How to Train Your Dragon (Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders, 2010) Review

Did you know that there was a time that Pixar and Disney were NOT on top? Hard to believe, I know. With films like Cars 2 and Winnie the Pooh, you have to ask yourself if Disney are really as good as they used to be (Wreck-it Ralph says otherwise) so I thought I would see what Dreamworks were up to. Now, I used to love the books this film was based on so I decided to check out this film.

On the Viking island of Berk, Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) is young Viking who wishes to join his village in a battle against dragons. His father, Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler), believes that his son is incapable of fighting and dismisses him. Hiccup ignores his father's word and manages to take down a Nightfury, the rarest of dragons. Hiccup can't bring himself to kill the dragon and also learns that dragon can no longer fly due to a injury caused by Hiccup. He decides to try and tame it after the dragon, which Hiccup names Toothless, doesn't kill Hiccup which is what he was brought up to believe dragons would do. Hiccup and Toothless begin and friendship and try to form a bond between Viking and Dragon.

Did you know that this was the film that started Dreamwork's streak of great films? This, Megamind, Kung Fu Panda 2, Puss in Boots, Madagascar 3 and Rise of the Guardians all proved that Dreamworks can do better than Disney. All of these were great films but the crowning jewel, and what I believe to be Dreamworks' best, is How to Train Your Dragon. This film is just beautiful. Firstly, the two protagonists are so likeable and well designed that they allow you to be engaged in the film and be sucked into the amazing world it creates. Jay Baruchel provides a break out performance that got people to notice him and being along Gerard Butler prove to be a realistic relationship, even more so with Hiccup and Toothless.

My God is the soundtrack amazing. I'm sorry but it's truly one of my favourite soundtracks to an animated film. Just listen: THIS IS A LINK! John Powell did a stand up job for the music and it compliments the beautiful look and aesthetic of the film. Even the emotion is great. The story leads to some moments that you'd think would be cliché and, while they technically are, they pump it full of that good old emotion that always gets a thumbs up from me (Men In Black III won me over with it).

How to Train Your Dragon only has one thing that bugs me. It was released the same year as Toy Story 3. I'm so annoyed that I'm not allowed to prefer this film. It's a truly beautiful film and proves that Dreamworks can do better than Disney...it just depends what film the rival has up their sleeves (I think Pixar deliberately made Toy Story 3 just to distract people form Dreamworks' best film). Don't watch Pixar's version known as Brave, watch this film instead...yes I am going to attack Brave at every opportunity (seriously Academy? Did you even see Wreck-it Ralph?).

Verdict:
9.5/10
Dreamworks' best film that is filled with beautiful music, landscapes, well crafted characters and lots of emotion.

A Clockwork Orange (Stanley Kubrick, 1971) Review

It was a toss up for what to watch one fine evening. I am absolutely hooked on the series Breaking Bad and wanted to watch some more but my friend insisted that I watch A Clockwork Orange instead. It's one of the most famous and popular films of all time so I thought I may as well seeing how iconic it is. Sure, the name makes little sense (unless you really look deep) but...it's just one of those films that everyone has to see at some point in their life and I decided to find out why. Want to know? Let's find out!

Alex DeLarge (Malcolm McDowell) is a leader of a gang who spend their time causing havoc including assault, robbery and rape. After he pays a visit to an unassuming local, he ends up killing them and eventually gets arrested. In prison, Alex tries to redeem himself but ultimately learns of an experimental program that claims it will get Alex out of prison early and make sure he never returns. Upon leaving, Alex must adapt to the world that his actions prior to prison life has created.

After watching this film I can safely say that I can tell why this is so popular. Firstly, Malcolm McDowell is nothing short of amazing and it was a crime that he was snubbed at the Oscars. He creates a complex yet strangely enjoyable character (yeah...I said something that scares myself). Like Hannibal Lector, there's just something about these characters that makes them so engaging. I'm not saying I relate to Alex but he acts as the gateway for the audience to get immersed in the film. There's just something about the look, portrayal and the fact that he enjoys every horrific act that he commits. I could go on about how incredible Alex and Malcolm McDowell are but then this would be longer than my The Dark Knight Rises review.

You can tell almost instantly that this is a Stanley Kubrick movie. The cinematography and mise en scene is spectacular and has it's own style to it that I first was in The Shining. The shots and use of the camera gives an interesting spin on situations and adds to the affect. The image above is an example of a great shot in the film. It's also not that noticeable  but the music adds something. The opening music is especially an example of that...although that might just be because of Conker's Bad Fur Day (the opening is almost identical). You have to sort of get yourself into the film to understand everything but once you do, you're in for an incredible experience...that may disturb certain people.

A Clockwork Orange deserves every bit of recognition it deserves. I guess the downfall of the Oscars started with this film (no wins and no nomination for Malcolm McDowell...what the hell!). Could this be considered the best movie of all time? It's one of those films that could be. It's commonly seen on 'Best Films Ever' lists and I can see why. If you can take the bizarre style of Stanley Kubrick and ready for some...interesting moments then I couldn't recommend it enough...really, you should have watched this already.

Verdict:
9.5/10
A truly amazing film that delivers an amazing performance with some excellent cinematography that Kubrick is known for.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame II (Bradley Raymond, 2002) Review

You know you're in for a treat when I tell you that this is the best image I could find...

Show of hands, how many of you knew this existed? Well, it does and as you might expect, it was direct to video. That can only mean one thing: it sucks. You never know though, I did actually enjoy Aladdin and the King of Thieves so maybe we're in for a treat. After all, they got the original cast back as well as other well known talent such as...Haley Joel Osmand and...Jennifer Love Hewitt.....ohhhhhh...well, here's The Hunchback of Notre Dame II...not exactly thrilled about this.

With Frollo's threat gone from Paris, Quasimodo (Tom Hulce) has now been accepted into society and still keeps to his job as bell ringer of Notre Dame. Esmeralda Demi Moore) and Phoebus (Kevin Kline) now has a child, Zephyr (Haley Joel Osment), who has become a good friend of Quasimodo and he also gains a new friend when a circus arrives in Paris. Madellaine (Jennifer Love Hewitt) seems to be smitten for Quasimodo (short sighted, I assume). There is also a new villain called Sarousch (Michael McKean) who wishes to steal the largest and most expensive bell in Notre Dame.

Most direct to video Disney films suck and, yeah, this one does too. I theorise that the only reason this film exists is just because people complained that Quasi didn't get the girl at the end of the first film so Disney wanted to continue the tradition. I will give the film credit in that Madellaine is quite an enjoyable character. They could have done a lot worse and made a boring character...I'm not saying shes's the most mind blowing character ever but she's good enough. The other new characters are just...boring and/or annoying and, as is tradition for Disney sequels, the animation is much worse. It looks....eh....

It gets worse though.  Did I mention that the first film has one of the best soundtracks in any Disney film? Yeah, you can go and throw that out the window now. The soundtrack in this is... forgettable to say the least. I can only remember one song and I really wish I didn't because it's freaking annoying (auuuuugh! *smashes head on desk*). Even the villain is boring. Sure he's funny but after Frollo he just seems crap. You can't even top Frollo...or the first film so why did you even bother?

The Hunchback of Notre Dame II is, as you probably could tell, is a much worse film than the first. There are a few things I enjoy but, all in all, it comes off as cheap and forgettable. The soundtrack is crap, the new characters are annoying and just feels off. All the time I was watching this, I just wanted to watch the first one again. 

Verdict:

2/10

A cheap and forgettable that feels insulting to the first film. Just watch the first one again, you'll get a better experience. 

The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Gary Trousdael & Kirk Wise, 1996) Review

So I was going to review We Bought a Zoo but frankly, I was having major writers block (hence the lateness of this review) so I looked at the next film on my schedule...it was this. Definitely one of the darker Disney films so trying to win back the audience after Pocahontas may not have been easy but...it's certainlly popular know. Why is this, you ask? Let's find out.

In Paris, a gypsy woman travels under the docks near Notre Dame. She is intervened and killed by Judge Claude Frollo (Tony Jay) who threatens to kill her deformed baby too. The Archdeacon (David Ogden Stiers) of Notre Dame manages to convice Frollo to keep the baby for his own on the condition that he live in the bell tower of Notre Dame. The child, called Quasimodo (Tom Hulce), has grown into an adult and wants to live out with everyone else. The paths of his master, Frollo, and a gypsy dancer named Esmerelda (Demi Moore). Quasmodo must stop Frollo's rage agaisnt the gypsies and gain recognition from the people.

First things first, the music in this film is one of Disney's best. 'Bells of Notre Dame', 'Hellfire', 'Out There' and so many others are truly up there with the best Disney songs and even the background music is that good. This is mostly due to the top notch voice acting with Tony Jay being the most memorable of them. Frollo is up there in terms of Disney villains and the rest of the main cast is very enjoyable. Even side characters such as Clopin (Paul Kandel) are memorable. That takes effort.

I only have a few complaints. The most notable one being that, when you get down to it, this is quite a short film. Things go by a bit too quickly. I wish there was more too it except maybe the gargoyles friends Quasimodo has. They really bring down the tone that the film is trying to convey. It works sometimes but other times it just seems forced.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame was a gamble for Disney and I can safely say that it paid off. The characters are brought to life by some of the best voice acting in Disney history as well as some truly amazing animation. I love the character designs and especially the colours and lighting. They come together for a great climax. This is definitely one of my favourite Disney films and is certainly up there with some of the bests.

Verdict:
8.5/10
Some amazing animation mixed with great voice acting and well designed characters makes for a great Disney film.

Conan the Barbarian (John Milius, 1982) Review

I have really been watching too many Schwarzenegger movies lately. When friends throw DVDs at you (five of them consisting of Arnie films), that's bound to happen but I guess it's my own fault for not watching films such as Terminator 2 and A Clockwork Orange. We all know Arnie as a cheesy, macho guy that likes to go "RAAGAHHAHRHAH" a lot but let's look at an Arnie film BEFORE he went all...one-linerish (is that even a thing? It is now). So is Conan The Barbarian like an other Arnie film or something different? Let's find out.

Conan is a young boy whose father (William Smith) makes a legendary sword. When his village is invaded and whiped out by a man named Thulsa Doom (James Earl Jones), Conan is captured and mae a slave. Many years later, Conan, now an adult (Arnold Schwarzenegger), escapes and vows vengeance on Thulsa. Conan meets two thieves, Subotai (Gerry Lopez) and Valeria (Sandahl Bergman), who band together to take down Thulsa Doom's forces as well as trying to rescue the King's daughter from Thulsa's hypnoses.

Did I say this was different from Arnie films? Err...kind of.  Sure, there are no guns or explosions but it's got an older equivalent with Arnie style sword fighting instead (all those people couldn't take down Conan? How?!). Does this make it a bad film? Not really, I think it's a little worse than Commando though as the biggest problem with Conan the Barbarian is that it's way too slow. Some scenes were very unnecessary and dragged on a bit. Ironically, the only bits that seemed a bit too fast were the RELEVANT bits to the plot! I think it has it's priorities wrong. 

There are some great things (I think I'm making a habit of this formula). James Earl Jones is excellent in this however he only really gets one scene to shine. The rest of the time, he doesn't do much but his imposing look is enough to be awesome. I will admit that the side characters are engaging but Conan himself is boring. There's no character to him. Look past him and you get a film with some great characters who you will actually care about. It also has one of the best soundtracks in film history. Just...JUST LISTEN TO THIS (best bit starts at around 3:32).

Conan the Barbarian is definitely an epic film but there are so many flaws that stop it from being a great one. If they had polished up some things such as the pacing and the writing, this could be a great film. The cast, the music and the look of the film get overshadowed by the flaws. This film is a gem hidden deep in a rock. Cult classic? Probably. Guilty Please? Again, probably. That's what Arnie's films all tend to be: guilty pleasures.

Verdict:
6/10
There are so many good things here but the flaws overshadow them. 

Commando (Mark L. Lester, 1985) Review

Remember when I said that I would review another franchise? I lied. Instead we're looking at one of Arnold Schwarzenegger's most macho films that was made back during his prime! This was before the days of Batman and Robin and Jingle all the Way. Many consider this to be the primary Arnie film that just symbolises what Arnie is all about! Let's take a look at Commando!

Retired military agent John Matrix (Arnold Schwarzenegger) lives a happy life with his daughter, Jenny (Alyssa Milano). That is until a group of terrorists start killing Matrix's fellow soldiers and finally aims for Matrix. They kidnap Jenny and force Matrix intro assassinating the president of another country. Matrix manages to trick the terrorists and now has 11 hours to come up with a plan to save Jenny and finish off the terrorists.

Yes, this is cheesy. Yes, Arnie can't act. Yes, it barely makes any sense. Does this mean it's a terrible film? You'd think so, but no. This is probably Arnie's best (well, The Terminator was better but...it's not just Arnie blowing stuff up) but I'm not really sure how much that's saying. The term badass is defined by this movie but looking at it now, is it really that good? It's pretty awesome, I'll give it that and I did find it surprisingly heartwarming (just look at the lengths Matrix goes to save Jenny!)  as well as action packed. I did thoroughly enjoy Commando.

Did I say thoroughly? I guess there is some leniency there. This is an unbelievably stupid movie. Cindy (Rae Dawn Chong) is a very annoying character that offers nothing to the narrative at all. Why was she inventied? I have no idea and I think the film would have benefited from her absence. In addition, there are some moments that go beyond stupid where I have to draw the line. 

Commando is one of Arnold Schwarzenegger better films but, like I said, I'm not really sure if that statement is worth anything. If people do hate this film, then I guess this is a guilty pleasure. I would watch it again but, technically speaking, this is a stupid, stupid film. I can think of many worse Arnie films like Jingle all the Way and Junior so if you want a good Arnie film, this is one of them. 

Verdict:
6.5/10
A stupid film that I can't help but enjoy. One of the most badass films ever, 'nuff said.

Godzilla (Roland Emmerich, 1998) Review

It's another film from the director of 2012...oh good God what have I gotten myself into? We've all heard of Godzilla (and if not, where have you been) but I guess Hollywood felt that they needed to do their own take on the classic franchise. With Roland Emmerich at the helm...it's probably a load of crap. After all, everything he's made is terrible (even Michael Bay, to his credit, made The Island which was...okay) but is Godzilla an exception? Let's find out!

After nuclear tests are performed, it begins to mutate an iguana that finds itself attacking a Japanese fishing boat. A survivor is found and only has one word about the ordeal - "Gojira". Dr. Niko Tatopoulos (Matthew Broderick) is called in to investigate what has happened and what caused this mess. Tatopoulos finds that the iguana has mutated into a giant lizard known as Godzilla which has now set it's sights on New York City. With the army's weapons proving useless, Tatopoulos must find a way to save New York fom Godzilla.

Is this an exception? No. Plain and simple. This is as bad as his other films. This is not Godzilla! It really isn't. Firstly, it looks nothing like Godzilla nor does it have anything that resembles the franchise. If it wasn't for the name, no-one would think this was Godzilla. The focus on the monster draws away from the characters making them bland and uninteresting. People make fun of Matthew Broderick and this is one of the films that make you question his acting. Sure, he's done good stuff but this is definitely one of his worst films. So, let's recap here: Misuse of Godzilla name, boring characters and terrible acting.

More so, the focus on action makes the film boring and uninspired. If you've read my reviews for a while, you may know that I hate it when films focus on nothing else but action as I feel that it gives it no substance...this is the case here. All this is is a monster tearing up New York! Where's the substance, the development...ANYTHING?! Even the CGI is now a bit dated so...what's to like?

Godzilla, despite it's name, is not a Godzilla film. The original franchise even went out of it's way to distance itself or at least take a stab at it (seriously, the real Godzilla 'fought' this one). Please never let this director loose on other franchises...PLEASE! I've done two bad films in a row...I need something to please me next time...maybe another franchise (maybe but probably not...).

Verdict:
3/10
A terrible interpretation of a great franchise. It's bland, dull and is filled with some terrible acting and underdevelopment 

Shark Tale (Bibo Bergeron, Vicky Jenson Rob and Letterman, 2004) Review

Ok, who was in charge of character design? I want names. You did a bang-up job of making the most hideous looking CG characters ever. I think the Goblin King from The Hobbit was as gross to look at! Just...look at it! It's like it was trying to splice the DNA of fish and people and the result was this poor looking monstrosity. Ok, ok, let's not be judgemental here until we actually take a look. So let's dive into Shark Tale.

Oscar (Will Smith) is a fish who works down at the whale wash (I'll give them credit for that one) but wants to live the high life. Instead of paying back money he owes to his boss, Sykes (Martin Scorsese), he uses that money to bet on a sea horse race (again, nice one). Naturally, he loses and Sykes has him 'whacked'. Instead of beign killed, however, Oscar accidentally kills  shark. He takes the credit for it and is hailed as a hero. When the sharks father, Don Lino (Robert DeNiro), wants revenge, Oscar has to team up with Don Lino's other son, Lenny (Jack Black), so that he won't get killed.

I was right to be judgemental. This is a perfect example of a film made for no other reason than just to make money. There is nothing in it! It's a bunch of stars playing themselves (with the exception of Jack Black) with no real depth to it. The only characters that I felt were the least bit enjoyable were Sykes and Don Lino but that's just being generous. Everyone else is terrible. Dreamworks really sold out just to make pop culture reference. Already this film is dated.

Is there anything good then? Yeah, it''s a funny film when it wants to be. There are so many moments that fall flat but it hits the occasional funny bit mostly at the expense of anything that resembles development. We've seen this plot before, we've seen this character before and it just comes out as a dull, uninspired and makes me wonder what the hell Dreamworks were thinking.

Shark Tale is an attempt to try and tell a good story to kids but is filled to the brim with pop culture references and absolutely no attempts at trying to differ the characters from the actors. You may remember this film as a childhood favourite but go back and watch this and you'll find a shallow (heh) film with absolutely nothing in it. I also refuse to live in a world where this is an Oscar nominated film and The Dark Knight Rises is not. Get your act together, Academy!

Verdict:
4/10
A film that has nothing in it. It's just pop culture references (that are already dated  and actors just playing themselves.


I liked the shrimp though...I'll give the movie that.

The Silence of the Lambs (Jonathan Demme, 1991) Review

Looks like we're looking at some more risqué films. What have I gotten myself into? I went from a Dreamworks animation film and now I'm doing this film! I'm sure all of you people that have seen this know what I'm talking about (and if you have seen it and don't know what I'm talking about then you probably haven''t seen it). It's one of the most famous films (that was a bold statement) so I figure it's time to take a look. So here's Silence of the Lambs...yes the title is referenced once in the film and never brought up again.

Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) is a rookie FBI agent who is called in to try and convince famous criminal Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) to help out in a case to find a murderer known as Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine) who is kidnapping people and skinning them. Clarice's boss, Jack Crawford (Scott Glenn), believes that Hannibal has the answers to the case however Clarice must gain the trust of Hannibal and not fall under any of his mind games. 

Yes, yes we all know how amazing the performances in this film are. Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins both got Oscars for this film and it's obvious why. Hannibal is a great character and is enjoyable to watch every second he's on screen. To be honest, he overshadows everything else in the film and you just crave more...hence why there are two other films (I should really watch those...). Jodie Foster also does a good job of playing the only sane character in the film and acts as a way of immersing yourself in the film. It's not as immersive as something like Lord of the Rings (not The Hobbit...too many frames per second, you see)  but still, the film does create some memorable characters, moments, locations...every thing.

I'm sure there are some other aspects I could discuss  but this is mainly a character driven film. The characters are the main reason that this film works. I had heard of Hannibal Lecter WAY before I watched this film so clearly there is something done right here. The only problem I have stems from a first time viewing. After watching this film a second time, everything makes sense. You may get lost the first time through so I guess that is technically a problem...a major problem...plus it may make some people feel uncomfortable (only two films have really made me uncomfortable...this is not one of them).

Silence of the Lambs has every right to be a classic. The cast does a fantastic job of playing iconic characters that help drive the film to a suspenseful climax. While you may get lost the first time, watch it again so that you can truly get a full grasp of the film. Yes, this is part of a trilogy but I haven't seen those (I have Red Dragon but...I've got a lot of my plate). Give this one a watch if your one of those people who don't mind being uncomfortable when watching a film (that scene in Skyfall sort of threw everything out..."What makes you think this is my first time?").

Verdict:
9/10
A true classic. Excellent acting helps drive an excellent plot for an iconic and unmissable film.

Rise of the Guardians (Peter Ramsey, 2012) Review

So I've gathered that Dreamworks has at least three animation studios. The one htat makes Shrek, the on that makes the more cartoony ones like Megamind and Monsters vs Aliens and now a much more professional looking one made famous for How to Train Your Dragon. I don't even care if I'm wrong, that's just how I see it and now Rise of the Guardians has shown up with a very good look that reminds me of How to Train Your Dragon. Does that mean it's going to be as good? Let's find out.

Jack Frost (Chris Pine) awakens from an icy lake but has no idea why he is alive. He finds an outlet by causing snow days effectively getting kids off school but the fun is cut short when a villain known as Pitch (Jude Law) wants to plunge the world into nightmares. The guardians, consiting of Santa Claus/North (Alec Baldwin), the Easter Bunny/Bunnymund (Hugh Jackman), the Tooth Fairy (Isla Fisher) and the Sandman (...he doesn't really say anything), have to team up with Jack Frost in order to take down Pitch and save the faith of the children of the world.

Dreamworks...please keep doing what you're doing. How to Train Your Dragon was an splendid animated feature and Rise of the Guardians, while not as good, isn't too far behind. Where the film really shines is the visuals. They look fantastic even down to the character design, especially on the Tooth Fairy (definetly the most unique of the bunch). Even making Bunnymund Austrailian fits well into the world of the film. I can't really imagine the film working if it was the generic versions of the characters. North doesn't even say "Ho Ho Ho"...and I love them for it.

It's not all good though. I love Alec Baldwin, Hugh Jackman and Isla Fisher in their roles but Chris Pine doesn't really work as Jack. Now, I'm not saying it was a bad performance or that I hate Chris Pine (he was pretty good), it's just that I think there was a better voice for Jack out there. Jude Law was surprisingly evil and, while they could have gone with someone else, I'm glad they didn't. Sure, the films a bit clunky at times and can't seem to focus on one area (it rushes around a bit) but there is a lot to enjoy.

Rise of the Guardians is one of the better animated films of 2012 (even better than that Oscar 'ahem' "winner" that shall not be named...BEARS!) but there are a few things that stop it from being one of the greats. A lot of the cast is well cast with only a few questionable choices and, while it has a hard time keeping focused, it's certainly an enjoyable flick.

Verdict:
8/10
While it needs more focus, that doesn't stop it from being an enjoyable film.

The Cat Returns (Hiroyuki Morita, 2002) Review

With Whisper of the Heart out of the way, I can turn my attention to a film that I've wanted to talk about for a while now. Will I ever get round to Miyazaki's films? Eventually, but for now I'm looking at The Cat Returns...obviously, because it's the title of the review. I was probably gonna mention it. Well, with that out of the way, let's dive into one of Studio Ghibili's lesser known titles, The Cat Returns.

Haru (Anne Hathaway) is a normal high school student, that is until she saves the life of a cat and sheis rewarded by residents of the Cat Kingdom. She recieves some gifts that only cats would want (mice, catnip and the such) until the Cat King (Tim Curry) arranges Haru and his son, the cat she saved, to be married. Haru seeks help from the cat bureau with the help of Muta (Peter Boyle), a big fat cat from Whisper of the Heart, and meets with the head of the bureau, The Baron (Cary Elwes) also from Whisper of the Heart. Muta, The Baron and their avian friend Toto (Elliot Gould) vow to protect Haru from the Cat King.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present my favourite Studio Ghibli film (you know, considering The Castle of Cagliostro doesn't count). I believe that my favourite genre is pure Adventure. No Sci-fi or Action hyprid genres, just Adventure. My love of The Castle of Cagliostro reflects this and The Cat Returns is no different. It's sort of a dead genre as most people tie in other genres into it, making something new. I respect this film for bringing in only fantasy at the very least. The world that they create with this film is beautiful and the animation, while vastly different to Ghibli's other works, helps create some excellent content for this film. What tops it off is the amazing soundtrack. It's easily Studio Ghibli's best soundtrack to any of their films.

This film easily has by favourite Ghibli characters in it. The Baron is one of my favourite cartoon characters to date and his team up with Haru, one of Ghibli's better protagonists, and Muta, a very enjoyable character (mostly down to the voice work from Peter Boyle), makes for excellent dialogue and some awesome moments. Tim Curry naturally does a hammy performance as the Cat King and is an excellent addition to the cast. I also have to give film props for succesfully managing to blend different emotions together in a small space of time. That's hard to do but it pulled it off. Did I mention I love this film?

I could go on about how much I love The Cat Returns. Is it perfect? No. The big glaring problem is that it's too short...that's it. I can't think of any other problems (I'm sure you can but...eh). Becuase of it's length, I can easily watch this film again and again and never get bored of it. THAT shows how good of a film it is. It's the most replayable film I can think of. Remember how I said in my review of Whisper of the Heart that you all need to buy it? Yeah, buy this too while you're at it. It's well worth a watch.

Verdict:
9.5/10
My favourite Ghibli film. The exellently written script and characters combined with nice animation and an amazing soundtrack and cast makes for one of Ghibli's more enjoyable films.

I think I'm a cat person...is that a form of bias?