“What difference can one song make?” asks the titular Vivo. The answer is: A huge difference. One song can change the world. It can transport us back in time. It can sadden us, lift us up, and inspire us. “Vivo” is about the value and power of music, and it’s coordinated by Lin-Manuel Miranda, a man who has spent a lot of his career trying to promote the power of music, and how creativity in music can help and shape how we think. “Vivo” is a movie that kids deserve to experience for that fact, alone.
Tag Archives: Family
The Monkey King: Reborn (2021)
While visiting a temple, Monkey gets offended and retaliates by eating a sacred fruit releasing a malevolent entity. In return, his master is made prisoner and now Monkey must go on an adventure to make things right.
Clifford the Big Red Dog (2021) (Digital)
When I was in grade school one of the first books I ever remember reading was “Clifford.” Being a dog lover, the idea of owning a humongous red dog seemed like a lot of fun, and I couldn’t get enough of the books. “Clifford the Big Red Dog” began life as a children’s book series, with author Norman Bridwell bringing to kids the iconic giant red dog who’s managed to endure as a literary figure for years. The long awaited live action movie thankfully doesn’t let down the fan base both new and old.
Straight Outta Nowhere: Scooby-Doo! Meets Courage the Cowardly Dog (2021)
It’s pretty surprising that Scooby Doo and Courage the Cowardly Dog have never met in the animated medium before. Courage is something of a neo-Scooby Doo for the contemporary Hanna Barbera slate of animated series, and has its devotees. It’s a much more bizarre, spookier, and edgier series that’s even been embraced by the horror community. While it doesn’t make too much sense for them to meet, it also does make a ton of sense which adds to the oddity that’s “Straight Outta Nowhere.”
Kubo and the Two Strings (2016) [Blu-Ray/DVD]
With Shout! Studios being given the rights to Laika Studios’ catalogue, they’ve been releasing almost all of their acclaimed award winning films with some new features. If you’ve been a fan of Laika over the years as I’ve been, it’s not surprising that they’ve risen in the ranks alongside PIXAR and Disney as one of the best of their ilk. Probably their best yet is “Kubo and the Two Strings,” a wonderful mixture of mythology, folklore, horror, action, and adventure along with their amazing animation.
Under Wraps (2021)
I guess the mission statement for Disney lately is to modernize a lot of their classics, no matter how big or small by—copying them to the tee. “Under Wraps” is the much anticipated remake of the original 1997 TV movie that doesn’t realty offer a new angle toward the movie. Even though it’s a perfectly good Halloween treat and solid DCOM, it misses out on emphasizing the more emotional themes the original didn’t.
Under Wraps (1997)
I don’t know why but “Under Wraps” is one of those DCOM’s that slipped right by me as a kid. I loved the DCOM’s when I was a kid and I still watch them to this day if they interest me. Despite having seen most of them, “Under Wraps” never crossed paths with me. That’s a shame since Greg Beeman’s film is pretty much peak Disney Channel TV movie entertainment. There are cameos from Disney channel stars, a reliable child cast, and a lovable monster. There’s also the Halloween back drop that completes the full circle turning the movie in to a mini-Halloween classic.