The film’s premise stacks up the wistful what-ifs. The real wonder is how synthetic all this originality can feel.
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Reuniting with director Shawn Levy following Free Guy and reuniting with Netflix on the heels of Red Notice, Reynolds has reconfigured his wiseass persona into a totem for faux-Spielbergian wonder, complete with daddy issues. The Ryan Reynolds Project, meanwhile, seems to involve the production of “original” movies that time-travel through popcorn-cinema history, pilfering as they go. The title of The Adam Project refers to the complicated scientific research of absentminded professor Louis Reed (Mark Ruffalo), which eventually leads to the invention of time travel. Stars: Ryan Reynolds, Walker Scobell, Jennifer Garner, Zoe Saldaña, Mark Ruffalo, Catherine Keener
Shi displays a fantastic ability for integrating the specific and personal into the broad beats of a magical cartoon, all done sweetly and endearingly enough to become an instant favorite among modern kids and those who’ll recognize their past selves. It’s funny without being overly witty and smart without being overly heady. It’s original and human-centric it’s not particularly beholden to messages more weepy for adults than enjoyable for children. Not only one of Pixar’s best efforts from the last half-decade, Turning Red is one that overcomes some of the animation giant’s weaknesses.
Turning Red’s oddball characters and well-rooted fantasy inject personality into the common plot device.
Its love-hate bout with puberty is obvious, but self-actualization, filial piety and intergenerational trauma keep its romping red wonder from feeling one-note or derivative of underwhelming transformation tales. Shi and co-writer Julia Cho weave an ambitious amount of themes into a narrative that’s main plot engine is boy-band concert lust. That is, until she’s “visited by the red panda.” What initially seems like a fairly straightforward allegory for the bodily betrayal and raging emotions of puberty starts scooping up more and more relatable elements into its impressive, finely detailed bear hug. Chiang’s crackling vocal performance and a blistering visual pace right out the gate make it clear that Mei’s a ridiculous little goober who knows exactly who she is. She’s got it all balanced, embodying the multiple identities we develop as we become our own people with the overwhelming energy of someone discovering this exciting new freedom for the first time. Hyperactive 13-year-old overachiever Meilin Lee (Rosalie Chiang) likes to think she runs Toronto with her weirdo friends, partitioning her life into boy-band obsession, extracurricular exceptionalism and deference to intense mom Ming (Sandra Oh) and soft-spoken dad Jin (Orion Lee). And yes, so cute you might scream until you’re red in the face. An exceptional puberty comedy by way of Sanrio-branded Kafka, Turning Red’s truthful transformations are strikingly charming, surprisingly complex and satisfyingly heartfelt. Turning Red is a hyper-cute whirlwind of figurative layers and literal loveliness, dense with meaning and meaningful even to the most dense among us.
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Stars: Rosalie Chiang, Sandra Oh, Ava Morse, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Hyein Park, Orion Lee, Wai Ching Ho, James Hongįilmmaker Domee Shi (who delivered the best short Pixar’s ever made in Bao) becomes the first woman to direct a Pixar movie alone, and her floofy red panda’s coming-of-age story stretches the strengths of the company’s legacy. It stars newcomer Rueby Wood as the titular Nate Foster, along with Joshua Bassett, Aria Brooks and, in a major role, the delightful Lisa Kudrow.
Stars: Rueby Wood, Joshua Bassett, Aria Brooks, Lisa Kudrowīased on author Tim Federle’s 2013 novel of the same name, and directed by the author himself, Better Nate Than Ever is a musical family comedy, telling a coming-of-age story about a teenager with Broadway aspirations, running away to the big city. Here are some of the biggest new kids movies from the last few months: 1. We’ve included our review scores where applicable, as well as a synopsis of each. We’re keeping a running list of the latest movies for children for you to peruse and find something that the whole family might enjoy. I was always so thankful for those rare family films made with the same kind of care that went into the latest arthouse flick. And I also remember feeling like studios took advantage of that desperation for entertainment, filling the latest unoriginal script with enough silly gags that the little ones would giggle as the parents checked the time. As the father of three young adults, I remember clearly those days when we’d watch just about any new kids movie that was released.