D. Jennifer Dawson

A Marvel-ish tone with a Kingsman soundtrack and near cartoon-like scenes. Not sure what we expected but it wasn't this. Awful? No. Anyone's best work? Definitely not. The product placements almost upstage the actors. It's the sort of movie one plays while folding laundry or cooking dinner: Formulaic, predictable vehicle featuring folks who haven't worked in a minute. ... and, yet, if they made a sequel we'd watch that, too.

Based on the book by William Joyce (creator of LeafMen, Santa Calls, A Day with Wilbur Robinson, Ollie's Odyssey, and more). This is part stop-frame animation part live-action story is for children and adults. Joyce wrote the book at a time of personal loss. When the story was made into this 3-part film, they used the opportunity to tell the real story, a tale about the complications of loss and grief, about the heart. It's a little Toy Story with a bigger quest to find someone. Sweet, bittersweet, a story to which anyone could relate.

Fresh, funny, enjoyably watchable. Nice to see some new and talented faces!