Wednesday 29 January 2020

RED SHOES AND THE SEVEN DWARFS

Watchable. In Poland, it's only dubbed, including songs, in Polish so you won't hear Sam Claflin as Merlin. The wizard's name sounds familiar, doesn't it? So add characters enchanted into green-skinned ones, like ogres in "Shrek" and a talking tree as a mirror - not sure if the chatty plant comes from "Guardians of the Galaxy" or "The Lord of the Rings". Some lines refer to pop culture as well, e.g. considering a guest list for an aristocrat's party: "Princess Diana?" "From a different fairy-tale." "Princess Leia?" "Promoted to general." The animation style and quality varies. It's either sufficient-for-kids or displays varying textures or, once only, near the beginning, it's artistic. As for the story, it tells you that if a man gets to love you, you can put on weight and will be still loved and if he's valiant, you'll fall for him and he'll look handsome in your eyes. The movie sound's been recorded in Atmos but the music's poor. At the end of the early credits, which are all fun, a scene seems to announce a sequel.

TROUBLE

Watchable. A standard riches-to-rags and back again dog plot, with an obligatory escape from a dog pound. Sufficient-for-kids animation. Silly music but, with the film dubbed in Polish, I'm happy at least the songs are in the English original. Squirrels perform a Jacko-style dance at times and one of songs is called "Bad And Dangerous". The translation by Bartek Fukiet means witty lines. Several are created around dogs' impeccable sense of smell and hearing but some compare human and dog lives' delights, e.g. when ordinary dogs are pampered with meditation, one remarks: "And I thought that the sense of my dogness is smelling bottom backs." Trouble is a cute little mutt and his and other dogs' feelings are truly moving. The film teaches the love of dogs. A loud fart sound makes for the post-credit though.

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