In the long tradition of Disney animated features, a question is answered that overthinking fans have been asking, how did animals learn to talk and why do they wear clothes.

Release Date: March 4, 2016
Writer: Jared Bush, Phil Johnston
Director: Byron Howard, Rich Moore
Cast: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Jenny Slate, Idris Elba

The most remarkable thing about Zootopia is that it appeals to both boys and girls. No princesses. No robots in space. One would think that a world of animals that act like humans would appeal mostly to boys, but then Zootopia writers Jared Bush and Phil Johnston pulled the genius move and made the main character a girl.

Disney also has a tradition of movies that star animals acting in human roles. Robin Hood being the most notable example. Zootopia manages to explain how and why these animals speak a common language, walk on hind legs and dress in clothes. Which brings us to the world of Zootopia, the world where animals who are predators and prey are able to co-exist in one world.

The world of Zootopia is not by any means a utopia. There are problems. Zootopia addresses these problems in a brilliant way. Disney is using the story of animals acting as humans to teach children about tolerance and diversity.

Zootopia is the story of Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin), who as a rabbit wants to grow up and become a police officer. The problem is the police force is completely staffed naturally by predators. Somehow predators are a natural fit for the role due to their strength, speed and cunning. Against animal common sense, Judy hears from everyone there is no place for a meek rabbit on the police force.

Thanks to Zootopia forward thinking, Judy proves that she has what it takes to be a police officer. Judy finds that gaining the respect of her predator co-workers and the public is not going to be an easy task. She has to work hard to prove she belongs on the force.

In Zootopia, there is an epidemic of predators reverting back to their natural predator-state. For example, a tiger devolving into a feral tiger and hunting its natural prey. The police are called to solve the mystery. Of course, Judy has ideas and theories about what is happening, but no one takes her seriously. In comes the sly con-fox, Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman), who comes to Judy’s help but being a fox, no one can seem to trust him.

As with any good Disney film, it is littered with fun cameos and supporting roles. Idris Elba played the police captain Bogo. J.K. Simmons is Mayor Lionheart and his assistant Mayor Bellwether is voiced perfectly by Jenny Slate. A little Easter egg in the film is that Alan Tudyk plays the same character in this film that he does in Frozen, Duke Weaselton. He’s actually a weasel in this one.

Zootopia presents the ideas of cultural diversity head on. Tigers are ferocious creatures, because they are tigers. Rabbits are farmers, because they are rabbits. Bears are dangerous because they are bears. The story my daughter learned is she can be whatever she wants, but she has to want it bad enough and work hard to get it.

Disney has finally reached the level of Pixar in the world of storytelling and most importantly…merchandising. Zootopia is great fun for the whole family and merits repeat viewings.

8 out of 10 stars

Based on the book by Kim Barker, The Taliban Shuffle: Strange Days in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Tina Fey plays the role of war correspondent Kim Baker. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot is less about Barker’s actual story of a network correspondent in a hostile environment but a case study in the addiction correspondents have to risk their lives for the story.

Release Date: March 4, 2016
Writer: Robert Carlock
Director: Glenn Ficarra, John Requa
Cast: Tina Fey, Martin Freeman, Margot Robbie, Billy Bob Thornton

One thing you should know before going watching Whiskey Tango Foxtrot is that this is not a comedy. Sure there are comedic moments, but the family is a serious look at a woman, who knows she’s on the tail end of her television journalism career, unless she can make something happen. That something is going to Afghanistan and covering the involvement of the United States government. The challenge is to bring back stories that can complete with the war in Iraq.

At best, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot is an interesting film. Tiny Fey plays Kim Baker as a strong woman, who is a fish out of water in a foreign land. Baker is accompanied by her cameraman Brian (Nicholas Braun) and her interpreter Fahim Ahmadzi (Christopher Abbott).

Her first assignment is as an embedded reporter with General Hollanek (Billy Bob Thornton) and a squad of soldiers on maneuvers. As luck would have it, they are ambushed and Kim puts her life endanger by putting herself in harm’s way and filming the attack on a hostile truck.

Adrenaline still rushing, we are introduced to the one spot where all the war correspondents unwind and it’s the local bar. Think on-campus college pub but instead of uninhibited college students, you have uninhibited middle-aged adults. It is here that Kim meets British-reporter Tanya Vanderpoel (Margot Robbie) and learns that in the middle of nowhere every woman is hot. In the U.S. Baker may be a 6, but in the Middle East, she’s a ten.

Baker also meets another British Reporter, Iain MacKelpie (Martin Freeman). To Baker, MacKelpie comes off as more arrogant that street smart and this flirtatious rivalry soon turns into full blown sex without consequences.

The movie continues to follow Baker as she places herself in one dangerous situation after the other and then releasing the pent up aggression with MacKelpie. This danger includes becoming involved with a local official, Ali Massoud Sadiq (Alfred Molina) and escalates to inserting herself into a street demonstration resulting in near disaster. As the highs increase, the interest in her stories decreases to the point that her network is not broadcasting her stories.

Adventures aside, the bright spot of Whiskey Tango Foxtrot are the relationships that Baker builds with the locals and especially her interpreter, Fahim. There comes a point where Bakers hunt for danger forces Fahim to choose between friendship and his own personal safety.

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot is an interesting look at what is happening in the Middle East. We get a glimpse into what real people think of Americans and their presence in their country. We also see that this is a new kind of war. Unlike World War II or Vietnam, we don’t know who the enemy is exactly as they co-mingle with the innocent.

If anything, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot is Tina Fey exercising her acting skills. She plays a woman who inadvertently finds the exhilaration of danger and soon comes face-to-face with the reality of that danger not only in her life, but in the lives of her friends.

7 out of 10