Big Hero 6 // Review #7

Now, if you've talked to me in person for any length of time about anything Disney related, you'd probably know a few things about me right away:

1. I hate the Disney "classics" Sleeping Beauty and Pinocchio with a passion. To put it briefly, I think they are boring and disturbing, respectively.

2. I have a lot of opinions about Frozen that a lot of people don't quite relate to (If you're curious about what I think, you should read the post I wrote dedicated entirely to that movie.).

And 3. I love the 2014 Disney movie Big Hero 6, and I think it is wonderfully underrated.

Now, if you frequent any site that has a large fandom community, you've probably seen something about this movie. At the very least- you've heard of Baymax.

Baymax from Big Hero 6

The thing about Big Hero 6 was that even though Disney did advertise for it and promote it before the movie came out, it wasn't a smash hit like Frozen the year before. It did well in the box office, and even won its own Academy Award for best animated film in 2015, but it didn't get nearly as much hype as its predecessor, and it mostly got swept under the rug.

Aside from this movie's obvious lack of princesses, I'm really not sure why Big Hero 6 was less popular than Frozen. To me, this movie's structure is much more interesting and compelling than Frozen by a long shot, and honestly, I enjoyed Big Hero 6 much more than Frozen when I saw each of them in theaters.

But, let's put all speculation aside for now and just get into the breakdown of why I think more people should watch and appreciate Big Hero 6 as much as I do (Warning: Potential spoilers ahead!):

Category 1: Plot- B

I love the plot of this movie because it feels like something ripped straight out of a comic book (likely because the source material was a Marvel comic, but I digress). When I saw this movie in theaters for the first time I was in shock because of how well the plot introduces all of the main players and throws them into an action packed adventure.

Needless to say, the plot is on par with literally any of the Avengers movies, sparing maybe the very first one, because I'm convinced that the first Avengers movie was the best one (don't come for me). Essentially Big Hero 6 is about a brilliant kid who plots to avenge his brother's death by turning himself and his brother's friends into superheroes. (Now that I put it like that, it sounds literally exactly like the 

Avengers, except more gender-balanced and diverse.)

If we want to talk about why this movie didn't do as well as Frozen, I'm gonna be honest with you. Based on the promotional materials for Big Hero 6 alone, I wasn't super clear on what this movie was about. The only thing I knew about this movie before it came out was that it had a banger of a soundtrack (with "Immortals" by Fall Out Boy and "Top of the World" by Greek Fire playing in the advertising), and so I when I saw it, I went into it optimistic, but unsure.

I will say that the marketing for this movie certainly didn't do it any favors, and the fact that it was not as cutesy as Frozen with its Disney Princess charm definitely didn't help, either. But I still feel like this movie was grossly overlooked, even considering the popularity of other superhero movies at the time. Hell, The Guardians of the Galaxy came out the same year as Big Hero 6, and yet that movie was a smash hit.

 As much as I hate to say this, I think one of the reasons why this movie didn't do as well as some of the other superhero movies to come out during this time is because of the next category...

Category 2: Characters- C+

The one detriment of this movie is that it doesn't fully explore the depths of all the characters all that much. Like, there are six characters (seven if you count Tadashi, but it's called Big Hero 6, not Big Hero 7...), but I can really only describe like two of them to you in detail: Hiro and Baymax.

Hiro is a kid genius attempting to relate to the world, despite his insane mental capabilities. His older brother, Tadashi, was a saint, who was probably going to cure the world of all its infectious diseases (Lord knows we need that right about now). Tadashi was a good, kind hearted person, and that eventually comes to be true of Hiro, after he realizes what happened to his brother and he learns to forgive the bad guy at the end of the movie.

Even though Baymax was a robot in the movie, he had a lot of personality. It was mostly in the innocence with which he interacted with the world, and his lack of social skills that sold him for me. Multiple times he references uncomfortable topics such as puberty and grief during inappropriate moments, and it comes off as charming because he's a robot that doesn't know any better. Plus, it doesn't hurt that they designed him to look so darn cute.

Hell, Tadashi even mentions that he wanted to design Baymax to look and feel like a big marshmellow, and so his design is meant to draw you into his charm.

The rest of the crew I can sum up in maybe like a phrase each, from left to right. 

Wasabi: Nervous wreck (Honestly, same).
Honey Lemon: Cute overachiever.
Go-Go: Strong independent woman who don't need no man.
Fred: Idiot. Oh, and he's rich.

Overall, I just wish there was more character progression among the supporting cast of characters. And while I understand that the bulk of this movie is about Hiro and his emotional battle after the loss of his brother, it was hard for me to remember literally anything about the rest of the cast after the movie was over. They weren't particularly memorable, and I think that's a little bit of detriment.

Sidebar: To Disney's credit- I do admire how they depicted different types of people in their character design. I like how Wasabi is shown as this big black guy who's smart, but also neurotic, and Go-Go looks and acts amazing as well. I hate to give studios credit for doing the bare minimum, but I like to shout out representation when it's not problematic, too, so I guess we've reached an impasse.

(Mind you, I know that this is based on a comic book, and in the comic book, all of the characters look insanely different than they're depicted in the movie. Of course Disney had to up the cute factor to make it more appealing to general audiences, because the source material? Well, it looks pretty anime, to say the least.) 

Big Hero 6 comic book covers

Category 3: Themes- A

No joke, I love the themes in this movie so much.

Not only are there themes of revenge, sacrifice, and forgiveness in the face of evil in this movie, but this movie also raises the question of what are the consequences of seeking revenge? It honestly made me think. (SPOILER WARNING) If Callaghan hadn't gotten revenge on Cray- he wouldn't have known if his daughter was alive. But since he did get revenge on Cray, he got sentenced to a life in prison while discovering that his daughter was alive and was able to be saved from a wormhole. But the question is, is it better to not know if your daughter is alive and try to live peacefully, or to cause chaos for the sake of just knowing?

It raises some interesting questions that I still think about even now, despite this movie being several years old. It really makes you think, you know?

Category 4: Animation- A 

I mean, it's hard to argue that the animation in any Disney movie is bad, but in this movie I kind of felt like the animators were just showing off. In fact, the animators on this movie met with real researchers from Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Institute in order to come up with a way to make Baymax look as soft and inflatable as he does in the film. 

Not only was Baymax's design inspired by real robots that are actually being researched right now, but

Hyperion was a brand new animation engine that Disney created and used on this film in order to make Baymax reflect light in a realistic way. According to Teena Maddox from TechRepublic.com:

Hyperion is what gives "Big Hero 6" its beautiful cinematic imagery and depth. Until Hyperion was developed, Disney was never before able to use light in such a way. The light is what gives Baymax a transparent glow and allows light to bounce around inside of him, explained Don Hall, who directed the film with Chris Williams. (par 4)

On top of Baymax's lighting and design, the setting of this film is also pretty unique and phenomenal. Combining the eastern aesthetic of Tokyo with the more western aesthetic of San Francisco really works to build the character of this movie. Not only were they able to design the fully realized fictional city of San Fransokyo, but they were able to make the setting seem real and lived in.

Overall, I really can't help but appreciate the quality animation that went into this movie. Disney usually kills it in their animation department, but in this movie it's easy to tell that the animators really put a lot of hard work into it. 

Category 5: Comedy- B+

The comedy in this movie will leave you in a good mood. This movie isn't insanely funny like some of the other Marvel movies out there, like Thor: Ragnarok, or even sarcastic and full of quips like any of the Iron Man movies, but it brings its own humor in it's relatability.

There are so many moments of relatable humor in this movie, that I- no joke- have about five or six memes for this movie saved onto my phone. Many of the humorous moments come from the fact that this is an animated movie and ergot it's more adaptable to comedy, but some of the funniest moments just come from the characters themselves. The fact that almost all of the main characters are overworked college kids is funny, because they're relatable. They're dealing with things like normal people would, and it's incredibly apparent with characters like Tadashi, especially when he is working on Baymax in one of the most pivotal emotional scenes in the movie.

I think that's what I like the most about this movie- it's got a lot of balance. (SPOILER WARNING)  Like, sure, it's sad because Tadashi dies, but it's also got so many moments of brevity that it doesn't feel like you're overwhelmed by sadness like some Disney movies can leave you (take the first ten minutes of UP, for example). There's even a Stan Lee cameo in the movie, and it's pretty funny what they do with him.

Literal Big Hero 6 memes that I still had saved on my phone after all these years. (Mind you, this is nowhere near all of them.) 

Category 6: Kid-Friendliness- C+

Let's get one thing straight: this movie is not Frozen. Frozen was appealing to general audiences because it promoted themes of family, love, and sisterhood over all else. Now, was that bad?

No.

Did those themes weaken the overall value of Frozen for a more mature audience?

I would say yes (see my argument on why I think Frozen should have focused more on mental health), but a lot of people would say no.

I think its a toss up. While Frozen was arguably more kid friendly (with less death and explosions and more singing trolls and ice palaces), I feel like this movie is probably more important for children to watch.

Will it keep them as entertained as Frozen would?

No, probably not. That is, unless they're the type of kid who's more into superheroes than princesses.

The only thing is, for younger children, this movie may be a tough watch. Kids should see this movie when they're ready and aware of the subject material. This movie is for children that are familiar with the concept of death, and who need to learn how to overcome it without being a victim. Kids above the age of eight would appreciate this movie for what it is- an animated action dramedy. Anyone under eight years old might just enjoy it for the sake of laughing at Baymax.

Baymax petting Hiro's cat, otherwise known as a "hairy baby."

In the end, I love Big Hero 6 with all my heart. It's honestly one of my favorite Disney movies, one of my favorite superhero movies, and one of my favorite movies in general. I still feel like this movie is dreadfully underrated, and I will recommend it to everyone I know until the day I die, but I hope that I maybe convinced someone out there to watch it for the first time.

I would (obviously) give this movie an A for "Awesome," because Baymax warms my heart. Watch it with your family this holiday season and see if they don't love it, too.

I hope that everyone out there is having a safe and happy holiday season, and I hope to see you all next year. Happy Holidays! Please wear a mask!

Julie and the Phantoms // Review #6

If you're feeling down right now, do yourself a favor and watch this trailer for Julie and the Phantoms, Netflix's newest teen series. Then, once you've done that, go ahead and watch the show. It's even crazier than it sounds.

Now here's the thing, I love this show. I literally binged the whole season twice in like a few days, and I managed to talk my mother and a few of my friends into watching it just because I love it that much. It is one of the few Netflix shows to come out recently that actually makes me feel good about the world (you know, despite the global pandemic).

For a brief synopsis of what the show is about, I will provide you with a screenshot of an actual conversation that I had with one of my friends while I was trying to convince them to watch it. Behold:

 If that wasn't enough to convince you, allow me to break this down even further.

Brazilian TV show, Julie and the Phantoms (translated from Portuguese)

Julie and the Phantoms is a new Netflix show about a sixteen year old girl named Julie, who forms a band with a group of boys who died in the mid 1990s. If that sounds ridiculous, you'd be right, but it's also not incredibly original. This show was based on a Brazilian TV show of the same name that came out in the early 2010s. While the original show only lasted for one season, the concept was basically the same with some minor changes. However, this newer, updated version has the potential to turn into an international Netflix hit because of its overall appeal.

Allow me to convince you as to why you should watch this show and join my Julie and the Phantoms fan club.

(NO SPOILERS!)

Category 1: Plot- A+

After I watched this show the first time, I wanted to share it with as many people as possible, but I found myself having a hard time explaining the plot to them. I tried to explain it to my mom, but she didn't understand why I was so hyped about this show about three dead guys performing in a band with a living girl. She didn't understand it, because when presented with just that, the plot sounds crazy. 

This is definitely one of those shows that you have to watch to understand why it's so beloved, but it's worth it, I promise you.

Here is the best way that I can simplify the plot without spoiling anything in the show: Julie is a sixteen year old girl who just lost her mother, along with her love of music. After playing an old CD from the 1990s, Julie is brought together with the ghosts of a 90's boy band, and together they become a hit singing group that helps her regain her confidence.

It sounds wholesome, but it's definitely got a lot more heart than most other Disney Channel shows out there nowadays. If Disney wanted to be even a little more controversial and include deeper themes of loss and found family on their network, this would be the show for them, honestly.

Category 2: Characters- A

Without getting into too many spoilers, you should just know that there are three main ghost characters, and they each have their own loveable personality that helps bring life (ha!) back to the show. Julie's character interacts with each of them in a way that feels authentic, and they each play off of each other really well. The three band mates are Reggie, Alex, and Luke, and they each have their own baggage that they have to deal with in the wake of their death. Having these three characters around helps to strengthen not only the emotional moments of the show, but also they help to boost the comedic moments as well.

Obviously Julie herself is a relatable main character with good intentions and real struggles. She helps to ground the show in reality and to act as a stand-in for the audience that has no idea what is going on at first. 

Then there are the secondary characters like the traditional mean girl and the mandatory best friend. Even these characters were enjoyable to have around because while they were expected, the show was fresh enough that the tropes and archetypes didn't feel stale. (Although sometimes her best friend kind of annoyed me, to be honest- but I digress.)

Overall, all of the primary and secondary characters in the show worked hard to make this show feel as authentic as possible while also letting everyone be a little silly. The casting really worked well, because everyone seems like they fit their roles perfectly.

From left to right: Reggie (Jeremy Shada), Alex (Owen Joyner), Julie (Madison Reyes) and Luke (Charlie Gillespie)

Category 3: Music- A

If you grew up with Hannah Montana, Camp Rock, and Victorious like I did, there is really no excuse for you not to watch this show. This show is the spiritual successor of all three of those combined. The music in this show SLAPS. HARD.

It's better than your average teen musical, and I'm willing to bet that it has something to do with the fact that Kenny Ortega was involved. He directed a few episodes of the show and also acted as an executive producer over the series. If you know anything about Kenny Ortega's career with children's entertainment, you would know that he has an eye for talent and good music. The man directed all three High School Musical movies, The Cheetah Girls 2, and also all of the Descendants movies. He's got a gift, and so I was not surprised when I discovered that this show feels so similar to some of his earlier projects.

Each episode of the series is about 35 minutes long, and in that time frame they manage to cram in 2-3 songs, each performed by the main cast. Madison Reyes (Julie) truly has some pipes on her, which is clear from the first episode, and all of the boys are incredibly talented. I wouldn't be surprised if they did a Camp Rock/ High School Musical type tour where they made the cast perform around the country once this pandemic is over, because each song is so good, and so memorable. 

Perhaps the most impressive part is that the song "Perfect Harmony" performed on the show by Luke (Charlie Gillespie) and Julie (Madison Reyes) was actually written by the two of them while they were filming. Everyone on this show is so multitalented that it's insane. 

I guess what I'm trying to say is: stream the Julie and the Phantoms soundtrack on Spotify. It's good.

Category 4: Diversity- B

One thing that this show has going for it is that one of the main characters is gay, and it's openly discussed in like the second episode of the series. I was surprised to see a show geared towards younger audiences so open about the fact that one of the characters was gay, but JATP managed to make it into a part of the story without shoe-horning in a message or tokenizing him. He was just a normal character who happened to be gay. (This is another reason why I felt like this show wouldn't air on the Disney Channel.)

Also Julie and her family are all Latinx. Her father, brother, and aunt appear throughout the show, and they remind the audience of Julie's home life. I thought it was neat of them to cast a Latinx family and a Latinx main character, especially since the original show took place in a Latinx country, Brazil.

Category 5: Costume Design- A

This is a category just for me, but I have to admit that watching this show I was a little jealous of all of the outfits that Julie and her friends were wearing. I remember thinking that all of their outfits were styled impeccably, and everyone looked cute as hell. If I was in high school, I think I would be lowkey jealous of all of the fun outfits that everyone got to wear, including the boys. I just thought that everyone looked really good in the show, in no small part due to costuming and fashion design.

Screenshots of the original costume designs for Julie and the Phantoms alongside the finished outfits (Courtesy of @Soyonan on Instagram)

Category 6: Family Friendliness- A

 

I'll be honest: When I watched this show the second time, I watched it with my mom. She was curious about why I was so into this kid's show, and so I made her watch it with me. When it was over, even she had to admit that the show is good and worth the hype that I gave it. It's a real feel good type of show, which is something we all need right now. It also has something for everybody: high school drama, death, romance, comedy, music... I could go on, but I think you get the point. It's the perfect show to watch with your preteen sister, or even (in my case) your adult mother.

I think this show has universal appeal. The characters have relatable stories, and they're able to tell them while still being lighthearted enough for children and adults to enjoy.

Overall, I give Julie and the Phantoms a 10/10 (or an A) for being such a mood booster in these dark times. After watching it the first time, I was excited in a way that only happens when you know you've watched something spectacular. I felt that way after watching Hamilton for the first time, and I felt it again after watching this.

I really hope that this show gets a season two, because after sharing it with my mother and a couple of friends, it's safe to say that we all have our theories on how a second season could possibly top the first.

If you haven't seen it already, I recommend you give it a shot. It's worth the time, and it's definitely worth the emotional investment.

Thanks for reading, everyone. Stay safe, and stream Julie and the Phantoms on Netflix so that we can all fan-girl together.

Update in 2020 (Top 10 Things to Watch Right Now)

(Cue "It's the end of the world as we know it" by R.E.M. while distant screaming persists in the background.)

SO.

It's been a bad year. (And it's only September.)

All of us right now are absolutely going through it, which is understandable because there's a global pandemic ravaging the world as we know it. I hope everyone out there is doing okay.

Personally, I've taken this time to work on my mental health (to some modicum of success) and to basically ignore the trash fire going on around me by watching movies and TV shows that make me happy. I've decided to make a list of things that I found enjoyable, so that I can share them with you. Maybe then we can bond over our favorite movies and TV shows while the world burns around us.

(This list is in no particular order, by the way)

10. Hamilton (on Disney+)

Now, if you haven't seen the Broadway musical Hamilton yet, I have to say that you're missing out. I can't explain to you why this show is so amazing, but I can tell you that no matter how you feel about American history (especially right now), this show is bound to captivate you and trick you into caring about America's founding fathers. The music is impeccable, the acting is unparalleled, and the casting is just... (chef's kiss). If you haven't watched it yet, please give it a shot (no pun intended), and if you have, go listen to the soundtrack again on Spotify. You know you want to.

9. Normal People (on Hulu)

Normal People was a limited series based on the book by Sally Rooney, produced by the BBC and distributed through Hulu. The overall show is about two Irish people who fall in and out of love over the course of several years, and it's great. If you have Hulu and are able to watch it, I suggest you give the show a chance. It's a romantic show, but it's about much more than that, if you ask me. 10/10 would recommend.

8. Little Fires Everywhere (on Hulu)  

 

Can you say, "all-star cast?" Can you say, "relevant social themes?" This show was amazing. Little Fires Everywhere had all of the things you want out of a good mini series: thoughtful commentary about the "white savior" narrative, drama between Kerry Washington and Reese Witherspoon, LGBT+ representation, etc. We live for it, honestly. I definitely didn't think this show was perfect, but it tackled some issues that aren't usually talked about in this particular format- such as how systemic racism affects white people much differently than people of color. Just like the gif says, "[White people] didn't make good choices [in life]. [They] had good choices." You love to see it. 

7. Work It (on Netflix)

Now this movie may be a little controversial for some of you. Was Work It a good movie? Well, that depends on what your definition of good is. If you're looking for something light, in the vein of a Disney Channel original movie with some fun dance moves thrown in, then you won't be disappointed. Sure the movie is predictable and silly (with some major plot points that are just completely dropped for the sake of moving the story along), but it's a good time to watch. Have a viewing party with some friends over Discord and laugh at how silly it is if you feel so inclined.

6. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (on Netflix)

If you haven't seen this movie yet, I don't think I can associate with you in public. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is probably the best (yes, I said BEST) Spider-Man movie out to date, and that's including the Tom Holland and Tobey Maguire ones. The plot is more interesting and complex than many of the other Spider-Man movies, and the animation and music in this movie is absolutely stunning. It is definitely worth a watch if you haven't seen it already.

5. Booksmart (on Hulu)

I love this movie. I'm not sure what it is about it that appeals to me, but I think the realism really gets me. I really enjoyed the whole premise of the film, and the way it was executed also really worked for me. Booksmart is relatable for those kids who would kiss up to their English teacher in class, and then never do anything outside of their college approved extracurriculars. I think it speaks to my inner nerd, and that's why I love it. Check it out.

4. Carole & Tuesday (on Netflix)

This one is a little more personal to me, because I absolutely adore this show and all of the music in it. Carole & Tuesday is an anime that focuses on two girls who want to become famous on Mars. It is... problematic, to say the least, especially when it comes to LGBT+ representation, so I'll just put that out there up front. However, I still think that it's worth watching, if only for their friendship and the music. I unironically have like eight of the songs from this show on several different Spotify playlists. Watch it if you want a lighthearted anime with good music.

3. Cobra Kai (on Netflix)

I only recently finished this series, because it was just released to Netflix this past weekend. I knew it used to be a YouTube original (one of the only good ones, so I heard), but I had never taken the time to actually watch it until it hit Netflix. After binging it all in a couple of days, I have to say... I get the hype. Cobra Kai follows the story of the original Karate Kid franchise by telling the story of Johnny Lawrence, the former bully in the original Karate Kid. After losing the biggest karate tournament of his life almost 35 years ago, he decides to reopen the Cobra Kai dojo in spite of his rival, Daniel LaRusso. This show is good, even if you haven't seen the original Karate Kid. It provides just enough context for old and new viewers alike to enjoy.

2. Sorry to Bother You (on Hulu)

I'm just gonna just say it: this movie is WEIRD. It might not start off that way, but trust me, it gets there. Despite that, though, I liked it a lot. Sorry to Bother You is the kind of movie that gets you thinking about the system, and how it's inherently built to oppress those who are disadvantaged. You may or may not remember the advertising for this movie years ago when it mentioned having a "white-voice?" Well, that was honestly just the beginning of how bizarre and macabre this movie gets. I can guarantee you won't see the twist coming.  

 

1. I Am Not an Easy Man (on Netflix)

This one is probably my most controversial on the list, because not only is this movie a French film, but it is also a film about the patriarchy and how much it sucks. This movie is meant to be a romantic comedy, and for the most part it delivers, up until the ending which I didn't particularly care for at all. Nonetheless, I Am Not an Easy Man (translated from the original French title) followed a male chauvinist as he is transported into a world in which females have all of the power instead of men. This movie is a little touchy because I know that some men will be offended by this concept, even, but I found it to be remarkably refreshing to see all of the things that women have to go through on the daily pointed out so blatantly in a film. By flipping the script, it highlights how ridiculously sexist society truly is overall. I would recommend watching it if you like subtitles, but even if you don't- Netflix has a dubbed version in English.

Alrighty. So there's my list of movies and shows to watch that will (hopefully) lift you out of the funk that is currently 2020. On the bright side, there's only three months left in the year, and then it'll be over. Hopefully by 2021 we can all collectively forget that 2020 was such a horrendous shit storm and we can all get vaccinated and go outside again.

Let me know if you've seen any of these shows/ movies already, and what you think. And feel free to recommend some more content for me to watch, because God knows I need something to distract myself from the chaos of the world right now.

Stay safe out there, everybody.