Plenty to Like, Plenty to Dislike

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

I had great expectations for both "Planes" and "Planes: Fire and rescue". Both were letdowns! Neither film had the humor, heart and charisma that have characterized previous Pixar films. Ever since Disney bought out Pixar I have noticed a distinct decline in the quality of films made under the Disney Animation Studios logo. Disney has, in my opinion, ignored great Pixar directors like Andrew Stanton, Pete Doctor, and Lee Unkrich. These directors have made the best animated films on the planet and Disney doesn't use them! I have also noticed much of the production work is done in India with Indian animators and production staff. Is there a reason for this? I am not saying they are worse or better than animators in America. They are good. Disney needs to bring back Andrew Stanton, Pete Doctor and Lee Unkrich.

Review: Although this movie was made with young kids in mind, I didn't really find it that funny and I think that the whole animated talking vehicle concept has been a bit played out. The storyline wasn't that great and the different characters became annoying after a while. Basically Dusty, whose plays the main plane in the franchise, has found out that his parts can't be replaced after his engine gets damaged. He then joins the fire and rescue team and they embark on a massive fire which they have to join forces to put out. Not the greatest concept from the animation giants, Pixar. I found myself drifting of through the film and I felt more patronised than entertained. I'm sure that the little ones will be bugging there parents for the toys but from an adults points of view it really didn't do it for me. Disappointing!Round-Up: After watching animated movies like the Lego Movie and The Croods, I really couldn't find anything in this movie to laugh about. I know that it wasn't made for people in my age group, but when parents have to sit through the movies with there kids, they could at least put something in them for the adults. I know people that are my age that like Frozen and they know all the words to the songs so it can be easily done. Anyway, I think the distributors obviously released this movie at the right time because it nearly tripled it's budget. There will always be a massive audience for movies in this genre but thats not to say that you're guaranteed entertainment, which I surely wasn't.Budget: $50million Worldwide Gross: $146millionI recommend this movie to people who are into their animated movies about a plane who can't replace his faulty gearbox so he joins the fire & rescue team. 2/10

-for this wonderful film which has completely enthralled my 4 year old son. The Dusty Crophopper character is easily the big favorite amongst pre-school boys in our area. This film is better than the first, employing beautiful panoramic views paired with high action. The writers clearly understand their target market and if 4-6 year olds could write reviews, I'd imagine that the ratings for this film would be through the roof. This film explores the some of the same universal, time honored struggles that have concerned humanity since mythological times. These sophisticated ideas are communicated in a way to appeal to the cognitive abilities of a typical 4-6 year old. This is not an easy thing to do. There is an abundant use of allegory and metaphor and some aspects of this presentation are actually quite sophisticated. I do feel a little sorry for the stunted adult who is unable to recognize this. For most preschoolers, the initial draw of the film are the spinning propellors and rotors which are all used to good effect. For parents of mechanically inclined children, this provides an entrée for lengthily discussions about the make up of plane and helicopter engines and an exploration into how things work. The moral aspects of the film become a point for discussion as well.The score to this film is brilliant. When Blade tells Dusty about Augerin Canyon, the score shifts into a piano portion that is haunting, foreshadowing, evocative, and a little melancholy. I think of myself as a bit of a music snob (don't we all) and I have to say that this particular excerpt is the among the most beautiful new music I have heard all year. This powerful score helps to lend credibility to the reading of this fun little kid's film as also conveying a message that is both meaningful and emotive.The only complaint I have is that there are few female voiced characters in the film. The four I could discern include, Lil Dipper, Dottie, one of the smoke jumpers and a squealing little car at studio 404, being rescued by Blade in his old TV show. All the true major players are male. I would have liked to have seen a little more equity and sensitivity in the way that female characters were developed. Female characters don't always have to be 'Miss Piggy' obnoxious (Lil Dipper), usurped by a superior male (Dottie), saucy (smoke jumper), or weak and vulnerable (studio 404 car). I expect a little progress in storytelling from a studio that aspires to be on the cutting edge.Also, I noticed in the credits that a lot of the animation grunt work was outsourced. I would like for an American production to have sought to employ more Americans as a matter of principle. Disney will make more money than they need to on the licensing agreements alone, so no need to cut corners by outsourcing. If this film is as popular as it is in my kid's pre-school, their profit margins on this film, the merchandise and toys will prove to be astounding.

The first "Planes" was a pleasant surprise. It may have had practically the same "race-against-all-odds" story as "Cars", "Turbo" and many other animated films. But "Planes" still managed to be distinct and charming on its own, for both kids and adults.We get a lot of this homespun country charm again in this second installment called "Planes: Fire and Rescue." Our hero cropduster Dusty is having problems with his gear box and cannot push his engine to racing anymore. A fire at his hangar revealed the inadequacy of the fire-fighting capabilities of his area, so Dusty decided to try and have himself accredited as a Fire-Fighter. For adults, this may be an average affair for the most part. Even my tween kids did not too interested about watching it. Personally, my favorite part was when it was revealed that Dusty's stern mentor Blade Ranger (authoritatively voiced by Ed Harris) was once an actor in a TV cop-show called "CHoPs", which had the very familiar theme song of 70's motorcycle cop show "CHiPs"! The nostalgia brought a smile to my face.The story is pretty slim, standard and predictable, so this episode spent a lot of time showing grand forest vistas, amazingly realistic and scary fire scenes and more amazing aerial feats by Dusty and the other fire-fighting aircraft. Despite the fact that this is a film for kids, I give it props for tackling a form of heroism not usually shown on the big screen -- fire and rescue teams.