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Certificate: 
Director: David Silverman
Release Date: 25 July 2007
Tagline: See our family. And feel better about yours.
Main Cast: (voice)
Dan Castellaneta … Homer
Julie Kavner … Marge
Nancy Cartwright … Bart
Yeardly Smith … Lisa
I’m a big fan of The Simpsons (who isn’t?!) and doubted somewhat whether a film would work. It was obviously going to require some sort of plot to sustain the probable length of approximately 90 minutes (the film is actually 87 minutes), and I was unsure what they were going to come up with. Although I enjoyed the film (there are some very funny moments), I just couldn’t really get fully into it. The regular episodes all have believable plots (give or take a crazy moment or two), but the film strays from this somewhat! It also borrows heavily from overused storylines e.g. Lisa falls for another gentle soul who is just like her (his appearance in Springfield is rather Deus Ex Machina, which, oddly enough, they admit to doing in a different part of the film), and she’s on the environmental campaign trail once again. Ok, so this is The Simpsons, and a complex plot was neither expected or required. I just wish it had been a little more like real life.
So, did it work? Yes and no. It was an interesting experiment, but one that I don’t think needs to be repeated.
One last thing – if you watch through until the end of the credits, Maggie says her first word. Personally, I think this is a mistake. She should always remain the enigma that she is – has she not learned to speak yet, or does she just elect to be a wry observer who thinks that actions speak louder than words?
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Certificate: 
Director: Brad Bird, Jan Pinkava (co-director)
Release Date: 12 October 2007
Tagline: He’s dying to become a chef.
Main Cast: (voice)
Patton Oswalt … Remy
Ian Holm … Skinner
Lou Romano … Linguini
Brian Dennehy … Django
More genius from Pixar!
Ratatouille is a delight from start to finish. It looks fantastic, the characters are great, the story is very engaging, and it’s very, very funny.
I’m sure I’ve said somewhere else on this site that “there’s something wrong with you if you don’t enjoy this film”, and it applies again here.
Nothing else to say other than keep ‘em coming, Pixar!
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Certificate: 
Director: Dominic Polcino
Release Date: 21 January 2008 (original TV air date 23 September 2007)
Main Cast: (Voice)
Seth MacFarlane … Peter Griffin, Brian Griffin, Stewie Griffin, Glen Quagmire, Tom Tucker
Alex Borstein … Lois Griffin
Seth Green … Chris Griffin
Ok, ok, I know. Technically this shouldn’t be here because it’s not a film. But I love Star Wars, so it’s going in!
This is Family Guy’s take on Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. And a very funny one it is too! It’s ANH at breakneck speed, and the various little parodies work well. The events run very well with the score – it’s all timed to perfection! The attention to detail is exceptional, and it’s as if you are watching the real ANH.
My favourite moment? Easy! Peter (Han) singing along with the music in the TIE Fighter battle after the escape of the Millennium Falcon from the Death Star. We’ve all sat there and done that too!
Sure, one or two of the jokes fall a little flat, but on the whole it’s very enjoyable. Of course, you have to have seen Family Guy to understand much of the humour. So, if you’re a Star Wars fan and have never seen FG, then watch a few episodes first to familiarise yourself with it.
Oh, and if you’re wondering where ‘Blue Harvest’ fits in, it was the fake production name that was used by Lucasfilm when shooting Return of the Jedi.
It’s hard to rate this. It’s not perfect, but looking at it from the objective of a Star Wars devotee, it’s exceptional in many ways. So, I’m going to do a first for this site, and give it two ratings 
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Attention to detail & animation quality Rating:
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Directors: Yoshiaki Kawajiri & Jack Fletcher
Release Date: 28 September 2001
Tagline: When the sun sets… The hunt begins.
Main Cast: (Voice, English)
Andrew Philpot … D
John Rafter Lee … Meier Link
Pamela Adlon … Leila (voice) (as Pamela Segall)
Wendee Lee … Charlotte
I’m a fan of Japanese animation, and I haven’t seen a bad one yet. Vampire Hunter D is beautifully crafted. The animation is superb and very atmospheric and the story is also very good. However, it is not a traditional vampire movie. It’s a dark film that has depth. The characters struggle with their own personal demons, and Meijer Link is depicted as a vampire with a heart – he loves and is loved in return.
However, I find myself somewhat ambivalent about it.
Personally, I don’t want to see vampires that are capable of love. I want to see them as evil and predatory creatures. I also found it a bit dull and slow at times. I also disliked the talking hand. Yes, it provided a bit of comic relief, but I don’t think the film needed it. However, all of that is just my opinion and it doesn’t mean that the film is bad. Indeed, it is a very interesting take on the subject.
Overall, even if you are not a fan of anime you should find this film entertaining.
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Directors: Andrew Adamson & Vicky Jenson
Release Date: 29 June 2001
Tagline: The greatest fairy tale never told.
Main Cast: (Voice)
Mike Myers … Shrek
Eddie Murphy … Donkey
Princess Fiona … Cameron Diaz
Where to start? What a film! Absolutely brilliant on every level. Perfectly cast, excellent animation, fantastic story and wonderful characters.
Not only is Shrek all of the above, it is also one of those classics that that is irresistable to adults. There are so many instances of ‘nods’ to films that it’s hard to keep track of them.
Shrek himself is a great character. All he wants is to be left alone in his swamp, but his grumpy exterior is soon broken down when he rescues Princess Fiona, and begins to fall for her. Underneath it all, he’s a gentle sole who tries very hard to be a scary ogre, but never really fools anyone.
And then there’s Donkey. Surely Eddie Murphy’s finest hour! He steals practically every scene he’s in. He’s annoying, loveable, and very, very funny. One of my all time favourite characters, it’s hard to see anyone creating anything better.
Basically, Shrek is as near as you can get to a perfect film. It’s only flaw is that it isn’t long enough!
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Directors: Peter Docter & David Silverman (co-director)
Release Date: 8 February 2002
Main Cast: (Voice)
John Goodman … James P. “Sulley” Sullivan
Billy Crystal … Mike Wazowski
Another masterpiece from Pixar! Excellent story, perfect casting, and fantastic animation. Sulley is a great character; he’s quite possibly the most loveable monster ever (who wouldn’t want their very own Sulley cuddly toy?!) and Mike is the perfect sidekick for him. It’s a classic comedy partnership – the funny guy and the straight man.
As is usual for Pixar films, Monsters Inc can be enjoyed by all ages. I haven’t come across a single person who doesn’t love it, and in my opinion, it’s an absolute must see.
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Directors: Andrew Stanton & Lee Unkrich (co-director)
Release Date: 10 October 2003
Tagline: 71% of the Earth’s surface is covered by water. That’s a lot of space to find one fish.
Main Cast: (Voice)
Albert Brooks … Marlin
Ellen DeGeneres … Dory
Alexander Gould … Nemo
Finding Nemo is another masterpiece from Pixar. The animation is truly stunning, and the script is up to the usual high standard. There are plenty of real laugh out loud jokes that make this film enjoyable for all ages.
The casting is wonderful; Albert Brooks is brilliant as the constantly fretting and over protective parent, and it’s impossible to imagine anyone other than Ellen DeGeneres as Dory.
There’s not much more to be said really, other than watch it!
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