Iulians2002 Reviews

Bolt (2008)

Grande

[10/10 · 15 November 2008]

I was really not expecting much, was looking to one of those generic "newgen" 3D animations but, oh, I was so wrong. I can easily say Bolt is pretty much at par with Wall-E, the 2 21th century animations that conquered my heart.

Few times I laughed, few times I had watery eyes, and it's impossible not to adore the characters and be at the edge of the seat as you follow the story. Also really loved the "authentic" finale with Penny and Bolt.

The Real D (my first ever 3D glasses movie too) was the cherry on the cake with the astonishing graphics.

Happy Feet (2006)

Finally, just an original, brilliant, animation movie in the past several years

[10/10 · 18 November 2006]

Happy Feet totally r0xx0r! Prooly is the one of the 1 or 2 animations movies which are truly brilliant in the past 3 years. No lame story, no the same events which has been used, and re-used, and super re-used over the past 20 years, no cheap animation, humor, storyline "just to be there and we milk some more money". The movie is just brilliant. Go watch it. It's not just music over music like the trailer might make you think (me included). It's an excellent blend of good music and storyline. And most of all, it's super hilarious. If it made me laugh through all the movie, me, being an eastern European which totally finds "most" of the English jokes just superficial, believe me, this is gold. Ramon, Raul and the other 3 little Spanish penguins rawk. Compliments to the visual effects, and excellent voices and audio.

Bambi II (2006 Video)

Sequels will always be disappointing...

[5/10 · 22 April 2006]

... especially when it comes to a masterpiece like Bambi.

I'v seen Bambi II about a week ago, and I thought it's OK. But today I watched Bambi again, and at that moment when I thought about Bambi II again, I realize how a big caricature they made.

There is no atmosphere that the original Bambi has, it is just some action in the forest made with modernized graphics. It is just a former shell of the 50+ years old masterpiece.

Where is that feeling that created butterflies in my belly when I re-seen the scenes from Bambi, when the men appears for the first time, Great Prince first appearance, all this blending perfectly with the sounds and background music that complements all the drama and comedy. Such sounds that are combined with music as in the meadow scene when the deers run around, or the first rain for Bambi, background music that is found on the hole length of the movie.

Where is that attention that the original Bambi had, and that made it perfect? It had 4 voices for Bambi, 2 for Faline, 2 for Flower... Just by looking at this aspect you can see the work involved between the two movies.

The voices from Bambi II, the childish, human manifestation, ruins all the beauty, and leaves this movie way behind the original.

Again the current Disney company just created a sequel "just to be there" and make some money, indeed, trying to be close to the original, but still ending up in a very big disappointment.

The hole beauty in Bambi was the ambiance it radiated, and how the atmosphere was created and presented, being a total pleasure to watch it as an adolescent like me, having the same feelings I remember I had when I first saw it, and I am sure it will be a pleasure to continue to see it again and again even as the years pass by. All this being totally discarded in this sequel, being again just a cartoon for the little kids.

In the end I did not read the book, maybe some day I will, but at least they could have invested at least half the time as the producers have done 50 years ago, and maybe try to fill it up with actual actions from the book, that the first movie had to trim and cut scenes before the film previewed.

So Bambi II will be OK only if you just want to see something new, but don't expect anything that provide such mood and atmosphere as Bambi (1942) did.

My vote for Bambi II is 5 of 10, while Bambi fully deserved the 10 out of 10, 5 stars rating.

The Secret of NIMH (1982)

One of the few best classics, non Disney!

[10/10 · 17 April 2006]

Wow I just watched it. Its unbelievable, I just love it. Its great, all the adventure and excitement, and Mrs. Brisby is so cute. This was something totally different from any cartoon I saw, and I did saw many. For the first time my feet's were rubber. I think this mainly is because everything seems so familiar, like I watched it when I was little, and yet I can't remember any scene that I had seen, but when I watched it today, all the images, was like I saw them before. I am sure that I saw it sometime, when I was a little kid, I could feel it. I don't have words to tell my sensation. The Secret of Nimh is one of the single movies in witch there is blood. It puts your heart in action when you see when Brisby cuts herself in the wire that locked the birdcage, or at the fight between Jenner and Justin. How the character moves and acts also is extraordinary, and I always like to watch Mrs. Brisby how it acts, how it moves when she talks. Watch the "reading book scene" by her when she meets Nicodemus, and not only, and watch carefully all her acts, how her head is moving while she reads the book, and through all the scenes that she appear, either when she is at the owl, when she talks with Nicodemus, while she attempt to enter the rats rosebush, while she is chaged, and you will understand what I want to say :). The Secret of Nimh is one of the movie that doesn't include songs and stuff like Disney's cartoons, making you just love it more, single song being 'Flying Dreams' witch I like it very much. I'm listening it at least once each day :). The colors and graphics also are amazing for a film from '82, see the owl and Nicodemus eyes for example, and all the other characteristics, the way they move, they look, for all the personages especially the principal's ones. In no other film I sayed this specific thing before, but the voices are just outstanding implemented. Not only Mrs. Brisby as I sayd is very cute by the way she is drawn and her moves, but also by her voice, witch seems so delicate, Elizabeth Hartman being for sure the most perfect voice for Brisby. Never the less the actor's voices that played as the Owl and Nicodemus are just extraordinary, giving you such a special feeling. This is just a little part of my feeling about this movie, and I would write even more, would comment the excellent plot, if the English wouldn't limit me. This is one of my single major commentary's that I writed in English, and I hope it isn't very bad.

Balto: Wolf Quest (2001 Video)

First Balto sequence

[5/10 · 1 July 2005]

I kinda didn't like this sequence. First of all the animations (as many other animations in other movie sequels) lack A LOT. It's not that perfect animation anymore that have been offered in the original. Jenna is not so nice anymore (not so detaild and especially the white-yellow tummy fur instead of white-red tummy fur). Balso the same, not so detailed anymore. The change of voice maybe it is the biggest drawback. Not hearing the perfect voice of Jenna, Boris, Balto voice from the first movie it's just sad (omg I was inlove especially of Boris voice, and Jenna's too :) ) Besides that the story really lack. I mean no more human interaction, only a average story of "finding out who I am", and most important, the introduction of mysticism? I really didn't liked that. It isn't fitting with the Balto idea. Everything was to straightforward, and my opinion is that the story was really weak. Heard that Balto III is much more closer to the original, so I hope that will be a little better as story side, tho I don't think the lack of animation beauty is fixed and probably will have the same one as this first sequel had. After I think I will see again the original so my perception about it won't be changed because of the weak sequel (as I said hope III will be much closer to the original)

Balto (1995)

Very sweet movie

[10/10 · 30 June 2005]

A excellent movie, it is up there with The Secret of NIMH. The animation also is amazing, and the characters really really nice. Also the voices are the best I heard in the animations movie I seen and they really characterize the personage. I couldn't not notice the sweet voice of Jenna and the looks. Very complex and very cute. Also the voice of Boris, one of a kind. The single voice that I remember being so sweet was of Ms. Brisby from the movie, The Secret of NIMH, again a movie with excellent animation and voices. I enjoyed it very much and most surely will watch it again. It just marvelous.

-"Its amazing, fantastic, uber, extraordinary, magnificent, marvelous" -"IT ROCKS!" *BAM* :)