By Paul Hall, www.channelguidemag.com
Can predator and prey truly live together in harmony? They can and do in the new Walt Disney release Zootopia.
Judy Hopps is a rabbit, and Zootopia’s police department has never had a bunny for an officer. Her family is both proud and terrified to send her from the sleepy Bunnytown to the dangerous big city of Zootopia. It is there that Judy will fulfill the dream that everyone said she couldn’t have: to be the first rabbit to become a police officer.
The road isn’t easy for Officer Hopps. Her boss has sent everyone on the force to track down some missing mammals — everyone except Judy. Instead he assigns her to traffic duty. While first protesting, she eventually decides she will do the best she can. Along the way she meets up with a sly fox named Nick. Nick hasn’t met a con he didn’t like and in fact his first encounter with Judy isn’t on the up-and-up either as she falls for the charm of this clever creature.
When Judy finds herself in the right place at the right time, she finally gets an assignment to find a missing mammal and enlists the friend she has made in Nick to help her in the search. Officer Hopps bets her career that she can get some answers in the case, and she has 48 hours to make it happen.
Zootopia is a fun, fast-paced romp through a universe filled with unique animals. With a fabulous voice cast including Ginnifer Goodwin as Judy and Jason Bateman as Nick, you will find the characters brought to life in style before your eyes.
Perfectly cast as Nick, Bateman oozes with the attitude of a con man like only he can. Yet his inflections add to the feeling that he maintains a soft spot for the lovable Judy. Goodwin delivers the right mix of youthful enthusiasm to the role of Judy while always having a touch of fear of the unknown in her voice.
The Disney animators have developed a truly amazing city with Zootopia that will have fans watching the background of every scene over and over again to get some of the nuances in the film. Visually it is memorable not only for its beauty, but also for its subtle humor.
Add to the cast and look an engaging story about being whomever and whatever you want to be, and you’ve got the winning formula for an animated film.
Predator and prey can coexist in the marvelous world of Zootopia. Make sure you dream big, because there is no doubt you can make it happen.
Zootopia
Rated: PG
Stars: Voices of Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba
Directors: Byron Howard, Rich Moore, Jared Bush
Grade: B+
Brought to you by the publishers of Channel Guide Magazine, the ultimate TV resource packed with over 200 pages of celebrity news and commentary on what’s new and what’s good to watch. Get Channel Guide at 66% off the cover price: call 866-320-8305 or visit channelguidemag.com/promo.
NEW THIS WEEK
The Brothers Grimsby
Rated: R
Stars: Sacha Baron Cohen, Mark Strong, Isla Fisher
Director: Louis Leterrier
Two brothers growing up in an orphanage face the toughest moment of their lives when a family comes to take only one home. Now, 28 years later, Sebastian is a tough secret agent while Nobby is a family man who loves his sports but is simply average in everything he does. When Nobby interrupts his brother during a job, he sets off a chain of events that forces the brothers to rely on each other to survive.
The Perfect Match
Rated: R
Stars: Terrence J, Cassie Ventura, Donald Faison
Director: Bille Woodruff
Charlie has always been a ladies’ man. He’s the one in the group who never settles down and always is seen with the best-looking women, for the shortest amount of time. When his friends challenge him to do the unthinkable and have a relationship with one of these beauties, Charlie finds that getting attached can hurt, but can also feel so right.
10 Cloverfield Lane
Not Rated
Stars: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Goodman, John Gallagher Jr.
Director: Dan Trachtenberg
Michelle awakens in what seems to be a bunker. The owner, a mysterious man named Howard, claims that after she had a car accident, he found her and brought her here to save her from a chemical attack outside. But as time passes, Michelle wonders how long they must stay here, and how true is the story that she has been told?
The Young Messiah
Rated: PG-13
Stars: Adam Greaves-Neal, Sean Bean, Sara Lazzaro
Director: Cyrus Nowrasteh
Upon hearing of King Herod’s death, Joseph, Mary and Jesus set out on a journey to return to their home in Nazareth. The journey is long and the couple is torn over when to inform their young son of his purpose in life. How will the family confront the fact that Herod’s son is now on a personal mission to see Jesus dead and will pose new obstacles beyond what they had imagined? Discover the savior when he was a child.