hyped garbage

Good concept, poorly executed.

It is not deep, but it is fun to watch. It does have a bit more of an edge to it than other similar films.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Warning don't read unless seen the film.This film is another one of my favorate animated films of all time and probably my forth favorate film from one of my favorate animated directors Don Bluth. Though I'll admit this isn't the easiest film to watch, despite a fun film it's also one of the saddest film's I've ever seen. I rarely cry in movies but this film is one of the ones I actually did. And considering the case of what happened with voice actress Judith Barsi, it's all the more sadder. Considering the story line of the film and her it's ironically errie much like with Brandon Lee and the film "The Crow" which is another story, though it's storyline is a bit erriely similar to this film if you think about the context.Anyway down to business, the animation is great it's the kind you would see from any Don Bluth film which I wouldn't want any other way. The music is just great this film has some of the best songs and musical numbers from cheerful to even some really sad tunes. One fun number I really like is "You can't keep a good dog down" which I always found funny though also strangely encouraging as it's about not letting life get you down. The song "Love Survives" is beautiful and is one of my favorite end credit themes though it's also really sad as it's the perfect swan song for Judith.Characters are great, Burt Rennalds and Dom Deliwese are a fun comic duo as usual and this was kinda one of the last time both got together (the other an episode of "Robot Chicken"). Both I feel are at their best, I really like how both characters their not really good or bad people but sort of in a grey area; their both people that want more out of life but are looking to get all the wrong things. Itchy (Dom Deliwese) is really funny, Dom is great at putting in that nervious energy to his character (hence the name Itchy). He's sort Charlie's number two as he's the mechanic/engeneer to his schemes. But what I like about his character is he really is a person of conscious, despite going along with Charlie and his schemes he's not all for it. And you can say a bit of a voice of conscious for Charlie if not a perfect conscious, as he warns Charlie both might be in over their heads or gone too far. Charlie most of the time waves it off despite the fact Ichy is actually on the money.Charlie (Burt Renalds) is also really funny and a fun character. He's pretty much a slick griffter and gambler, he has just this dry infectious charisma and energy. Despite doing the wrong thing most of the time, you can't help but forgive the guy because he does wheteher he knows it or not is capable of carring. He does love and think about his friend Itchy and after a while Anne Marie. However what really makes the dynamic complete is Anne Marie played beautiful by Judith Barsi in sadly her final role. Her character to me is the real heart and soul of the film, she's a character you really feel a deep sense of pathos for as she's an orphan and had next to nothing in life. She is a person that has been used for her mutant ablity which is sort of like the "Beastmaster" as she is somehow able to communicate with different animals probably psychically where near the end somehow she was able to draw all the dogs in the city to her rescue. But her she is just beautiful and sweet inside and out, and all she really wants is a family to love her. There is a sequence in the film where she sings the song "Come Home to my Heart" which is a beautiful and sad song, and as the song is playing we see a montage of Anne looking at photos of a couple and imagining both of them as her parients and the things they would share together. That scene just made me cry, it really made me think about all the other kids whom have no parents and grateful I have a family that loves me. That scene alone all the more made me want Anne to win but also shows Charlie's true mission, it's not revenge or to gain fame and fortune but to help Anne Marie. The film in a way is kinda a Christian film, and I mean that in a good way, there are Christian themes but their suttle and not preachy. The problem with Charlie is that he has devoted most of his life to pride, greed and vanity. But in one scene he loses everything he's built, that scene alone just goes to show how all three things are fleeting and love no one back.Or even there is this dream sequence where Charlie gets a glimpse of Hell, which I'll admit had to be one of the scariest sequences I've ever seen. But it taught me a valuable lesson that whatever decision and actions we make in the mortal realm do affect what happens in our lives and the hereafter.But what I really in the film is Charlie really does have feelings for Anne Marie, despite not wanting to admit it yet. At first it's true he is using her for his own gains but slowly but surely those feelings for her do grow and it fills a spiritual emptiness he's had for a while and all his sinful feelings fade when he realizes what really matters in life. Which makes the bond between them all the more endearing and the ending all the more heartbreaking. The film has a good message, life your life well and wisely. But also to devote your time on what really matters because none of us truly have all the time in the world.This animated classic flies high.Rating: 4 stars

All dogs go to Heaven is one of the best movies I've ever seen

In 1939 New Orleans, Charlie Barkin, a roguish German Shepherd (voiced by Burt Reynolds), is working with his gangster business partner, a smoking bulldog named Carface (voiced by Vic Tayback), at a casino fashioned out of a derelict oil tanker. Wanting to take all the earnings for himself, Carface frames Charlie and has him sent to a pound, but Charlie escapes with the help of his best friend Itchy, a nervous Dachshund (voiced by Dom Deluise at his funniest). The two of them arrive back at the casino in the middle of a rat race, and celebrate their breakout with the catchy as heck musical number "You Can't Keep a Good Dog Down".But Charlie still believes that he and Carface are partners. Eager for 100% of the profit, Carface and his neurotic sidekick Killer (voiced by Charles Nelson Reilly) get Charlie drunk and then kill him by running an automobile over him. Charlie shoots straight into the sky and lands at the pearly gates. He arrives in what appears to be the sort of Heaven that a child might imagine, located in the clouds, where everyone floats around and is dressed in a robe with halos above their heads, and where lions are resting with lambs. A Whippet Angel there explains to Charlie that all dogs naturally go to heaven because they are inherently good, unlike humans. But because Charlie has spent his life being a gambler and drinker, he is unimpressed with heaven and how everything is orderly and pre-planned. He sings "Let Me be Surprised", in which he complains that he wants to go back to earth where he doesn't know what's going to come. He cheats his death by stealing his life watch, a glowing pocket watch, and winds it up, allowing him to return to earth. For a place that knows everything that is to come, they sure didn't see that coming. Through the rest of the movie, the angel's voice coming from the watch says "You can never come back", a very haunting and unsettling line. Back on earth again, Charlie reunites with Itchy and plots his revenge on Carface to "ruin him and make him suffer slowly and painfully."You know, for kids!So as Charlie sneaks into an air vent to enter Carface's basement, he finds him there talking to a young girl named Anne-Marie (the voice of this character was Judith Barsi's last performance). It turns out she has a rare ability to speak to animals. Carface has her held against her will so she can talk to rats, giving him an advantage when betting on races, which are apparently rigged so that those who speak the rats' language can know in advance of the outcome. Carface keeps making promises to Anne-Marie that she can go outside the basement, but breaks them. Being an orphan, Anne-Marie is sad and lonely.When Carface leaves, Charlie rescues Anne-Marie and plans to use her in the same way Carface does. He says that in return he would help her find a mom and dad, though he has no intention of doing so. A memorable seen takes place the following evening when Charlie, Anne- Marie, and Itchy sleep inside a taxi at a landfill. Charlie is eager to get Anne-Marie to fall asleep so he can talk privately about his plan with Itchy, but she keeps getting up and asking him things such as "Can I sleep here?" or "May I have a goodnight kiss?", to which Charlie is annoyed and more smacks her with is tongue than kisses her. She also prays to God, thanking Him for Charlie and Itchy, which is a bit confusing since the Heaven we see in this movie appears to be nondenominational. So the next day, they go out to the park to grab a few bucks from someone's wallet to start their betting, while Anne-Marie is just searching for a pair who might adopt her. As she introduces herself to a young couple, Charlie snags the man's wallet and takes Anne-Marie away. And before long, Charlie makes out like a bandit at horse races and other events including---kangaroo boxing?Soon, Charlie has his own bar and casino built. But when Anne-Marie becomes upset that he hasn't used any money for the poor, Charlie decides to stay to true to the promise. So he brings pizza to an abandoned church where a litter of a puppies are cared for by a collie named Flo (voiced by Loni Anderson). The pups start fighting over the pizza, leading to Charlie singing a sort of Jamaican song about the values of sharing. I guess the writers had to add in a message for young children, as the main theme of the movie is more adult.So Anne-Marie finds the wallet that Charlie stole from the man and sees the couple's wedding photo inside. She goes up to the church's attic to sleep, and sings a "Somewhere Out There"-like song, in an audibly different voice I might add, about how soon she will find a mom and dad.Though this movie isn't as dear to my heart as "The Land Before Time" (I admit I watched this one fairly recently), it's pretty good. Burt Reynolds was awesome as the voice of Charlie, giving him the charm of a con man, and in fact all the voice acting is excellent. The animation has the dark texture of "The Secret of NIMH" and the outstanding background details of "The Land Before Time". The pacing does grow slow in the middle, but it all builds to the movie's truly moving conclusion. Young children may be confused and disturbed by the movie, but with the subject material, Don Bluth always respected them (in the 80s, that is). If you have the time, certainly consider the watch.7/10 for "All Dogs Go To Heaven".

Years ago I saw this film after hearing about it several times. I saw the secret of NIMH, Bluth's other animated venture, and thought that a film about a canine going to the great pound in the sky might be worth a night's viewing.Well, I bought a copy to have, saw it, and wasn't sure what to make of it. It was one of the most odd children's' films I had ever seen. Other animated films had a kind of grounding, but this film seemed to be really out there. That, and the animation by Don Bluth standards, wasn't all that good. It was decent, respectable, and passing, but not in line with his usual work. The facial expressions were great, but the entire film seemed more than just a little dark. I read that someone else stated that the colors were rich. I'm not so sure that that's the phrasing that I would use in this instance. Again "dark" comes to mind.We have a tale about a dog who indulges in the seamier side of life. His values are to get ahead by placating to desires of character weakness; gambling, drinking and so forth. He gets his break by stealing away a young girl superbly voiced by the late Judith Barsi. Reynolds, his then wife/companion Loni Anderson, and on screen friend Dom Deluise voice the key elements in the film, accompanied by the ever talented Vic Taybac playing the heavy.I didn't take a shining to it then, but, being a dog lover, I decided to hold onto a copy, but I had real qualms with the content. It's not a film that I'd take any child to see, nor would I even really recommend it to the adult animation enthusiast. Even so, it has marginal entertainment value.Watch at your own risk.