MOVIE OF THE WEEK (7/27/18) #1: TEEN TITANS GO! TO THE MOVIES
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| "I know – I can't believe we got THAT guy to do a cameo in our movie, either!" (L to R): Cyborg (voiced by Khary Payton), Starfire (voiced by Hynden Walch), Robin (voiced by Scott Menville), Raven (voiced by Tara Strong) and Beast Boy (voiced by Greg Cipes) listen to their potential arch nemesis Slade (voiced by Will Arnett) in a scene from Warner Bros. Animation's TEEN TITANS GO! TO THE MOVIES, a Warner Bros. Pictures. release. Credit © 2018 Warner Bros. All rights reserved. |
WATCH THE TRAILER(S) HERE:
KEY CAST MEMBERS: Scott Menville, Kristen Bell, Will Arnett, Khary Payton, Tara Strong, Greg Cipes, Hyden Walch ... And a very famous, non-D.C. superhero movie staple.
WRITER(S): Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic (screenplay); Bob Haney, Bruno Premiani, Jerry Siegel, Joe Schuster, William Moulton Marston, George Pérez, Marv Wolfman, Bob Drake and Arnold Drake (characters/television series)
DIRECTOR(S): Aaron Horvath and Peter Ride Michall
WEB SITE: http://www.teentitansgo-movie.com/
HERE'S THE STORY: Based on the hit Cartoon Network series of the same name, Teen Titans Go! to the Movies features everyone's favorite D.C. Comics youngsidekicks superheroes looking to do the thing that will establish them in the world: Star in their own movie like all their favorite idols like Batman (Jimmy Kimmel), Superman (Nicholas Cage) and others. That's why the team – Starfire (Hyden Walch), Beast Boy (Greg Cipes), Cyborg (Khary Payton), Raven (Tara Strong) and its de facto leader, Robin (Scott Menville) – are heading west to meet up with Hollywood's hottest director, Jade Wilson (Kristen Bell). And if the team can impress her, Robin is sure the team can secure its own franchise film that will make them household names on their own.
There's just one problem – Slade (Will Arnett) – is out to take over the world, which means the Teen Titans may have to put their dreams of stardom on hold so there will be a world left to watch them on the big screen.
HERE'S THE STORY: Based on the hit Cartoon Network series of the same name, Teen Titans Go! to the Movies features everyone's favorite D.C. Comics young
There's just one problem – Slade (Will Arnett) – is out to take over the world, which means the Teen Titans may have to put their dreams of stardom on hold so there will be a world left to watch them on the big screen.
WHO WILL LIKE THIS FILM THE MOST? Longstanding Teen Titans Go! fans old enough to understand the satire presented at times and get the jokes, people who liked The LEGO Batman Movie and either of Marvel's Ant-Man films
WHO WON'T (OR SHOULDN'T) LIKE THIS MOVIE? People who hate all things D.C. movie-wise; young kids who won't get many of the jokes/pop culture references; those who only like dark/mature superhero movies; anyone who does not like superhero movies at all
SO IS IT GOOD, BAD OR JUST AWFUL? A film that is fun yet flawed, Teen Titans Go! to the Movies is yet another reminder that while D.C. and Warner Bros. are making strides, not only are their films the Pepsi to Marvel's Coca-Cola, it now knows and acknowledges it, too.
Much like The Lego Batman Movie, Teen Titans contains a lot of references/jokes designed to poke fun at the superhero genre as a whole while at the same time celebrating all of the things that people enjoy about them. Thus, there are many portions of the film that feel more acquainted for those say 17 and up than the younger audience that one would suppose it is intended for. (Then again, jokes about going to the bathroom tend to usually appeal to the child in everyone regardless of their age.) Will Arnett steals the show as Slade (who longstanding fans will know better as Deathstroke) just like he did in The Lego Batman Movie, so don't fret too much; you'll get plenty of jokes star power to make the film an enjoyable experience.
The film is not, however, without its issues. The film's movie-within-a-movie/fourth wall breaking approach sometimes misses where you hope it would hit and, at times, comes off feeling like a copy of other films (the aforementioned Lego Batman and a kid-friendly Deadpool, in particular) than it's own unique vehicle. Then again, a full-length feature is different than 24 minute (not including commercials) blocks for television; you'd think the former would give the film's creative team an incentive to develop its other characters more for a wider audience, but alas, much like Justice League, the focus on the characters is minimal in favor of more jokes and action.
There's self-deprecating humor ... And then there's Teen Titans' reference to all of its parent company's other cinematic failures (save for the one they are still acting like it wasn't that bad). Seriously, it's almost as if the film goes out of its way – much like Domino's recent "we're trying" ad campaign – to let people know that it realizes how good Marvel has been but that their movies will be better in the future. One way they could improve, however, would be to get Beast Boy to quit sounding like every white rapper from the 90s not named The Beastie Boys, Eminem or MC Serch (click here for more on this age-old topic) with his overly "ghetto" affectations. It's annoying for anyone over the age of 17.
Other than that, you'll get the standard superhero cartoon messages of teamwork, the importance of being yourself and appreciating the people that appreciate you. It would just be a better experience if going to the Teen Titans movie didn't make you think about going to a Marvel movie once you were done.
SO IS IT GOOD, BAD OR JUST AWFUL? A film that is fun yet flawed, Teen Titans Go! to the Movies is yet another reminder that while D.C. and Warner Bros. are making strides, not only are their films the Pepsi to Marvel's Coca-Cola, it now knows and acknowledges it, too.
Much like The Lego Batman Movie, Teen Titans contains a lot of references/jokes designed to poke fun at the superhero genre as a whole while at the same time celebrating all of the things that people enjoy about them. Thus, there are many portions of the film that feel more acquainted for those say 17 and up than the younger audience that one would suppose it is intended for. (Then again, jokes about going to the bathroom tend to usually appeal to the child in everyone regardless of their age.) Will Arnett steals the show as Slade (who longstanding fans will know better as Deathstroke) just like he did in The Lego Batman Movie, so don't fret too much; you'll get plenty of jokes star power to make the film an enjoyable experience.
The film is not, however, without its issues. The film's movie-within-a-movie/fourth wall breaking approach sometimes misses where you hope it would hit and, at times, comes off feeling like a copy of other films (the aforementioned Lego Batman and a kid-friendly Deadpool, in particular) than it's own unique vehicle. Then again, a full-length feature is different than 24 minute (not including commercials) blocks for television; you'd think the former would give the film's creative team an incentive to develop its other characters more for a wider audience, but alas, much like Justice League, the focus on the characters is minimal in favor of more jokes and action.
There's self-deprecating humor ... And then there's Teen Titans' reference to all of its parent company's other cinematic failures (save for the one they are still acting like it wasn't that bad). Seriously, it's almost as if the film goes out of its way – much like Domino's recent "we're trying" ad campaign – to let people know that it realizes how good Marvel has been but that their movies will be better in the future. One way they could improve, however, would be to get Beast Boy to quit sounding like every white rapper from the 90s not named The Beastie Boys, Eminem or MC Serch (click here for more on this age-old topic) with his overly "ghetto" affectations. It's annoying for anyone over the age of 17.
Other than that, you'll get the standard superhero cartoon messages of teamwork, the importance of being yourself and appreciating the people that appreciate you. It would just be a better experience if going to the Teen Titans movie didn't make you think about going to a Marvel movie once you were done.
OVERALL RATING (OUT OF FOUR POSSIBLE BUCKETS OF POPCORN):
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