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+

Mean Girls

Mean Girls: Eschews comedic beats for more emotional ones. None of new cast disappoints while also reaffirming how great original cast was. Cravalho excels along w/Spivey. Changes don’t seem to add much while omissions from stage are sadly missed. Odd choices head scratching but still enjoyable; B

Darby and the Dead

Darby and the Dead; Tries to be a Paranorman Mean Girls but despite its talented cast, fails miserably by devolving into worst teen movie tropes w/little heart or humour. There’s a great story lying in aspects of the themes but the script goes to the most obvious banal places; D

Crush

Crush; Sweet leads Cravalho & Blanchard play out a teen rom com that’s more reflective of the times by being true to the emotions and dialogue of young love. Witty, quick and stylistic, the film won’t surprise as much as it will entertain with its cast, art and soundtrack; 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-

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+