Movie Review - Cruella (2021 Film)

I never liked the film 101 Dalmatians. I thought the animation was good and the visuals were very nice, but the story and characters were so boring. Cruella was the only highlight of the experience, so focusing a movie on her made sense.

Cruella is a 2021 live-action dark drama loosely based on the book and Disney film 101 Dalmatians. It is rated PG-13 for a couple of mildly horrific scenes and is appropriate for tweens and up.

The Good

Story. I wasn't sure what to expect. I had a few ideas, but the story went in a very different direction. But it was really enjoyable and held my attention almost the whole time after the slow beginning.

Concept. This is very different from the cartoon and a very different take, but it's an enjoyable one that works well. Technically this is a prequel to the movie 101 Dalmatians being Cruella's origin story, but she really is a very different character as are everyone else from the original cartoon with only the names the same. But the story and take was so strong, I think it was better this way.

Casting. The casting was perfect, especially Emma Thompson as the Baroness. And everyone else was excellent except for Roger and Anita who couldn't have been more dull or pointless.

The Bad

Young Cruella. The movie opens with Cruella's birth and childhood. And it is deadly dull with a really unlikable actress playing young Cruella. The movie is almost painful until it fast forwards to adult Cruella.

 

What I Would Like To Have Seen

I wish they would have left out Roger and Anita. They were poorly cast, poorly written, and added nothing to the story.

Overall

Cruella is a 2021 live-action dark drama loosely based on the book and Disney film 101 Dalmatians. It is rated PG-13 for a couple of mildly horrific scenes and is appropriate for tweens and up. This is very different from the cartoon and a very different take, but it's an enjoyable one that works well. Technically this is a prequel to the movie 101 Dalmatians being Cruella's origin story, but she really is a very different character as are everyone else from the original cartoon with only the names the same. But the story and take was so strong, I think it was better this way. I wasn't sure what to expect. I had a few ideas, but the story went in a very different direction. But it was really enjoyable and held my attention almost the whole time after the slow beginning. The casting was perfect, especially Emma Thompson as the Baroness. And everyone else was excellent except for Roger and Anita who couldn't have been more dull or pointless. I wish they would have left out Roger and Anita. They were poorly cast, poorly written, and added nothing to the story. The movie opens with Cruella's birth and childhood. And it is deadly dull with a really unlikable actress playing young Cruella. The movie is almost painful until it fast forwards to adult Cruella. Then it's brilliant! I highly recommend this film and give it 4.5 out of 5 Boxes of Popcorn.

    

Animation Review - DC Showcase: Kamandi: The Last Boy On Earth! (2021 Animated Short)

I wasn't a fan of Jack Kirby until he came to DC Comics and launched his Fourth World saga lead by his brilliant work on Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen. And I enjoyed the other creations that followed including Kamandi and OMAC: One Man Army Corps. Both would make excellent cartoons as shown by the Kamandi shorts from Batman: The Brave and The Bold series on Cartoon Network.

DC Showcase: Kamandi: The Last Boy On Earth! is a 2021 16-minute animated short included with Justice Society: World War II on Blu Ray, DVD and Digital Streaming. It is unrated for action violence and is appropriate for all ages.

The Good

Art Direction. The backgrounds came straight out of the Jack Kirby comic books, which was pretty cool. The character designs were very nice, but I would have preferred the versions from Batman: The Brave and The Bold. Those better captured the energy of Jack Kirby's artwork.

Story. This was adapted from one of my least favorite issues of Kamandi, but I really enjoyed it. The story works better in animation, and the filmmakers were able to squeeze in the major characters, the origin, and cameos to service the fans.

The Bad

....

 

What I Would Like To Have Seen

A whole series!

Overall

DC Showcase: Kamandi: The Last Boy On Earth! is a 2021 16-minute animated short included with Justice Society: World War II on Blu Ray, DVD and Digital Streaming. The backgrounds came straight out of the Jack Kirby comic books, which was pretty cool. The character designs were very nice, but I would have preferred the versions from Batman: The Brave and The Bold. Those better captured the energy of Jack Kirby's artwork. This was adapted from one of my least favorite issues of Kamandi, but I really enjoyed it. The story works better in animation, and the filmmakers were able to squeeze in the major characters, the origin, and cameos to service the fans. I highly recommend this short and give it 4.5 out of 5 Reels of Film.