Kung Fu Panda 4 – Evolution of the Dragon Master

A new era for the Dragon Warrior begins

Our favorite butt-kicking panda is back! Back in August 2022, Kung Fu Panda fans received a very welcome surprise from Dreamworks. Kung Fu Panda 4 was announced, and I couldn’t have been more excited. I was a big fan of the previous three movies. The first movie has the best villain, the second movie has my all-time favorite quote from any movie, and the third movie has my favorite ending of the trilogy.

Kung Fu Panda 3 was very successful. But after some years of no news about a 4th installment, I honestly lost hope. I did have the recently released Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight to hold me over for a little bit. If you haven’t seen that, check it out ASAP. It’s on Netflix and it’s such an amazing show. However, it still didn’t fill the void left by an actual movie. Kung Fu Panda 4 was released on March 8, 2024. I saw it that weekend and needed some time to gather my thoughts.

Set to become the new Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace, Po must find his successor to become the new Dragon Warrior. While doing so, he must also deal with the new villain, The Chameleon, a villain who can bring back villains from Po’s past, such as Tai Lung. The premise sounds like peak fiction. Unfortunately, the execution wasn’t the best, making Kung Fu Panda 4 the weakest installment of the saga.

The movie starts off with Tai Lung returning somehow and terrorizing a mountain village. We then move over to Po, who’s late to the opening ceremony for a new restaurant his dads are opening. Of course, he’s late doing Dragon Warrior stuff and we find him battling an evil stingray before getting back on track. The opening just felt kind of clunky and there, not really giving too much weight to the story. Tai Lung just announces he’s back. And based on his past actions, people fear him, rightfully so, but he does nothing to anyone except be there.

After the grand opening, Master Shifu explains to Po that he must give up the title of the Dragon Warrior and step into his new role as the Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace. That means he has to choose his successor and have someone else be the Dragon Warrior. Naturally, Po isn’t a fan of that. He’s finally found his footing and has built an entire persona around the Dragon Warrior. It’s understandable that he wouldn’t want to give up the action.

Refusing to pick a candidate for the role, Po ends up catching a fox bandit named Zhen who is trying to steal ancient weapons. Po sends Zhen to jail and finds out about Tai Lung’s return. Zhen proceeds to tip off Po and let him know that it is really The Chameleon shape-shifting into Tai Lung to scare the villagers. Zhen tells Po that if he wants to stop The Chameleon, he’ll need her help. And we’ve now arrived at an overused cliché that many shows and movies turn to. The old hero protagonist teaming up with a “bad guy” to stop a greater evil, only to be betrayed by the “bad guy” before teaming up again for one final showdown and the “bad guy” becoming a good guy now trope. Who didn’t see that coming? I sure didn’t and I’m being 100% serious when I say that.

In my defense, I was more concerned with just how Zhen was going to be chosen to be the next Dragon Warrior. That had my focus, so I just didn’t put two and two together to be like, “Oh, this is about to happen.” Zhen is such a small character compared to Po. But of course, no warrior is too small. Mantis is living proof of that. And what Zhen lacks in physicality, she makes up with her personality. Zhen is voiced by Awkwafina in Kung Fu Panda 4. I’m not the biggest fan of her. Her voice can be very obnoxious at times, and when it comes to animated films, voice work is high on the list for me. But she did a great job honestly. She actually sounded like Scarlett Johansson sometimes, believe it or not.

I won’t spoil the journey—just know that’s literally what makes up the movie. Po’s adventure to find The Chameleon with Zhen. The biggest mistake this movie makes is its pacing. It’s very fast-paced, and it doesn’t work for the movie. The pacing should be balanced to make the story work. Kung Fu Panda 4 suffers from a lot of rush work, and the quality just isn’t there the same as it is with the OG trilogy.

The characters that debut in this movie, the main ones at least, could be a bit more captivating. I wish their stories were a bit more fleshed out. There was just something holding me back from really like The Chameleon, who was voiced by the incredibly talented Viola Davis. Davis did a phenomenal job. The issue with The Chameleon has nothing to do with the voice. It’s the writing that robs The Chameleon from reaching her full potential.

She’s salty because she was rejected from every training hall due to her small physique and exuding insignificance. So she became a sorceress instead and used that to be able to shapeshift in the different masters. Obviously, taking someone’s body doesn’t give you all of their fighting prowess. In the world of Kung Fu Panda, their knowledge of the art of kung fu is tied directly to their souls. So The Chameleon decides to steal the souls of all the masters in the spirit world. To do that, she needs Po’s Staff of Wisdom to open the door to the Spirit Realm.

This is where the “bad guy” betraying the main protagonist comes into play. Zhen actually works for The Chameleon, having been raised by her since her youth. This takes Po, and myself, by surprise because he not only trusted Zhen but he also just gave the Staff of Wisdom to Zhen, who in turn gives it to The Chameleon. The Chameleon is now free to open the door to the Spirit Realm, stealing the spirit of each kung fu master that resided in the spirit realm and their kung fu abilities as well. Seeing just how bad it is, Zhen decides she is in the wrong and escapes The Chameleon to find Po.

This leads to the final battle, which I must say was lackluster as well. But before that, there’s the sentimental moment where Po gets some encouragement and begins to believe in himself while also inspiring the secondary character – in this case, Zhen. Po and Zhen team up against The Chameleon, who has the fighting styles of a multitude of different masters. She then decides to turn into this dragon-like creature composed of different animals, though she looked like Toothless from How To Train Your Dragon at different times. When the dragon isn’t enough, The Chameleon resorts to turning into a fake Po and duke it out with the real one. Po becomes outclassed by his double, thanks to The Chameleon using some of her own powers, and ends up locked in a mystic cage.

At this point, he once again gives his staff to Zhen to finish what was started and this marks the transition from Po to Zhen as the Dragon Warrior. Zhen is able to wield the power of the staff and strikes a mighty blow against The Chameleon while yelling out her own phrase, “Skablam,” which is a callback to a previous, unfunny moment in the film. The Chameleon doesn’t give up and in one final blow, Po knocks her out and lets Zhen know that the correct phrase is “Skadoosh.” All of the masters have their spirits returned to them, and in return, they all bow to Po in respect. This includes Tai Lung, Master Shen, and Kai. A lot of people weren’t happy with that, but I did see that coming, and it’s something that I’m happy about. I always enjoy seeing things like that and I don’t feel like it takes away from any of them as previous villains.

Once everything is wrapped up, Po officially decides on Zhen as his successor, and they begin their training. The training session is led by none other than the Furious Five after being absent for the entire movie. And although they’re back, they’re not going to say a single word. They’re just going to be a part of this training montage with Zhen that pretty much shows they were added at the very last minute due to the intense, yet justified, backlash of them seemingly not being in the film at all.

Honestly, it feels like a slap in the face, but it is what it is. The movie could have been much worse. At first, the movie was supposed to be a live-action/animated hybrid movie with The Chameleon and Zhen being humans from Hu-Man City. The plot was fairly similar, but just the prospect of this hybrid mess sounds horrible, and I’m so glad they didn’t go through with it. I honestly don’t feel like this movie was handled with the same care as the previous three movies. The tone was almost the same, but it didn’t quite get there. Maybe it’s because I’m growing up, but I can go back and watch the other 3 movies and truly enjoy them without nostalgia fueling the love. Those are truly solid movies. Kung Fu Panda 4 isn’t bad per se, but it’s not the sequel that a lot of other fans and I were hoping for. Regardless, it does set up the future of the franchise for some fun adventures. If we get them, I’m not sure. Jack Black doesn’t know if he’ll return as Po, but the directors have stated they’re definitely interested in moving forward. I just need them to get back on par with the previous installments.

I mentioned Awkwafina doing an amazing job on her voice work for Zhen, but I also have to give props to the rest of the cast. It’s a stellar one indeed. Jack Black as Po, Dustin Hoffman as Master Shifu, James Hong as Mr. Ping, Bryan Cranston as Li, Viola Davis as The Chameleon, Ke Huy Quan as Han, and many more. All of them did a spectacular job. The visuals were beautiful as well. These two areas are truly what helps the film shine. The action is almost there, but coming off the amazing action and fight scenes in Kung Fu Panda 3, the drop in quality is evident here and there. We’ll see if Kung Fu Panda 5 comes to fruition. If it does, I hope they go back and evaluate what made the first 3 movies so lovable and get back on track.

Kung Fu Panda 4

Story
Cast
Action

Summary

The Kung Fu Panda saga continues in this follow-up to the beloved trilogy. With a story that uses a tired cliche and action scenes that don’t quite reach the mark as they have in the past, Kung Fu Panda 4 comes off as the weakest movie in the saga thus far. That’s not to say it’s a bad movie, but it’s far from the best.

3.5

Dreamworks, Reviews

I Write Movie Reviews, You Can Too!

Let the fire flow

If you recall in my previous post, this movie review blog isn’t going to be the same as before. Of course, I’ll be giving my opinion on a good majority of movies, but there are so many movies out there that I won’t get to them all. It’s not a goal to do so, but the more movies to watch, the better – am I right?

That’s where you come in. I always enjoyed reading the comments on RoyalBeast Reviews. Your thoughts, whether you agreed or disagreed, were always great to read. Maybe you noticed something I didn’t or you interpreted a scene different than I did. It’s nice to get insight into the minds of my audience.

What can I do to help?

I won’t hold you. Comments are great, but they’re very limiting. Sometimes you want to say more. Sometimes I wish a commenter could expand on their thoughts. So, here’s your opportunity to do so. I’m not a movie buff, and you may not be either. But I’d still love to read a review from you and find out your thoughts on a movie.

This will be limited to movie reviews starting out, but once I expand into television that avenue will be explored. Please understand that not every review will be showcased. Each review does have to meet a standard and will be reviewed and considered carefully to determine if it will be published or not. You’ll also be responsible for making sure that it is formatted correctly upon submission.

How can I submit my movie review?

If you’d like the chance to have your review featured on Not A Movie Buff, simply click this link or head to the Contact Us page and fill out the form. Once your request is reviewed, we’ll reach out via email and discuss submitting your review for consideration. Please allow 5-7 days for review and response. If your review is chosen to be featured, we’ll discuss when the post will be published and you’ll be featured on the homepage as the featured guest review.

As stated previously, the reviews will be limited to movie reviews initially. It can be a movie that I’ve already reviewed on the site or one that I haven’t given my thoughts on yet. Your review might even push me to watch the movie and write a review in response to yours.

This is something that I’ve thought about for a while and I have some help getting started. However, who knows how big the team could grow and you might even be part of it in the future. Until then, continue watching those movies and get those pens ready. I’m excited to read your thoughts.

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Not A Movie Buff

Photo of film reel for Not A Movie Buff post image
It’s all about the movies…plus a little extra

Alright, so I know I said the last post was an introductory one, but I’d like to take the time out to give a sort of run down of what Not A Movie Buff will be like. Don’t worry, there aren’t any rules like an online forum where you can get booted. However, we all can still interact here and there in the comments, so that has to be spoken to.

It’s simple – be kind, courteous, and keep an open mind. This is a movie review blog. The reviews and blog posts that you read about are simply another person’s opinion. We won’t agree on every movie that comes out. Some I’ll enjoy more than others and some you’ll enjoy more than others. If you see a review, post, or even a comment that you don’t agree with, let’s do our best to keep it civil and have a nice discussion about our differences.

As the title states, I’m not a movie buff. I just enjoy watching movies and giving my opinion of them once I’ve finished watching them. I’ll always be quick to point out any inconsistencies and I’m going to let you know exactly what I think, without any worry of what others may think of the movie. Once again, keeping the same vibe as RoyalBeast Reviews, but putting a fresh spin on it.

What’s different this time around?

You all are used to my sole reviews and opinions. Well this time around, I’m switching things up. I don’t want to just read about your thoughts in the comments of my posts. I want to read a review from you. There is a lot that goes into that, so the next post will be a deep dive into being able to have your reviews showcased on Not A Movie Buff.

In addition to reviewing movies, I’ll also be reviewing different television series. I do have a desire to expand and grow my audience, and this is one way I can see that goal being accomplished. I’ve never done a television series review, so please bear with me when my first one does come out. Regardless, I’ll be starting soon and growing with each post that’s made.

Why ‘Not A Movie Buff’?

There’s a reason why I chose the name, ‘Not A Movie Buff’. Obviously, because I’m not actually a movie buff, but more importantly I can’t do this by myself. There are a ton of movies that I’ve seen and enjoyed, and I’ll be updating my site with reviews for those movies. I’ll be the first to admit, though, that I don’t watch the same movies as everyone else.

That being said, I’ll need your help at times. Just go to the Contact page, fill out the form, and recommend a movie that you’d like me to review if it isn’t already on the Reviews page. Be patient, please. I’ll need to work in any recommendations into the schedule that’s in place for my reviews. Also, not every recommendation will be accepted. There are some movies I just don’t watch. However, with me not being the only reviewer, the movie could be passed on to another non-movie buff. Keep the hope alive.

At the end of the day, this will be a fun family-friendly movie review blog, and I’m so excited about the direction that this is going to go. Thanks to my audience thus far, again. I can’t make it without you.

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And We’re Back!

It’s good to be back

Sometimes change is something that’s needed and you know it. It’s not always easy, but it is worth it in the end. I liked what I did. RoyalBeast Reviews was a fun little hobby when I first started it. I will always take pride and joy in my very first review – 5 years ago.

I want to continue forward with my movie reviews, but I recognize that if I want to grow to the audience I envision then some things need to change. I’m still the same RoyalBeast Extraordinaire – I’m going to always give my raw and unfiltered opinion on any movie that I see. However, I’ll never claim to know this and that about cinematography. I’m just a guy who likes to give my opinion on different films. In simpler terms – I’m not a movie buff.

RoyalBeast Reviews had a good run, but I’ve evolved and I understand that’s necessary to reach the audience intended. So consider this post an introductory one. It won’t be a long one at all. This and the next couple of blog posts will be short – a little bit of housekeeping. But always expect a review – at least once a week. The number of blog posts will vary per week, but you’ll be reading my thoughts outside of reviews as well.

I’ve still got a ways to go before I’m where I want to be, but I’ll get there. Until then, I’m going to continue churning out reviews and sharing my viewpoint week after week. Thanks for joining me on the ride. It’ll be a fun one for sure!

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Aladdin (2019) – One Jump Ahead Is Right!

Would you be upset if I told you I liked this one more than the original?

Seeing the previews for Aladdin had me fretful, to say the least. The original Aladdin was amazing, but I honestly can’t say that it’s one of my favorites. However, it’s a classic all the same. My faith in live-action Disney movies had me second-guessing this one though. I’ve seen about three so far – The Jungle Book (which I loved), Beauty and the Beast (fell asleep on that one), and The Lion King (you all already know how I feel about that one). I wasn’t interested at all, especially when they showed a still image of Will Smith’s version of The Genie. Then they showed a clip of the song “Friend Like Me” and that’s what got me excited. I had to check it out, so I did just that and I’m ready to give my review.

Going into this after watching The Lion King, I knew there would be differences between this version and the animated version. Here’s where things change. The differences for the live-action version of Aladdin worked for the story. There were a few things I wasn’t happy with, but that’s to be expected. Jafar doesn’t trick Aladdin by disguising himself as an old man nor does he turn into a snake at the end during the final battle, but everything else is great. I like how One Jump Ahead is included with him on the run with Jasmine. Genie having a love interest was something that I felt was a great addition to the story, though it does make you wonder a few things. Jasmine wanting to be the Sultan instead of just wanting to have certain rights was also something I can see happening in “modern” times and the result was satisfying for sure. I didn’t mind any of the additions to the film, and the things taken away, though disappointing, didn’t take away from the quality of the movie for me.

Best song of the movie, by far

You know what they did wonderfully in this film? The songs. Every song in this movie was great, and I may be in the minority, but I like some of the songs better than the animated versions. One Jump Ahead, as I mentioned before, I liked that Jasmine was along for the run and that’s how she got introduced to Aladdin. Friend Like Me, slaps to the max! My favorite song of the movie by far, and for those who haven’t seen the movie, you’ll love the reprise of it at the end. Prince Ali, another great song in the movie. It was good to see Will Smith doing his thing as the Genie and not have to get creeped out by the effects team adding breasts to Genie when he dressed as a woman as they did in the animated version. A Whole New World – it was good, but to me, it sounded like they were just lip-syncing to the original song, they didn’t sound like they did in any of the other songs, but that’s just me. Jasmine’s new song, Speechless – good, great, awesome, outstanding, and amazing! It worked perfectly for the movie. It wasn’t just in there to be in there and that’s why I enjoyed it. It progressed the story how it needed to. I guess I just feel this film’s version of the songs are so much more lively and that’s why I have such high opinions of them.

A majority of the cast did a wonderful job. Mena Massoud was outstanding as Aladdin. I saw everybody and their mama complaining about Aladdin being played by a white actor…which he’s clearly not. Naomi Scott did a wonderful job as Jasmine. She embodied the princess’s personality and attitude amazingly and I have no complaints. Plus she has some pipes on her! Will Smith was just…wow. He killed the role of the Genie in my eyes. I was skeptical as can be when they first announced it, but I’m so glad they went with that casting choice. He had some big shoes to fill, and he filled them the best way he could. I don’t feel as if I can say he’s better than Robin Williams’s Genie because they’re not the same character. While Williams’s Genie was more for comedic fulfillment, Smith’s Genie was more serious than comedic and down to Earth, and once again, it worked perfectly for the movie. Will Smith is also the main reason why I love this version of Friend Like Me so much, he destroyed that part of the film. Marwan Kenzari did the best that he could with Jafar in the film. Unfortunately, Jafar wasn’t written very well in this version, and it shows. He’s a very one-dimensional villain, and although they attempted to dive into his backstory, you never get a true sense of why he’s the way he is. Nasim Pedrad was a new character named Dalia, Genie’s love interest, and she was great! She flowed with the movie and didn’t make you wonder why they decided to add her.

Will Smith absolutely destroyed in this movie

I honestly don’t have many complaints about the film. It’s not perfect, sure, but it’s a solid film with an amazing soundtrack to boot. It does end the same way as the original, and I do wonder how they’re going to do the sequel – talks are being had about it. I mean with Genie supposedly being human now, what’s going to happen in the second movie? I guess that would be explained, but that’s something I wasn’t too happy with. It ends as if a sequel isn’t needed. If they end up doing the sequel, I pray it’s on this same level and doesn’t ruin the quality like the animated sequel did. Aside from the blandness of Jafar and the unfortunate decision not to have him turn into a giant snake during the final battle, I was quite happy.

Aladdin (2019)

Story
Characters/Cast
Soundtrack

Summary

The original Aladdin will always be considered a timeless classic, however, this new take on it has done a great job of crafting its own identity. While some of the characters could’ve been written a bit better, the strong story and phenomenal soundtrack help to bring another classic to live-action.

4

Disney, Reviews

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Rocko’s Modern Life: Static Cling – Modern Is An Understatement

The 90s are back!

90s Kids rejoice! Rocko’s Modern Life is back! You all remember this show right? If you don’t, you will as you watch the special. I’ve always loved this show. It was amazing and had me entertained through the entirety of its 52-episode run in the late 90s. So, when they announced that a reboot was coming in the form of a movie, you already knew I was here for it. As the posters and trailers were released I became so much more excited for this. My childhood was being reborn! I had no qualms with the synopsis of the movie either.

After 20 years in space, Rocko struggles to adjust to life in 21st century O-Town and makes it his mission to get his favorite show back on the air.

Rock’s Modern Life: Static Cling (2019)

With the original cast and creators coming back, I knew this would be an amazing gift to the fans, and that it was. Just so everyone knows as well, although they branded it as a movie, it’s only 45 minutes long, which is pretty good for Rocko’s Modern Life since each episode was only 11 minutes long.

The special started perfectly. With Heffer’s iconic line, “That was a hoot!” I exclaimed for joy as I watched with my girlfriend and she just smiled knowing that I was reliving my childhood. Even the theme song was brought back, although in a more modern form to blend in with the theme of the movie. There were so many Easter eggs and throwbacks to the original series. This was pandering to the fans and I loved it. They even showed CCH, Captain Compost Heap, from my all-time favorite episode, Zanzibar. That part alone made the special worth it for me. Seeing Conglom-O still running everything was a great throwback. All of the iconic characters that used to interact with everyone was just wonderful. The only thing that confused me was the fact that Rocko interacted with everyone and their mama on the show, but it seemed as if some of them didn’t remember him. I mean, Mr. Dupette was Rocko’s boss at one point, and Rocko even did a huge presentation so that O-Town could be cleaned up and Mr. Dupette was the one he presented to. It didn’t ruin the special for me, just had me questioning a few things.

Captain Compost Heap was crushed by Rocko’s home and confirmed dead in a news report. RIP to that guy

The voice cast – I know they had an amazing time getting back into their roles for this! Everyone did an outstanding job. The only one that sounded different to me was Mrs. Bighead, but it’s most likely because it’s been 20 years since the original voice actor did the work. Tom Kenny is just a voice-acting god at this point. He nailed every original role like it was nothing. If anything, the fact that literally every original actor came back for this special, is enough to make it the absolute best reboot to hit so far. Every character had the same personality and it still worked as far as entertainment goes. Really Really Big Man, the Chameleons, Heffer’s grandpa, and so many others made it all worth it.

Now as far as the story goes, it was solid. It was essentially a special based on the special – allow me to explain. Rocko’s Modern Life has been off the air for 20 years, they’ve been in space for 20 years. Most fans of Rocko’s Modern Life would’ve loved to see a special after so long, Rocko knew that a special would bring in the views and money needed to save the town from going to the pits. So many things have changed realistically in the past 20 years that they translated that to the show, albeit in an outrageously exaggerated way. The story was truly all about things changing faster than you know it. You can’t get stuck in the past just because it’s what you’re used to. Sometimes change is good and needed, and it can do way more good than harm. You’ve just got to be willing to accept it. Believe me, I know, change can be hard and it can take some time to accept it, but once you do, you see that it was a huge benefit. I loved the story simply because of my view on change and moving away from the past. My all-time favorite quote is about that, so a 45-minute special of one of my favorite shows from when I was a child all about the subject? I’m here for it.

You wanna know who was laughing the whole way through? Mr. Not A Movie Buff himself. The jokes were 100% gold the entire time. The over-the-top slapstick comedy that the 90s series was known for still works to this very day. Some new fans might not get the jokes, but we OG fans definitely will. Some lines make you flashback to sitting in front of the TV watching the show as a child. Even seeing Conglom-O’s tagline change due to certain events that happen is something that will make you chuckle as you remember that happening in the original show. Add the fact that nobody knows that Rocko is a wallaby and he keeps trying to correct them – go ahead and keep that running gag going! I loved it. Oh, and Rocko’s dog, Spunky’s love for mops? My girlfriend and I were cracking up when they showed Spunky looking at a mop porn site. Like what? Mops Gone Wild is just outta there!

Spunky has a problem that Rocko is ill-equipped to handle…

The creators have always been bold in what they intended for the show and that continues in this special. I tell you what, I did not expect Ralph to change to Rachel, but it worked for the story and the fact that more characters were accepting of it was a nice thing to see in a cartoon still meant for mostly younger viewers. Parents, for sure, will be able to relate to that specific point as it’s something that goes on at this very time. But the one line that everyone will attest to be true is one that Rocko makes early on.

The 21st century is a very dangerous century.

Rocko Rama – Rocko’s Modern Life: Static Cling (2019)

I’ll let you all decide why that statement is true to this day.

All in all, this special is where it’s at. The entertainment was solid, the characters were great, and the story was amazing and worked wondrously. I enjoyed it the whole way through and it honestly makes me wish for more episodes, but the special was enough. It spoke to the audience and got its message across in the way that it was intended. There was really nothing that I didn’t like. The special flowed and I’ll most likely be going back to take a look at it soon. This is how a reboot is done and I hope Nickelodeon keeps on this trend. The Hey Arnold! The Jungle Movie special that they did was great, this kicked it up to a whole new level, and I know they have a special planned for Invader Zim (I never did get into that show though). There have also been rumblings of the Rugrats making a return so we’ll see about that. But I’m content with this and I can’t wait to see what’s next.

Rocko’s Modern Life: Static Cling

Story
Cast
Nostalgia

Summary

While most reboots don’t know how to balance nostalgia, Rocko’s Modern Life: Static Cling handles it perfectly. With a wonderfully crafted story and the returning cast immediately transporting you back to your childhood, this is the absolute perfect special and will be sure to keep you entertained the whole way through.

5

Nickelodeon, Reviews

Batman: Hush – Nah Batman, Make Some Noise!

It may not be the best animated Batman movie, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad one at all

Calling all Batman fans! A new movie has just been released. Not a live-action one though, even better – animated. When it comes to DC they have multiple universes, but 2 different movie universes. The DCEU, DC Extended Universe, and the DCAMU – DC Animated Movie Universe. The DCEU is for live-action movies, and as I’m sure you can guess, the DCAMU is for animated movies. The biggest difference between the two is that the DCAMU has amazing content almost the whole way through. So when word gets out that there’s a new animated movie coming out, it’s best to get excited. So when Batman: Hush was announced, the fans definitely made some noise of excitement, and when it was released I hopped right on it. One thing to note going into the movie is that while this is based on the Batman: Hush arc of comic books, it’s a slightly loose adaptation so not everything will be the same. I was okay with that as I’ve never even read the arc. But I’m here to review the movie, not the comic book.

So, the first thing that’s done differently than the previous Batman movies, and that I actually prefer, is the fact that we start the film off with Bruce Wayne instead of Batman. I know, they’re the same person, but every Batman movie in the DCAMU thus far has started with some sort of action scene and Batman fighting an iconic villain. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy that, but to not see it is a welcome change of pace. That’s not to say that the action the rest of the way through isn’t good and entertaining. It’s amazing! Almost every action scene/fight scene in the movie is top-notch. Looking back at the film, I think there was only one scene that I didn’t fully enjoy. My favorite was, of course, the last fight scene with Batman and Catwoman vs. Hush (his true identity was revealed which will be spoken about more in detail as I go on). The way that Batman and Catwoman were fighting in sync was too beast! It was like they could read each other’s minds. They knew where to connect after the other had landed a hit to continuously keep the upper hand. It was truly magnificent.

Now if you’ve read the comic book arc of Batman: Hush, then you wouldn’t be surprised to see Batman and Catwoman coming together as they do in this movie. It’s a concept that’s been explored many times in the comics and it was good to see it come to the DCAMU. Not only do they come together to fight crime, they come together romantically. I knew that was something just by reading articles here and there. It seemed like everyone close to Batman wanted him to pursue things with Catwoman – Alfred, Robin, and even Damian – in his own way. The DCAMU decides to take things a step further by exploring this relationship and having Catwoman move in with Batman. Now it seems the real reason that the movie is called Batman: Hush is because Catwoman is always silencing Batman with a kiss. Of course, those two aren’t the only ones sharing a kiss. Poison Ivy seems to be able to control others with a kiss, which she uses to control Bane, Catwoman, and Superman himself. She got Superman good if you asked me. Another fun and welcome change to see the almighty savior show he’s just as capable of being taken control of and succumbing to weakness.

Although it was great to see some human error on Superman’s side, the Batman vs Superman trope is getting old

With Superman showing up, the movie of course ties into the DCAMU by bringing up past events in previous movies, most notably the fact that Lex Luthor is an honorary member of the Justice League thanks to his actions in Reign of the Supermen. Another callback is Damian Wayne aka Robin. The last time we saw him, he was hanging out with the DCAMU Teen Titans and establishing his place on the team. That was 2 years ago. When we see Damian in this movie, he’s grown a bit, which is great. It shows that time is progressing instead of just staying where it’s at like most animated projects. Although Damian has grown, his personality is still the same, self-important and brooding, using lingo that kids his age just don’t use. It’s a funny part of the movie and sure to have most entertained by his cameo.

The comic book arc of Batman: Hush is notable for the appearance of a good amount of rogues from Batman’s gallery and the movie seems to be on the same spectrum. You know that Joker has to show up in some form, and when he does, it keeps your attention. He gets beat down by Batman and almost choked to death due to it being made to look like Joker shot Batman’s close childhood friend. This was something else that I enjoyed seeing. We’re so used to seeing Batman as calm and collected in these movies, so to see him lose control and almost murder Joker was something that’s appreciated. Now where there’s Joker, Harley Quinn is sure to be following closely behind. And she follows in a big way. Her fight scene with Catwoman was exciting, to say the least, and definitely let me know that she can have the upper hand when she wants to. Clayface shows up in Arkham Asylum, which I’m sure every Batman fan is familiar with, and he does a good job of overpowering Batman. Joker’s bit while Batman is fighting Clayface is comedic gold – the writers knew exactly what they were doing with his character. Scarecrow shows up, but doesn’t end up fighting Batman. His scuffle is with Catwoman and Nightwing, and it’s a rather mundane fight in my eyes. He gets the jump on Nightwing, but Catwoman easily puts him out of commission. But Riddler? He shows up in a big way in this movie.

I guess Hush means business

So on to the real reason that the movie is called Batman: Hush. It’s because the main villain’s name is Hush. He’s an imposing villain who seems to be obsessed with ruining Batman/Bruce Wayne’s life from afar. He’s also new to Gotham. Cue Bruce’s close childhood friend, Thomas Elliot. As mentioned before, I didn’t read Batman: Hush, but I do know that Thomas Elliot had a big role in this comic. So here I am thinking that Elliot was Hush, and there’s a scene in the movie that truly makes you think so. There’s even the fact that Elliot shows up in town around the same time as Hush. I couldn’t have been more wrong though. Once again, he was killed, but not by Joker – by Hush. But just who is Hush? Batman figures it out and I was shocked to find out that it was Riddler. He’d turned into a big-time villain! If he had actually succeeded then he most likely would have been Batman’s new arch-enemy in place of Joker. He almost got the best of Batman, too, until Catwoman came to his aid. Not to sound like a broken record, but it was a nice change of pace as we’re usually subject to someone like Bane or Joker as the big bad with Batman.

The only issue that I have with this movie is the way it ended. Needless to say, Batman and Catwoman don’t work out – who didn’t see that coming? But it was the way they broke up. Catwoman isn’t happy with Batman’s moral code. Batman doesn’t kill. But since he’s not willing to do whatever it takes, she can’t accept it and breaks things off. It’s implied that they’ll pause things presently, but who knows what could happen in the future? As Catwoman walks off, Gotham is shown once again, part of it on fire, then the credits roll. It’s not a bad ending, don’t get me wrong, but the way the dialogue was set up – it wasn’t captivating or easy to follow.

I really have no actual qualms about the movie, besides how it ended and the boring fight scene with Scarecrow vs Nightwing and Catwoman. It was, otherwise, another amazing entry into the DCAMU that had a captivating storyline and stayed mostly true to the source material while building upon the continually growing universe that it’s set in.

Batman: Hush

Story
Connectivity to the DCAMU
Action/Choreography

Summary

Another solo Batman film amongst the many that have come before it, Batman: Hush is another solid entry in the DCAMU. The action really shines for the most part, however the melancholy ending really could’ve used some work. A great Batman film, nonetheless.

4

DC, DCAMU, Reviews

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Zootopia – Savage The Whole Way Through

Zootopia wallpaper
I slept on this movie for like 2 years

Initially, I wasn’t interested in seeing Zootopia at all. The previews didn’t wow me or anything, and even when it was so simple to go onto Netflix and watch it, I still had no desire to. There were so many people telling me that it was so an amazing movie though. My friends, my brother, and even my mom was giving it praise. My interest level was still nonexistent. Then, one of my friends told me to check it out and give a review, so that’s what I’m doing – RoyalBeast style. I had the movie up and it was ready to go, but before I watched the movie I wanted to check out the synopsis for the film.

In a city of anthropomorphic animals, a rookie bunny cop and a cynical con artist fox must work together to uncover a conspiracy.

Disney’s Zootopia (2016)

That didn’t tell me much, but it’s Disney, so let’s go with it. So I start the movie, and I see a rabbit running through the forest, and one of the first lines that can be heard is, “Ahh! Blood! Blood! Blood! *sounds of blood gushing out of a body* And death.” You know, I thought they said that the fox was cynical, but this movie started dark real quick. Still, it’s your average Disney movie. Show the protagonist, usually at a young age, explain their backstory real quick, set up the rest of the story, and there you have it.

The main character, that rabbit that you saw running through the forest at the beginning of the movie, and the one on the big posters for Zootopia, is Officer Judy Hopps. She’s a very optimistic and charismatic rabbit who’s always wanted to be a cop since she was younger, and she gets the chance to be. However, she’s up against a lot of challenges, mostly being discriminated against and looked down upon because she’s a rabbit. The wonderful thing about her is that she believes she can make a change and that’s something that a multitude of people can empathize with. If you look at the poster again, you see a very sly-looking fox. His name is Nick Wilde. Honestly, he’s my favorite character out of the two – out of the whole movie. See, Nick is a con artist, getting by day to day with the mentality that if people are going to only see you one way, then that’s how you should act. He even has the chance to have his backstory shown, and it’s a touching one, one that a lot of people can also relate to.

I wasn’t ready for the dark turn of events that took place during this scene

The supporting characters in Zootopia are great. I legit thought Mr. Big was going to be the big polar bear that walked into the room, but no, it turns out that he was a mouse. I guess I should’ve expected that as it’s usually how it goes in these types of movies. Chief Bogo was also great, and Idris Elba was a magnificent choice for his voice actor. I have to say though, his love of Gazelle was unexpected and slightly creepy in my eyes, but that’s just me. Speaking of Gazelle, my feeble mind was thinking it was a play on Adele’s name. Then, with the help of my brother and the credits, I found out that she’s actually Shakira, so bravo to the max for that role! Mayor Lionheart was another great role, and I always love it when J.K. Simmons voice acts – he never fails! Stu and Bonnie Hopps were some very caring parents, but it hurt me when they cheered about Judy not being a cop. I mean I could feel that myself, like jeez Mom and Dad just dance all over my crushed dreams. You also have Officer Clawhauser who’s another avid Gazelle lover and he actually lets the whole world know. And you can’t forget about Finnick, Nick’s original partner in crime. Now let me go ahead and tell you all straight up, he’s obviously from Souf Zootopia, like boy, let them know! Last, but not least, we have Assistant Mayor Bellweather. I liked her character and I have to say initially I didn’t see what her role was in all of this, but it sure did come.

Right from the beginning of the film, you can tell that discrimination and racism are the two key factors when it comes to the film among others, the races being predator and prey. The main predators that can be seen in Zootopia are foxes, bears, lions, and tigers. I guess I didn’t pay attention in science either because I found out that otters are predators too. Then, you have the prey – rabbits, sheep, mice, and the other 97% of Zootopians.

So, the movie is drawing me in. It’s a crime-buddy cop-mystery movie by Disney and I’m loving it. Judy has her little Mulan phase where she sucks at what she’s doing, but then gets better to defeat the Huns – I mean to become a cop! And there are so many scenes that crack me up. Three of my favorites I’d like to share with you all (click on the links) are listed below:

The movie is just golden! You’ve also got scenes where Disney keeps it as real as can be. If the kids didn’t know about nudists before they saw Zootopia, they know what nudists are now and they know what nudists do. Disney also decides to go ahead and let the kids know how the crime mobs do business. I want to assure everyone reading this that this is not a real representation of the mob. Watch General Hospital and check out Sonny Carinthos – he’ll show you all how the mob works and it’s not like the movie. But hands down, the best scene in the movie is the DMV scene. This scene right here was perfect the whole way through. Zootopia is spot on with how slow things go at the DMV, and oh my gosh, the way that the sloths drawl on, I loved it! We even find out at the end of the movie why the sloth is named Flash. He may move slow outside of a car, but he be booking it in them streets!

As I mentioned earlier, it’s a crime-buddy-cop-mystery movie. The mystery is that predators are disappearing left and right. Of course, we know that Judy, the main character, is going to find them. In fact, she and Nick do that in the middle of the movie. So, what does that leave for the latter half of the film? Finding out why they were disappearing and why only predators. You see, the predators were going “savage” – reverting to their primitive ways and attacking anyone and anything. At first, Mayor Lionheart is thought to be behind it, but when Judy asks why only predators are being targeted, you know who the true mastermind is behind it. Just watch the relationship between Mayor Lionheart and Assistant Mayor Bellweather – it’ll give you all the insight that you need. It was a nice little twist, one that I didn’t see coming, but pieced together it made sense. It’s the day-old tale of the victim getting revenge on the bully.

Everything ends up working out in the end because, you know, Disney. Though she made him mad, Nick and Judy become best friends and partners in the police force. They both taught others that things are not always what they seem, don’t judge a book by its cover, that things can change if given the chance, and it starts with you and me. It’s just like Michael Jackson said, ” If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself, then make a change.”

The amount of people that ship Nick and Judy is insane, but look at this and tell me you can’t see it

It was a really good story, though somewhat predictable for us older viewers, but a tale as old as time and a lesson that will never get old and can speak to the world that we’re living in now. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, and I do hope a sequel is made, but if not there are no complaints. As long as I can go back and enjoy the movie, I’m here for that.

So, how beast is Zootopia? With a wonderful story, an amazing cast, and the lovable quality that makes Disney movies so memorable, I give it 3/3 claw marks. But that’s not how we score movies on Not A Movie Buff. Although it was enjoyed the whole way through, the predictability of the movie combined with the other three elements keeps it from being perfect.

Zootopia

Story
Cast
The Disney Effect

Summary

Disney once again creates an outstanding story that can be enjoyed by people and families of all ages. However, Disney’s predictable tendencies get in the way of the movie being executed perfectly. Regardless, this is one movie you’ll find yourself going back to again and again as it draws you in each time.

4.5

Disney, Reviews

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The Lion King (2019) – Circle of Disappointment

I’d be lion if I said this was a good movie (No regrets)

I’m sure most of you know, The Lion King was remade in “live-action” – photorealistic computer-animated for the technical ones – and came out this past weekend. I was ecstatic about it when I first heard the news, as I consider myself to be a Lion King fanatic. I’ve seen all three movies (1, 2, and 1 1/2), I’ve seen both TV shows (Timon and Pumbaa and The Lion Guard), I’ve read the books that were published after the original movie was released, I even own The Lion King in 3D book (yes, it actually exists), and I can do Mufasa’s voice! So to know that they were remaking my favorite movie of all time in live action was a dream come true. But as the movie was being developed and news was being released, I became less and less excited, I’ll elaborate on why through the review. Nevertheless, I decided to go into the movie with an open mind, it could essentially be on par with the original. I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Let’s start with how beautiful the scenery is in the film. The Circle of Life scene was made almost shot-for-shot and it was breathtaking. This movie might be photorealistic computer-animated, but it doesn’t look like it – most of the time. With it being made this way presents the issue with the characters. The original movie was wonderful due to the amount of different reactions and expressions that were presented by each of the characters in the movie. Unfortunately, this freedom isn’t possible in live-action because animals don’t smile, smirk, or have looks of lust on their faces as Nala did in Can You Feel The Love Tonight? The way that the crew tries to remedy this issue is to try and do a close-up view of the character’s eyes to give the audience a sense of what the character is feeling. This doesn’t work as well as they tried to make it work, at times you’re just looking at the character’s eyes awkwardly.

I get that they’re going for a more realistic approach, but there are some things that I feel you can make happen. The reason why I said above that the Circle of Life scene was made almost shot for shot is because when Rafiki shows up and greets Mufasa, he does some weird thing where he rubs his hand on his face. There’s no reason why Mufasa and Rafiki can’t hug like they did in the original movie. Lions can hug and embrace in real life, so there’s no reason why it shouldn’t have happened in the movie. I guess that’s why they had the extended sequence where it showed a tuft of Simba’s mane being eaten by a giraffe only to be pooped out and rolled by a dung beetle, which ended up breaking apart the dung which caused the tuft of hair to fly away and land in Rafiki’s tree by a line of ants carrying leaves. One of the ants picks up the tuft, thinking it’s a kind of leaf I guess, and Rafiki picks up the tuft of hair and realizes that Simba is alive. Alright then…

I’ll never understand how he knows Simba is alive just by looking at a piece of tuft

The changes in some of the other scenes were definitely not appreciated. The scene where Mufasa’s ghost appears to Simba is a major letdown. It’s the equivalent of Fantastic Four and the Rise of the Silver Surfer’s scene that showed Galactus. When lightning strikes, you can see the outline of Mufasa’s face, but that’s it. You don’t see Mufasa’s spirit actually show up and it was incredibly disappointing, to say the least. Who’s to say that can’t happen when we have no proof of how a spirit appears unto an individual? They then go on to remove the whole sequence where Rafiki teaches him to let go of his past. That scene alone is an integral part of the original movie, it should’ve never been taken out. Some changes I can understand. I may have an issue with them, but those are understandable and you can see why as you watch the movie. Very upset with the way the hyenas were portrayed in this movie as well. I get that Disney doesn’t want them to be seen as mindless drones, but still at least come close to the film. There isn’t even a hyena like Ed in the movie, and that’s perhaps the most disappointing part.

The biggest change that I have an issue with, though, is the change to the songs. Now let’s get some things straight. Circle of Life – still slaps. I Just Can’t Wait to Be King – destroys but still pales in comparison to the original. Hakuna Matata was okay, but while Seth Rogen is an outstanding voice actor for Pumbaa, he can’t sing worth a lick and it really takes away from the song. Can You Feel The Love Tonight? No, I can’t. Why make this a duet? And what’s up with all the runs? Just sing the song. I loved the original song. I was going to dance to it at my wedding. But this one? Nope, doesn’t work for me at all. It’s not the worst song in the movie, but I was the least happy with this version because of how much I love the romantic song. Be Prepared, COMPLETE AND UTTER GARBAGE! This version is essentially cut in half from about 4 minutes to 2 minutes compared to the original. Not only that but the lyrics have been completely changed. Whereas the original had Scar singing the whole time and using his words to manipulate the hyenas into following his plans, this version has Scar talking in rhyme at the beginning then all of a sudden he starts singing and it’s basically all about how superior he is compared to Mufasa. While this change was explained, it was unneeded and absolutely the worst thing about the movie.

He may look angry, but he’s just channeling his inner Dr. Seuss

The voice work for the movie could’ve been much much better as well. I was so excited to hear that James Earl Jones was coming back to voice Mufasa, as he should. But they went the wrong way with the deliverance of his lines. The same can be said for almost all of the characters. So many of the original lines that were brought back for the movie fell flat on the deliverance, but I can’t blame the voice actors. The directors should have worked harder. There was hardly ever any emotion in the lines. I didn’t care for Chiwetel Ejiofor for Scar initially, but he had the most emotion out of any character in my opinion, although it’s mostly rage. I also didn’t care for John Oliver as Zazu – he sounded like a bumbling, nagging assistant so much of the time. Keegan Michael-Key was awesome though, a good laugh that was desperately needed throughout the film with most of his lines.

Alright, Beyhive, I know you all are going to come for me with this one, but I honestly never was happy at all with Beyoncé as Nala. Her voice never fit for me. And even when they released the first small clip of her speaking some of Nala’s lines, I was unimpressed for good reason. She had no emotion at times and it sounded as if she was just reading the lines. But as I watched the movie, I had a better opinion formed. She wasn’t amazing or anything, but she wasn’t as bad as I thought she could’ve been. She had the sass that was needed and I’m thankful for that. But some things were unnecessary. Like when she was rallying the lionesses. “Lions attack!” Girl, get on. Just attack the hyenas like y’all did in the first movie and win the day. That line was not needed at all and just extra. And stop with all the runs while you’re singing. I won’t say anything about Spirit, it fits the movie, but I haven’t listened to it completely, nor do I plan to. I don’t hate Beyoncé, but she’s not someone that I’ll fanboy over either.

The final battle was good. A little long, but it was good and ended on a solid note – with Scar getting what he deserved. Thank goodness they didn’t change that about the film. I did think that the platform that Scar and Simba were fighting on was a bit small and one of them should’ve slipped off during the duration of their scuffle, and it would’ve been nice to see Scar get flipped off Pride Rock instead of just falling off. I may be nitpicking, but I’m sorry this is my all-time favorite movie and it won’t change. The very last scene was once again almost a shot-for-shot remake of the end and I enjoyed that for sure, seeing Kiara be presented to the Pride Lands and the epic reprise of the Circle of Life.

These soulless expressions took away so much

I appreciate Disney’s effort, but I left the theater unimpressed as ever. The movie wasn’t the worst, but I didn’t enjoy it. It sucks too, I had such high hopes, but as more things were released about the film I had a feeling that it wouldn’t live up to the legacy. I am curious to know if they’re going to develop The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride in live-action or even bank off Seth Rogen and Billy Eichner’s amazing chemistry as Timon and Pumbaa and make The Lion King 1 1/2, but I’m hoping they don’t. What they should’ve remade along with this movie is this amazing variant of Circle of Life, though they most likely would’ve messed that one up as well or just had Beyoncé do a cover of it.

I’m not expecting a lot of people to agree with me, especially when it comes to “Queen Bey”, but this is my opinion, as controversial as it might be. I wanted to enjoy it, but I didn’t. The bar was just set too high and the movie didn’t reach the bar. I refuse to take my place in the Circle of Life, at least not in this version of it. Oh well, I still have the amazing original to watch and enjoy. Nothing could ever take its place. That I know for sure.

The Lion King (2019)

Translation from the source
Music
Voicework

Summary

From a business standpoint, it makes sense why they’d make a “live-action” adaptation of one of the greatest animated movies of all time. Unfortunately, the limitations are evident from the beginning and the story doesn’t translate quite as well into the real world. The only pride that should be associated with this movie is Pride Rock.

2

Disney, Reviews

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