Movie Review: The Peanuts Movie

 

Review Written By Michael J. Ruhland


















Michael's Movie Grade:A+

Review: Peanuts' fifth theatrical feature is the best one since the first, and the best film to come from Blue Sky Studios thus far. This is a greatly written, and perfectly animated movie, and a must see for every Peanuts fan. Charles Schultz would be proud of this excellent film.

The animation in this film is perfect. It embraces the art of the classic comic strips and animated specials and movies, while adding something unique along the way. This movie is just a joy to look at.

The characters are written perfectly. They are still the people we have grown to love. Charlie Brown is just as Charlie Browny as ever. Snoopy and Woodstock are a delight to see. Linus, Lucy, Franklin, Schroeder, Peppermint Patty, Marcie, Pig Pen, Patty, and really just everybody else were perfectly realized.  However every scene with Sally was just perfect. She has always been one of my favorite cartoon characters and this film just perfectly shows why. Look around for quite a few characters thrown in their specifically for us Peanuts fans.

The Peanuts Movie needs to go down and history as a classic, this is one of the greatest family films, and maybe even films of any kind of recent years.

However we are not done here we have a short to review...

Michael's Movie Grade:C

Review: This film feels like it is over as soon as it begins, but it is still a fun short with some good slapstick. While not as funny as Scrat was in the first Ice Age film, he is still in good form here. This cartoon is quite entertaining but feels like it need more time to truly take off (pun intended).

-Michael J. Ruhland

Movie Review: The Last Witch Hunter

 

Review Written By Michael J. Ruhland


















Michael's Movie Grade:D+

Review: A mediocre film that has a surprisingly well done climax.

The characters are extremely cliche, and none of them are truly interesting. Much of the plot also we have seen elsewhere and done better, though it is watchable here. In fact, nearly everything in this film has been done too much in other films.

However this film has a surprisingly good climax. It works, because director Breck Eisner, lets this scene be told just as much in the atmosphere as in the action. This scene is exciting, and very well done. It is unfortunate none of the rest of the film is on par with this climax.

A twist at the end feels unnecessary, and unfortunately brings the worst part of the film directly after the best scene. This is poorly handled and feels like the filmmakers are just trying too hard to play it safe.

Overall this is not that good of a film, but the climax is so good it may make it worth seeing.

-Michael J. Ruhland

Movie Review: Goosebumps

 

Review Written By Michael J. Ruhland


















Michael's Movie Grade:C

Review: Enjoyable time passer, nothing more, nothing less. This film is unspectacular, but nothing you will regret seeing.

The best thing about this film is Slappy the Dummy. The puppetry on him was fantastic, and he was voiced great by Jack Black (I preferred this performance over his live action one in this film where he has an accent that is impossible to guess what accent it is). While not exactly terrifying, he is legitimately creepy. Unfortunately with all the monsters in this film he is the only one given enough to do to be an actual character (though the camera seems to fixate on a clown that is barely given anything to do).

The romance is cliche and overly predictable, but harmless. The jokes are hit and miss, but those that do hit are surprisingly good. Unfortunately a twist on a twist happens near the end and without giving anything away is awful.

Overall an enjoyable time passer, but will never be remembered as a great movie.

-Michael J. Ruhland

Movie Review: Walk in the Woods

 

Review Written By Michael J. Ruhland




















Michael's Movie Grade:C

Review: Quite enjoyable movie, but I can't help but feel it could have been better.

The best thing about the film was simply seeing the beautiful scenery of the trail. This film simply captures the beauty of nature very well. Considering this film is a movie about people going for one last adventure, this enhances the film a lot.

The story is a quite good story, and the characters are quite likable. However both do feel like they could be better fleshed out. I simply feel I could have known the characters better, and could have been more emotionally involved in the story. However both are still likable. The acting is quite good, and defiantly adds to the likability of the characters. Robert Redford, and Nick Nolte, are very important to the likability of this film, Emma Thompson is also great though her character feels underused, and Kristen Schaal's character marks a definite highlight of the film (though I can't be the only one who couldn't help, but think about Mabel from Gravity Falls).

Overall this is a good film, but unfortunately it feels like it could have been better.

-Michael J. Ruhland

Movie Review: Hotel Transylvania 2

 

Review Written By Michael J. Ruhland



















Michael's Movie Grade: C

Review:Only occasionally funny animated comedy is helped by good characters and great animation.

The greatest thing about this film is that there is a lot of great character animation in it. The animation brings the characters alive, and brings a great energy to the film. It is very expressive, and very energetic and is just fun to watch.

If not as developed as they could be, the characters are quite likable. They may not be the most memorable characters, but they do have a real likability.

 The main problem with the film is that it is only funny at times, and it has more times where it is not funny than times where it is funny. None of those funny moments though are laugh at loud funny as they are kind of humorous. For a comedy there just weren't as many good laughs as there should have been.

Overall an enjoyable film with great animation, and good characters, but sadly fairly low on laughs.

Movie Review: Shaun The Sheep Movie

 

Review Written By Michael J. Ruhland














Michael's Movie Grade:A+

Review: One of the most cleverly made TV shows of recent years, becomes one of the most cleverly made feature films of recent years. This film is shear enjoyment for anyone, and will definitely hold a special place in many cartoon and movie lovers' hearts.

Shaun the Sheep attempts something very few modern film would attempt, let alone a family film, it is completely without dialogue. There are noises that sound like words, but no words are actually spoken. This works heavily to the movie's advantage. The characters express themselves beautifully through pantomime. Both this film and the TV show contain some of the greatest character animation ever done in stop motion. Not only slapstick humor is shown through this pantomime, but also some truly heart warming moments as well. Showing that a movie does not need to delve into dialogue to tug at your heartstrings, but can do it with simple facial expressions, and physical gestures. Some scenes that revolve around Timmy, the baby lamb (Who has his own spin-off TV series that is also well worth watching), will definitely give you a warm feeling inside.

This film takes a very simple story and turns it into something that is both touching and funny, along with being something that is unique in today's world of dialogue heavy films. The story is simple to follow, but is not without depth.

Overall this is a great film that is shear enjoyment for the whole flock. By the way if you like this movie definitely check out the great TV series that this film is based off of.

-Michael J. Ruhland    

Movie Review: The Man From U.N.C.L.E

 

Review Written By Michael J. Ruhland



















Michael's Movie Grade: B

Review: Fun playful movie, overcomes weaknesses in the plot, with a addictively  fun spirit, and by not taking it's self too seriously.

This film is just plain fun, and helped heavily by great direction by Guy Ritchie. It plays with the art form of film as much as it can, from subtitles (for characters that speak foreign languages) getting bigger when a character is speaking louder, great jokes happening in the background of scenes, 1960's style pans between scenes music starting and stopping abruptly, and much more.

Speaking of music the soundtrack is perfect for the film, and compliments it beautifully. It adds the perfect amount of energy to the film, and like the rest of the film never takes itself too seriously.

The story itself is pretty standard but not bad. You have seen this story before and you will see it again. However it is pulled off pretty well without feeling too much like any other movie.

Overall this is a very fun film, and despite weaknesses in the plot it has an addictive energy, and great direction that will make it a worthwhile time spent at the movies.

-Michael J. Ruhland