The Spongebob Movie: Sponge On The Run (2021)

The third film to the long-running kid's show lives up to the legacy of the series. It has that same slapstick and genuine hilarity of the show and that's why the films have been a tremendous success due to the faithful approach that stays true to the energy of the source material. What makes this film especially different from the two previous films, is that this film is completely CGI and is the first of the three films to have this style of animation. This new film is one of the best of the three because of its stunning animation and its comedic efforts that are reminiscent of that of the show. 

Long-time series writer Tim Hill directs and writes this new film. Hill has made this film utterly beautiful and keeps the magic of this film alive and makes this film live up to the legacy status of the show. The animation like I said before, is beautiful and the first fully CGI animated film from the series. Hill's vision is truly beholden to the show's iconic comedic efforts, story, and animation. 

Voicing the favorite iconic characters are the original cast from the show. Just like always, the series' iconic cast voices the characters in the amusing and hilarious way we like it. They all do yet another great job at playing the characters we have known and loved for years. I have no doubt that along with this movie, the cast will remain an iconic force in animation for generations to come. 

The story in the film is essentially a longer version of one of the show's early episodes. It is similar in plot but expands and tweaks the story to differ from the episode in which the plot takes after. This take on that same plot is better than the original episode because it is more entertaining and it has more to the story to offer. 

Scoring the film are Hans Zimmer and frequent collaborator Steve Mazarro. Their score is as jubilant and upbeat as the film itself. The score adds to the beauty of the film and the overall ambiance of it all. The music keeps the film alive with its upbeat and jubilant qualities.  

For two decades, the iconic yellow sponge and friends have made entertainment for all ages and it has remained iconic ever since. The new film is a delight to audiences who have remained loyal fans of the series. This film shows once again that the legacy of the show and the iconic title character will live on in history as among the best shows in animation for years to come.

Poster courtesy of Paramount+ and Nickelodeon Movies

Rate: B+

Starring: Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke, Carolyn Lawrence, Mr. Lawrence, Rodger Bumpass, Clancy Brown, with Awkwafina, and Keanu Reeves

Director: Tim Hill 

MPAA Rating: PG (for Rude Humor|Mild Language|Some Thematic Elements)

Runtime: 1 Hour and 40 Minutes 

Synopsis: When SpongeBob SquarePants' beloved pet snail Gary goes missing, a path of clues leads SpongeBob and his best friend Patrick to the powerful King Poseidon, who has Gary held captive in the Lost City of Atlantic City. On their mission to save Gary, SpongeBob and the Bikini Bottom gang team up for a heroic and hilarious journey, where they discover nothing is stronger than the power of friendship.

Tom and Jerry (2021)

One of the most iconic tv duos in history finally gets the big-screen treatment. Hanna-Barbera's "Tom and Jerry" is one of the most and if not the oldest rivals in television history. It has delighted audiences for over 80 years, now, a new generation can enjoy the timeless shenanigans of the famous cat and mouse duo. It is filled with nostailgia and the classic slapstick humor we have known for years. This film is a delight for all fans and a new era of fans. 

Director Tim Story makes this film fun for the whole family. It is playful and has the same original charm it has always had. It is a comedy film that audiences new and old will enjoy because it brings that classic charm of the characters back. Story uses that nostailgia by making the film as enjoyable as the classic cartoons were. 

Now, the film is a great piece of nostailgia but it overall is a bit dry and cringy. The writing is generic in plot and the dialogue is just straight up weird. The script makes this film mediocre in the sense that it has potential but it fails to adequately present itself as a quality film that can capture the attention of the old generations that grew up watching the iconic characters. 

Not only is the dialogue and writing overall bad, but the acting is ten times worse. It's embarrassingly awkward and had zero potential of having an emotional and lasting impression on the audience. Chloe Grace Moretz and Michael Pena do an awful job at trying to be funny. It is surprising however on Pena's part because he is far more funny in the "Marvel" movies. Moretz's attempt at humor is just plain sad. Not really any good comedic stuff from her. 

One of the other few good parts about this film is the music. Mixed with the score by Christopher Lennertz are popular songs. Lennertz score is jubilatious and as upbeat as the original short films music as well. 

For decades, the classic wit and slapstick humor of "Tom and Jerry" have made generations laugh and smile. This film attempts to bring old audiences back for a feeling of nostailgia but it ultimately serves better at getting the satisfaction of a new generation of audiences that would enjoy the film more than the generations that grew up on the classic duo. 

Poster courtesy of Warner Bros.

Rate: C

Director: Tim Story 

Starring: Chloe Grace Moretz, Michael Pena, Colin Jost, Ken Jeong and Rob Delaney

MPAA Rating: PG (for Rude Humor|Cartoon Violence|Brief Language)

Runtime: 1 Hour and 41 Minutes 

Synopsis: A legendary rivalry reemerges when Jerry moves into New York City's finest hotel on the eve of the wedding of the century, forcing the desperate event planner to hire Tom to get rid of him. As mayhem ensues, the escalating cat-and-mouse battle soon threatens to destroy her career, the wedding, and possibly the hotel itself.

Judas and The Black Messiah (2021)

This film's thrilling premise based on an FBI informant infiltrating the Illinois Black Panther Party in the late 1960s is very interesting and thrilling. It tackles an important event in history that many people such as myself had not heard of this story. More recently, there have been several films that have tackled touchy subjects like this one. Spike Lee's "BlacKkKlansman" is another film like this very similar in premise but also this film may be as dark as the latter but this film is a thrilling yet haunting painting of a time in history that impacted so many people. 

Leads Daniel Kaluuya and LaKeith Stanfield are electric in the film. Kaluuya's "Fred Hampton" the leader of the "Illinois Black Panther Party" is a disturbing look into this organization's chapter and he gives a phenomenal yet disturbing performance as the controversial figure. On the other hand, Stanfields role as an "FBI" informant infiltrating the "IL BPP" is just as electric as the lead. His performance is gripping and compelling albeit a fantastic part of the film. The two also have excellent chemistry on screen and that should be one of the highlights of the film. 

Director Shaka King makes an utterly dark yet very informative film that intrigues audiences. Her vision is one that is detailed and is a haunting feature to behold. King also pens the screenplay. Her script is very detailed and compelling enough to have an emotional connection that makes the film more gripping than it already is. 

With all this being said, one of the few issues I had with this film, is that I found it slightly confusing and I couldn't relate to or understand the complexities of this film overall. Don't get me wrong, it's a good movie, I just felt like this film is made for the Black community because they could possibly relate to this film and its subject matter. 

One of the most recent films to first debut on a streaming platform while simultaneously releasing in theaters, this film is extraordinary for some, but others may not find this film as relevant as it is to other people. This film is good, but I just can't say that this is a film I absolutely related to or quite frankly enjoyed. 

Poster courtesy of Warner Bros. 

Rate: B- 

Director: Shaka King

Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, LaKeith Stanfield, Jesse Plemons 

MPAA Rating: R (for Violence & Pervasive Language)

Runtime: 2 Hours and 6 Minutes