Smallfoot is a new animated adventure comedy film from Warner Animation Group. It is an inventive spin on a common tale in which a Yeti becomes determined to prove the existence of the mythical "smallfoot" (human). It features an ensemble voice cast including actors such as Channing Tatum, James Corden, Common, Danny DeVito, Gina Rodriguez, and more.

I was really impressed by how deep this film's story turned out to be. Of course, the film is aimed at younger audiences, so there is a clear formula to which the film mostly sticks and a predictable nature, but the film has other ways of making itself feel fresh and unique. For example, the film's ultimate message of "be true to yourself" isn't anything new, especially in family films; however, this film takes it a bit further and delivers some interesting commentary on religion and social mobility. Again, it is significantly watered-down to make it more palatable for children, but I think this film can be a great way to introduce and start some important conversations with young and curious children. It is possible that this could stray against the values of some families, but as a whole, I would say that the film has positive messages and intentions. Additionally, there is a very interesting subplot that deals with fame and integrity. The film also has a lot to offer in terms of pure entertainment value. Many of the children in the audience were laughing hysterically at much of the film's humor. As an adult, I thought the film was cute and funny, too. There were quite a few scenes that had me laughing quite deeply, but even the parts I didn't find hilarious had me smiling.

The film's animation is obviously great. WAG always does a good job with the visuals in their film. There was one dream-like sequence of which I was not a huge fan, but I was quite pleased with the rest. I thought that the soundtrack of the film is great. The songs were funny, inspirational, and good at pushing the story along. There was one song in particular, set to the tune of Queen and Bowie's "Under Pressure", that had me cracking up. Additionally, the voice cast is very strong. Channing Tatum is great in his leading role, as he nails the comedic delivery and the irony. Perhaps my favorite actor in the voice cast, though, was Ely Henry, who played a comedic relief character with some of the best moments in the film. Common, Danny DeVito, and Gina Rodriguez are also all great additions.

Overall, I was highly impressed by Smallfoot. I think that it's a great film for kids, but it also offers plenty for the adults that will accompany them to the theater. I really hope that this does well enough to warrant another visit to the world of the Yetis.

Smallfoot opens in theaters September 28.

Smallfoot
Big Tuna's Rating: B+
How Did I Watch It?: A press screening.
Had I Seen It Before?: No.
Would I Watch It Again?: Yes.

The House with a Clock in Its Walls is a new fantasy-comedy film starring Jack Black and Cate Blanchett. It is an adaptation of the popular 1973 children's novel of the same name by John Bellairs. It follows a young orphan who aids his uncle, a warlock, in finding a mysterious clock that has an ominous purpose.

I thought that this film was exactly what it needed to be. It is a campy adventure film with plenty of fun moments that distract from the inconsistencies in the story. Some of the twists don't entirely make sense, and there are quite a few moments that are glaringly convenient, but in the end, I didn't really care because of the fact that the film is aimed at a younger audience. I feel like the film's target audience will find plenty of joy in the film, and find much to relate to in the struggles of the protagonist. That being said, the film also has plenty to offer for the adults that will be accompanying their kids to the cinema or those who are just young-at-heart and are feeling a bit nostalgic. The film's comedy is great, with some legitimately funny physical comedy and one-liners. The film's pacing is also strong, and while it isn't quite as action-packed as other similar film's, the rapid fire dialogue and detailed world building go a long way to make up for missing elements. Additionally, the message at the core of the story is positive, albeit familiar. The treatment of bullying in the film is more realistic than I have seen in most films, although there is a somewhat insensitive gag at the expense of a boy with a disability towards the beginning of the film.

The film is directed by Eli Roth, which is surprising, given the fact that he is most known for the splatter horror genre. That being said, he transitions into the family realm well, delivering a visually impressive film that still has evidence of his flare. I really enjoyed the film's elements of gothic horror, and this is reflected in the magnificent production design. The set of the house is absolutely beautiful, one of the most impressive I have seen in a while. The cinematography and special effects are both pretty solid, too, giving the film a fantasy-like, but not necessarily cartoonish feel. The score is solid, doing a good job of adding tension and suspense. Jack Black does a lot of the heavy lifting in the cast, and his performance is enjoyable, although undeniably hammy, reminiscent of his performance in the similarly-toned Goosebumps film. Cate Blanchett is wonderful in her role, as charming and likable as ever. The child actor, Owen Vaccaro, shows a lot of promise in this film, especially with comedic delivery, although he has a few scenes in which his emotion felt a little insincere.

Overall, I really liked The House with a Clock in Its Walls. I think that it is an enjoyable spooky, but family-friendly film that serves as the perfect way to herald the upcoming Fall season. This is one that you won't want to miss.

The House with a Clock in Its Walls opens in theaters September 21.

The House with a Clock in Its Walls
Big Tuna's Rating: B
How Did I Watch It?: A press screening.
Had I Seen It Before?: No.
Would I Watch It Again?: Yes.

Alpha was a film that had a very troubled journey to the screen. It was originally going to be released earlier this year, marketed as a survival action film. However, it got delayed to a Fall release, for which it was marketed as a family adventure. In all honesty, it's a little bit of both. The story follows a boy who gets injured and separated from his prehistoric tribe during a hunt, only to find an unlikely ally in a wolf in a similar situation.

Ultimately, I found that the film's biggest issue was simply that it was boring. The film just didn't do a good job of keeping my interest. The plot is largely generic and by-the-numbers, the characterization was a little lackluster, and there was just a lot of walking/limping around. Another thing that kind-of threw me off was that the whole film was subtitled. I don't usually mind subtitled films... if they're in a foreign language. This film is not in a foreign language, but a language made up specifically for this film. It takes Na'vi to a whole new level. On one hand, it's very ambitious and required a lot of commitment from the cast. That being said, I don't think that the ambition really paid off, instead being of detriment to the film. Although it theoretically gives a sense of "realism", as English wasn't invented until (likely) thousands of years after this film is set, it also distanced me from the film and characters. Additionally, it weakens the film's visual storytelling. I almost think that the film could have been more effective had a majority of it been silent.

That being said, the film is undeniably visually impressive. I think that the cinematography and CGI were both great, and I honestly regret not seeing this in a bigger format. The sound is also good, with a suspenseful score and great use of sound mixing. The editing is a little iffy at times, especially with the frequent cuts to black, but there are a few moments in which the editing does add to the suspense. As a whole, I felt like this film was the cinematic equivalent of gilding in that the film looks amazing on the outside, but there' just really nothing to it on the inside. Had the story been more compelling or interesting, it could have been great.

Overall, I was a little bored by Alpha. Honestly, it's not an outright bad film, and it definitely gets points for being ambitious, but it just didn't work for me. The film's biggest issue may be that the studio couldn't figure out how to market the film or who the audience actually was.

Alpha
Big Tuna's Rating: C-
How Did I Watch It?: In theaters.
Had I Seen It Before?: No.
Would I Watch It Again?: No.

Christopher Robin is Disney's latest foray into taking one of their beloved animated properties and adapting it into a live-action film, this time focusing on Winnie the Pooh. However, this film is not a remake, like Disney's other recreations, but a sequel, following an adult Christopher Robin as his childhood pals from the Hundred Acre Wood come to visit him as an adult.

The film's plot may be familiar, but it is also undeniably lovable and cute. The film's core message— to not lose sight of the child inside— is one that is so often forgotten in this day and age. Whereas some films aim to inspire change through political messaging and commentary, this film simply seeks to inspire, hoping that the world can be a better place if people just take time out of their day to be joyous. And honestly, I think that watching this film is a great start. This film provides a really nice relief from the current events in the world with its positive messaging and heartwarming tone. Despite the film's obvious fantasy elements, it still feels somewhat grounded because of the way in which the characters are developed. Christopher Robin and his family are all very likable characters. Robin feels like a natural progression of the classic character. The animated characters were used to a little more mixed success. I felt like Piglet, Kanga and Roo, Owl, and Rabbit were underused. Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, and Eeyore were all used very well, though.

I also thought that the execution of the film was solid. The combination of live-action and animated elements was smooth and effective. The actors all did a good job of interacting with the CGI elements and making it feel natural and realistic. The design of the characters is also really good, helping that even further. I thought that the cinematography was very good, with many smooth camera movements and interesting shots. The production design was also very good, especially of the Hundred Acre Wood. The cast does a great job in their roles. Jim Cummings is beloved as Pooh and Tigger, and rightfully so, as he does a wonderful job voicing the characters. Brad Garrett is also very good in his voice role as Eeyore, capturing the essence of the character very well. The live-action cast is good, too. Ewan McGregor delivers an excellent performance in the role, one of his strongest turns in years.  He is great at handling both the comedic and emotional moments. He is backed up by an excellent supporting cast including Hayley Atwell, Bronte Carmichael, and Mark Gatiss.

Overall, Christopher Robin isn't perfect, but I was very happy with it. Apart from being a little familiar, I found the film to be really solid, with some great visuals, an inspiring message, and solid performances. This is definitely a must-see for families.

Christopher Robin
Big Tuna's Rating: B
How Did I Watch It?: In theaters.
Had I Seen It Before?: No.
Would I Watch It Again?: Yes.

I never watched the Teen Titans Go! TV show, but I was a fan of the original series when I was younger, and the trailers for this looked quite funny, so I decided to see it. Ultimately, I wasn't as big of a fan of it as many critics were, but I still appreciated it for what it was.

The film's plot is undeniably silly and stupid. However, being aimed at kids, that can almost be accepted. It is a little mind-numbingly predictable at times, especially if you know even a little about the DC Comics characters that inspire the film, but the humor is what will make or break the film for you. Again, being aimed at children, the film contains some immature humor, like fart jokes. Then there's some humor that isn't exactly immature, but didn't fully land with me. Unfortunately, I found that to comprise a majority of the film. The most successful type of humor, though, that is why I did enjoy the film to the extent that I did, was darker and meta humor. This is what kept my interest in the film, as there were some moments in the film that were truly hilarious because of this humor. I was surprised at some of the boundaries which the film was willing to push. That cut-to-credits is one of the best lines in the whole film. I also thought that the film's character development had some issues. This may be a result of the film being a spin-off of an existing TV show that has already developed the characters on its own.

I'm not a huge fan of the film's over-the-top animation style. It's almost goofy in a way, and this goofiness was rather off-putting to me. It made the characters look less like teenagers and more like little kids. There are also some moments that are far too out there for me. I wasn't a big fan of the film's musical moments, but that's because these moments were among the silliest in the film. The cast is quite strong as a whole, comprised of both the regulars from the TV show and new additions for the feature film. Even though his role isn't that big, it's great to see Nicolas Cage finally (almost) play Superman. Will Arnett and Kristen Bell are both good in their roles, too.

Overall, I think that Teen Titans Go! To the Movies is definitely a welcome alternative to the predominantly dark and gloomy offerings of the DC Universe, but it has been done far more effectively before (The LEGO Batman Movie). It seems as if this film was created mainly to cater to fans of the TV show and for later air on TV networks.

Teen Titans Go! To the Movies
Big Tuna's Rating: B-
How Did I Watch It?: In theaters.
Had I Seen It Before?: No.
Would I Watch It Again?: Yes.