As a first post, before diving into my first review, I wanted to start by saying… Hi! Thank you for clicking on my page! This page will host reviews of cartoons… Yes, cartoons, animated features, works of art, whatever it is you would like to call them. If you come back to the page and see future posts, you’ll see I have a weakness for Disney films, and Pixar films, however, I will be reviewing and discussing any movie I think is a Necessity or any requests that I receive, including classics! Now, why “Movie Necessities” ? The name of this blog is a tip of the hat to Disney’s 1967 telling of The Jungle Book, and the song, “The Bare Necessities” one of my personal favorites and a classic in animation. I will be ending each post with a Necessity Ranking of one to five stars. A five star rating means that the movie under review, is a Necessity! I will also be taking into consideration the audience watching the film. I will be commenting if the movie being discussed is a “kid’s exclusive,” an “adult friendly film,” a “family film,” or “ageless,” meaning it does not matter your age, this film is a Necessity! With that said, let’s dive into the review!
Disney’s latest film, Zootopia has been compared to the greatness of the franchise’s best, like their 1994, The Lion King. While the main character in Zootopia, “Judy Hopps,” isn’t the king of the pride, she definitely has more than a “pawful” of pride and faith. She has her faith in herself, and her law enforcement abilities as the first bunny cop, as well as, perhaps, too much faith in the city she has sworn to protect, “Zootopia.” Zootopia is not to be confused with the idea of a Utopia, a perfect and ideal civilization or “place” to live. While it may appear to Judy as a Utopia she quickly finds out it is not. NOW, to avoid spoilers, and too much summary, I will stop there, and review the movie as a whole.
Disney hit the nail on the head with this film. This movie will have all ages cracking up from the adorable animal antics and one liners to fast paced witty comments, a la “Nick Wilde,” a “sly” fox, who Judy develops a love-hate friendship with, to the subtle hint-hint jokes and comments that Disney makes throughout the movie, pointing out the flaws in our world, showing that the animals in this movie aren’t too far off from us, or worse, that we are not too far off from these animals. These comments on society also serve as a way to teach kids, and perhaps some adults, some important life skills when living in a world filled with diversity practicing different religions, having different colored skin (or fur), or the most obvious of diversities in the movie, being a predator, or prey.
Beyond the comedy and life lessons, viewers will enjoy references to several other movies and hit television shows. Again, these references range from SEVERAL, Frozen references that kids, and the young at heart, like myself, and possibly my readers, will love, as well as several references only the older crowd would understand, most obviously include references to Coppola’s The Godfather, which were in good taste, and still funny for the kids, or those movie goers who haven’t seen The Godfather, but talk about a Necessity, oh marone. This movie has the jokes, it has the message, and it is very rewarding to the movie buffs who are good listeners, and even more, it has a great story! It is not too cheesy, it keeps you guessing what is going to happen to the very end and it doesn’t leave you asking, “that’s it? That’s all I get?” Zootopia fills you up, ties all loose ends, and ties them tightly with a nice ribbon in the form of a musical number from the Zootopian superstar “Gazelle” voiced by Shakira. Zootopia is without a question in an “ageless” movie, this movie will entertain whoever is willing to give it a try, and Gazelle reminds us, you should, “Try Everything.”
Zootopia is a Necessity for its comedy, life lessons, and beautiful story
★★★★★ Necessity
GO SEE IT
I’ll leave this with one question…
What is it with Disney dressing foxes in the color green?
Brownie points if you can name the other fox (not Nick) who sports green.
Movie Necessities 