Director Chris Sanders knows a thing or two about animation. After all, he is responsible for writing and directing the classics “Lilo and Stitch” and “How to Train Your Dragon.” His latest work, “The Wild Robot,” based on a beloved series by Peter Brown is wonderfully animated, surprisingly meaningful and moving and just might make you shed a tear or two.
Fink (Pedro Pascal), Roz (Lupita Nyong’o) and Brightbill (Kit Connor) find each other in Dreamworks’ ‘The Wild Robot.’
The animation style of the film looks like painted art in vivid brushstrokes come to life. The child in me is most fond of forest animals and here I got my fill of otters, deer, raccoons, bears, possums, beavers, lynxes, moose, porcupines, squirrels, skunks and so much more.
The animation style of the film looks like painted art in vivid brushstrokes. PHOTOS FROM UNIVERSAL PICTURES INTERNATIONAL
Lupita Nyong’o brings so much life and heart to Roz (Rozzum unit 7134), a robot who gets washed up by the woods and offers to provide service to these animals who inhabit the island. Roz ultimately ends up caring for Brightbill (Kit Connor), a gosling who has lost his family. Fink (Pedro Pascal), a seemingly sly but ultimately funny fox who says he has no friends, starts out with selfish designs on little Brightbill, but apparently his longing for found family wins over. Oh Pedro, I always knew you were a lovable fox.
The voice cast includes Bill Nighy, Mark Hamill, Catherine O’Hara and Vhing Rhames. They all find a way to move you, even when they’re being funny. Stephanie Hsu is also here as a ‘villain’ named Vontra.
If you want a piece of your cynical heart melted, if you want to feel the warm and fuzzies or take a break from the horror and spooks of the season, this is the magical movie you go to. Speaking of spooky season, there is definitely a fall colors palette here (just like “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice”) so we’re reminded of how other parts of the world herald this time of year.
I caught the second press screening for “The Wild Robot” at the family cinema of the brand new Opus Mall and it’s also worth reviewing. The family cinema is covered in bright candy colors. There are colorful bean bag chairs upfront, and the first two rows are of these mega couches. The flooring is soft and spongy so even if your kid wants to do cartwheels in front of the screen or make running leaps into the bean bag chairs, it’s fairly safe if they take a spill or misstep. I can say this because I witnessed all this running, jumping and tumbling the whole time I was in there.
The cinema set up was so much fun for them, the kids continued to run around even during the movie. If I’d go by this screening, the family cinema is where people take their kids to watch movies if they’re the restless type. You won’t have to worry about them falling in the dark if they decide to run down the steps as not only is the floor cushy, the cinema doesn’t go completely dark. However, tickets do go for P600 a pop. If you’re an adult who wants to be totally immersed in the sylvan world of “The Wild Robot” and watch movies in a dark theater, pick your time and cinema wisely. Also bring some tissues.
If you’re in the mood for another film that may need more tissues, “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story” opened last Wednesday. The documentary goes into his family life, his relationship with his parents, his partners and his children. It talks about his fame, his career, his friends in the business and the impact his accident had on everything and everyone around him. If you’re also a fan of Robin Williams, he figures in this story too.
Be the first to comment