Kick-Ass 2 (2013)

You call that a kick? What an ass!

After the events of the first film, Dave Lizewski is apparently done being Kick-Ass and is living the normal life. Ironically, the world outside his bedroom has been so inspired by Kick-Ass that some normal citizens are now living their lives as superheroes. Meanwhile, Mindy Macready, Hitgirl, is still pursues crime fighting behind the back of her guardian Marcus. Dave approaches Mindy so that she can train him and proposes that they become a team. Reluctant at first, Mindy agrees to train Dave to become a better superhero. Eventually, Marcus finds out what Mindy's been up to and makes her promise to be a normal girl, to which she reluctantly agrees again. Dave now finds himself a member of a new team of superheroes he has inspired. Together, they fight crime and do charity in the idea of making the world a better place. On the other hand, Chris D'Amico, the son of Frank D'Amico, whom Kick-Ass killed in the previous film, is plotting his revenge on Kick-Ass and all his loves ones. 

One reason why this sequel didn't work is because it downgrades a lot of aspects that made the first film awesome and its upgrades which are supposed to be an asset to the film turns out to be a liability. 

What made the first film memorable and worthy of its name is the violence and cool action sequences it had. Sadly, this sequel is not able to live up to its predecessor's promise. Not only is the film less violent, it is also less funny and entertaining. The jokes are half-baked and the punchlines won't even hit you hard. With regards to the less violence, I'm not saying I'm a sadist or that I promote violence, but if I'm not mistaken, what made the comic book (yes, it's a comic book adaptation) so unique and unlike any others is the fact that it is realistic. The characters are normal people who decide to don the cape and mask and be vigilante heroes or villains out to save or destroy the city. The comic book tries to be realistic as possible and it can and will kill the hero if it has to, just to make it real. Now that I mentioned realistic, what can be more realistic than violent people out in the streets fighting one another. Just to be clear, I'm not a sadist, I'm just someone who's looking for the real essence that the comic book wanted to show. 

One thing I like from this movie is that they added more characters. It brings more joy and happiness to a geek's heart and soul. A whole new set of heroes and villains. Sadly, this is the upgrade I'm talking about that eventually becomes a liability. It became a liability and a burden to the film's character development area. So many characters and not enough time to give each and one of them the spotlight they deserve. There were so many things going on from one scene to another and you can barely keep track of who the protagonist is in contact with. In one scene, Hit-Girl is in high school and is stuck in a Mean Girls predicament, then the next scene would be with Kick-Ass in his own type of Justice League, and then we have The Motherfucker who is forming his own group of villains as well. Imagining these scenes seems so exciting but the film's execution of it is mediocre. Every scene is seems to be so focused on the main protagonist and antagonist that the other characters around him/her is overshadowed. An example would be of Mindy/Hit-Girl's high school life. She may be a complete bad-ass outside school but inside it, she finds herself dominated by the people around her. The question here is Why? Who are these people she meets in school that can intimidate her. Then again, she is in high school where everyone is evil, so I guess I can let that go. So on to another example, when Kick-Ass joins the hero group Justice Forever. It is in this part where the characterization drops miserably. For all we know Kick-Ass is the hero in the entire series but the moment we are introduced to the other heroes, we see that it is not all about him after all. But due to the poor characterization, you would feel no sympathy to the other heroes. You're just gonna be like, "Who are you? Where's Kick-Ass?" or "The hero-chick Kick-Ass is sleeping with is hot." Such a pity since those characters could have been utilized more for the film. One character I like from the Justice Forever is Colonel Stars and Stripes (Jim Carrey). He's an eccentric and extraordinary character that rises above the rest. It took me quite a while to appreciate him though since I thought of him as weird throughout the film until his demise. For the villain's side, I was sad since the film didn't really dwell much into the character of Mother Russia. All it wanted to show was that she was freakishly strong and freakishly huge. Javier, who became The Motherfucker's guardian, was supposed to add depth in The Motherfucker's character but it ended up being mediocre. I could go on about how the film lacks in the character development field but I would be digressing already and I'm sure you get the idea. 
However, I did like some of the technical things like the editing and the action choreography. I really like the scene where Hit-Girl used her adrenaline to defeat Mother Russia. It was like watching a video game and it was cool. Though I have mentioned that the jokes are not even funny, it can make you smile once in a while but that's the best it can do, at least for me. I personally like the arc of Hit-Girl in high school. We see a whole new side to her and it's more exciting, not knowing how she will handle her problems through normal means. Her story is more exciting than that of Kick-Ass to be honest. 

Hopefully, the sequel would do better and close the series in a good note.

Rating: 2/5

Red 2 (2013)

Maybe it's finally time to retire.

Retired black-ops CIA agent Frank Moses is in for another ride as he and his team of elite operatives are on the mission to locate a missing portable nuclear device built during the Cold War. Along the way, they cross paths with terrorists, assassins, and government officials who are all itching to get their hands on the weapon that will turn the tides of hegemony. If this isn't bad enough, Frank must also deal with his relationship with Sarah which seems to be in trouble as well.

This movie is a whole lot different from the first one, and that's not a compliment. What bothers me the most in this sequel is that it has more comedy than action. What's worse is the fact that it's barely even funny at all. The action scenes fail to deliver as well. This was a comedy film with action when it should have been the other way around. What this film missed that its predecessor had was the balance. Red was able to balance the action and comedy quite well. It entertains you and gives you the great action you deserve unlike the sequel we have here. Watching the film felt like a giant goose chase around the world. It bothers me how I was so detached to the film despite the fantastic, yet overused, locations they have for the movie. Paris, London, and Moscow: these are gorgeous places yet watching the film feels like I can easily see them across the street. The film is fond of travelling from one place to another without giving much importance to the current place they stay on. In one scene you are in Paris and the next you are in London. It doesn't give you the time to appreciate and understand what's going on. By the time the places shift again, your brain would still be in the previous location trying to piece together what happened. 

The ensemble cast doesn't help either. For some reason, the film probably thinks that the more characters they put, the better it will be. Well it definitely thought wrong. The fact that they added more characters was a risk in the field of characterization. That many characters require a great need of character development or depth or else they will come off as flat and shallow. However, I am more lenient with character development in action films compared to other genres. What I usually look for in action films is how smart the characters are, the decisions they make and their relevance in the film that can contribute to the development of the film. What irks me the most in this film is how bipolar its characters are. At one point, they are allies and then in a not-so-surprising turn of events, that ally turns out to be a villain. Some go the other way around. This is a cliche in the genre of action films, wherein an ally turns out to be the villain or vice versa. Red 2 makes use of this cliche and to be perfectly honest, it's fine with me. But what's not fine is how they used the same concept over and over again until it got so old that you would just have to wait for the next twist. If you can still call it a twist that is. 

Bruce Willis was less badass in this film. I expected so much more from this man. This does not seem to be his year since A Good Day to Die Hard and G.I. Joe: Retaliation were both failures. It's probably the other cast members that are stealing his spotlight especially Helen Mirren. Helen Mirren is one hell of a woman in this film, just like in Red. She was able to pull off her character quite well and was able to give a performance worth praising despite being stuck in an upsetting movie. The other woman in the film is Catherine Zeta-Jones who was okay. Not that good and not that bad either. Her character was bad though, but that's another aspect. In terms of acting, she did what she could do to save her character's uninteresting life. Byung-hun Lee had so much potential in this movie. I love his character except for the third part where it all went downhill. Not his fault though, once again, all the blame is on the script. Last actor I'll mention is Anthony Hopkins. He is one of the reasons why I really wanted to watch the movie. It's Anthony Hopkins for heaven's sake. Watching Anthony Hopkins was entertaining but with a little bit of annoyance from time to time but still tolerable. I like how flexible his character is and how he plays it. Anthony Hopkins is able to put on a good show despite being in a movie that no one may want to see twice. 

In terms of the technical aspects, I noticed how the film had some trouble in terms of its continuity. I usually don't mind them as long as it only happens once but I noticed more than couple of them throughout the film. Other than that, the rest were all good. 

Overall, Red 2 was a good try but a miss. If you're looking for some good old action-comedy film, then you have nothing to see here. If you're looking for a good action film, still nothing to see here. A comedy film? Not even close. But if you just wanna kill and waste time, then you might want to consider this.

Rating: 1.5/5

Cinemalaya: Ekstra (The Bit Player)

The crowd brings the scene into reality.

Ekstra is a film under Directors Showcase for the 9th year of the Cinemalaya Film Festival in the Philippines. This film directed by Jeffrey Jeturian tells the story of Loida (Vilma Santos), an ordinary woman who, most often than usual, gets to be in soap operas and movies. In addition, she also gets to act alongside high-profile celebrities. As fun as it all may sound, unfortunately for Loida, in all her acting career, she is just an ekstra (bit player) who is rewarded with a meagre salary. To make matters worse, Loida has a daughter in college whom she is financially supporting alone. Despite all her worries, she still dreams of making it big someday. But until then, she must continue her work as a bit player in yet another job offering. Will this be her big break or will it be another typical day for her?

Ekstra explores the world of the lonely voice in the world of entertainment. The film is meant to bring justice and honor to the little people who makes a scene complete. Without them, a scene is empty and useless. In a thought from the film, a setting from a movie or soap will be meaningless and awkward if the only ones present in it are the lead actors.

The entire film is a satire about film making like the film Ang Babae sa Septic Tank (The Woman in the Septic Tank) but this time, it is centered on the world of the bit players. However, every once in a while, the audience are pulled away from the satirical approach whenever Loida is interrupted by her daughter with text messages coming from the world outside of showbiz. This sudden interruption allows the audience to see that people in the entertainment industry are also human beings who experience problems just like everyone else. Aside from that, it also serves as the film’s way of snapping its fingers at the audience who might find some parts of the film draggy. The film’s running time of two hours might be fine for some but for me, it didn't need two hours to establish what it needed to say.

The moment the film starts the harsh world of the bit players are already established. In a world where looks matter, even the bit players need to meet a specific look requirement or else they’ll get the boot. Even children are not excluded in the shallow world of showbiz. In once particular scene, children who were not good looking enough were rejected and asked to leave the vehicle that is supposed to take them to the location for the shooting. 

Vilma Santos' acting does not fail to deliver, as expected from a veteran actress. However, there is some concern about how much justice she gave to the role. Vilma Santos is one of the biggest names in the history of Philippine Cinema and that name will definitely go down in history. So in relation to this, the role of being a bit player given to her can draw skepticism. For one reason, she is a well-known star who has established an image and persona for more than a decade that can't be easily brushed off in a single film. In a film with an ensemble cast like this, how is Vilma Santos supposed to downgrade her semblance and be the bit player we want to see? The concept in paper works well, no doubt about that. The harsh world that the bit player lives in is established and well-understood but what raises a question is the portrayal of the role. In one particular scene where Loida asks to have her picture taken with Pilar Pilapil, what I saw were two veteran actresses, who each made a name for themselves, taking a photo. There are lots of big names in this movie, from Cherie Gil and Eula Valdez to Marian Rivera and Piolo Pascual. How is THE Vilma Santos supposed to keep a low profile alongside them? What would have served as a better challenge and social experiment in the film would be "what if they had a nobody play the role of the bit player?" Would the audience have watched it for the story and purpose itself or would they have watched it for the cameos of the famous celebrities in it? Whatever the answer may be, the film would have definitely did its job.

Rating: 3/5

Tuhog (2013)

All the emotions in this film would definitely pierce through your heart.

Tuhog, a Filipino word for skewer, as a whole, is comprised of three individual stories of three different people, whom by chance are literally connected with one another due to a freak accident which causes a pole to impale through them, much to the difficulty of the doctors. The doctors can only save two of them since there are only two available operating rooms in the hospital. The movie then goes through a series of flashbacks showing the story of each characters and how they ended up in their unfortunate situation. 

The first character is Tonio (Leo Martinez). He is an old retired man who dreams of becoming a baker. His family is skeptic about this dream of his because he does not know anything about baking and business. However, Tonio is determined to fulfill his dream despite the negativity.

Fiesta (Eugene Domingo) is a bus conductor whose life has always been about taking care of his demented father which resulted to her grumpiness and feisty attitude which drives away men around her. One day, she meets the new bus driver, Nato (Jake Cuenca) whom she eventually learns to love and vice versa. When everything seems to be going well, Fiesta soon finds out Nato's secret which ruins their relationship.

Lasty, Caloy (Enchong Dee) is a college student who is having a hard time keeping a long distance relationship work with his girlfriend Angel (Empress). Both promised to preserve their virginity to one another until they meet again but the distance between them proves to be quite a challenge for both parties to remain faithful to one another. 

Skylight Films, the sort-of indie version of Star Cinema, decides to release an indie type film through mainstream means. This thought alone would already draw skepticism; would it go for the full indie film or would it have a hint of commercialism here and there? How about both? Nevertheless, Tuhog manages to capture the audience's heart in this emotion and theme driven film that shows a deeper side of man, the side which shows man in search for meaning and purpose in his life. 

The most memorable story out of the three would have to be that of Eugene Domingo or the story of Fiesta primarily because of the depth of the story plus the acting skill of Eugene Domingo. Though memorable, it is far from flawless. There were plot holes in the decisions the characters made that hoped to have gone unnoticed with the help of acting delivery but it did not help. An example would have to be the Fiesta suddenly deciding to share her life story to Nato. If she was as hardcore as the premise established her to be, she would not have easily shared to anyone such personal information especially if they barely knew each other. Another example would have to be the sudden love affair between Nato and Fiesta which seemed to have come out of nowhere. Though we see it coming, there was not a proper build-up about it. However, if I'm gonna be all romantic, I would just like to believe that this can be a good example of how love can be very unpredictable.

In terms of story that everyone can probably relate to, it would have to be Leo Martinez or Tonio. It showed the typical Filipino family and their values which are constantly challenged such as being family-oriented, having a sense of gratitude and even patriarchy. Leo Martinez is able to give life to his character and he is able to send a serious message across the audience despite using comedy as a medium. Though Eugene's story is more memorable, Martinez' story is my personal favorite. One scene that definitely struck me was when he was doing a monologue about his life when all he did was to support his children's dreams yet they couldn't even support him now for his single plea. This part is ageless since it can cater to sons and daughters, wives, husbands and especially the elderly.

Enchong or Caloy's story on the other hand is the lightest of the three. It uses a very young approach and more comedic than the rest. This part is definitely funny and entertaining but I can't help but feel that this is where it becomes commercial. Technically speaking, this is another love story starring high profile actors in order to bring in audience. Probably even the reason why they showed this part last. A typical love story which happens to have more sex jokes which eventually receives a rating of R-13 and then voila! You have an indie film. 

Overall it was a good film. I was satisfied except for the end where I felt like I was cheated to a happy ending. Before getting impaled by the pole, each of the characters were in the worst stage of their dilemmas and the moment they got out the hospital, all their problems just miraculously came to a resolution. I understand that they just came from a near death experience and all problems can be forgotten but it felt too abrupt. Other than that, the narration by the end could have been taken out since it became too preachy already. It should have left the viewers to think on their own rather than feeding them the point of the movie. One last random and unimportant thing, I don't like how I felt like it was indirectly telling the audience to be kind to kid beggars on the streets. Watch it and you'll know what I'm talking about.

Rating: 3/5

Turbo (2013)

Starts off fast but soon runs out of fuel. Still an enjoyable ride though.

Theo, a garden snail, always dreamed of living the fast life and racing in the Indy 500. However, his brother, friends, and Mother Nature herself seems to disagree. After one freak accident, he finds himself living the fast paced life he always dreamed of. After leaving the garden he never considered his home, he and his brother find themselves under the care of the socially-awkward fast-food worker, Tito. Just like Theo, Tito dreams of something bigger than being a simple Mexican selling Tacos to tourists. Risking all the money Tito and his friends have, they decide to go to Indianapolis and enter Turbo in the Indy 500 in hopes for achieving their dreams.

After Despicable Me 2 and Monsters University, Dreamworks enters the competition with Turbo. It did not disappoint but it did have some troubles in terms of keeping the creativity alive until the end. Needless to say, it still possesses what an underdog story requires and good enough to keep little children entertained.

The premise of the film is quite interesting and it brings something new to that small dreamer with big dreams concept. It reminds me of Pixar's Ratatouille but does not come close though. There are lots of similarities such as the tiny dreamer being an animal, the big dream of being a racer and being a chef, the challenges the main characters had to face such as the unbelieving and not supportive family, the company and love they receive from a human and finally, just like any animated film, the happy ever after they get when they reach their dreams. What lacked in Turbo that Ratatouille had was the craziness. Turbo started off great and was on the run but soon finds itself slowing down and ventured into familiar and predictable territory. 

Another aspect wherein it might have failed is the lack of conflict. When Turbo was still Theo, in other words: slow, he had so much conflict in his life that you would sympathize and feel sorry for him. You would want to help this little guy achieve his dreams of racing in the Indy 500. However, the moment his life is sped up, most if not all seems to fall into their rightful places. There are problems he would encounter but they would all be given a solution easily. Just like the name, there is a feeling of hastiness leading towards the climax. It somehow feels rushed that you would be surprised that you are already in the climax of the film without having felt the build-up before it. In relation to the climax and build-up, I had some concerns with regards to the establishment of the characters' plan of action in order to achieve their dreams. Theo dreams of racing while Tito dreams of making his brother's restaurant known. Each of them has a clear goal in mind but the problem they face is how will they achieve their individual dreams by working together. I'm more than confident that the answer is clear even to the youngest viewer in the audience. Question is, why did it take so long for the movie to give us the obvious answer? This is for Theo to race in order to bring fame to Tito's brother's restaurant. 

In another aspect of the film, I really like the different characters in the movie. They were very entertaining especially the racing snails. The voice cast were perfect and they managed to bring lots of laughter and variety to the movie. Each were memorable in their own distinct way. Turbo also manages to set the bar high for animated films in terms of animation and editing. The environment was great and it was visually stunning. I personally like the part where Theo was looking at the passing cars on the highway, the use of time lapse was very pleasing to the eyes and also a great juxtaposition to the slow moving snail that's observing them.

Overall, Turbo is a fun film filled with hope and dreams that encourages children to never give up their dreams no matter how small they are and how big their dream is. It manages to entertain and gives a few good laughs from the audience without the need of innuendos for the adults. I just have to say that this film is really more focused for the children's entertainment. The faults and shortcomings noticed by the adults would most definitely not interest the children. 

Rating: 3/5

Monsters University (2013)

Needs more schooling.

Mike Wazowski and James P. Sullivan are the best of friends and partners for life. But of course that wasn't always the case. Flashback to when they were younger, college to be exact. When Mike and Sulley first saw each other, the only mutual understanding between them is to hate one another. Hence, their college life began. Flash further back, it focuses on Mike and how he always wanted to be the best scarer ever. Things don't go smoothly for him in Monsters University as he has to prove himself to everyone that he is capable of being a scarer.

There was so much excitement the moment this movie was first announced. The 2001 film Monsters Inc. Is one of Pixar's most prized jewels and I bet they thought that an additional jewel wouldn't hurt. Well... let's just say it stumbled a lot and got a few bruises on the way. However, I would choose Monsters University any day compared to the last film Pixar released which is the 2012 film Brave. Ironically enough, both films currently have a 78% rating in Rotten Tomatoes.

When Pixar officially announced Monsters University, I figured it carried two burdens on its shoulders. The first one would have to be its audience. Yes, this is an animated film intended to be watched by children. How about the children at heart though? One particular sector in the demographics that will absolutely be watching Monsters Univ. are the young adults or specifically college students. The children who watched Monsters Inc. back in 2001 will surely not miss out on a prequel of a movie that was part of their childhood. So pleasing the children and the young adults is a difficult task that Pixar definitely must have considered. The second burden that I thought of primarily concerns the plot itself. In the trailers, it is established that Mike and Sulley were not on good terms before they became the best of friends. Thing is, even before watching this movie, majority, if not all, of the entire human population might have watched Monsters Inc. already and know that they are friends. So the question that a viewer has on his mind when about the watch the film is that "How are you gonna tell the story and how are you gonna make me stay and watch?" Because technically speaking, the entire movie is spoiled to us already because of the first film. The latter of the problems I mentioned should have been carefully thought of because as I was watching the movie, I found myself checking for the time. Definitely not a good sign when you're watching a movie.

So was it a bad film? No it wasn't but Pixar could have definitely have done better. I appreciate how the movie makes the viewers, especially the old ones, nauseous of the first film and makes them go "Oh look! It's..." during the movie. I also like how they put certain twists and unexpected situations that negates the first film but explains it in the latter part of the film. It offers great historical background on the characters of Mike and Sulley. You get to know more about the two of them and why they act like they do in Monsters Inc. 

Moreover, certain themes and subject are also present in the movie such as the idea of false hope versus chasing your dreams despite all odds. Would you fight and pursue or give up and find something better? This is probably one of those rare films that tell you to give up something which you're not good at. Majority of the films keep on telling you to just keep on believing in yourself no matter what the people around you say. Idealism vs. Realism.

One of the things I look for in animated films is the character development. There must always be a character development or else there would not be an emotional hook to the audience. Monsters University manages to execute great character development not only in the two protagonists but also in the supporting characters. It deserves a round of applause since it's quite rare for the supporting characters to also undergo development. Now with regards to the emotional hook I mentioned, I find it weird that despite the character development in the film, it lacked the emotional drive present in the previous works of Pixar. It didn't have a single scene where it made me go "Awwwwwwww..." (hope you read this the way I wanted it to sound)

In conclusion, the movie despite some shortcomings is still great and manages to bring out laughs and enjoyment from the audience. Just needed a better way to keep the viewers interested not only in certain parts of the film but as a whole.

Rating: 3/5

P.S.

Before Monsters University started, a Pixar short "The Blue Umbrella" was really cute and entertaining. As a matter of fact, 6 minutes of it gave me more feels than the movie I came for.

Despicable Me 2: Humorous and Stylish

Cute and entertaining for children and adults alike.

In continuation with the first movie, ex-villain Gru (Steve Carell) is now a full-time father to his adoptive daughters Margo, Agnes, and Edith. He is an overly protective father and makes sure that his daughters get the best of things they deserve. He also stopped with his evil schemes and started using his inventions for more creative and harmless ways. Meanwhile, a secret laboratory in the Arctic which contains a biological weapon (no this isn't a zombie flick) is mysteriously stolen. This causes the Anti-Villain League (AVL) to respond and decides that they should get someone who knows how a villain thinks. What a surprise, they choose Gru. Initially refusing, he agrees to take on the job and is partnered with the eccentric AVL agent Lucy (Kristen Wiig).

This movie is actually one of the films I have been waiting for since last year. The first movie was great and it made me so excited yet also doubtful when I first saw the minion teasers. True enough, the movie did not fail. It may not have able to surpass its predecessor but its original and creative in its own way.

One reason why I was also doubtful about this movie before watching it was in regards to what direction are they taking the characters for the sequel. The first film ended with the villain turning into a good guy. That's almost the perfect ending and can make do without a sequel already. So the greatest challenge that this film had was how are they going to develop the characters even further and in what way will they make it work. This time, they chose to bring out the romantic element while still incorporating family values. 

What I really loved about this film is that it really kept me in a good mood from beginning until the end. The punch lines and slapstick were funny and was able to keep the audience, especially the children, entertained. BUT, not all is well. As the movie progresses, there are a few scenes where it can be a little dull and draggy. The sudden jokes and humor of the minions that come out of nowhere will just snap you back into the comedy film that it is. Speaking of minions, though they are cute, I felt that the movie was all about them. The minions have too much airtime that it's worrisome that the main characters might be overshadowed and left forgotten by the viewers the moment the movie ends. In relation to this, another problem that I have with the minions' humor is that they can get a little bit old and recycled as the movie goes on. They might have different scenarios and gags but some of them feel like one joke split into two and placed in both ends of the movie. I also noticed how some of the jokes also want to make the adults laugh. Not exactly innuendos but something that would make the adults laugh in a different way of understanding than that of the children's. 

In terms of the plot of the film, I really like looking at the bigger picture but once you start concentrating on the different parts and segments of the story can be a bit troublesome. If my memory serves me right, the movie can somehow be divided into three parts, each showing different characteristics of Gru. One is being an overly protective father, one being a hopeless romantic, and another one for being the hero. Gru being a hopeless romantic was given more importance in this film. It's basically where the entire movie revolves on as the rest follow. 

The characters in the movie suffered a bit from mediocre character development. Only Gru and Agent Lucy's development was highlighted. The children who used to serve a great role in the first film seemed to have been demoted to a lower position of character importance while the minions on the other hand was uplifted. On the bright side, the I like the additional characters in the film and how each and every one of them has his/her own remarkable traits that can be remembered. 

If there's one thing that I really loved in this movie is its animation and editing. I definitely love the new environments they designed for the film such as the mall and the huge mansion of the villain. There are so much more to see actually; from Gru's gadgets and lair to underwater hideouts and even exploding volcanoes. I loved how they paid great attention to details and managed to capture the beauty of how an animated film should look like. They were able to pull it off and show the viewers that Pixar isn't the only one capable of doing such animated movies.

In conclusion, the film was great and it offered some good laughs. Though it lacks the emotional drive that the first film had, it was good enough for a sequel. If you're looking for some laughs, then this movie might be for you but if you're looking for one of those animated films that are emotionally driven yet still funny, then this might not cut your list. 

Rating: 3/5