The New Pixar Movie Is Solid But Not Great; Don't Expect To Cry
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This was not me at the end of 'Luca'.
While it's a solid movie, with an 83/100 rating from myself, 'Luca' (now on Disney+) just doesn't hit that next level that other Pixar movies have reached over the years.
In a beautiful seaside town on the Italian Riviera, two young boys experience an unforgettable summer filled with gelato, pasta and endless scooter rides. But all the fun is threatened by a deeply-held secret: they are sea monsters from another world just below the water’s surface. (via MovieRankings.net)
First off, when it comes to the positives with the movie, as with most Pixar releases, 'Luca' looks fucking incredible. There is an anime inspiration with the movie and a bit of a different look than the rest of the company's releases. There were some nighttime scenes where it looked as if the characters were even clay animated. Even when Pixar is at its worst, most of the movies are worthy based just on the visual spectacle.
Luckily for 'Luca', it's far from Pixar's worst. There is a nice message, an engaging fun story, and its usual crop of solid voice acting.
What is unfortunate is the fact 'Luca' never really expands beyond the surface (no pun intended). Everything seems to just tread water in this movie, luckily what is above water is solid, but the team behind 'Luca' can't seem to find the lane that made their other recent release 'Soul' so deep and profound.
"The message" is always what we discuss with Pixar and their successful movies, but the execution of the message is really where they hit their home runs.
While 'Luca' is more of a "kids movie" than 'Soul' was, there is still room to stretch the limits and boundaries of the message being told. Part of that problem with this movie is that I don't think we understand enough of the backstory with the sea monsters. I'm not saying 'Luca' couldn't be good just focusing on the Italian village, but usually, the "weird" and "out there" elements of Pixar movies is what we all remember.
Imagine if 'Toy Story' was just about Andy? Or if 'Coco' only focused on the real world, not the after-life? Or if they never left the city in 'Up'? That's my biggest gripe with 'Luca', everything feels too normal, so the contrast of the message and story, with how we see the characters progress isn't drastic enough to leave a huge impact when the credits roll.
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It's still a really solid movie, but don't expert any waterworks.
We are updating MovieRankings.net today, but you'll see that 'Luca' falls into the bottom half of my Pixar rankings.
Check the movie out today on Disney+.
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The movie is Officially Buttered, despite the negative comments. It's a solid movie and most people will enjoy it! You can head to Lights Camera Barstool right here to listen to our latest episode where we reviewed the movie in full.
Until next time, enjoy some movies, and make sure to check out MovieRankings.net.