Tag: Keegan-Michael Key

Wonka Review: Charming, Family Fun.

Willa Wonka is an iconic character who has appeared in a few films over the decades, some beloved, some less so.
With a lot of prequels coming out these days to unnecessarily explain things we did not need answers to, it is understandable to hear about Wonka and get a feeling of dread.
This feeling lessened for me, though, when I learned Paul King was directing.
He directed the two Paddington films and those were both charming films.
In fact, that is the perfect word to describe Wonka: Charming. 

King was probably the best person to direct this film, as he clearly understood the wonder of the original.

The film follows the younger Willy Wonka (Timothee Chalamet) as he sets out to begin his chocolate making career, only to meet adversity at every turn.
He quickly finds himself in debt to a pair of swindlers, his attempts to sell chocolate are sabotaged by the Chocolate Cartel, and his chocolate is consistently be stolen by an Oompa Loompa (Hugh Grant) out to be repaid. 
With help from a young girl named Noodle (Calah Lane), Wonka sets out to use his chocolate making skills to create a life for himself and his newfound friends.
What follows is, as said, a charming film with solid musical numbers and a lot of good laughs.
In particular, I found the physical humor of the corrupt chief of police (Keegan-Michael Key) to get the best laughs. 

Key’s chocolate addicted policeman provides quite a few chuckles visually.

As for the rest of the cast, Chalamet does a great job as this younger version of Willy Wonka, showing off the character’s optimism and chocolate-making genius.
Lane also brings a lot of charm as Noodle, as do the actors playing the trio in the Chocolate Cartel.
They are catoonishly evil but I do not mean that as a criticism.
Their over-the-top performances perfectly suit the wacky world they live in, and contrasts Wonka’s own wacky goodness nicely. 

The villains are over the top but the good kind.

All of this results in a fun film for the family, which can be enjoyed by adults just as much as kids.
The performances are good, the musical numbers are entertaining, and there are a lot of good laughs to be had.
I honestly would not mind seeing another film following this take on Willy Wonka.  

Toy Story 4 Review: Four Installments in, Still Going Strong (Reposted).

4 and a half stars
I can honestly not think of a single film series where there have been four fantastic installments in a row, except Toy Story.
Before seeing the most recent of them, I, like many, was concerned about where the story would go.
Toy Story 3 felt like a perfect sendoff for the franchise so I was concerned that they were just doing another one for a cash grab.
I was wrong, however, because Toy Story 4 is another heart warming installment in the series with great character growth, animation and laughs.

animation toy story.jpg
Toy Story 4 delivers a strong story with the best animation out of all the films by a wide margin.

Directed by Josh Cooley, the film follows Woody (Tom Hanks) who is still dealing with the departure of Andy in the previous film pretty heavily.
When his new kid, Bonnie, literally makes a toy out of a spork, which she names Forky (Tony Hale), Woody makes it his mission to protect him to ensure her happiness.
However, this becomes difficult when Forky is separated from them on a family trip and, upon looking for him, Woody is reunited with the long lost Bo Peep (Annie Potts), who has certainly changed a lot since Woody, and the audience, saw her.

Bo Peep
Woody and Bo Peep’s relationship is at the center of the story, being a key part to Woody’s character arc.

The two then work together to rescue Forky and bring him back to Bonnie, before she and her family leave them behind.
Accompanying this story is, once again, the animation and comedy, which are all spot on.
Animation continues to get better and better every year, and it looks especially stunning in Toy Story 4.
Along with this, the comedy is also fantastic with new characters Ducky and Bunny (Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele), and Duke Caboom (Keeanu Reeves) being particular highlights.

Ducky and Bunny.jpg
Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele are hilarious as Ducky and Bunny, especially during the plush rush scene, which is more than the trailers make it out to be.

It is with the character development of Woody, though, that the film truly shines, with Woody having what is probably his best arc out of any of the films.
Many of the new characters have great arcs as well, including the film’s villain (if you can even call her that) Gabby Gabby (Christina Hendricks).
However, this also ties into the one issue I have with the film.
This being that, even though Woody, Bo, and other characters’ arcs are fantastic, characters like Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) and many more of Woody’s friends feel a bit underdeveloped and underused.
Otherwise, Toy Story 4 is another great installment in the franchise, and it will be interesting to see if it continues or if this is the final one for real this time.