By Divina

Wow! The animation and the 3D effects on Walt Disney Pictures’ latest motion picture, Mars Needs Moms, are amazing.  When compared to similar technology in movies such as Polar Express and A Christmas Carol and this Disney Digital 3D movie blows them away.

But first a quick synopsis from Disney:

Take out the trash and eat your broccoli—who needs moms, anyway?  Nine-year-old Milo (Seth Green) finds out just how much he needs his mom (Joan Cusack) when she’s nabbed by Martians who plan to steal her mom-ness for their own kids. Mars Needs Moms showcases Milo’s quest to save his mom—a wild adventure in Disney Digital 3D™ and IMAX® 3D that involves stowing away on a spaceship, navigating an elaborate, multi-level planet and taking on the alien nation and their leader (Mindy Sterling). With the help of a tech-savvy, underground earthman named Gribble (Dan Fogler) and a rebel Martian girl called Ki (Elisabeth Harnois), Milo just might find his way back to his mom—in more ways than one. 

Mars Needs Moms is the latest movie that uses performance capture system to turn life action into animation and it works beautifully!  You really do feel like you are in Mars hanging out with a bunch of Martians as you try to rescue Milo’s mom.  Continue Reading

About Divina Rodriguez

Divina is a wife, a Mami of 2 boys under the age of four and a full fledged social media butterfly with a Masters in Communications. She loves sharing the best of Disney on TheDisneyFiles.com whether its movies, video games, shopping or the themeparks. In addition to TheDisneyFiles, Divina writes about entertainment, technology and family products on www.DancingHotdogs.com and is a founding mother & partner at Trumpeting Media, a social media consulting company that is dedicated to using social media for social good.

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By Divina

I was so excited for this movie release. 

I loved Spirited Away by Academy Award winning director Hayao Miyakazi and his latest film, Ponyo was suppose to be inspired by my favorite Hans Christian fairytale "The Little Mermaid." This sounded like the ideal Disney movie experience for me.  Throw in extremely talented voice talents and Disney should have a winner right?

Yes and no.  I will be honest I loved most of the movie but the ending really disappointed me.

Ponyo is the story of a little goldfish (Noah Cyrus, Miley’s sister) who wants to become a little girl after meeting Sosuke (Frankie Jonas, the youngest of the Jonas brothers, not part of the three that are the band) despite the wishes of her ocean sorcerer father, Fujimoto (Liam Neeson).  Sosuke and his mother Lisa (Tiny Fey) live in a small house on top of a hill while his Captain Father (Matt Damon) is away at sea.

This film is pure magic.

The story is so cute and the characters are so endearing but the actual plot falls apart at the end. 

This is not only an adventure of a magical goldfish but also a story of  a small dock town hit by a hurricane as a result of Ponyo’s enchanting escape from her father. You see how this small community bands together to survive and there are some very Green undertones as you hear Fujimoto complain about how "disgusting and wasteful humans are."  After this magical adventure the ending fell a bit flat with no real satisfactory resolution.  I am what 5 year old is interested in true love.  I expected more from Miyakazi and Disney.

Aside from the ending, the graphics are quite beautiful.  The color and attention to details of marine life were so visually beautiful that I was just mesmerized.  Your children are going to love the historic  sea animals.  Miyakazi takes the viewer on a magical trip into his creative imagination and in turn expands your imagination to believe in the impossible.  The ingenuity and the artistic visuals reminded me how much I love Miyakazi animation which  has its own unique style.  Some scenes like the Ponyo jumping giant fish and causing a tidal wave just left me awestruck. 

Other accredited voice talents were Cate Blanchett as the Goddess Gran Mamare and Lily Tomlin, Betty White and Cloris Leachman as three old biddies that Lisa takes care of at the senior center.

Go see the film with your family.  Your children will love the visuals and comedy.  For adults to enjoy this movie you have to remember a younger you.  A time when anything you dreamed was possible.  A time when at the age of five you had magical adventures everyday and you will have a magical adventure for two hours with your family.

About Divina Rodriguez

Divina is a wife, a Mami of 2 boys under the age of four and a full fledged social media butterfly with a Masters in Communications. She loves sharing the best of Disney on TheDisneyFiles.com whether its movies, video games, shopping or the themeparks. In addition to TheDisneyFiles, Divina writes about entertainment, technology and family products on www.DancingHotdogs.com and is a founding mother & partner at Trumpeting Media, a social media consulting company that is dedicated to using social media for social good.

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