Movie Review: The Good Dinosaur (2015)

Hello all,

There’s now quite a few films floating around my area this week, so I’m happy to say I should have quite a few reviews for the next week and a bit. I don’t know when I’ll be able to get them all out, but rest assured I’ll do my best to see as many as possible. In the meantime though in the second half of our they snuck on me yesterday double feature today I look at Disney/Pixar’s The Good Dinosaur. So do they have another legendary film on their hands? Let’s find out together shall we?

Plot Summary - In an alternate timeline of earth where the dinosaurs never died, Arlo (Raymond Ochoa) is one of three dinosaurs born on a farm, and while his siblings adjust easily to the life, Arlo’s timid nature makes it hard for him to work. While guarding the food silo, a cave boy, later named Spot, (Jack Bright) gets caught in Arlo’s trap, but Arlo frees him and he runs off. After Arlo and his father give chase, his father is killed in a flash flood. When Arlo sees the cave boy sometime later, he gives chase only to find himself swept down river and end up far from home. Now, with Spot’s help, Arlo must conquer his fear and find his way home.

Pros - The animation is honestly really beautiful to start. For a 3d animated film, there are quite a few shots here that look like they could be paintings on a wall somewhere. The character designs are interesting as well, and they also probably have the most accurate portrayal of what raptors might have actually looked like minus some creative liberties. The story is basically a species swapped boy and his dog story, and it’s actually a well played out one as well. The voice cast is great, and even though he sticks out like a sore thumb, Sam Elliot as a T-Rex is pretty good casting in my mind.

Cons - I will say that for the story as good as it is, they do stick more to the traditional disney pixar formula than Inside Out did. As much as it is a formula that works, that does mean there are certain moments of the movie that you know are already going to happen before they do.

Final Score - 9/10

A little more formulaic, but overall another great addition to their movie line up and one of the better kids movies this year.

So, after doing some digging, I have discovered that every rocky movie is on netflix. All six of them, and since Creed is considered a spin off of sorts, I now have to debate whether or not to add Rocky Films to my viewing line up.

But until then, I’ll see you folks at the movies.