G) Zootopia

Walt Disney Pictures.
G for Cartoon/Animation Action
Running Time: 108 Minutes. 
3 stars out of 4.
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Following a string of critical and commercial successes, Walt Disney Animation Studios is back for the first time since 2014's Big Hero 6. In a city of anthropomorphic animals, a fugitive con artist fox and a rookie bunny cop must work together to uncover a conspiracy. Zootopia is a delightful film from start to finish. Filled with breathtakingly beautiful animation, stellar voice work from leads Ginnifer Goodwin and Jason Bateman, incredible world building, and a sophisticated message about diversity, equality, and acceptance, Zootopia is one of the best animated films of recent memory. 

The world building in Zootopia is simply phenomenal. Zootopia feels like a real "lived in" world, and the animators have found a clever way to make all the animals (of all shapes and sizes) work in one world. While the film could have overly relied on pop culture references, and zoomorphism, like that of 2003's Shark Tale, Zootopia does so in very subtle ways. Look for street names, lines of dialogue, and store names. 

As Judy Hopps, Ginnifer Goodwin is simply fantastic, and has a great comradery with Jason Bateman's fox, Nick Wild. The two play well of each other, and make for a likeable due to solve the mystery in the film.

Zootopia message about equality and inclusion regardless if you're a predator or prey is timely and relevant. Now, more so than ever before, with #OscarsSoWhite still being apart of the conversation following the 88th Oscars. While the film gets the message across in very subtle ways, I would have appreciated if the adminators had done more with it, than rather use it as a plot device.

My main problems with the otherwise stellar Zootopia is the story itself. Disney Animation had yet to catchup to Pixar in the story department. Zootopia features a B level story with A level production values. I am still not sure if this is the story that I wanted to see told in the world of Zootopia. I wish the story itself had been as inventive and clever as the world of Zootopia. I would have preferred more time to introduce the city of Zootopia to the audience, and even more world building, rather than having a B level mystery story take place in the incredible world that has been created. The best moments of the film involve sloths at the DMV, and a chase through the suburban Little Rodentia.

Zootopia is a delightful film. I appreciate the films message, I only wish the central story had been as inventive as the world of Zootopia iteself.

I look forward to sequels, spin offs, and more, because as said in the film... In the world of Zootopia, anything is possible. 

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