OPERATION DUMBO DROP (Released to Theaters USA 1995)

 

Ben Meyers’ Rating: 3.9|5.0 Starsììì  Operation Dumbo Drop—Danny Glover, Ray Liotta, and Dennis Leary—has a likeableness that permeates its core. The movie deserves a watch.  Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images Storyline  A Vietnamese village is going to celebrate a festival, but the Viet Cong find that the villagers are possibly cooperating with the USA. So the Viet Cong kill the one thing that makes the festival work, their prize elephant. A Green Beret, who works with the village and his replacement, organize a team to replace the elephant.  Additional Thanks Thank you to Director Simon Wincer for directing effort. Thank you to Producers Diane Nabatoff and David Madden for making the film possible. Cast includes Danny Glover, Ray Liotta, Denis Leary, Doug E. Doug, and Corin Nemec. Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?  Yes. This is an unusual story backed with a great cast. Video Critique Available Here: Ben Meyers

SCRAT'S CONTINENTAL CRACK-UP: PART 2 (Released to the USA 2011)

 

Ben Meyers’ Rating: 3.9|5.0 Starsììì

Scrat's Continental Crack-Up: Part 2—cute, rest of the story—is shorter than its prequel but keeps to format and expectations. Again, great animation and deeply drawn characterization that typically follows this animated character are strictly adhered to.

Film Poster  Courtesy of IMDb

Storyline

Scrat comes to an island and finds a skeleton pointing to something at sea. So, Scrat goes to investigate. 

Additional Thanks

Thank you to Director Steve Martino, Michael Thmeier for directing effort. Thank you to Producers Carlos Saldanha, Chris Wedge for making the film possible. Cast includes Ray Ramano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Peter Dinklage, Jennifer Lopez, Chris Wedge, Aziz Anzari, Alain Chabat, Jason Friccione, Nick Frost.  

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

 Yes. This continuation story of part one, follows the same quality of presentation and provides a shorter, but still enjoyable watch.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

ICE AGE: COLLISION COURSE (Theatrical Release 2016)

Ben Meyers’ Rating: 4.3|5.0 Starsìììì

Ice Age: Collision Course—great animated story—may need a little tweaking toward its final closing scenes, but that does not affect its overall entertainment value.  This is the last film in this series to feature the voices of Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Queen Latifah, Keke Palmer, Josh Peck, Sean William Scott, and Chris Wedge. The rumor is that Chris Wedge's character Scrat will no longer be part of the series. The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild is part 6 and serves as the last film in the series or the beginning of a new start for the series. Time will tell how successful it will be without the above talent. 

Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images 

Storyline 

Animal migration continues as comets and space debris begin to rain down on earth. 

Additional Thanks 

Thank you to Director Michael Thurmeier for directing effort. Thank you to Producer Lori Forte for making the film possible. Cast includes: Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Josh Peck, Simon Pegg, Seann William Scott, Jennifer Lopez, and Queen Latifah. 

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe? 

Yes. This movie is well received by Ben Meyers International Movie Critics. It provides comedy, action, terrific animation, and serves a wide range audience. It does not exclude, it includes. It does not divide but welcomes all audiences. Great work for all involved in its production. 

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers 

ICE AGE: CONTINENTAL DRIFT (Theatrical Release USA 2012)

 Ben Meyers’ Rating: 4.3|5.0 Starsìììì 

Ice age: Continental Drift—animated comedy—introduces new, well-drawn personalities and voice actors into its ongoing story: Keke Palmer as Peaches, Peter Dinklage as Captain Gutt, Josh Gad as Louis, Jennifer Lopez as Shira. This film provides interest as it works on a multi-threaded storyline to follow the stories of several characters who each are having their own adventures. The story is light, moves along well, and has a nice conclusion. It provides welcome continuity by recasting known characters played/voiced by Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, and other voice actors and actresses into its basic storyline. This is a ‘no shab’ piece of entertainment for a wide-ranged audience and serves family entertainment needs well. Realize that this is movie 4 in a series and will be appreciated more by audiences who are following the series. It can stand alone, but has not been designed for that type of viewng. Audiences new to the series will appreciate this film far more if they begin as the beginning of the series with film 1: Ice Age, a 2002 movie. 

Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images 

Storyline 

A land shift provokes movement and new adventure among the friends fleeing from ongoing environmental changes. 

Additional Thanks 

Thank you to Directors Steve Martino and Michael Thurmeier for directing effort. Thank you to Producers Lori Forte and John C. Donkin for making the film possible. Cast includes: Ray Romano, Denis Leary, John Leguizamo, Drake, Jennifer Lopez, Nicki Minaj, and Queen Latifah. 

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe? 

Yes. The movie provides interest with a great storyline that follows several characters' involvement with life and unites the stories with the common thread of change as they encounter earth’s changes. The movie deserves its watch, is a very good child/adult share, and makes a high-quality addition to the family home entertainment video library. 

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

ICE AGE: DAWN OF THE DINOSAURS (Theatrical Release USA 2009)

 Ben Meyers’ rating: 4.3|5.0 Starsìììì

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs relies on a return of character voices from the last film (Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, and Queen Letifah (as the mammoth Ellie introduced in the last movie in the series)) and adds new characters such as Buck, Ruby, and a Tyrannosaurus Rex. The movie deserves addition to the family home video collection along with the previous films in this series for its dialogue lines, comedic value, animation, international appeal, and the wide-range audience it serves. This film classes itself as high quality entertainment that completely serves the needs of child/adult share entertainment. 

Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images 

Storyline 

Times change during the Ice Age and the original team evacuating encounter new animals such as Tyrannosaurus Rex. 

Additional Thanks 

Thank you to Director Carlos Saldanha Michael Thurmeier for directing effort. Thank you to Producers Lon Forte and John C. Donkin for making the film possible. Cast includes: Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, and Queen Letifah. 

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe? 

Yes. The script is solid from beginning to ending. The movie earns re-watchable status and rates as a high-quality piece of entertainment. 

Video Critique Available Here: 

Ben Meyers

ICE AGE: THE MELTDOWN (Theatrical Release USA 2006)

 Ben Meyers’ rating: 4.3|5.0 Starsìììì

Ice Age: The Meltdown—comparable to the first film—reprises most of the voicing talent and adds some new voices for new roles. Listen for Queen Latifah, Josh Peck, Sean William Scott, Will Arnett, Jay Leno, and cameo voices of Joseph Bologna and Debi Derryberry. The first film and the second film make good choices for additions to the family home video collection. 

Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images 

Storyline 

All the prehistoric animals must move because the icebergs are melting. 

Additional Thanks 

Thank you to Director Carlos Saldanha for directing effort. Thank you to Producer Lori Forte for making the film possible. Cast includes: Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Seann William Scott, Josh Peck and Queen Latifah. 

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe? 

Yes. It’s comical, fun, and creative entertainment. 

Video Critique Available Here: 

Ben Meyers