he fantastically delivers Wilde’s charm, sneakiness, and heart. Idris Elba was also perfectly casted as the angry police chief Bogo, who steals every one of his scenes in possibly my favorite performance in this film. It’s no surprise that J.K. Simmons is also great, voicing a lion who is also the mayor of Zootopia. The overall message of the movie very well relates to our modern society, and how politics can shape the way our community lives through fear. The movie discourages things like racism and drugs, and ultimately delivers a great moral about tolerance and being whatever you aspire. However, the first ten minutes of the movie are very unnecessary, and the movie falls flat for a couple of minutes in between the second and third acts. But overall, Zootopia is still an awesome animated movie that, like its protagonists, dares and succeeds to be much more than it is. One of Disney’s best recent features (excluding Star Wars), this one is definitely recommended for the entire family to go see and enjoy.

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01.31.16
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Kung Fu Panda 3

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In the third installment of the Kung Fu Panda saga, Po continues his journey, “legendary adventures of awesomeness”, this time having to face two hugely epic, but different threats: one supernatural and the other a little closer to his home.

Who knew that a sequel about a fighting panda would be the first good January animated movie of the decade? Kung Fu Panda 3 just about lives up to its predecessors, surprisingly being able to handle an amount of plots with just the right balance. The movie starts off right about where the last one left off, with Po continuing his physical and emotional journey through kung fu. Speaking of our hero Po, Jack Black once again shines as the hilarious, unforgettable protagonist, who helps us laugh and enjoy our way throughout the film. Black has always been such a great comedian throughout his career, and this franchise is his opportunity to let his hilarious voice shine; here, he takes it for the third time. Dustin Hoffman is also great in his returning role of Master Shifu, and Angelina Jolie does a good job as well. Bryan Cranston was fantastically cast as Po’s biological father, as his character is very fun and well written. J.K. Simmons was the perfect choice for this movie’s villain, Kai. He has a great concept, fun lines, and he may just be the best villain in the saga yet.

The story, although often familiar, is always entertaining, and there isn’t really a dull moment in this film. The plot is always going and you never stop having fun until the end. The animation is gorgeous, bringing you amazing natural landscapes with a realistic effect. Hans Zimmer’s score is awesome, and adds to the movie’s excitement. The editing can sometimes be off, but that didn’t stop me from being very entertained. Although there is less substance in this film, what the saga is meant for is just some kung fu animated fun, and it isn’t as emotionally provoking as its predecessor, it’s just as entertaining, and ultimately, Kung Fu Panda 3 was everything it needed to be.

Kung Fu Panda 3 delivers as an awesome sequel, and a great way to kick off the year. With a high entertainment factor, vivid animation, and very clever humor, this movie is a great treat for kids and families alike.

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11.25.15
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The Good Dinosaur

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The Good Dinosaur brings an alternate timeline in which the asteroid that wiped dinosaurs off the face of the Earth missed the planet completely and giant dinosaurs never became extinct. Pixar Animation Studios takes you on an epic journey into the world of dinosaurs where an Apatosaurus named Arlo makes an unlikely human friend after a tragic accident that sends him on a journey to return to his family. While traveling through a harsh and mysterious landscape, Arlo learns the power of confronting his fears and discovers what he is truly capable of.

This year has been the first time Pixar, the best studio to ever make animated films, has made two films in the same year. I am quite impressed with how amazing both this film and this summer’s Inside Out turned out to be. With some of the best animation I have ever seen, and a touching and fantastic story, The Good Dinosaur once again brings the magic of Pixar to the big screen. The character development, especially of our protagonist Arlo, and his pet human Spot. In case that sentence confused you, in the film’s alternate timeline, dinosaurs have become more advanced in lifestyle and less primitive than humans. Both Arlo and Spot are developed fantastically, with the film being a coming-of-age story for Arlo, as he strives to “make his mark”, or accomplish something huge, according to Arlo’s “Poppa”, very well portrayed by Jeffrey Wright. Arlo is played by breakthrough actor Raymond Ochoa, who delivers a great performance, especially for a young actor like Ochoa. Arlo and Spot’s friendship was delivered fantastically, as I was convinced and incredibly touched by their chemistry. Arlo learns to love Spot and forgive him for a tragic event that he feels Spot was responsible for, and Spot, having lost his family years before, learns that he isn’t alone as he bonds with Arlo. Eventually they mean more to each other than anything else, delivering a heartwarming story from both sides.

The movie feels rather short, but fortunately this was not an issue at all, as the length of the film was perfect, always delivering a great amount of fun and heart. The film never dragged, and the ending gave me such a great feeling. However, it did take me a while to get attached and feel that it wasn’t going to continue like a cliche film. There was one tragic moment  that sets up the rest of the film, and I needed more gut-punching emotion during that moment in order for it to feel more conveying of its emotion. However, the film is later able to convey a fantastic story line that so often made me smile. The animation in this film is some of the most beautiful and photo-realistic animation ever put to film. The CGI had me in awe at a large amount of times. It is a beautiful spectacle and feels so real and perfected.

The Good Dinosaur is overall a fantastic, heartwarming, and touching animated film, once again bringing Pixar’s magic to the big screen for good, with great character development, beautiful animation, and a positive story about family and bravery. It is a must-see on the big screen, ideally to be experienced as a family, and with the glorious 3D effects of the film.

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08.08.15
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Shaun the Sheep Movie

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When Shaun decides to take the day off and have some fun, he gets a little more action than he bargained for. A mix up with the Farmer, a caravan and a very steep hill lead them all to the Big City and it’s up to Shaun and the flock to return everyone safely to the green grass of home.

Shaun the Sheep Movie isn’t exactly what I expected from a stop-motion film without dialogue. The movie actually turned out to be funny, charming, and exciting. The animation is done brilliantly, with the clay settings and characters being brought to life very well, with a great soundtrack, too. The humor was great, and made me laugh quite a lot. There are a few brilliant scenes in which there is some humor like I’ve never scene before. The film’s script doesn’t use those cliche fart jokes or other overused jokes on that track except maybe once. The story is great and always entertains. It is able to differ from other recent animated movies with its charm, interest. and style of storytelling. The movie has no dialogue whatsoever, and is so entertaining in that way. It knows how to use non-verbal humor in such an awesome way, that isn’t what you’d expect from other animated movies of its kind.

Overall, Shaun the Sheep Movie is surprisingly entertaining, hilarious, well-animated, and fun for the whole family – and adults of some taste.

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07.05.15
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Minions

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Minions tells the origin story of the hilarious, adorable, lovable yellow creatures from the Despicable Me movies. They have existed since the beginning of time (starting as single-celled yellow organisms living underwater), eventually evolving and serving villains for ages (accidentally killing every one, however). The soon isolate themselves and build a new society, but feel meaningless and depressed by 1968. Three brave Minions, going by the names Stuart, Kevin, and Bob, decide to go on a journey in order to find a new master. They find themselves in Villain-Con in Orlando, and soon end up working for female super-villain Scarlet Overkill (voiced by Sandra Bullock), who has the most menacing heist planned.

As a fan of the Minions and the Despicable Me franchise, I found Minions to be a big disappointment. Obviously, the Minions are still hilarious and lovable, and never failed to crack me up. I loved the references to popular ’60s music (don’t worry, The Beatles are in there), and the soundtrack of ’60s hits rocked. Their origin (leading up to the main plot in 1968) was set up very well and crafted in a great way, with good narration and great humor. After that, the plot starts to gradually fall out of place, and by the end, its incredibly predictable. There are a few plot points that aren’t quite clear, and a few points that don’t deliver. The ending is a good set-up to Despicable Me and further, but is incredibly predictable, with tons of cliches being thrown into the screenplay. The final 20 minutes of the film simply recycle events from the final battle of Despicable Me 2, and I really didn’t enjoy it. Despite Inside Out being a great original hit, almost all family movies nowadays recycle the same ideas that have been used forever, and unfortunately, this movie is an example. Despite the humor being great, I was let down by the story and originality of the movie. I also felt that the pacing was very uneven. The movie is about an hour and a half, but feels more like an hour, and is very rushed after the first 20 minutes.

Overall, Minions is a huge disappointment, with uneven pacing and a bland plot that lacks the originality of its predecessors. However, its one redeeming factor is its awesome humor (enough to earn it a decent rating), which the franchise holds onto, and hopefully still will in the future, as well as polishing up the flaws from this film.

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