FINDING DORY [2016]

13 years after the wonderfully crafted Finding Nemo, Disney, Pixar & director Andrew Stanton make a much-anticipated return to their underwater world with Finding Dory.
The lovable blue tang fish with a short-term memory sets out to find her long lost parents leading her to a dizzying adventure in a Californian aquatic park where she meets all sorts of weird and wonderful characters.
I entered into the film a little cautious, thinking it couldn't stand up to the original that didn't really need a sequel but after an awkward first 15 minutes, I found myself at ease and constantly laughing at the story unfolding before me.  It manages to pack in a profoundly emotional punch, some hilarious moments for all ages and enough warmth to forgive any of it's very minor short-comings.

4 septopus out of 5

THE GOOD DINOSAUR [2015]

2015 saw one of Pixar Animation's greatest achievements with Inside Out and, now with director Peter Sohn's feature length debut The Good Dinosaur, it's seen one of it's biggest fumbles as well.
The touching story of a dinosaur & his cave-boy, who bond as they journey through the savage wilderness in hopes to find their ways back home doesn't quite make it's mark.  
It features all the usual Pixar ingredients to make for a good time, including humor, a wide variety of colorful characters, beautifully rendered animation and a unique look at the world.  However it's missing the inventive storytelling full of depth and sophistication we've all come to expect from the studio, making it far from memorable compared to it's more mature predecessors.
It might not live up to the studios usual standards but it never feels like you're wasting your time because you could probably being doing a lot worse when it comes to the family-friendly films.

3 oddly placed drug trips out of 5

Planes: Fire & Rescue (2014)

Planes (2013) was a surprisingly endearing and clever film with an array of appropriately cast characters. Fire & Rescue returns with the core players (Dane Cook, Brad Garrett, Teri Hatcher, Stacy Keach), using the same underdog formula from the first. This time Dusty Crophopper must adapt when his racing prowess is endangered. Cook is still relatable and down-to-earth as ever, his voice giving humor to mere perfunctory exposition. A change of scenery of course comes with new characters and while they all sufficiently embody their roles, they don't live up to the range of flamboyant and colorful personalities from the first. But the amount of adventure has not only increased but intensified with many beautiful and thrilling feats of endangerment.

3 pick up trucks out of 5

FINDING NEMO [2003]

Andrew Stanton successfully brings life to the Pixar's fifth CGI animated film Finding Nemo with the help of beautiful visuals and strong voice performances from Albert Brooks and Ellen DeGeneres.

It tells the timeless story of a clownfish who is willing to take risks for the first time in his life in order to find his missing son.  Stanton blends touching moments with genuine humor, filled with a fantastic cast of supporting characters that all leave you in awe with it's wonder and imagination.  

One of Pixar's best with it's seamless storytelling that fully absorbs you into a different world.

5 Tank Gangs out of 5

TOY STORY 2 [1999]

Recapturing the spirit and the warmth of the first film, Toy Story 2 manages to keep up with the quality we've come to expect from Disney/Pixar collaborations. 

Even though it may not be the most overly complicated film, it still never talks down to it's audience no matter what age they are.  It's funny, creative and beautifully animated with well-rounded characters to boot.  

Timeless storytelling at some of it's best.

4 Geri's out of 5

TOY STORY [1995]

Disney & Pixar's first collaboration, Toy Story, is arguably their most cherished film & series to date.  

Reinventing the quality & style of animated films, the modern classic set up a new standard for family films that had been missing for years before it. Brilliantly shot from the toy's point of view, Toy Story is filled with energetic voice work, inventive action pieces and more than enough warmth to defrost the coldest of hearts.

It really doesn't get much better than this.

5 sad, strange little men out of 5