Movie Review from the Couch : Sing
So after a couple of Disney movies, things swing over to Universal Studios which seems to have an edge on making kids movies for adults via Illumination studios. A short history but one defined by the Despicable Me/Minions franchise and Secret Life of Pets.
Sing is pretty great. There is quite simply something magical in animated animals with human characteristics, in this case, singing pop songs. Everyone will surely know this film from the trailer preview with the bunnies singing "Baby Got Back" (or Nicki Minaj's "Anaconda).
Indeed, it's fairly inexplicable, but it is one of those things that makes kids laugh and adults smile.
Sing is a pretty basic plot. The well-tread "We have one chance to make it against all odds" whose examples I cannot think off the top of my head- but certainly Fame and Rocky.
The leads aren't obvious, which is good. Matthew McCounaghy as a lead is not distracting in a way that others might have been. It follows across the board that the voice talent (from Reese Witherspoon to Scarlett Johanson on) work in a way that we focus on the character not the voice. With the exception of Seth McFarland who trods out his Sinatra act one more time.
The pathos are actually pretty great, even with the familiar Rocky/Fame tropes. Yes, the characters are animated, and they all fall pretty much into American Idol-ish stereotypes. Yet, it warms the heart as the underdogs succeed.
Sing isn't wall to wall laughs, but it has funny moments, and it did keep my attention. It generally succeeds and feels more "modern" than Disney in that it is certainly written with an adult audience in mind. It could be funnier, sure, but generally is an enjoyable two hours in the way the Minions movies do.
Sing is pretty great. There is quite simply something magical in animated animals with human characteristics, in this case, singing pop songs. Everyone will surely know this film from the trailer preview with the bunnies singing "Baby Got Back" (or Nicki Minaj's "Anaconda).
Indeed, it's fairly inexplicable, but it is one of those things that makes kids laugh and adults smile.
Sing is a pretty basic plot. The well-tread "We have one chance to make it against all odds" whose examples I cannot think off the top of my head- but certainly Fame and Rocky.
The leads aren't obvious, which is good. Matthew McCounaghy as a lead is not distracting in a way that others might have been. It follows across the board that the voice talent (from Reese Witherspoon to Scarlett Johanson on) work in a way that we focus on the character not the voice. With the exception of Seth McFarland who trods out his Sinatra act one more time.
The pathos are actually pretty great, even with the familiar Rocky/Fame tropes. Yes, the characters are animated, and they all fall pretty much into American Idol-ish stereotypes. Yet, it warms the heart as the underdogs succeed.
Sing isn't wall to wall laughs, but it has funny moments, and it did keep my attention. It generally succeeds and feels more "modern" than Disney in that it is certainly written with an adult audience in mind. It could be funnier, sure, but generally is an enjoyable two hours in the way the Minions movies do.