Posts tagged Finding Dory
MOVIE REVIEW: Cars 3

Wendy's founder Dave Thomas once said: “It all comes back to the basics. Serve customers the best-tasting food at a good value in a clean, comfortable restaurant, and they'll keep coming back.”  Apply that telling quote of ease and simplicity to Cars 3 as a perfect parallel.  The savvy creators at Pixar know how to package a quality product of with clean and clear values that gain brand loyalty from wide audiences.  Returning to its Americana roots, Cars 3 rediscovers the franchise’s successful foundation of wholesome heart.

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CAPSULE REVIEWS: The Oscar nominees for Best Animated Short

This year’s Academy Award nominees for Best Animated Short are an eclectic bunch.  One of them, “Borrowed Time,” I have previously reviewed in full on this website.  Here are my collected capsule reviews of the slate of five, complete with my signature life lessons.  Look for the theaters this month bundling these nominees together for public viewing and ticket opportunities.

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SHORT FILM REVIEW: Borrowed Time

This website and writer has long celebrated the “Pixar Punch,” the animation studio’s uncanny ability to absolutely destroy our hearts with raw and simple emotionality in perfectly calculated amounts and moments within their feature films.  In quicker chunks of time, Pixar’s animated shorts are no slouch at hitting the same body blows.  Their settings have always been warm and sunny family films, long begging the question of what would more adult fare look like in the same creative boxing gloves.  “Borrowed Time” is a striking glimpse into such a possibility

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MEDIA APPEARANCE: Guest on the "Kicking the Seat" podcast talking "Moana"

After attending a last-minute press screening of "Moana" for a plus-one Date Night with my wife and "Pillow Rankings" cohort Thanh Shanahan, I was cordially invited by "Kicking the Seat" film critic and friend-of-the-page Ian Simmons to once again be a guest on his stellar podcast.  This 173rd episode was my first solo flight with Ian and we shared a highly enjoyable back-and-forth at the Golden Nugget Pancake House about strong female characters, Candyland conundrums, the appetizing animated short "Inner Workings," the ever-present Dwayne Johnson bump, mythology comparisons, Katherine Helmond tributes, and much more. 

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MEDIA APPEARANCE: Panel participant on the "Kicking the Seat" podcast talking about "Finding Dory"

After an advance screening of "Finding Dory," I was invited to participate in a post-film round table podcast hosted by Ian Simmons of Kicking the Seat.  I was one of five Chicago film critics chatting about our feelings, opinions, and reactions to "Finding Dory" with tangents on Pixar, Burger King (our lucky location for the podcast), and even "The Gilmore Girls."  Ian does outstanding work putting these shows together and I was highly honored to be included.  I hope to be a guest again in the new future!  Enjoy the show!

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VIDEO: Post-film reactions to "Finding Dory"

This week, I joined my fellow members of the Chicago Independent Film Critics Circle for an advance screening of Disney/Pixar's "Finding Dory."  I am proud to be a co-founder and co-director of this fine group.  We all took away a bunch of heart and love from the "Finding Nemo" sequel.  Enjoy the first takes of yours truly, Gabrielle Bondi of The Young Folks, and Emmanuel Noisette of Eman's Movie Reviews!

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MOVIE REVIEW: Finding Dory

Unless the title begins with "Toy Story," Disney/Pixar has not had very good luck with effective sequels.  "Cars 2" aimed too high for a bigger international stage and "Monsters University" failed as a bonding origin story prequel.  Thirteen years after the original, "Finding Dory" changes that weak trend with a winning flourish.  Teeming with plenty of vibrant energy and anchored by Pixar's signature punch of finely tuned emotional storytelling, this sequel will delight audiences young and old and earns its mature place as a companion piece to the classic "Finding Nemo."

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