Disney/Pixar's "The Good Dinosaur"--A Casual Moviegoer's Review

First, I'm an unabashed lover of Disney and Pixar animated movies. I have a five year old daughter, so I've seen just about every single one of these CGI juggernauts and if I didn't have a five year old daughter I think I'd be just as interested in watching them. In fact, I saw the original Monsters, Inc. in the theaters three times when I was in college. A real winner over here.

Next, I have to start out by saying that The Good Dinosaur has to be--unquestionably--the most gorgeous, true-to-life animation adaptations of landscape I've ever seen in an animated film like this. It's better than Up, it's better than Monsters University and it's better than Big Hero 6. I was literally tricked into thinking the computer generated terrain and water was the real thing it was so perfectly done. The trees, the blades of grass, the way it all moves with the wind is so realistic that it makes you think you're really in a mountain range or valley. Not only that, but the textures and the shades of color and they way it's all lit is just so believable it looks like real-life Planet Earth footage with animated dinosaurs. Incredible.

Next, the story. It's typical Pixar. Rip your heart out, endearing companionship, great caricatures, fun journey, redemption. It's all there. It's all done well. There's not much to say about the story except it's what you've come to expect and Pixar doesn't deviate from what it does so well.

Finally, my complaints. And this is not a story spoiler, but it is a spoiler if you've come to expect it in the movie. Where are the other dinosaurs? For how glorious everything else looks in the movie, there is a clear absence of the other species of dinosaurs in the film. On top of that, Arlo--the little green lead dino--doesn't really look that great. He, and his family, are just...green. I can excuse that since they're supposed to be sort of fun representations of dinos for the kidos, but other than the ten or so friends Arlo meets along the way, the landscape is eerily devoid of other dinosaurs.

The verdict: Disney and Pixar deliver their most beautiful picture--ever. It literally carries the movie. Which, by the way, is very solid. Think Lion King with the best CGI you've ever seen and you get an A- on this one.