The Foxy Film Fan

(The following review is spoiler-free!) "Enola is alone backwards," our protagonist tells us in one of her many monologues. She tells us many things - how she's feeling, what she's thinking, where she thinks she should go next. Her wide gaze is disconcerting and her sunny disposition grating. This isn't Sherlock Holmes, this is Millie Bobby Brown and Henry Cavill playing dress-up. Everything about Netflix's newest release is grating. Its mystery begs us to care for cartoonish characters who speak to us as if we're watching an episode of Dora the Explorer. Showing rather than telling is thrown to the wayside in favor of constant fourth wall breaks to beat your sense of immersion into a bloody pulp. Enola Holmes  wants you to know that you're watching a movie, and that it's the funniest, wittiest, and most important movie you're ever going to see (unfortunately, in light of recent events that very well may be true). From its fast-paced editing to...

"Zootopia" (2016) Disney has always been the reigning champion of animated movies. Ever since the release of Snow White  their films have captured the hearts and minds of children and adults alike. Recently, however, there had been a decline in the adoration toward their animated features; Big Hero 6 , Wreck-It Ralph , Brave , and Inside Out  have all been viewed as good releases without the sort of memorable adoration the likes of Toy Story  and Finding Nemo  achieved. Zootopia  came along to change that, utilizing the brilliance of tracing back to the history of the same animation style as classic Disney releases The Fox and the Hound  and Robin Hood  rather than opting for realism or attempting to copy the cartoonish appearance of films such as Madagascar . The return to Disney's old visual style combined with the beauty of modern animation makes for an absolutely stunning visual feast, filled with bright colors, unique and endearing characters...

The Jungle Book (2016) This article will delve into the ending of both Disney's animated Jungle Book  and the new live-action adaptation, so if you have not seen either of these films yet and would like to avoid spoilers I advise that you don't read this article. If you recall, the original Jungle Book  ended with protagonist Mowgli finally resolving his dilemma of searching for his true identity by joining the village of men. Initially he resists, longing to stay with his animal friends because he's convinced that this is where he belongs and loathes the idea of essentially growing up and finding his rightful place as a man. He's persuaded, however, when he sees a young girl who he longs to meet and speak with, someone who he can't be with if he's opts to continue playing and hiding in the woods rather than taking a leap of faith and finally embracing adulthood. The original Jungle Book 's ending is inspirational, it's a story to children about...

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (2016) Tim Burton is a director who has the tendency to stir up controversy, whether it's from the dark subject matter of his films which sometimes tend to blend together in one bizarre neon green and black mess of gothic imagery with frail androgynous protagonists, his more recent mediocre releases ( Dark Shadows  and Frankenweenie ), or some controversial remarks he made regarding representation of other races in his films, but it's important that we do not let the artist's personal beliefs and actions interfere with how fantastic his art is. That's right, to my surprise, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children  is a fairly good movie. Admittedly, I would probably refrain from using a word as strong as 'fantastic' to describe it, because it's certainly a flawed film with some awkward moments guided by the expected faltering performances which sometimes accompany films that rely on child actor...

A Christmas Story (1983) The majority of films centered around the holiday season also effectively work to draw forth feelings of nostalgia. Traditionally this nostalgia is related to the holiday season and the imagery which one typically can expect to see during Christmas time. However, in the case of A Christmas Story  the nostalgia is not relating to Christmas, but rather to a much more broad and relatable occurrence which even those who dod not celebrate traditional American Christmases will relate to - growing up. Despite its title and the fact that the events in the films plot all take place around the holiday season, it is the occurrences and instances of familiar childhood events that brings this film its charm. Take for example the terror of accidentally swearing in front of a parent, but amplify it to the point where the parent begins shrieking in absolute terror and disbelief when they hear the word you uttered. A Christmas Story  is more of a series of child...

The holidays season has the tendency to be very profitable in the eyes of the film industry, due to the fact that any film centering around Christmas in some way has potential to be watched time and time again by at least a small audience. Of course, just like any genre of film which has a large group of people aiming to pander to potential fans, there are bound to be plenty of movies which fall flat. 1. How the Grinch Stole Christmas How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) The Jim Carrey rendition of How the Grinch Stole Christmas  is perhaps the nastiest, ugliest, and cruelest of any holiday movie. While Jim Carrey is able to move about freely in his costume and is capable of being animated enough to let the ridiculous prosthetics and fake green fur work to his advantage, his performance is hardly enough to save this train wreck of a film. How the Grinch Stole Christmas  is based on a popular children's story by Dr. Seuss, so naturally when lifting the story from th...

The holiday season brings about a special sort of feeling which is often difficult to put to words; it's a sort of nostalgia, the familiar warmth of being in the company of loved ones with a fire in the fireplace and hot cocoa to keep the cold at bay, or of rushing into the living room at an ungodly hour in the morning while eagerly excited to open the presents waiting so patiently beneath the tree. John Hughes seems to have a perfect understanding of that feeling, and he replicates it perfectly in Home Alone. The premise of Home Alone is simple, and if placed in the wrong hands it might have been an absolute disaster. When a young boy is accidentally left home alone for the holidays he finds himself forced to protect his home from the pair of robbers attempting to break in, initially pretending the house is filled with people, but eventually getting caught in his lies and finding himself forced to defend his home himself. While the slapstick brand of comedy has the...

Moana (2016) With the usual string of terrible family films like Norm of the North , Trolls , another installment of the Ice Age franchise, and plenty of other quickly forgotten animated features, it's always a breath of fresh air when Disney released something new. Moana  is no exception. With fun and catchy musical numbers, an admirable protagonist, and even a few jokes at Disney's own expense ("If you wear a dress and have an animal sidekick, you are a princess."), it's difficult to not enjoy this charming family film. Admittedly, there are instances in the plot which reveal that this is not Disney at its most imaginative. Some elements in the story seem redundant and reminiscent of jokes and scenes from other Disney movies, but the film really makes up for these elements with its two charming protagonists, a sincerely comedic character, and its absolutely stunning animation. Even if you are not particularly interested in family films, if you have a pa...

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016) I, like many other twenty-somethings who were raised on a steady diet of Harry Potter books and films, was absolutely ecstatic when the a new movie taking place within the Harry Potter universe was announced. Unfortunately, high hopes often lead to great disappointment, and while Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them  is certainly a solid film, it failed to live up to the high expectations set by the Harry Potter franchise preceding it. Fantastic Beasts  opens with a promising premise, involving a mysterious and lovable new protagonist who's left racing through New York City to gather the magical creatures he accidentally set loose, but quickly falls apart when it struggles to offer anything else. Characters are rarely developed beyond the archetypical roles they must fulfill in order for the plot to move forward, and plot beats are hit like dominos aligned in a straight line. The film simply offers little to no unexpec...