UGLYDOLLS Blu-ray Review

UGLYDOLLS (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital)

Release Date: July 30, 2019

Studio: Universal Studios Home Entertainment

Video: 1.85:1 1080p Widescreen

Audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1, English DVS 2.0

THE RATINGS

The Movie Itself - ★ ★ ★ ★ ✰

Video Quality - ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Audio Quality - ★ ★ ★ ★ ½

Special Features - ★ ★ ✰ ✰ ✰

Overall - ★ ★ ★ ½ ✰

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THE FILM ITSELF Our Reviewer's Take
The film? Anything but ugly - fun for families from start to finish.

Reviewed by Gavin King

What's that? You're angered by that positive four out of five star rating above and me touting the film as "fun for families"? You want me to stop writing and beg for me to not be given any work for the future simply because I holster an opinion that's notably different from what you consider the "factual" majority? Well, allow me to apologize. I'm sorry we're not all the same and I don't have the nerve to label this innocent family film as what you consider to be "cringe-worthy", "pointless", and "the film no one asked for". I'm sorry our opinions aren't the same and we can't all live in this Anti-UglyDolls harmony of yours where you folks seemingly bash the devil out of this poor film. Now, am I saying that your opinions are wrong? Absolutely not. Hell, critics and audiences loved the hell out of 2017's Wonder Woman and I personally was not thrilled by it, yet here I am. But don't you think that mercilessly stabbing a film with countless insults and unpleasant comments such as "I'm glad this stupid kiddie movie failed, it deserved it" is fairly harsh? It's one thing to say you thought a film was bad and call it day - again, we all have our own opinions - but to reign threats over the kind folks who brought the film into fruition is just plain too much. Lots of hard work gets poured into these things and, even if the film is toxic to your eyes, hoping that an animation studio goes bankrupt because of one simple movie is ridiculous. What's more, some of these detractors haven't even seen the movie for themselves! So with all of this said, here's my kind advice you can hopefully take to heart: watch the film in full before you form an opinion and don't shove your negative thoughts on the film in everyone's face just to try and get them to hop along your bandwagon. It won't work, and quite frankly they're not stopping me from all of it. Because I loved UglyDolls. Much like the characters who lead the film, it's not flawless, as all things aren't, but it's a splash of irresistible fun, blooming with catchy songs, likable characters, colorful animation, a game cast, and touching messages everyone could use a little of - including those quick-to-assume [animated] movie bashers. 

Perfection vs. imperfection.

Our story begins inside a doll-making factory, where the most seamlessly sewn together plushes are designed for their own special kid to adore. Every now and then, though, there will come the inevitable "reject" - a doll that's not quite as up to standard as the others. Such dolls then get sent to the utopia that is Uglyville, a peaceful little town where discarded dolls of all sorts converse, throw parties, and live their lives to the fullest, despite the fact that they'll never experience the bliss of being with a child who loves them. The optimistic Moxy (voiced by Kelly Clarkson), however, believes there's still a second chance she can accomplish this. Her best friends - Ugly Dog (voiced by Pitbull, appropriately), Lucky Bat (voiced by Wang Leehom), Wage (voiced by Wanda Sykes), and Babo (voiced by Gabriel Iglesias) - aren't so sold on her idea, though. They enjoy life in Uglyville, and so does Moxy, make no mistake. But she's still striving to head to the other side to try for a chance at a second life. She ultimately convinces her skeptical pals to join her on a journey amidst the barriers of their village, to seek out if there really is that special child waiting for them. But the gang soon realizes it's not as easy to introduce themselves to their owners as they believe. 

Our heroes land at the Institue of Perfection, a high-class society where spiffed-up dolls of all sorts must be trained through a rigorous course to ensure each doll is of the utmost flawlessness. It's ran by Lou (voiced by Nick Jonas), who is supposedly the "most perfect" of the dolls, and it's clear he takes no prisoners the second the Uglies come face to face with him. "You're way too thin", "Your head's too small", "Your nose starts right but then ends up all wrong", he spits at the surrounding prospective dolls. His introduction is halted, however, when he catches sight of Moxy and friends. Whereas the Uglyville citizens take the word "Ugly" as a compliment", Lou's version of "Ugly" means such a characteristic is frowned upon in Perfection, which in turn upsets Moxy. But, being Moxy, her distress is only temporary. Nothing can stop her from following her dreams! With a little convincing, Lou begrudgingly lets them stay - albeit in the rusty supply suite - under one condition; they must follow Lou's every command and request to ensure they're meeting up to his standard so she and her friends can finally be in the tender loving arms of a child. 

That's what they want you to believe.

UglyDolls isn't a crater of vast originality. Such themes of "be yourself", "embrace imperfection", and "your flaws make you beautiful" have been trekked through in animated movie cinema before, so ultimately it's not much of a shocker as to where UglyDolls guides its core plot arc, at least narratively. But does it all really matter when the film's presentation is so much fun? UglyDolls is such an infectious ball of joy that is irrefutable optimism rightfully shadows over any flaws in the story. It's on display right from the start when our heroine Moxy belts out a seriously catchy and fun tune about the joys of living in Uglyville and how it "couldn't get better than this"... except, maybe, for the big world, of course. Each musical number works, not simply due to their catchy nature and replay value but also thanks to the wonderful animation, which is appropriately cartoonish and unique within the confines of the aurora of the UglyDolls universe. The worlds are beautifully designed, appropriately odd considering the film's major focus, as are the characters, each of whom boast their own cute little quirks; Moxy is missing a tooth, Ugly Dog has one eye instead of two, Wedge Head (voiced by Emma Roberts) has, well, literally a wedge for a head... it's obvious that care was infused into building each character, making them stand out rather than fit in, akin to the film's messaging.

The film thrives on its optimism and bubbliness. Normally this would fall into the often gullible trap of "style over substance"; it's an unfortunate plague that has spread its plaque over too many modern films, live action and animated alike. But with a movie such as UglyDolls, I almost feel as though I'm falling for its relentless spunk, discarding any plot holes or story inconsistencies only to be won over by its animation-laden charm. It's easy to mark this as a fatal error on the film, since its message is to "embrace your innermost flaws" yet the film sometimes eeks by with entertaining on the outside. Blu-ray.com's Martin Liebman posted an excellent review of the film which you can view at your leisure here; he disliked the film but gives a justified explanation of his point of view which discusses the film's battle between its messaging and its superficial points. Yet here I am writing this review saying I loved the movie. Maybe I'm part of the problem. Perhaps I'm too easygoing with forgiving an animated movie's blatant issues since I'm so passionate for the genre. And I personally had a ball with it nevertheless. As I write this review Ugly Dog and Lucky Bat plush keychains are resting on my car's dash. I own the original film soundtrack on CD and frequently give it a spin as I drive to work. Whatever the filmmakers of UglyDolls did to cast me under its alluring spell, they sure as hell nailed it. Fun characters, peppy songs, great animation, good humor - it's the rare animated movie that for me looked past its blips for an all-around irresistible time. Flawed movie? Yeah. Fun movie? You better believe it.

UGLYDOLLS Blu-ray - Video Quality

Coming from Reel Fx Animation Studios - the same team that brought the vividly gorgeous The Book of Life to fruition - it should come as no surprise that UglyDolls looks wonderful in high definition. This is an endlessly buoyant and effortlessly crisp presentation that doesn't let up for a second. The animation is incredibly well-rendered, and textures leap right off of the screen. The tactile felt of the Ugly Dolls themselves is probably the highlight when it comes to impressive detailing. Each cluster of fur on their bodies is as pristine as they come, and the same can be said for the "pretty" dolls, especially when it comes to their yarn-like hair. It's just a really well-defined image, and soft corners or blurred splotches are nowhere in sight. Now onto the colors. The vibrancy and vigor of each onscreen hue cannot be understated. Such colors can lack nuance by creative intent but there's no mistaking their sincerity when the spotlight is shone on them. The main Ugly characters, again, stand out - the peppy pink of Moxy, the cool blue of Ugly Dog, the bold red of Lucky Bat - but one should also pay special attention to finely tuned background supports that bring forth colors that are just as impressive as the expected doll highlights. The image is also healthily deep, with firm and strong black levels and perfectly-tuned whites. Ugly compression artifacts are nowhere to be found; even the animation-trademark banding is completely insignificant. Case in point: Universal has done a magnificent job with maintaining the undeniable visual spirit of UglyDolls.

UGLYDOLLS Blu-ray - Audio Quality

UglyDolls weaves up a DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 lossless soundtrack which to my ears played out somewhat timid at standardized reference volume. Cranking the volume knob upward a few decibels helps to freshen up the track into groovy, immersive fashion. Each musical number is mixed with top-notch precision and terrific instrumental positioning. The fronts dominate the beats and drum-like aspects of the tunes while the surrounds take care of some of the more orchestral underpinnings that may not be quite so easy to pick out underneath the thumpy hits. All-in-all, the songs sound great, and if you enjoyed the film like me, you'll find listening to each with the volume turned up high worth it. The soundtrack additionally handles prominent and zippy sound effects with appreciable verve, packed with silky-smooth pans and rich clarity. An incinerator in chapter fifteen is particularly forceful and demanding; the bass extension is wonderful and the listener will feel completely enveloped into the tense chaos. Generalized ambient effects are implemented very well, too, whether that be through rambunctious din in Uglyville or the varied crowds throughout the Institute of Perfection. The track is wrapped up into a nice little package thanks to spot-on prioritization of spoken dialogue and the crispness the comes with it. Crank this one up a bit and have fun.

UGLYDOLLS Blu-ray - Special Features

This Blu-ray release of UglyDolls features a sing-along version in addition to the standard feature film, in which the film's musical numbers play out with karaoke-style lyrics on the bottom of the screen.

- Making UglyDolls consists of five parts:

BTS Countdown (1080p, 0:48) A short introduction to the film and its cast.

Couldn't Be Better (1080p, 0:59) Takes a brief look at the film's voice cast and their corresponding onscreen characters.

Broken and Beautiful (1080p, 1:01) Kelly Clarkson, the voice of Moxy in the film, sings (no pun intended) her praises about the film's featured song.

The Ugly Truth (1080p, 1:04) Nick Jonas, voice of Lou, talks up his role in the movie, the song he performs, and the film's core messages.

Pitbull (1080p, 0:58) Pitbull, voice of Ugly Dog, briefly discusses his character and the film's themes.

- Fun with the Cast of UglyDolls also consists of five parts:

Would You Rather (1080p, 1:03) The cast of UglyDolls challenge themselves to a few "Would You Rather?" questions.

Cast Talents (1080p, 0:49) What secret talents have the cast been hiding since now?

Kelly's Gifts (1080p, 0:48) Surprise! Kelly Clarkson receives an UglyDolls gift basket.

Kelly's Reaction (1080p, 0:54) Kelly Clarkson finally watches the full film for her first time.

Ready, Set, Draw (1080p, 1:01) The cast attempt to draw the characters they portray in the film.

- Sing-Along Tease (1080p, 1:30) An introduction to the sing-along iteration of the film.

- Trailers include Trailer 1 (1080p, 1:59), Trailer 2 (1080p, 2:47), and Trailer 3 (1080p, 1:48).

UGLYDOLLS Blu-ray - Overall Recommendation

I loved UglyDolls. Apparently that's an opinion I'm not allowed to have. The anemic critical notices (a measly 27% on review aggregate Rotten Tomatoes as of the time of writing) and toxic general public response should be enough to cement that into place. Should be. But regardless I enjoyed this film and for me to simply force myself to essay up a "negative" review for a movie I had a ball with would kill me. I love animation and therefore I love a film like UglyDolls. Now that's not to say there isn't a single animated movie I don't like - I mean, my Blu-ray review for the godawful The Emoji Movie should be the shadow of proof there - but I can ultimately appreciate animation if it attempts something that washes over its flaws that still makes the moviewatching experience a fun time. UglyDolls did exactly that for me. It has some narrative flaws that can stick out like a sore thumb when one thinks about the plot deeply but just damn it all if it isn't simply a blast. The film thrives on its infectiousness and charm and it's difficult to not smile at least once while watching it. The characters are fun and wily, the songs are peppy little earworms, and there's an undeniable heart at the film's core despite some flubs that attempt to crawl up the film's sleeves. It's a frivolity, but a hugely entertaining frivolity at that, and it helps that Universal's Blu-ray release is an all-around solid compliment. Faultless video, terrific audio when turned up a bit, and a few brief extras round out the disc. Recommended, but I can't guarantee you'll be as won over by its mysteriously cheery little spell as I ended up as the credits began to roll.


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