​"Minions: The Rise of Gru" stars Steve Carell, Pierre Coffin, Taraji P. Henson, Michelle Yeoh, RZA, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Lucy Lawless, Dolph Lundgren, Danny Trejo, Russell Brand, Julie Andrews, and Alan Arkin. Releasing on July 1, 2022, the film follows the early misadventures of the Minions and their leader, Felonious Gru.

The film is directed by Kyle Balda, Brad Ableson, and Jonathan del Val, and it is a sequel to the 2015 film "Minions", which Balda also directed. It is also a spin-off/prequel to the "Despicable Me" film series. It isn't summer vacation without a bunch of yellow, banana-loving creatures running around. That's right, even with the pandemic, no one can escape the wrath of the adorable yet sometimes annoying minions. Since the release of Illumination's first feature, "Despicable Me", in 2010, the minions have gradually become an unexpectedly popular trend. They not only became the face of the French animation company but also appeared on many merchandises and a bunch of internet memes. Additionally, their popularity resulted in them appearing as the main characters in the 2015 spin-off/prequel. Seriously, those things are everywhere. Whichever way you take, you'll always see a minion appearing right in front of your face. While the kids still can't get enough of those rascally creatures, many of us adults either get irritated by their voices and slapstick or grew out of their charm. Unfortunately for the latter, Illumination still didn't take the hint, with the studio continuing to milk the franchise dry with a follow-up to their financially successful minion-centered installment. 2015's "Minions" is the type of film you either love or hate depending on your tolerance towards the yellow, goggle-wearing creatures. I thought it was a fun spin-off that may not be as great as "Despicable Me", but it offered enough moments in its slapstick and basic plot to make it a tolerable watch. So now we have a follow-up with the gullible minions serving their master Gru in his early years before his criminal life is changed by three orphan girls. Was it another enjoyable installment in Universal's despicable animated franchise, or was it another cash grab destined to irritate us even more? Let's find out.

The story takes place in the 1970s, a few years after the first "Minions" movie. The minions (Coffin), led by Kevin, Stuart, Bob, and Otto, have finally found their new boss. Their master is Gru (Carell), a young boy in the suburbs who dreams of becoming the world's greatest supervillain. He hopes to become evil enough to join a team of supervillains known as the Vicious 6, led by Belle Bottom (Henson). When The Vicious 6 banned their former leader Wild Knuckles (Arkin), Gru saw this as an opportunity to make his dream come true. Unfortunately, his failed interview resulted in Gru and the minions stealing a powerful relic known as the Zodiac Stone right from under their noses. After Wild Knuckles captures Gru and holds him hostage, Kevin and his friends go on a quest to San Francisco to rescue him. Along the way, they receive help from a kung fu fighter named Master Chow (Yeoh) and attempt to prevent the stone from falling into the hands of the Vicious 6.                                                                                

"Minions" allowed the little yellow goofballs to carry their own movie with their slapstick antics while trying to find their new boss. While it can be a bit more annoying than their roles in the main films, the spin-off maintained the fun and goofy tone the franchise is known for. "The Rise of Gru" once again puts the minions back in the spotlight. More importantly, it hearkens back to the franchise's original roots, with Gru competing against the other villains to be the best of the best, or in this case, the worst of the worst. I loved the first "Despicable Me" movie because of its clever representation of supervillains and its mixture of humor and heart. So the direction in "Rise of Gru" should be able to get the series back on track following its recent "Despicable Me" installment. Unfortunately, despite some of the things I'd come to expect from a "Minions" movie, it wound up leaving the franchise in a troubling situation regarding its quality. At least, in my eyes. While it may entertain the younger crowd with its goofy and fast-paced scenarios, the movie may also put non-followers in a foul mood with those situations.

Unsurprisingly, the movie's plot is pretty basic, like the previous installments. It explores the early relationship between the young Gru and his crowd of minions, with the former attempting to get into the big leagues despite his diminutive height. However, his mission puts the loyalty between the two into question since the minions aren't in the same leagues as the dangerous criminals. This leads the titular creatures on a journey to San Francisco to prove their worth and save the only master they have. At one point, the story offers a few mildly fun moments that warrant its short runtime and a suitable message that showcases it's more fun to do things with friends rather than yourself. Sadly, those elements didn't last as long as they should, as they get constantly bombarded by its predictable screenplay and below-average side characters.

The main reason for its predictability is how Universal spoiled the entire film in a single trailer, including the final act. I seriously want to know what was going through the marketing team's minds when they decided to release a trailer like that. Do they want us to watch their movie or not? Then again, Illumination is known for delivering simplistic family-friendly fare, so I can't complain too much. However, in cases like this, simplistic doesn't always mean good.

Admittedly, it's fun to see the minions do plenty of idiotic stuff, especially when they're with Gru in the first act. But after a while, it gradually became a bit tiring, as the film focused too much on its Looney Tunes-esque comedy instead of combining it with the franchise's heartfelt narrative. While its shorter runtime sounds like a saving grace compared to the first "Minions" movie, it's also the film's unfortunate disadvantage as its swift pacing didn't give itself enough room to embrace the characters and its 1970s environments to their full potential. It felt way too scattershot for its own good despite a couple of chuckle-worthy moments, and its heart was severely nonexistent compared to the previous installments. It's nothing more than a series of minion-centered gags designed only as a babysitter for young kids and nothing else.

Luckily, the movie also provided a few more elements that made it tolerable for me. One of them is the voice cast, with Steve Carell and Pierre Coffin being the only members reprising their roles as Gru and the minions. Carell did pretty well in delivering a much younger voice for Gru during his brief appearance at the end of "Minions", so it was interesting for me to see if he could maintain that impersonation for more than five minutes in "Rise of Gru". Despite some solid voice work from Carell, I still prefer him voicing the older Gru from the main installments since it's a tad less obnoxious than his interpretation of the young Gru. Pierre Coffin also did a fantastic job expressing his distinctive vocals as the minions, mainly Kevin, Stuart, Bob, and Otto. Taraji P. Henson serves as the film's main antagonist, and the best way I can say about her is that if you enjoyed her in her other movies, you'd also like her in this film. Henson joins alongside Jason Segel (Vector), Benjamin Bratt (El Macho), Sandra Bullock (Scarlet Overkill), and Trey Parker (Balthazar Bratt) in a list of actors that delivered plenty of energetic fun in their "Despicable Me" antagonists. Michelle Yeoh and Alan Arkin were also good in their roles as Master Chow and Wild Knuckles, respectively. Is it time for me to say that Yeoh is having a great year so far regarding her roles?

The animation in the "Despicable Me" franchise never fails in expressing its vibrancy and cartoonish movements in its locations, physical comedy, and action sequences. Whether their stories are enjoyable or not, their style usually succeeds in capturing the feeling of watching specific classic cartoons like the Looney Tunes. Unsurprisingly, "The Rise of Gru" is no exception. The movie used its animation wisely in representing its 1970s vibe, the slapstick, and action scenes. By the way, the action in "Rise of Gru" is a tad more intense than its predecessors, so keep that in mind when taking your kids.

Overall, "Minions: The Rise of Gru" falls from grace rather than rises above its animated competitors. Even though it had several moments that I'd normally expect from a movie about Gru's scatterbrained henchmen, the film shows that too much of a good thing is a bigger crime than stealing the moon. You know, because that's what happened in the first "Despicable Me" movie. Its voice cast, animation, and so-so humor have enough merits to make itself tolerable. Nevertheless, its mediocre plot, pacing, and average characters made this latest sequel the new low point of the franchise and the most pointless cash grab that Illumination has to offer. Like "Minions", "The Rise of Gru" will strongly depend on your tolerance towards the famous yellow goggle-wearing beings. If you still don't mind them as much as the younger kids, you might get some enjoyment out of this latest follow-up. However, if you're one of the people who've already grown tired of them or just despise them with a passion, this movie won't change your mind about them. Instead, save your money for either "Paws of Fury" or "League of Superpets" or both if you're feeling lucky.

​“The Black Phone” stars Ethan Hawke, Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, Jeremy Davies, and James Ransone. Released on June 24, 2022, the film is about a boy who can communicate with the past victims of his kidnapper.

The film was directed by Scott Derrickson, who also directed films such as “Hellraiser: Inferno”, “The Exorcism of Emily Rose”, “Sinister”, and “Doctor Strange”. It is based on the 2004 short story of the same name by Joe Hill. Many parents have constantly warned their kids not to talk to strangers whenever they send them out to the real world on their own. Some of these were smart to obey this crucial rule. Others, not so much, resulting in them being kidnapped or worse. This movie is an example of the latter. Horror director Scott Derrickson has made a name for himself due to his involvement with “Sinister” and recently Marvel’s “Doctor Strange”. After departing from directing the latter’s sequel, Derrickson decided to head back to low-budget horror territory with a creepy adaptation of Joe Hill’s short story. This one has been getting plenty of good word-of-mouth since its debut at Fantastic Fest last September, with people praising its faithfulness to the source material and Hawke’s terrifying performance as the antagonist. This signified that Derrickson and producer Jason Blum might have another hit on their hands, especially since I enjoyed what the former did with “Sinister” and “Doctor Strange”. Now that it’s finally out after a couple of delays, let’s see if this piece of “stranger danger” media is as frightening as it sounds.

The story centers on Finney Shaw (Thames), a young boy living in the suburb of 1978 Denver with his sister Gwen (McGraw) and their abusive and alcoholic father, Terrence (Davies). Not only was Finney constantly harassed at home by his ignorant dad, but also at school by a couple of bullies. Good thing I wasn’t born in that decade. Even worse is that a serial child abductor nicknamed “The Grabber” (Hawke) prowls around the streets kidnapping children and murdering them. After becoming The Grabber’s next victim, Finney wakes up in a small soundproof basement with only a disconnected phone. However, that phone allows Finney to communicate with the murdered victims of The Grabber. Finney must use this knowledge to escape The Grabber’s grasp. Meanwhile, Gwen begins to have psychic visions of children being captured, which she could use to find Finney and bring the psychopath to justice.

From the concept alone, this movie fits in the collection of horror films that combine supernatural scares with their thematic material. Amid its “stranger danger” scenario, the film represents a coming-of-age journey that sees Finney finding the courage to escape with his life. Finney has always been pushed around by the other kids and even his father, leaving others to fight his battles for him, including Gwen and his friend Robin (Miguel Cazarez Mora). So when he is stuck in the Grabber’s basement with nothing but a phone that houses the victims’ souls, Finney is forced to learn to stand up for himself. It’s a tried-and-true tale that inspires its audience to face their fears amid troubling times and, of course, run away from a mask-wearing Ethan Hawke.

Whenever there’s an ambitious story like that, it’s always important for a filmmaker to focus on making its narrative tolerable while providing some frightful and intense sequences into its horror-based concept. Nowadays, most horror movies tend to just throw in plenty of jump scares and one-dimensional characters and let the money roll in. However, some of the other modern horror films managed to put a lot of care into telling a story while delivering a scary good time for its target audience. Fortunately, “The Black Phone” is one of those movies. While it relies more on tension than ghosts popping out of nowhere, it uses that element wisely to provide its frights and limited and thoughtful storytelling.

As someone who hasn’t read Joe Hill’s short story, I enjoyed that the film delivers a compelling and intense scenario reflecting the real-life dangers of child kidnapping. More importantly, it does it without going too over-the-top with its supernatural elements like the other movies from that subgenre. That may sound boring for specific horror fans, but it does show proof that horror can be more than just throwaway projects that give people heart attacks with loud noises. This is due to Scott Derrickson, who brought plenty of confidence in himself regarding his direction and style. Derrickson is always known for providing creepiness into his films’ atmospheric dread, mainly “Sinister”, which was creepy beyond belief. “The Black Phone” doesn’t have the same impact as the 2012 film, but it does have the ominous atmosphere and imagery that I’d expect from the filmmaker. However, my only issue with the story is that the twist was revealed way too early, and the CGI effects were a bit iffy sometimes. Otherwise, there’s some enjoyment to be had in this freaky experience.

Part of this experience comes from the cast, who made a solid effort to deliver some enticing performances. Mason Thames did a good job carrying the film as the main lead. It’s far from incredible, but after seeing him do his best not to be annoying, I could see him having a potential future as a movie star. Madeleine McGraw was also enjoyable in her role as Gwen, thanks to her chuckle-worthy dialogue and charismatic tone. Then you have Ethan Hawke as the movie’s antagonist, The Grabber. Hawke definitely put on a show as the deranged, mask-wearing psychopath who murders innocent children. His recent role in the Disney+ series “Moon Knight” and his performance in “The Black Phone” prove that Hawke can make evil look so good.

But what about the jump scares, someone may ask? Well, I’m happy to say that there was only a couple of jump scares, so you don’t have to worry too much about getting annoyed by constant loud noises. More importantly, almost all of these scenes actually managed to scare me. They may not be something that’ll haunt me in my sleep, but at least I got something out of its played-out trope.

Overall, “The Black Phone” is a frighteningly engaging experience that’ll make people think twice about confronting a stranger. It’s far from a nightmarish masterpiece, but there’s enough effort in its quality and coming-of-age themes to keep me from hanging up too early. Outside of Derrickson’s superhero antics, I would say this is the filmmaker’s best horror film I’ve seen regarding its cast, direction, and tension-filled frights. After surviving the terrible “Firestarter” reboot, it’s nice to see the modern horror genre getting back on its feet with this one. Let’s hope the streak can continue with next month’s “Nope”. Until then, this phone call is worth answering if you enjoy Derrickson’s previous works.

​“Rise” stars Uche Agada, Ral Agada, Jaden Osimuwa, Elijah Shomanke, Anthony Abiola, Yetide Badaki, and Dayo Okeniyi. Released on Disney+ on June 24, 2022, the film has three brothers pursuing their dreams in the National Basketball Association.

The film was directed by Akin Omotoso, who also directed films such as “Man on Ground”, “Vaya”, and “The Ghost and the House of Truth”. The NBA is known for making specific players into legends due to their skills on the court and popularity. Those range from Michael Jordan to Shaquille O’Neal to even LeBron James. Now, the sport has birthed another set of famous players who’ll live on until the end of time, and they’re from Greece. The folks from Disney are continuing their series of fact-based sports dramas with a film centering on three Nigerian-Greek brothers whose last name is hard to pronounce. Despite having little to no experience with basketball, Giannis Antetokounmpo and his brothers successfully made their way to the top of their game, with two of them playing for the Milwaukee Bucks. However, their success isn’t without a few obstacles, which is where this original film from Disney+ comes into play. There was no doubt that I was looking forward to this latest sports drama for several reasons. One of them is that I deeply respect Giannis as a basketball player who serves as the film’s executive producer. The other reason is that they finally made a movie involving my favorite basketball team. It’s the Milwaukee Bucks, in case some of you forgot. Now that Giannis’ life story has been released worldwide, let’s see if it’s as good as his skills on the court.

The story follows the lives of Giannis Antetokounmpo (Uche Agada) and his brothers, Athanasios (Ral Agada), Kostantinos (Osimuwa), Alexandros (Shomanke), and Francis (Abiola). He and his family moved to Greece from Nigeria to provide a better life for themselves. They make a living attempting to earn enough money to pay the bills, but the reality of deportation constantly threatens their daily lives. While the brothers take their frustrations to the basketball courts, they realize they’re naturally skilled even though they haven’t played the sport before. With the help of a scout named Haris Eleftheriou (Efthimis Chalkidis), the family attempts to overcome the difficulties of immigration to make their marks in basketball history.

There were many times when I only recognized the players through their skills on the court. Giannis happens to be one of them. Before this movie, I was entirely in the dark about his personal journey to get to that position. I didn’t know about his life outside of the court, nor did I not know about his history. Now that I finally watched his story unfold in cinematic form with my family, it gave me a clear understanding of the significance of Giannis’ rise to fame. He only got into the NBA to give his family a better life since they lived as immigrants in a political climate. Giannis and his family moved from Nigeria to Greece to gain a normal living, but since he and his brothers were not granted legal citizenship, they spent most of their lives hiding from the authorities. Because of that, my respect for the Greek Freak and his family grew tremendously.

But, of course, it all comes down to the film’s quality. Like the other sports biopics, “Rise” offers a tale that’s essential for its inspiration and game-changing moments, but its execution can either emphasize its importance or dampen it. Fortunately, like Giannis, the movie defies the odds to provide a simplistic yet heartfelt drama that earns its inspiring nature. I was a little disappointed that it didn’t show much of the Milwaukee Bucks until the end, but after putting much thought into it, it’s probably for the best. Disney didn’t want to go out of its way to promote a full-length advertisement for the Bucks. This movie is all about Giannis and his family supporting one another amid their immigration crisis, with a few basketball scenes thrown in for good measure. Admittedly, I’m happy that they went in that direction because I had a nice time spending every moment with the Antetokounmpo family. Unsurprisingly, the movie didn’t reinvent the genre wheel regarding its formula, and a couple of sequences suffered a bit from its pacing. However, director Akin Omotoso and writer Arash Amel put plenty of effort into the film’s heartfelt themes and storytelling to overshadow some of its flaws.

The movie consists of many little-known actors portraying the Antetokounmpo family, including the Agada brothers playing Giannis and Thanasis. It’s good to see that the studio allowed them to cast some fresh faces into the film to promote more diversity, especially those from Nigeria. To me, it helps provide more authenticity to the community it’s representing, mainly the Nigerian culture. Regarding their performances, I thought they all did a good job delivering the charm and chemistry into the brothers, especially Uche Agada, who served as the film’s central emotional core. His dialogue towards the end was both wonderful and thoughtful. Dayo Okeniyi, known as Thresh from “The Hunger Games”, and Yetide Badaki were also strong in their roles as Giannis’ parents.

Overall, “Rise” dribbles past its genre formula to deliver a heartwarming representation of Giannis’ inspiring journey. While it’s far from a slam dunk, it shows further proof that Disney is still as capable of making decent family-friendly sports dramas as it is with animated content. With its compelling cast, a solid story, and Omotoso’s direction, this is another fitting addition to the Mouse House’s list of sports-related content. So if you’re in the mood for a feel-good sports drama, make sure you add this one to your Disney+ watchlist. 

​"Elvis" stars Austin Butler, Tom Hanks, Helen Thomson, Richard Roxburgh, Olivia DeJonge, Luke Bracey, Natasha Bassett, David Wenham, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Xavier Samuel, and Kodi Smit-McPhee. Released on June 24, 2022, the film chronicles the life and career of Elvis Presley.

The film is directed by Baz Luhrmann, who also directed "Strictly Ballroom", "Romeo + Juliet", "Moulin Rouge!", "Australia", and "The Great Gatsby". It's still no surprise to see that Hollywood sees success in representing the famous singers of yesteryear on the big screen. The amount of money "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "Straight Outta Compton" brought in years ago helped pave the way for musical biopics to share the spotlight with superheroes, wizards, and even dinosaurs. This weekend continues this toe-tapping trend with a movie centering on one of the most significant icons on the planet: the "King of Rock and Roll" himself, Elvis Presley. Elvis Presley is another prominent celebrity I've only known through references in different media, with the most prominent one being Disney's "Lilo & Stitch". The fact that I only remember Presley from a cartoon about an alien disguising itself as a dog shows I'm a 90s man. While I didn't listen to Presley's music as often as others, I was curious to see how the film translated his life story and music for its audience. The iconic performer has had quite a history during his career until his death from heart disease in 1977. So it would be interesting to see how much stuff they can put into the biopic and how accurate they are. Plus, it's got Tom Hanks as Elvis' manager, which marks another main reason for me to check it out. With that said, let's see if this latest music biopic is as energetic and mesmerizing as Presley's moves.

The movie centers on the life of Elvis Presley (Butler). It examines his journey from his childhood to his career as a rock and roll star and movie actor. After befriending Colonel Tom Parker (Hanks), he gradually rises to fame due to his magnetic choreography and singing voice. However, his complex relationship with his manager and series of controversies threaten to destroy his career and his life.

There's very little for me to say about its plot despite its surprisingly beefy length. That's because the movie only depicts Presley and the obstacles he encountered during his musical journey. Like every recent musical biopic, "Elvis" was given the task to deliver a good depiction of the singer that honors their legacy and the fans who grew up listening to their music. Additionally, it has to provide a strong reason for newcomers to start checking out their library regarding the quality and storytelling. Movies like "Straight Outta Compton" and "Respect" easily accomplished their goal despite their stretched-out lengths. At the same time, some, like "Bohemian Rhapsody", struggled to meet all their toe-tapping expectations regarding their reception. "Elvis" wiggles its way to the former category with enough energy and style to reinvigorate its traditional biopic narrative. 

While the movie centers on Elvis and his career, the story is told from the perspective of Tom Parker, the manager responsible for Presley's downfall. Throughout the film, Parker reflects on his experience working with Elvis and how his actions caused this relationship to crumble. Now, it's easy to argue whether this idea is necessary since Parker was a greedy fool who turned Elvis' life upside down. However, I found it to be essential for one good reason. The film is presented as a tragedy involving the dark side of fame. Parker's obsession with financial gain from Presley resulted in him falling from grace along with Presley, who too fell prey to the sins of stardom. One of them is, of course, the drugs he took that led to his death. This is another scenario in which there's always a price to pay to keep the fame going, and that price will eventually lead to their downfall.

Regarding its storytelling, the film follows the basics you'd see in any other musical biopics. You have the rise to fame scenario, the controversies regarding the singer or their music, and of course, the piece of resistance, the downfall. Its story may not change the world like how Elvis did, but that doesn't mean there's no effort in making itself enjoyable. The movie is consistently entertaining with its musical sequences and irresistible cast. Not only that, but it's also suitably compelling in its character-driven moments and stylishly magnetic in its presentation. Its two-and-a-half-hour runtime may seem concerning at first, but its frenetic pacing and decent narrative helped me look past its overbearing length to appreciate its fun and splashy value.

There has been a lot of praise centering on Austin Butler, known for playing Tex Watson in "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood". After watching the film for myself, I can easily understand why. Butler is another actor who completely embodies the role of a real-life celebrity. From his mannerisms to his choreography and singing voice, Butler completely disappeared into the role of Elvis Presley with spectacular results. Whether it's enough for him to get into next year's awards season remains to be seen, but I wouldn't be surprised if his performance earns him a nomination or two. Tom Hanks goes for an against-type performance that sees him portraying the selfish manager Tom Parker. The result may not be to everyone's liking, but he put on a good enough show to stand alongside Butler's Presley. Olivia DeJonge also did a stellar job with her performance as Priscilla Presley, Elvis' wife.

Baz Luhrmann is usually known for providing a ton of visual flair and radiant production designs in his unique storytelling and editing. Unsurprisingly, "Elvis" is no different, with the filmmaker delivering a style that's as wild and charismatic as the rock and roll singer himself. I appreciate Luhrmann's distinctive style in some of his previous films, mainly "Romeo + Juliet" and the 2013 adaptation of "The Great Gatsby". Watching "Elvis" made me respect the filmmaker even more, even though the editing in some sequences can be a bit of an eyesore. The director also did a great job making its setting and characters authentic with its production design, costumes, and makeup. The costumes and makeup play a key role in transforming the actors into their respective characters, mainly Elvis and Tom Parker. Like the costumes in the other music biopics, the ones in "Elvis" were admittedly fabulous. Then there's the film's soundtrack. Elvis' trademark songs and the modern music seemed like an odd combination, but the movie somehow managed to make it work for me.

Overall, "Elvis" rocks its way past its standard narrative to deliver a consistently frenetic and visually astounding depiction of the king of rock and roll. Admittedly, it's not a perfect representation of the singer regarding its beefy length and genre formula. However, its delirious fever-dream-like scenarios and musical sequences make it hard for me to resist. With its solid cast, Luhrmann's trademark style, and a story that's as entertaining and compelling as Presley himself, the film is another decent addition to the musical biopic lineup. If you're familiar with the singer and have enjoyed some of Luhrmann's previous movies, you definitely don't want to miss out on this crazy experience.

​"Lightyear" stars Chris Evans, Keke Palmer, Dale Soules, Taika Waititi, Peter Sohn, Uzo Aduba, James Brolin, Mary McDonald-Lewis, Efren Ramirez, and Isiah Whitlock Jr. Released on June 17, 2022, the film is about a test pilot who journeys to become a Space Ranger.

The film features the directorial debut of Angus MacLane, who co-directed "Finding Dory" with Andrew Stanton. He also directed the Pixar shorts "BURN-E" and "Small Fry", as well as the television special "Toy Story of Terror". It is the spin-off of the "Toy Story" film series. "Toy Story" is a definitive animated classic that kickstarted Pixar and changed the animation world forever. The first movie from the iconic animation studio is well-known for its ambitious storytelling and beloved characters, including the space ranger himself, Buzz Lightyear. But one must ask how this space-traveling toy came to be and why Andy was so obsessed with it. Well, we may have just found the answer, thanks to Pixar's latest animated feature. In what seems to be the strangest project the Pixar team has done, the film is taking the spin-off route for the popular franchise, but here's the catch: it doesn't take place in the same universe as "Toy Story". Instead, it's envisioned as a film within a film the characters would watch, including Andy. So don't expect any other toys to make a cameo in this fictional science fiction world, including Woody. The concept was previously explored in the "Buzz Lightyear of Star Command" show in 2000, but the film seeks to stray away from the light-hearted cartoon in favor of its grounded sci-fi action feel. Despite the lack of Tim Allen, I was pretty excited with the fresh direction they're going for Buzz. More importantly, I'm ecstatic that the film is the studio's first theatrical release since its last three movies went straight to Disney+. From the looks of its footage, it seemed like a perfect fit for that occasion. But was this space adventure also a fitting addition to the "Toy Story" franchise? Let's find out. 

The story follows Buzz Lightyear (Evans), a Galactic Ranger whose actions resulted in him and his crew being stranded on a hostile planet known as Tikana Prime. Hoping to correct his wrongs, Buzz, along with his robot companion Sox (Sohn), volunteers to test the hyperspace fuel that would allow them to return home to Earth. However, his trip through hyperspace lands him on the same planet a couple of decades into the future. Buzz later encounters Izzy Hawthorne (Palmer), an ambitious ranger who's also the granddaughter of his best friend and commanding officer Alisha Hawthorne (Aduba), and her team of rookie recruits. To get back to his own time, Buzz must join forces with Izzy and the team to save the universe from the nefarious Emperor Zurg (Brolin) and his robot army. 

The last Pixar film I watched in the theater was "Onward" two years ago, nearing the beginning of a year-long lockdown. My family and I attended the nearly-packed advanced screening of the film, and it was one of the best final days at the cinema before it closed due to the pandemic. Watching a high-quality animated movie from Pixar on the big screen is truly an experience that's as memorable as any other action blockbuster, especially when it's a great Pixar film. So it was a shame that the following movies after "Onward" wound up getting shipped to Disney+ because of COVID, mainly "Soul" and "Turning Red". Thankfully, Disney didn't give up on the "Toy Story" spin-off as its scope and adventurous tone are big enough to keep its theatrical debut on the cards.

I watched "Lightyear" on a large premium screen because that's usually the best way to view a scope-heavy film like this. Based on my experience, I can easily say that Disney made the right call. When it comes to the movie's immersive sci-fi setting and action sequences, the big screen is the best way to view "Lightyear". But I'm sure you're not here to read my theatrical experience. You're here to find out whether the movie is worth going to infinity and beyond for or not. To no one's surprise, the film delivered what I expected it to be: a fun sci-fi adventure that honors one of the most beloved characters in the "Toy Story" franchise. However, I would also admit that it's far from the studio's best work in its lifetime.

One thing you should know about the story (in case it wasn't obvious enough) is that "Lightyear" deviates heavily from the "Buzz Lightyear of Star Command" show regarding the supporting characters and tone. So don't expect to see Mira, Booster, or even XR from the cartoon series making a cameo appearance in the movie. The story in "Lightyear" focuses mainly on Buzz's attempt to correct his mistake that left his Star Command crew stranded while learning to put his trust in others for help, especially the rookies. Compared to some of Pixar's animated gems like "Inside Out" or "Soul", "Lightyear" has the type of storytelling that may not subvert every expectation regarding its quality and direction but still retains the humor and heart that the studio's known for since the beginning. There were also a few moments where the film's emotional depth in its characters and plot felt a bit lackluster regarding its pacing and fundamental narrative. However, just because a Pixar film has a more basic story than its other classics like "Toy Story", it doesn't automatically make it bad or a disappointment. What matters is if the story is executed in an entertaining and heartfelt way. "Lightyear" manages to accomplish that mission with ease with elements that maintain my interest and messages that are suitably inspiring for its young audience.

The voice cast did a fantastic job with their performances, especially Chris Evans as Buzz. It did feel a bit off hearing Captain America's voice coming out of Buzz's mouth instead of Tim Allen's. However, I immediately got used to it after the first few minutes. Evans brought new life into the space ranger while maintaining the character's soul from the "Toy Story" films through his dialogue and Easter eggs. Keke Palmer was also great in her role as Izzy, and so was Uzo Aduba as Izzy's grandmother Alisha. However, the main highlight of the cast regarding the film's humor is Peter Sohn as Sox, Buzz's robot cat companion. Sox is undoubtedly hilarious, with Sohn's deliverance and the character's likable personality resulting in him being another stellar addition to Disney's collection of memorable side characters. Taika Waititi and Dale Soules also delivered some solid laughs as Mo Morrison and Darby Steel, Izzy's recruits. There's also the film's version of Emperor Zurg, who looks more menacing than the toy version in "Toy Story 2". This latest take on Buzz's arch-enemy offered enough interesting elements in his personality to make him more than just a formulaic antagonist. Plus, James Brolin was a solid choice in manifesting Zurg's ominous nature.

Then, you have the film's animation. Aside from Buzz himself, the animation in "Lightyear" is the main reason the film is worth seeing in the theater. The style is supposed to evoke the science fiction films that inspired it by providing a "cinematic" and "chunky" presentation. Disney and Pixar never fail to deliver detail and quality in their animation style, even though some of their works aren't as good as others. Unsurprisingly, "Lightyear" is no exception. The planet locations are limited, but the movie compensated for this flaw by providing stellar lighting, detailed designs, and solid cinematography for its graphical backgrounds and flashy action sequences. It represents what I would typically see in a live-action science-fiction movie like "Star Wars", except it's full of cartoon characters instead of live-action actors.

Overall, "Lightyear" may not go beyond infinity regarding its story, but it has enough fuel in its spaceship tank to reach its entertainment limits. The movie is a fun and humorous space adventure that honors the iconic space ranger from the "Toy Story" franchise while maintaining the humor and heart I'd expect from Pixar. More importantly, it works as a solid big-screen comeback for the animation studio when considering its beautiful animation. Add in its terrific voice cast, decent story, and entertaining characters, and you get another good addition to the studio's lineup. This is another Pixar film that I think belongs in its "good content" pile instead of its "god-tier" pile or even the "Cars 2" pile. If you're a fan of the Buzz Lightyear character and space movies in general, this movie is worth checking out.