'Zootopia' is deceptively cute

Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin), Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) and Flash (Raymond Persi) reenact the typical DMV experience in "Zootopia." Image courtesy Disney.

“Zootopia” is one of those films that starts off on a very good note and just continues to build from there. In this case, it’s an opening sequence that provides useful exposition in a unique and credible manner and establishes the personality of its main character, a bunny named Judy Hopps.  Hopps, depicted in the opening as a child but voiced later by Ginnifer Goodwin, is shown as an inventive, optimistic, smart, melodramatic and resourceful rabbit willing to stand up for what she thinks is right no matter what the consequences may be. Viewers learn all of that within five minutes, and the important attributes of the little bunny (and female role model) that eventually can are built upon from there.

That little tidbit is isn’t the most important reason to enjoy this fun and clever little flick, but it does showcase the very good filmmaking behind “Zootopia” and puts faith in the audience that the filmmakers can handle the topic they are about to address. This film is about racism, a topic that is difficult to discuss or even write about because of its complexities, yet one the filmmakers handle with grace and a gentle hand. “Zootopia” tackles this issue head on and hammers the message home with the help of some good character buildings and oodles of humor that – to cop a phrase from another Disney film – helps the medicine go down.

Back to Goodwin's little Judy Hopps, who starts off as a rabbit living in a small town with her farming family (her parents are voiced by Bonnie Hunt and Don Lake) but dreams of becoming a police officer. Her goal is an ambitious one – no rabbit has ever served as a police officer because rabbits are small and seen as meek – but she finishes at the top of her class at the police academy and is assigned to work at a station in the heart of the titular city, Zootopia. Hopps imagines Zootopia as a place where animals from all backgrounds come together and thrive; the reality is a messy city where major conflict lies just under the surface. Even her dream job is a letdown, as her boss, Chief Bogo, (Idris Elba) assigns her to be a meter maid and dole out tickets as the rest of the department searches for more than a dozen citizens gone missing. She soon finds herself assigned to the case of a missing otter at the behest of assistant mayor Bellweather (Jenny Slate) and enlists the help of con artist fox Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) in the search. The investigation takes them all over the city's vast terrain and into a complicated conspiracy that puts the future of Zootopia in jeopardy.

At its heart, “Zootopia” is a film about racism. It’s a movie that outlines the dangers of racial stereotypes, explains how easy it is for people to succumb to and be manipulated by preconceived notions of other people (or animals in this case). That’s the funny thing about the world depicted within the city of Zootopia, a place Hopps initially imagines as a Utopia but a place that keeps it together out of necessity. So while a giraffe and a tiger might mingle on a bus, an elephant can and will deny service to a fox like Nick Wilde because of blatant racism, and a leopard can get demoted because of his perceived nature. Those are big notes to hit, the easy kind that when left in isolation create pablum like Academy Award winning picture “Crash,” yet “Zootopia goes for institutional racism – Hopps’ storyline is rooted in that issue – and even casual racism that pops up in quotidian situations. The fact that “Zootopia” takes a minute to discuss the use of certain words and outlines the problems of, say, touching people’s hair is rather impressive and much more nuanced than other films that tackle race like the one mentioned earlier.  

“Zootopia” presents all of this in a brightly colored and very hilarious package that limits the onslaught of animal-related cultural puns that cheapen the experience and opts instead to craft some subtly spectacular jokes. That sloth sequence shown in the trailer plays just as well in the theater – that slow-building smile is terrific – and “Zootopia” complements that with pratfalls, sight gags, clever word play, pop culture references and a few killer punchlines to form a rather fun time at the cinema. At least until the third act, which sees the film drag a little as its burdened by a complex yet easy to figure out plot. Then again, neither problem is a fatal flaw for a film targeted at children, and “Zootopia” does so much right (how many films successfully tackle race and feminism?) it earns a little forgiveness for those flaws. It’s easy enough to rail against kid-centered films like the loathsome “Norm of the North” that represent everything wrong with children’s entertainment; “Zootopia” on the other hand, is an example of what the genre can be at its best.

Review: Four and a half out of Five Stars

Click here to see the trailer.

Rating: PG

Run time: 108 minutes (One hour and 48 minutes)

Genre: Animation

Ask Away

Target audience: Families and people interested in anthropomorphism.

Take the whole family?: Kids old enough to attend a movie screening without automatically bursting into histrionics will find this film very entertaining.

Theater or Netflix?: Take the kids to the theater for a fun day out; just avoid paying for the unnecessary 3D or IMAX options.

How many pop culture references are there?: Not quite as many as one would find in a “Shrek” film, but “Zootopia” does have its fair share. Some, like a “Godfather” reference or one about Adele, are a little easy, but they're balanced by a rather fun “Breaking Bad” shout out and a subtle reference to the great Christmas special “Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas.” Most importantly, the humor works without needing to know what is being referenced.

Watch this as well?: Anything within Disney's recent run – “Wreck-It Ralph” is my favorite – makes for a solid companion to this one. Add to that another little family film that deals with racism in spectacularly clever way while maintaining a strong sense of humor, “Paddington.”

The art of being Charlie Brown

Snoopy and Charlie Brown in "The Peanuts Movie." Image courtesy 20th Century Fox.

Of all the wonderful things the “Peanuts” comics brought to life, it was the exploration of childhood as a deep state of being filled to the brim with love, anger, fear, confusion and sadness. The central figure, Good Ol’ Charlie Brown, was prone to contemplating his existence and consider just how lonely he is as a child surrounded by other children who seem to have it all together, even if they didn’t. But he also found happiness where he could, whether it was via a simple game of baseball or attempts to finally fly that kite; those efforts almost always ended in disaster, but the failure never stopped Charlie Brown from trying.

There’s a lot of soul in those comic strips and a few of the TV specials – “A Charlie Brown Christmas” being the best example – which “The Peanuts Movie” doesn’t quite have. Yet the new film has the comic strip’s ability to provide comfort and happiness, a reminder that the little successes are what make childhood tolerable and often memorable. Watching it is a joyful experience, and there’s very much a place in the world for a film that provides joy.

“The Peanuts Movie” kicks off with perhaps one of the best moments of childhood; an unexpected snow day in which the kids across the neighborhood take advantage of the free day by venturing outside for a day of skating, hockey, and other winter activities. At least everyone except Charlie Brown (voiced by Noah Schnapp), who tries to fly his kite while the kite-eating tree is snow covered. The attempt is gloriously unsuccessful and draws the ire of the stentorian Lucy (Hadley Belle Miller) and annoys everyone else, as is the case with anything Charlie Brown does.

The frustration ends shortly thereafter once a new girl moves to the snow-covered neighborhood, the Little Red-Haired Girl (Francesca Capaldi) who becomes Charlie Brown’s first crush. The rest of the film is, in effect, Charlie Brown's attempts to woo the new girl through the rest of the school year, engaging in acts of silliness with sister Sally (Mariel Sheets), best friend Linus (Alexander Garfin), the musical genius Schroeder (Noah Johnston), the athletic Peppermint Patty and her pal Marcie (Venus Schultheis and Rebecca Bloom, respectively), and the rest of the crew. Their adventures are balanced by the antics of Snoopy and Woodstock, highlighted by the enactment of a short story Snoopy writes in which he battles his nemesis the Red Baron and tries to save the pretty Fifi (real-life Tinkerbell Kristin Chenoweth).

The stakes are small in “The Peanuts Movie” aside from Snoopy’s vivid daydreaming, as the drama comes from the small moments in childhood. Charlie Brown biggest hurdles are overcoming the fear of saying hello to his crush, learning how to dance (although that might have served as an excuse to insert a few of those “Peanuts” dance moves into the movie), and trying to succeed despite his constant failures, and the film does an excellent job capturing how difficult those moments can be. Charlie Brown, the poor soul, tries ever so hard to escape his worse trappings, to be someone else who might be liked by the new girl, yet all of his attempts fall asunder due to bad luck or his eagerness to put the interests of others ahead of his own.

Charlie Brown's failings in “The Peanuts Movie” are much more of his own design than the comic strips or the first few TV specials, in part because the universe isn't beating on Chuck with as much fury this time around. The filmmakers do insert a few little moments of sadness, but they missed the opportunity to dive in a little more into the character, a boy who suffers from ennui and the inherent loneliness of childhood surrounded by people who tolerate him at best and absolutely loathe him at worst. Then again, that's the Charlie Brown I related (and definitely still relate) to, and perhaps it's not the one that the world needs anymore. This version is focused more on bouncing back from his failures, gaining strength and wisdom while allowing his conscience to guide him to the correct response. Even as Charlie Brown points out that the world seems to conspire against him, he finds a way to hop over the barriers placed in front of him.

And, in the end, Charlie Brown finally gets a win he deserves because of his good deeds and inherent decency. The victory is not a major one – that would spoil the whole point of the film and the comics – but it is satisfying enough to evoke a few sniffles and expand the smile that turned up during the first act.

Review: Four out of Five Stars

Click here to see the trailer.

Rating: G

Run time: 93 minutes

Genre: Animated

Ask Away

Target audience: Anyone who grew up either reading “Peanuts” or watching the myriad of specials that have come out since the late '60s.

Take the whole family?: Goodness gracious yes! It is very much acceptable content wise for even the youngest kids.

Theater or Netflix?: The 3D is implemented well enough that a theater trip with the kids is more than acceptable as a nice treat.

Anyone missing from the movie?: Excluding the cat next door that terrorizes poor Snoopy, the film doesn't feature the third van Pelt child, Rerun. Apparently, this movie isn't the first time poor little Rerun has been left by the curb; musical adaptations of the franchise have also excluded the cute, if overbearing, little guy.

Watch this as well?: Watch some of the television specials from back in the day, highlighted by “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and “It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.” “Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown (and Don't Come Back!!)” is pretty fun as well and has Lucy at her grumpiest. Really, the best bet is to snag one of the “Peanuts” comic collections and read through them with your kids, starting from the earliest days and going from there.