Superman

Superman; Exquisite casting of major roles creates a Superman story driven by character and defining attributes. Side characters serve the story well bringing levity and pathos. Hoult’s Luthor is sinisterly ripped from the headlines as the film tackles world issues in the kindest way imaginable; A-

Moana 2

Moana 2; Near impossible task of living up to the original ultimately fails on account of lesser songs, story beats and animation. Cravalho does some heavy lifting, as her vocals and humour guide the film through patchy moments, even when the script, lyrics and music aren’t up to the task; B+

Wish

Wish; Slightly unfair review because I was sleeping for some of it, but from what I recall, music has some spectacular songs, performances are fine, but story & art are derivative & easily forgettable. Characters seem plucked out of missing first act, w/confusing motivations; B-

Strange World

Strange World; Fantastical creatures and landscapes feel fresh yet familiar in this exploring adventure film. Themes resonate in their combination of old and new beliefs, with family relationships at its core and bigger planetary questions weighing overhead. Good fun; B+
 

Disenchanted

Disenchanted; Less whimsical than its predecessor, lacking the novelty & originality, playing the story beats w/minimal surprises. The actors are all game and relishing the revisit, while Disney production values are always top notch. Sadly, simple fare not worth revisiting; C+

Raya and the Last Dragon

Raya and the Last Dragon; Spectacular animation amplifies a simple story that takes us to many terrains and vistas. Quality voice acting and authentic casting adds to the action packed experience. Fight scenes are perfectly paced and quiet moments rest well on the soul; A-

Frozen II

Frozen 2; Goes dark but grows up with its core audience. Animation exceeds original’s details. Storyline makes a few jumps and songs not as catchy but still classic and well animated while suiting the story. Sámi elements are quite interesting. Love the earth giants; A

Ralph Breaks the Internet

Ralph Breaks the Internet; Less fulfilling than the first film, yet still manages to tickle and warm the heart and funny bone in equal measures. Leaving the 8 bit origins for the internet offers plenty to spoof but less nostalgia to mine. Inspired storytelling once again; A-

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story; Complexity of story makes for a slow beginning that builds to thrilling yet still underwhelming finale; B

Moana

Moana; Solid music and a focus on few characters allows Disney to hit another home run. Animation is top notch, story told beautifully; A+

Big Hero 6

Big Hero 6; All the good reasons why Marvel & Disney united. Touching, exciting, inspiring. Pixar's heart combined w/Marvel's action fun; A

Frozen

Frozen; At some point before Toy Story 3, Disney supplanted Pixar as the superior storytelling studio. Frozen continues the trend; A-