MY LITTLE PONY: THE MOVIE Blu-ray Review

MY LITTLE PONY: THE MOVIE (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital)

Release Date: January 8, 2018

Studio: Lionsgate Home Entertainment

Video: 2.38:1 1080p Widescreen

Audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, English DVS 2.0, Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1

THE RATINGS

The Movie Itself - ★ ★ ★ ★ ½

Video Quality - ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Audio Quality - ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Special Features - ★ ★ ½ ✰ ✰

Overall - ★ ★ ★ ★ ✰

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THE FILM ITSELF Our Reviewer's Take
No horsin' around - this movie is really hoofin' good.

Reviewed by Gavin King

It's never been all that much of a huge secret to my closest friends that I've been a guilty fan of the My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic reboot, and at this point it's probably safe to say that I'm (bare with me here) a devout Brony. My appreciation for the show sprouted back in 2011 when the Brony community came into play with society. I was fairly young at the time and my favorite show at the time was Family Game Night, a game show in which iconic board games such as The Game of Life and Connect 4 were converted to game show form in which families of all kinds would step on up to play said games and win big prizes. Additionally, this show was broadcasted on the brand-spanking-new (at the time) channel that went by the name "The Hub", which was formerly Discovery Kids and in 2010 got converted to the aforementioned Hasbro-owned channel. (The channel is nowadays referred to as "Discovery Family" and is still owned by Hasbro.) I had the channel on all night one night as I was sawing logs and woke up the next morning with an episode of Friendship is Magic on the television. It occurred to me that FiM was also shown on The Hub and at a first impression I wasn't really crazy about it but after a watch of the FiM episode Baby Cakes I was hooked. I suppose FiM is just one of those shows that simply grows on you after you give it some time to sink in and let its irresistibility cling to your heart. Of course, I was both relieved and enticed to hear about the "Bronies" soon after - the male (mostly) adult fans who piqued an interest of the show in a somewhat similar way I did. This unexpected popularity no doubt sparked the greenlight of the theatrical release of My Little Pony: The Movie, which features the "Mane Six" ponies we all know and love as well as a few new friends and faces thrown into the mix. Obviously the film is not going to appeal to everyone - whether die-hard fans of the show expecting more or non-fan moviegoers scoffing off at the supposed sickly sweetness - but when you've been a true, true fan (yes, that's a reference!) of Friendship is Magic for the past few years, what is simply not to love?

Gasp!

Twilight Sparkle (voiced by Tara Strong) is prepping up for the annual Friendship Festival in Equestria, with a little help from her best friends - party planner Pinkie Pie (voiced by Andrea Libman), high-flyer Rainbow Dash (voiced by Ashleigh Ball), animal caretaker Fluttershy (voiced by Andrea Libman), apple farmer Applejack (voiced by Ashleigh Ball), and fashionista unicorn Rarity (voiced by Tabitha St. Germain). Everypony is doing their part to participate in getting ready for the big event - as well as giving the star of the show, popstar Songbird Serenade (voiced by Sia), a magical appearance - but their excitement is soon halted by the mysterious appearance of a huge ship that lands smack dab in Equestria. Inside the ship is Tempest Shadow (voiced by Emily Blunt), a unicorn who ended up getting her horn broken as a filly. She takes the ponies hostage and demands the magic of the city's four princesses - one of them being Twilight - in a hostile and unsettling manner. Twilight and her pals safely find a hideaway from the menacing pony and realize in order to save Equestria they must embark on a perilous journey beyond their home and meet new faces who just might give them the help they need, even if the ponies don't know it yet.

My Little Pony: The Movie is a consistent entertainment vessel, full of toe-tapping musical numbers, infectiously colorful and fun characters, slick and clean animation, and a core story that may not be the most novel in the world but always manages to entice with its fun execution and quick-paced delivery. You don't have to watch the Friendship is Magic show in order to enjoy the film - again, the film works extraordinarily well as an entertaining little ride - but fans will clearly understand some of the subtler hints, references, and easter eggs scattered around the film. In that sense, the film knows exactly what it's trying to be - it aims to be a bubbly, approachable, warm-hearted animated adventure, all while giving fans of the franchise little fun surprises scattered throughout. Better yet, it doesn't feel like nerve-grating fan service, a crude animated juncture, or, probably the most relieving, an uneven mix of both. The film instead balances its sole purposes with assured confidence and an enormous warm heart, and succeeds extremely well in the process.

Just Pinkie being Pinkie.

A number of reviews have explained in great detail how the film is reminiscent of the golden age of Disney animation (in lieu of films like Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, etc.). And it’s no surprise why it’s been so frequently brought up; several animation techniques sprinkles throughout, Alan Menken-inspired musical numbers, and even baseline story nodes recall classic trademarks of those iconic animated features, though certainly not in any glaringly obvious way. The film doesn’t try hard to follow in the footsteps of the master Walt Disney. It’s all rather subtle to be completely honest but it’s all effortlessly well done, and it’s clear that several aspects of the film – whether lush background elements or overall character mannerisms – were made with a tribute to the acclaimed Disney name in mind.

As a briskly-paced, incredibly entertaining, and altogether satisfying animated option, the film never disappoints. Some die-hard fans of the Friendship is Magic television series may have a bone to pick with the filmmakers for the Mane Six’s dominance over much-beloved side characters in FiM such as The Cutie Mark Crusaders (Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Applebloom), arguing that such characters didn’t get as much screen time in the final film as they should have. But fans will be fans, and suffice to say the finished product as a whole is lovably delightful from the first minute to the last. This review, again, is coming from the point of view of a longtime fan of the franchise, so perhaps I am being a little bit biased in my taste in the film, but it’s just so much fun to see these beloved six ponies interacting with new challenges as their journey continues on and on. Not everyone is going to love it, but in this reviewer’s honest opinion it’s one of the better animated adventures of the year and a blast not just for fans but also those hungry for a satisfying animated jaunt, too. As Fluttershy would say, Yay!

MY LITTLE PONY: THE MOVIE Blu-ray - Video Quality

I’ve already mentioned how My Little Pony: The Movie nods much-appreciated throwbacks to Disney animated classics, and one of those reasons is due to its unconventional animation style in this day and age populated with 3D CGI animation. The majority of the film (with the notable exception of a small handful of CGI animated models, which actually mesh quite well with the dominant animation style I’m about to mention) was animated using 2D hand-drawn techniques, a rarity (pun intended) in today’s animation landscape. Needless to say the entire thing looks fantastic on Blu-ray. Colors truly spill from the screen, with of course the highlights being the Mane Six’s bright splashes – Twilight Sparkle purple, Pinkie Pie pink, Rainbow Dash blue, Applejack orange – each of which pop with vigor, punch, and vitality. But there’s also quite a bit of nuance in the palette as well. Gray beaches, drab in color as they may be, give off pleasant naturality and authenticity, as well as brown dingy wood and the like that prove you don’t need constantly gaudy coloring to impress and audience. Detailing and line art impress the eye as well, with the latter giving zero noticeable sign to stair-stepping aliasing and the former breathing life into giant pirate ship interiors, underwater intricacies, and many more. Darker scenes occasionally struggle with light banding, but in the end is it really worth taking a half-point off an already excellent video presentation for? No, because the image as a whole surprised me so much that taking even one half off would be sinful. My Little Pony: The Movie makes for exceptional reference material from beginning to end, a presentation that’s guaranteed to overjoy fans and excite videophiles equally.

MY LITTLE PONY: THE MOVIE Blu-ray - Audio Quality

My Little Pony: The Movie is curiously absent the film’s theatrical Dolby Atmos mix, which, for a film with this many musical show-stoppers and fun action sequences, would have seemed only fitting for enhancing the experience. Disappointments aside, the included DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack offers absolutely no reason to walk away disappointed. It’s not the loudest and most dynamic track on the market, but the overall execution of it leaves nothing to be desired. The film’s main musical numbers make for very strong aural presentations here, with intelligent positioning of different instruments utilized in the songs in each channel to create a very amusing, stage-like effect that do the film’s songs justice. Surround activity is frequent and cleverly done, with sublime and seamless positioning of all sorts of effects, whether in high-stakes action or even simpler, dialogue-driven exchanges. The soundstage takes full use of its wide array in an impressively lifelike way as different elements – spoken dialogue, zany sound effects, etc. – realistically represent the onscreen camera angle, for example as an offscreen Rarity speaks to the far left early in the movie. The sonic rainboom in chapter eight is a fun sonic standout, with extensive surround accompaniment, honest, though never overbearing, bass, and to top it off standout clarity, making it one of the track’s most entertaining pieces. A few ambient environments spring to commendable life, such as a barren beach with waves, general din of Equestria, and creaky pirate ship ambience. Dialogue is of course clear and well prioritized. Again, this isn’t the biggest and most bombastic soundtrack out there, but there are zero complaints to be had.

MY LITTLE PONY: THE MOVIE Blu-ray - Special Features

Deleted Scene (1080p, 1:16) I’m frankly kind of surprised the filmmakers didn’t keep this in the final cut, as this deleted scene is surprisingly attention-grabbing from the get-go and would make a strong opening.

Equestria Girls Short (1080p, 2:47) “Road Trippin’”. The Equestria Girls find their road trip a lot more adventurous than they planned out.

Baking with Pinkie Pie (1080p, 3:51) Making cupcakes with Pinkie Pie can be a lot of fun!

Making Magic with the Mane 6 and Their New Friends (1080p, 14:36) This is the best piece of the handful. This featurette talks up major story specifics, introducing new characters, the challenges of meshing together familiar faces with brand new additions, and lots more. This is a piece that fans curious about what went on behind the scenes will adore. 

The Journey Beyond Equestria (1080p, 11:28) Another mature piece, looking at the challenges of moving from the simplicities of the TV show to the complexities of the motion picture.

“I’m the Friend You Need” Music Video (1080p, 2:51) One of the movie’s musical numbers intercut with movie clips and behind the scenes videos.

Hanazuki: Full of Treasures (1080p, 5:05) Premiered theatrically with My Little Pony: The Movie. A mishap involving a young planet inhabitant and a small yellow creature takes a turn for the unexpected.

Trailers (1080p, 7:04) Additional Lionsgate titles.

MY LITTLE PONY: THE MOVIE Blu-ray - Overall Recommendation

My Little Pony: The Movie is probably one of the best animated movies of 2017. Divisive, yes, but the film as an entertainment value whole is immensely delightful, funny, fast-paced, and equally engaging for fans and newcomers alike. It’s all wrapped together by a devoted, all-star cast who fit their onscreen animated roles seamlessly and earworm-inducing musical numbers that will hit with Disney classic devotees and the franchise’s beloved fanbase. It’s a genuine surprise of an animated adventure and makes for one of 2017’s better entries. Lionsgate’s Blu-ray serves up wonderful video and audio, along with a decent, though not really extensive, set of supplemental material. Highly recommended, not only for the aforementioned fans but also for the kid at heart in just about everyone.

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THE EMOJI MOVIE Blu-ray Review

THE EMOJI MOVIE (Blu-ray + Digital)

Release Date: October 24, 2016

Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Video: 1.85:1 1080p Widescreen

Audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, French (Canada) Dolby Digital 5.1, Cantonese Dolby Digital 5.1, Korean Dolby Digital 5.1, Mandarin Dolby Digital 5.1, Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1, Thai Dolby Digital 5.1

THE RATINGS

The Movie Itself - ½ ✰ ✰ ✰ ✰

Video Quality - ★ ★ ★ ★ ½

Audio Quality - ★ ★ ★ ★ ✰

Special Features - ★ ★ ½ ✰ ✰

Overall - ★ ★ ✰ ✰ ✰

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THE FILM ITSELF Our Reviewer's Take
Brace yourselves.

Reviewed by Gavin King

Horrible. Excruciating. Ghastly. Laughable. Putrid. Inconsistent. Lazy. Tepid. Cliched. Cheesy. Generic. Groan-worthy. Awful. Infuriating. Convoluted. Confusing. Awkward. Yawn-inducing. Retched. Cynical. Confusing. Apply any negative adjective fitting enough in the book, and it would fittingly apply to The Emoji Movie, a truly sad excuse to milk out the idea of Emojis existing in a motion picture before the next big Hollywood studio steals the pride. But... but Gavin... Sony Pictures Animation has made some good movies! You know, like that new Smurfs one you loved! And even Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs! No, no, no. That doesn't matter a single bit, bud. Hell, it could have been made by Illumination (an animation studio you all know I'm very fond of) and I still would have vented my rage out until my voice box is torn to shreds. (Not that this movie makes me hate Smurfs: The Lost Village or anything like that. Because those movies are still really good. But that's besides the point here.) When the trailer hit YouTube a good few months back, it was instantly bombarded with an unbelievable amount of dislikes to likes and hate-filled comments ranting on Sony's take on the Emoji. And, boy, did it ever deserve it. Sure haters are going to have different points of view on why they so very much disliked the movie, but there is a damn good reason this is sitting on 10% on Rotten Tomatoes. It's that bad. The film is a pathetic, lazy "f--k you" to moviegoers everywhere who earn their hard-earned money so deservedly... and it all comes down to this bullcrap. Granted, not every movie is going to be a Francis Ford Coppola-helmed masterpiece with absolutely gorgeous cinematography and artistic, deep, and memorable dialogue, but it at least has to be competent. The Emoji Movie is not that movie. In fact, far from it. It is so dependent on relying on the stereotypical Hollywood animated movie cliche that it practically turns itself into a Rifftrax-esque laugh-a-thon where the commentary of people making fun of the movie is funnier than the real thing. (As if the movie was funny in the first place. Which it is absolutely not.) So please, sit back, relax, grab your popcorn and soft drink, and revel in my colorful ranting on The Emoji Movie. Oh, and don't forget to buckle the hell up. Because it ain't going to be pretty.

More than just "Meh", in this case...

Wellp, here's my attempt at a plot synopsis: A high school kid named Alex (voiced by Jake T. Austin) is obsessed with his smartphone. He's got a crush on a girl in his class named Addie (voiced by Tati Gabrielle) and believes the best way to show his feelings to her is through the "power" of emojis. Little to his knowledge, there's a secret world inside his phone called Textopolis where emojis of all kind do their job. For example, the crying emoji has to cry consistently, the laugher laughs, you get it. (Redundant, ain't it?) Among these many emojis is Gene (voiced by T.J. Miller), one who's supposed to be a "meh" emoji but has a malfunction where he cannot help but express different emotions such as love, laughter, etc. He tries to be his "meh", but he can't help it; his desire to step beyond his usual purpose gets the best of him. So when it's his turn to be "chosen" by his user Alex to be sent on the phone, he screws it up and all hell breaks loose. Alex is convinced that his phone is malfunctioned and he's sending it to a nearby phone dealer to wipe out all of his data, which obviously is a threat to Textopolis. So Gene recruits a few pals such as the Hi-5 emoji (voiced by James Corden) and a hacker emoticon.... goddamnit, the movie isn't even remotely interesting to recap!

The Emoji Movie absolutely epitomizes the generic animated feature film structure at its most bare-bones and lowest-common-denominator. I wouldn't be surprised if the filmmakers sat at the meeting table discussing the film with a legitimate "book of cliches" sitting right in the middle of the table just because the employees aren't paid enough to come up with smart, inventive ideas. It is a vapid, hollow shell of a film that almost feels like a low-rent knock-off of Wreck-it Ralph, Inside Out, and The LEGO Movie combined. And each three of those films are monstrously more enjoyable in direct A to B comparison. To add on to the headache-inducing groan of the experience, the amount of plot holes / devices in the story that're just whizzed on by the sound and color are strikingly baffling. Look, maybe I'm exaggerating a bit, but it's the hard truth. So, instead writing a huge paragraph bloating the film's continuity issues that will likely give me a migraine just thinking about, I refer you to the list I've set below of some of the film's most prominent embarrassments that stick out like a sore thumb. Here goes nothing:

1. So, Alex wants to show Addie his true feelings, right? And with emojis, correct? So, when he's ready to confess, why in the name of Sweet Mother Celestia does he send the girl a Meh emoji?! Hey, buddy, shouldn't you be giving her that heart one... oh, wait, I forgot! We have to send Addie a meh because we need a plot somewhere! If we just sent her the heart emoji, everything would be happily ever after. But nope! Let's force a hollow plot in this piece of garbage somewhere, and make it as phoned-in as possible so these characters go on a rote, recycled journey from every single animated movie ever. It's not like the kids would care, right?!
2. Why in God's name would a kid of Alex's age have the Crackle app (an incredibly cheap movie streaming app with practically no blockbuster movies at all)? Oh... damn it, I'm blanking again. We need this thing to be as cost-efficient and simple on us as possible. So let's take an app provided by the Sony company (Sony made the movie, btw) and stick it in Alex's phone. Hey, I heard Netflix won't sue you guys if you just ask them permission.
3. Why does Gene, the "meh" emoji, have a name, but everyone else is referred to as their actual "emoji" names (ex. Hi-5, Smiler, Poop, etc.)? Is it because he's the main character and he matters so much more than the others that he needs to have a name so the audience won't go unconscious? Sigh... (And forget that Wyldstyle rip-off! Like she matters!)
4. When Alex is led to believe that his phone is malfunctioning and takes it to the phone dealer to get it fixed, is the audience really going to believe that he'll just get his phone fixed by the employee with the flick of a wrist? Shouldn't the girl working there ask him, "Hey, bud, where are your parents?" or, better yet, before he gets his phone worked on, ask "What's wrong with your phone?" Continuity matters here, people!
5. To add on to the whole phone dealer fiasco, when Alex changes his mind at the very last minute that he wants his phone back the way he had it in the first place, you really expect us to believe the fact that the phone just resets itself, Alex's memory and all, back to the way it used to be?! Phones don't work like that, bud; once you get it restored, it's gone. For Luna's sake, this movie is contrived as hell.

The Loser Lounge... where the screenwriters of this movie hang out.

There's more where that came from, sure, but the fact that the writers are this lazy and undemanding to go with the flow of these contrivances is absolutely disillusioning. If this is the way big-budget Hollywood studios are going to ride with for the next few years when it comes to fleshing out stories on scripts, then don't be surprised if box office numbers start tanking, Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic scores stoop down to dramatic lows, Blu-ray releases at stores sit on shelves collecting dust for ages, and, most disheartening of all, moviegoers begin to picket Hollywood for the lack and dearth of original, fluid, and honest storylines in modern filmmaking. The Emoji Movie is the nightmare that we wish we wouldn't have had, the movie where hopes for more original, valid, and hardworking ideas in the industry slowly crawl to a halt. It's truly upsetting to say the absolute least, even more so that general moviegoers are legitimately falling into the ever-so-gullible trap of bright colors and loud sound and each of those superficialities that mask the film's fatal flaws. It's the cinematic equivalent of a Trojan horse, where mainstream audiences see the word "Emoji" which in turns guarantees entry into the auditorium door only to be pulled a prank on by bafflingly lazy writing, completely uninspired character personality traits, phoned-in dialogue exchanges, recycled and facepalm-worthy yuks, and, of course, every single animated movie cliche in the damned book.

The entire film is built around fatigued, groan-inducing, and painfully derivative plot devices as well as standby animated movie cliches that not only slog the movie's pace but also make it borderline unwatchable for the audience who's dealt with the same bullcrap millions of times already. There's the main character (Gene) who wants to "fit in" with the rest of his tribe and tries not to be such an "outcast". There's the comic relief side character (Hi-5) who's only there to crack a "silly joke" every 5 seconds. There's the heroine (Jailbreak) who abandons her rebellious lifestyle to tell the male hero he's "cool just the way he is". There's the maniacal villain (Smiler) who yearns to put a stop the film's heroes in a "wipe 'em out" way. It's frankly almost bewildering how a movie this mundane can get made, and how a slick animation studio like Sony Pictures Animation can allow it to snowball into such a pile of hollow infuriating incompetence. Even kids are likely to receive blank stares as they suffer the mess; it's not their fault they've heard jokes about poop for the millionth time.

As far as I'm concerned, it's an embarrassment for everyone involved. I am not using that Cop-Out excuse that states, "Oh, well if it's from Sony Pictures Animation, at least they tried." No. This is not trying. Extremely far from it, to be blunt. It's mindlessly jumbling a bunch of cliched plot elements into a convoluted stew that ends up leaving quite the unpleasant taste in the mouth after a few sips. Might as well just call it "Animated Movie Cliches: The Movie" because of how blatant and laughable they are on screen. If Sony Pictures Animation is going to get their act together come their next animated movie, they had better step their game up good. Because if this is an example that's going to be set by the studio for years to come, now would be a good time to make a prayer to the Hollywood gods.

Oh... and, yep, you guessed it, the movie ends with a dance sequence.

THE EMOJI MOVIE Blu-ray - Video Quality

The Emoji Movie at least looks fine on Blu-ray. It's not the top animated movie high-definition presentation out there - to be sure, a majority of the film's designs are digital world-based, hence the very smooth textures - but it should still please its fans with the expectedly bright, shiny colors and well-rendered details. It's quite difficult to give superlatives to such a horrible movie, but blame the Blu-ray presentation, not me. The coloring here is rather bold and vibrant to my eyes, lacking nuance to be fair but delivering Emoji yellows, Textopolis blues, Candy Crush pinks and greens, and more with as much vigor and saturation as the 1080p horsepower can allow. Some of the less cheery shades in the real world - Alex's classroom, for example - still protrude some surprisingly natural color realism, recreating hues just as they would look like in the real world. Details, again, are a bit smooth by creative intent, but keen viewers will notice little digital pixels inside the phone, extremely fine bits on Emoji faces, and building structures in the city, as well as some other well-rendered pieces across the runtime. Black levels are surprisingly well-toned, and there aren't any noticeable compression artifacts to speak of. It's a shame, then, that such clean and colorful animation is wasted on garbage like this.

THE EMOJI MOVIE Blu-ray - Audio Quality

The Emoji Movie's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack delivers as expected. Like the video, it's by no means groundbreaking stuff, but it's still clear and concise, and does create an immersive atmosphere at several junctures. The speaker arrangement gets a nice, if not boat-rocking, workout when the big action moments come into play, as digitally-empowered elements inside the phone spring to solid life with decent enough bass and consistent surround envelopment to satisfy. Music enjoys a similar placement in the soundstage, with crisp notes and beats in both original score and popular smash hits saturating the stage well. Ambience helps to create a slightly more sublime atmosphere to the film's environments, whether in the real world outside Alex's school or in the digital smartphone suburbia where vehicles, helicopters, and characters maneuver from speaker to speaker in a believable, fairly tangible way. Dialogue is consistently sharp and clear in the center-front positioning with the necessary prioritization effect when the scene calls for it. A good soundtrack for an awful movie.

THE EMOJI MOVIE Blu-ray - Special Features

- Director & Animators Commentary I'm actually curious who would listen to a commentary for this movie? They really think adults would be Emoji fanatics and pick this Blu-ray up? Wasted opportunity much...

- Puppy! An Original Hotel Transylvania Short Much more enjoyable than the movie itself, this sort-of teaser for Hotel Transylvania 3 sees the series' characters facing the trials and tribulations of owning a huge mutt in the house.

- Jailbreak Decoded: The Untold Story A deleted scene animatic that's a backstory for Jailbreak's original life as a Princess Emoji.

- Good Vibrations: Dance Along This one pretty much speaks for itself.

- Gimme a Hand! Guess the Emoji Game Don't be fooled; this is NOT interactive. It's instead a video of a couple kids playing an Emoji guessing game. Just goes to show the lack of effort on this thing...

- Express Yourself: Meet the Cast As the title suggests, this is a featurette that reveals the voices behind the film's characters.

- Sweet App-Etite: Make Your Own Candy Crush Saga Cake The title of this one pretty much explains it all; this shows how to make a Candy-Crush inspired cake.

- Girls Can Code! Jailbreak's Anna Faris introduces us to some female coders in a coding class.

- Choreographing Emoji With Matt Steffanina Dance choreographer Matt Steffanina gives details on how he created different dance moves for Gene, Hi-5, and Jailbreak for the Just Dance sequence.

- Creating the World Inside Your Phone Takes a brief look at the production design for the world of Textopolis, the "wallpaper", and more.

- Bringing Emojis to Life Inside look on character designs for Emojis.

- How To Draw Poop ...no comment.

- How To Draw Gene (a.k.a. how to draw the stereotypical animated movie character)

- "Good Vibrations" Lyric Video Sing along!... er, whatever.

- Previews for additional Sony features.

THE EMOJI MOVIE Blu-ray - Overall Recommendation

The Emoji Movie is absolutely terrible, but you already knew that, whether as evidenced through my intensive rant on it above or by the appropriate shunning the internet culture has made in the wake of the film's laughable subject matter. Frankensteining a movie about Emojis is one thing, sure, but if you're going to completely bastardize it with cheap dialogue, exhaustingly repetitive "jokes", recycled plot elements, and coat it without even a lick of creative intention, then you all pretty much asked for the hate. It is a cynical mess because it lacks wit, heart, courage, or innovation, and is guaranteed to make the poor parents forced to watch the drivel groan and check their watches in utter despair. And that's for an 86-minute runtime, damnit! Boring, unoriginal, excruciating, dull, and practically lifeless in every sense of the term, The Emoji Movie just might be the most painful movie watching experience I've had to endure all year. And the most disheartening aspect of it all is that rubbish like this makes more money than truly passionate animated films like My Little Pony: The Movie and Kubo & The Two Strings. Just let that pain sink in for a little bit. Sony's Blu-ray is fine for fans, with clean video, mostly problem-free audio, and a handful of fluffy, kid-oriented supplements. Unless you're the biggest fan of the film (and if you enjoyed the movie, I'm happy for you, because I sure as hell didn't), avoid this vacuous shell at all costs. Stay away no matter how low the price.

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