“The Good Dinosaur,” which opened Nov. 25, asks the question: What if the asteroid that forever changed life on Earth missed the planet completely and giant dinosaurs never became extinct? In this epic journey into the world of dinosaurs, an apatosaurus named Arlo makes an unlikely human friend, learns the power of confronting his fears, and discovers his capabilities.
I enjoyed watching this 3D, computer-animated, adventure-rich, dramatic comedy. “The Good Dinosaur” is very emotional and funny, a perfect movie for the family. This movie is about what would happen if an asteroid missed the Earth and never killed the dinosaurs. In the film, you meet Arlo (voiced by Raymond Ochoa), who is a very insecure, scared dinosaur. He meets a human kid named Spot (voiced by Jack Bright). Arlo chases Spot and falls into the water, taking Arlo very far away from his family. Will Arlo make it back to his family or will he be lost?
I like how it touches our emotions and admit that it made me cry in some parts. I also liked the jokes. I love the action scenes that involve the water — it kept me on the edge of my seat.
My favorite character is Arlo, who is ecstatic, extremely compassionate, and learns to face his fears. Arlo is very relatable, because everyone has fears. People sometimes think fears are silly, but they’re not. I love that he is very motivated.
The moral lesson in this movie is that you can discover what you’re truly capable of if you are willing to face your fears. Arlo proves that.
I give this film 5 out of 5 amazing stars and recommend it for kids ages 5 to 18. Adults might like this as well.
— Ryan R., age 11
See his video review at: https://www.youtu
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I find it strange that Pixar has released two films in the same year. Especially considering that “Inside Out” has been locked for the Academy Award for Animated Feature since it was released. It’s almost unfair, because “The Good Dinosaur” is a very good film that, I’m afraid, will get lost in the shadow of its all-too-recent predecessor. Despite such lofty competition, “The Good Dinosaur,” in just about any other year, would be a great candidate for Best Animated Feature. It is some of the most beautiful animation I’ve seen, with a story so familiar, that its heartwarming qualities hit home.
The story is something we’ve seen many times before in both animated films and live-action ones. It is the story of the young boy who’s too afraid to live life and has to be shown the world to overcome his fears. Throw in some family death and comic relief friends, and you could write the rest yourself.
Luckily, this movie features great relationship bonding between our protagonist, Arlo, and his young friend Spot. They start out not liking each other, and by the end, they’re nearly inseparable. It is a relationship that develops with humor and a sweetness that brings tears to the eye.
That young boy, Spot, is portrayed as a dog, actually. That is a part of an interesting dynamic with this movie. The dinosaurs are like people, and the young caveboy plays the pet. He even has a pet name. It adds to the humor of the film — which is full of humor.
The opening joke, in which the film plays with the audience and threatens a meteor strike on earth, sets the tone.
The most impressive part of director Peter Sohn’s movie is the animation. Cinematographer Sharon Calahan has helped make a beautiful film. There is actually a point in the movie I thought J.J. Abrams was directing, because there are some beautiful lens flares in there. That’s how intricate the animation is and how true to its environment it is.
Unfortunately, the familiar story limits how good this film really can be. Considering that, there isn’t anything groundbreaking. There is even an homage to “The Lion King” included.
I give this film 4 out of 5 stars. It is a fantastic family film and one I highly recommend. — Willie J., age 16
See his video review at: https://www.youtu
