Movie Review: “Big Hero 6 3D”

Big Hero 6

 

The studio that created hits like “Frozen” and “Wreck-It Ralph” now brings us “Big Hero 6”, a futuristic tale based on the eponymous comic book series. As with the two prior titles, Disney Animation Studios hits one out of the park; “Big Hero 6” is easily the best animated film of the year – so good that my husband, who NEVER wants to see a movie more than once in the theater, has already asked when we can go again.

The story opens in the future megacity of San Fransokyo, where boy genius Hiro (Ryan Potter) is being bailed out of a dicey situation by his equally bright older brother, Tadashi (Daniel Henney). Hiro is clearly squandering his talent as a grifter on the underground robot fighting scene, and Tadashi offers him another potential future, one where Hiro features prominently as a fellow student at San Fransokyo Institute of Technology (SFIT). Part of the sell: Tadashi introduces him to Baymax, his personal healthcare robot whose advanced intelligence dazzles Hiro and convinces him to create a project for a showcase to help him audition for the same collegiate program as Tadashi.

 

Baymax queries his patient

Adorable level on a scale of 1-10? Clearly an 11.

 

Hiro’s work is brilliant: astonishing microbots that move, swarm, and flow according to neuron impulses captured by a special headband. His microbots win the day, and Hiro garners the competing attentions of SFIT program head Professor Robert Callaghan (James Cromwell) and dubiously-moraled entrepreneur Alastair Krei (Disney Animation regular Alan Tudyk). Krei offers a wide-open purse, but Callaghan’s disdain for Krei gives Hiro pause, so he chooses to take the college program instead. While celebrating outside the SFIT building with Tadashi and his program-mates/friends, a fire breaks out inside and one person dashing away in terror informs them that Professor Callaghan is still inside. Hiro pleads with Tadashi not to go back in, but Tadashi insists that someone has to do something – and both he and Callaghan are lost.

Mourning consumes Hiro, so much so that when he accidentally hurts himself and Baymax comes out of his holding case to render care, Hiro immediately dismisses him and barely notices when a tossed off command to chase an errant, anomalous microbot sends Baymax through the winding streets of San Fransokyo. Hiro follows – only to find that someone is manufacturing his microbots, which had all been assumed lost in the fire. That someone turns out to be a mysterious character in a Kabuki mask who controls a plentiful supply of microbots and attempts to snuff out Hiro and Baymax with his creations.

 

Kabuki

The mysterious Kabuki-masked character, manipulating an army of microbots

 

Hiro enlists the help of Tadashi’s friends and provides “upgrades” to all of them, tech uniquely designed to optimize their strengths and skill sets, such as Go Go’s roller suit that capitalizes on her magnetic disc designs. The six-member team – Hiro, Baymax (now in a special winged armor), Go Go (Jamie Chung), Honey Lemon (Genesis Rodrigues), Wasabi (Damon Wayans, Jr.), and Fred (T.J. Miller) – track down the Kabuki-masked person, in an attempt to understand what happened the night of the fire. Their reconnaissance and the subsequent chase show the level of Hiro’s emotional wounds from the loss of his brother, and the team has to find a whole new way to rally in order to dispense justice and bring Hiro back from the brink.

 

Go Go, Wasabi, and Honey Lemon

Go Go, Wasabi, and Honey Lemon, suited up and ready for action

 

“Big Hero 6” is a mature kids’ movie, or perhaps it’s better to describe it as a shinier, computer-generated piece of anime. The characters are engaging, the story is well-written, and Baymax is one of the best things to hit the screen in ages. He’s a marshmallow of a robot, simultaneously soft and firm, and his unwavering support for Hiro is – at times – heartbreaking. I saw this movie in 3D, and though I’m sure it looks great in 2D, it was visually stunning in 3D. If you’re asking whether you should watch “Big Hero 6” in 3D, I’d recommend it but not say that it’s an absolute requirement.

 

Baymax upgraded and in full armor

Baymax, in full armor, with Hiro (left)

 

And now, the other big question: is “Big Hero 6” scary? I brought the entire family to this movie, somewhat unsure how the Kabuki-masked figure might be for my 5 and (then) 7 year-old. I showed both kids two trailers for the movie, and while my 7yo dd was still a thumbs-up, my 5yo ds was ready to bolt. We brought him anyway, and they had the usual standing order to snuggle up with one of us if they got scared. My ds did fine throughout the movie, even adopting Baymax’s signature fistbump (“ba la la la la!”), while his big sister cringed for good bits of the movie and has tried to ban any discussion of it. In other words, your mileage may vary. There are a couple of scary scenes, but the movie is generally bloodless and each of the brief scary scenes are well outweighed by a far larger number of amusing or uplifting scenes.

It’s a testament to how great this film was that dh can’t wait to go again – and I knew instantly that this is one that we’ll buy on release day when it makes it to Blu-Ray/DVD. In short: don’t miss “Big Hero 6”.

 

Feast

“Feast” – A sweet friendship begins…

 

Speaking of shorts: “Big Hero 6” is preceded by a sweet short film called “Feast”, about a puppy who grows up to be the gourmand wingman for a bachelor with a penchant for fast-food. As his owner and BFF develops a romantic relationship with a woman who teaches him to love vegetables, the (now-grown) dog is relegated to more of a pet role. Life happens and the couple separates, leaving things up to the dog – much like the paper airplanes of Oscar-winning “Paperman” – to make the happy ending happen. This delightful and sweet romp made for a great lead-in to “Big Hero 6”, and I wouldn’t be surprised if either one garners an Oscar nomination of its own.

4 stars out of 4

“Big Hero 6” opens nationwide on November 7, 2014. This movie is rated PG for action and peril, some rude humor, and thematic elements

Ever been hit by a car while walking? Well, now I have… {UPDATED!}

As I’ve mentioned to anybody who’ll stand still long enough, I love my car partially because it’s just such an awesome car and partially because it saved my life 7-1/2yrs ago. So, Volkswagen has held a special place in my heart as a brand that can SAVE LIVES. Those ads they used to run where the people would be talking in the car and then suddenly you’d see them standing on the side of the road next to a wreck of a car that they easily escaped from? Yeah, I’ve had that happen to me.

And now I can add American Tourister to the list of “life-saving” brands.

Last week, I was at a conference in that bastion of civilization, Alexandria, VA. As a native Washingtonian and a naturalized Marylander, I have a general sneer when it comes to the parts of Virginia that are just damned inconvenient to get to, and Alexandria is on that list. As a matter of fact, in the 24 years I lived in the DC area, I think I went to Alexandria TWICE. When I was offered the option to go to a conference there, I pulled on my big girl panties and said, “FINE – I’LL GO TO NOWHERESVILLE NORTHERN VIRGINIA”. (As my Arlington friends chuckle, because they know that I’ll happily hang anywhere on the Orange line and miss my time on Clarendon.)

The last morning of the conference, I was walking the 1/2mi from my hotel to the conference hotel, with my American Tourister rolling bag on my left and my laptop bag across my body, hanging on my right. There is an apartment complex across from the hotel where the conference was held, and the crosswalk in front of it is broken up by a small island (one lane into the complex, island, one lane out). The walk light was firmly lit, so off I went across the first part of the crosswalk...and that’s when it happened.

With no warning, my rolling bag came flying into my left leg and I was promptly dropped on my ass (what I described to others as a very rough version of falling rapidly and harshly on an extremely icy ski slope, in terms of the hardness of the surface). What in the…? I looked up and saw a small white car stop.

Holy crap, I was just hit by a car.

I went over to the driver, who didn’t get out of his car (what a lovely human being!), as he stammered over and over again, “You have to forgive me! Please forgive me!”

I honestly wasn’t sure WHAT to say. I was just hit by a car.

I said a few choice words at the driver – although far fewer than I expected myself to say – and I made it perfectly clear that I wasn’t going to give him the absolution he craved. How do you forgive someone for hitting you with a car? I can understand forgiving someone who accidentally let a door swing shut on you, but that’s not a one-ton thing powered by an engine.

I checked the one leg that felt a little off, and it just sustained some minimal scrapes; it wasn’t until later that I felt somewhat bruised on my hip – but that was also minor and I had a very large bottle of ibuprofen. Honestly, it was the bag that saved my life – or at least my left leg. If I hadn’t had my rolling bag on the side where the car hit, the car would’ve taken out my already dodgy knee, and instead of angrily walking to the conference in shock – and a snit – I would’ve been in an ambulance en route to one of Northern Virginia’s fine hospitals. The suitcase did sustain some minor damage, specifically a crack in one of the handle rods, but I managed to resolve it well enough to get myself home and am now just hoping American Tourister can help me get a replacement handle to solve the problem fully.

The bag in question is this awesome little suitcase that I got as part of my DisneySide party gear; it’s the PERFECT bag for a 2-3 night trip, and now I know it can take some serious body blows…like from a moving vehicle probably going 15mph. I took it on a bunch of trips this year, and it’s small enough that you can stow it easily on a plane or a train, yet it’s also roomy enough that you don’t feel like you’re cramming in just a few days worth of stuff into a one-night bag. It rolls very smoothly and the ball wheels make it super-easy to navigate even without putting it on an incline. It’s also light as all get-out, so it’s very maneuverable and easier to wrestle in/out of an overhead bin.

Party Kit

The awesome American Tourister bag – plus all the lovely party supplies for my #DisneySide party from February

For a better close-up of my new favorite bag (which I actually fell in love with before it saved me from a trip to the hospital), check it out at Amazon.com: American Tourister Have A Ball 20″ Spinner.

So, kids, I guess the lessons are as follows:

1. When offered an opportunity to stay at the conference hotel, even if it’s not a Marriott and you won’t get all the awesome points that you want, JUST STAY THERE FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY.

2. Always walk with your rolling bag on the same side as where a car may hit you.

3. ALWAYS take the opportunity to buy a Volkswagen if you have the means; they are built like tanks and that may come in handy someday (hopefully you’ll never need it, like I did).

4. Buy American Tourister. They’ve got a fan for life in me, and now I know my luggage brand of choice from this point forward. Any luggage brand that can keep me out of the hospital wins my money forever.

 

Update as of January 9, 2015: The lovely folks at American Tourister were proud of their product that saved me, and they told me to keep an eye out for a special “surprise”. Well, they didn’t disappoint…they sent me a brand new three-piece luggage set! WOWEE!!! I didn’t expect that when I originally wrote this post – nor did I ask them for ANYTHING, but I have to say that a brand that saves your life and then thanks you for it – that’s an AMAZING brand and they have my eternal love and gratitude.

What they sent:

My new American Tourister luggage!

pretty in pink!

Just awesome. I simply can’t put it any other way. Thank you, American Tourister!

Movie Review: “Of Dice and Men”

Of Dice and Men

Full Disclosure Notice: I have known Cameron McNary since high school, where he was one year behind me. We lost touch when I went off to college and reconnected on Facebook a few years ago. Cam talked on Facebook about the play he wrote, “Of Dice and Men”, and I have made small contributions to his staging of the play at PAX Prime and to the making of this film. However, my friendship with Cam and my contributions have no effect on how or what I write. I’m only saying all this in the interest of transparency. I actually probably judge the work more harshly than if I didn’t know Cam at all – and had I not known him, it’s unlikely I would’ve planned to do a review, since I can’t make it to any of the official screenings. There. The DISCLOSURE is now over. On with the rest of the show.

“Of Dice and Men” is a cheeky and sweet look at what happens when a group of friends who game together are impacted by choices made by two of the trio at the center of the group. Based on a play of the same name which debuted in a staging at the PAX Prime convention in 2010, “Of Dice and Men” focuses primarily on two characters: the sweet, sensitive John Francis (Evan Casey), and his foul-mouthed, oafish BFF, John Alex (Cameron McNary). The rest of the gang is comprised of: Jason (Ricardo Frederick Evans), John Francis and John Alex’s close childhood friend; Tara (Gwen Grastorf), the lovely and sweet would-be object of John Francis’ affection; and the married couple of Linda (Rebecca Herron) and Brandon (“One Tree Hill”‘s Greg Thompson) – a hysterically funny, hyper-sexed couple that plays together and stays together.

 

John Francis

John Francis (Casey) monologues about being a Game Master

 

The movie opens with John Alex discovering John Francis packing for a move to Berkeley, and your first taste of their friendship is riddled with John Alex’s f-bombs and gesticulations. Clearly he is the “Jay” to John Francis’ (nearly) “Silent Bob”. The next few scenes fill in the backstory, including introductions to the group’s game characters – a halfling, a half-elf wizard, a dwarf, a barbarian, and a cleric. To a certain extent, those who’ve never gamed before, particularly with Dungeons and Dragons, will find themselves lost in the minutiae of the gaming characters’ presentation. The concepts of “hit points” and “rolling for damage” haven’t yet made it to a broad pop culture lexicon, but the unrequited love between John Francis and Tara is easy to understand. In many ways, a brief scene showing all the missed connections between the two is instantly relatable.

 

Tara demonstrates her geek cred

Tara (Grastorf) gives the “Are you for real, dude?” look as she is forced to demonstrate geek cred to a game store employee

 

The majority of interaction takes place at Linda and Brandon’s dining room table – where miniature figures, graph paper, pencils, and scads of dice cover the tabletop. It is here that you see the game characters reflecting parts of each person’s real personality, such as Linda’s randy Scottish dwarf (who will regale you with tales of genital girth and length for days) or Tara’s wispy wizard who dies at the drop of a hat. Brandon, who games only because of his love for his wife, makes a choppy, hesitant barbarian – yet he is, in real life, clearly a thoughtful and strong person.

One night’s gaming results in a fracture when Jason announces that he enlisted in the Marines and is headed for Iraq. John Alex is visibly hurt and lashes out at Jason, and this confrontation makes for a jarring end mid-way through the gaming session. John Francis withholds his own announcement until the following day, dealing with the personal aftermath individually – as friends one-by-one come to his rented room to find him partially packed for a move he’d planned for weeks but never said was coming. The play was inspired by McNary’s best friend shipping off to Iraq around the same time that he was getting married and establishing himself as a real grown-up, so it’s clear that the angst of John Francis and the anger of John Alex represent very real feelings McNary surely experienced.

 

John Alex as Spango and Jason as Kester

John Alex (McNary) as halfling Spango Granetkiller, with Jason (Evans) as Kester, pondering certain doom at Jason’s last night of gaming with the group

 

The movie ponders the question of whether gaming has any purpose or meaning, and though it largely leaves that open to interpretation by the individual, it makes a strong case for it – or any hobby or interest – as having value to those who participate in it. The relationships built between those led through the worlds created by Game Master John Francis all love him, and love each other, and the bonds between them are renewed each time they come together around the table with their dice and miniature pewter selves. The movie is a study of characters with characters, and so it operates on several levels. It screens like a play (which makes sense, given its source material), so there are times where scenes fade to black almost abruptly. On the other hand, several nice touches – such as the graph paper background for the credits and the fantasy world backgrounds for character intros – are clever nods to the geek culture that continues to thrive and sustain gaming.

I would recommend making it to a viewing, if attending one of the several conventions screening the movie (see below). It’s unclear whether the movie will make it out of the con circuit, and it’s also equally unclear to me that it would resonate with a broader audience where gaming might not be as widespread. Still, it’s a sweet indie film and it was clearly made with love of friendship and of gameplay. What more would anyone need to prove whether gaming matters?

“Of Dice and Men” will next be screened at Gen Con 2014 on August 15, 2014, Intervention Con on August 23, 2014, Dragon*Con 2014 (screening date/time TBD, sometime between August 29 – September 1, 2014), and PAX Prime on August 31, 2014. More information about screenings can be found at the official “Of Dice and Men” website.

2-1/2 stars out of 4

“Of Dice and Men” is currently rated PG-13; it contains frequent use of profanity and one scene with mild violence.