Kiersey Clemons

REVIEW: Lady and the Tramp (2019)

It seems like every classic animated Disney film will eventually be given a live action remake and 1955’s Lady and the Tramp is one of the latest to get the treatment.

While I’d watched the animated Lady and the Tramp many times as a child, it’s one that hadn’t really stuck in my mind so seeing this version made the story a new experience. Lady and the Tramp is the story of sheltered uptown Spaniel Lady (Tessa Thompson) and streetwise mutt Tramp (Justin Theroux) who meet when Lady’s life is disrupted by a new arrival.

If I had to pick one word to describe Lady and the Tramp, it would be charming. The costumes, the setting and score, it’s all so quaint. It’s also a charmingly familiar story even if you’ve not seen the animated film before. There’s something comforting about a story where you know what’s going to happen and the various character types – both human and dog in this scenario.

The combination of real dogs and CGI works very well here and isn’t uncanny valley like the “live action” aka completely computer-generated version of The Lion King. The animals are cute and the way their mouths are animated to move when they talk is easy to get used to especially with dogs like Tramp and Jock (Ashley Jensen) who have hairier and shorter muzzles.

Thompson and Theroux’s vocal performances are delightful, though it’s perhaps Janelle Monáe as Peg who really stands out. She sings a jazzier version of “He’s a Tramp” that’s great. Speaking of songs, the culturally insensitive “Siamese Cat Song” is not here, instead the troublemaking cats (who are a different breed to Siamese) sing a new fast paced song all about how they enjoy doing whatever they want.

The human cast are wonderful in their roles. Thomas Mann and Kiersey Clemons play Lady’s owners Jim Dear and Darling. Their romance is sweet and the drama in their lives compliments what is going on with Lady. The dogcatcher (Adrian Martinez) has a much larger role is and the main antagonist for Tramp. There are some fun sequences of Tramp taking the dogcatcher for a fool and the blend of animation and real animal in them is often near seamless.

Lady and the Tramp is perhaps more for children with some of its silly moments and jokes, but it’s still a film that adults can enjoy – whether they have nostalgia goggles on or not. 4/5.

REVIEW: Dope (2015)

dope elenasquareeyesMalcolm (Shameik Moore) is just your average geek trying to survive high school and a tough neighbourhood but everything changes after an underground party. Drugs and a gun are hidden in his bag and as he and his best friends Jib (Tony Revolori) and Diggy (Kiersey Clemons) try to figure out what to do, they have the biggest adventure of their lives.

There’s a lot going on in Dope. There’s so many pop culture references including 90’s rap, bitcoin and how you’re supposed to write a college application letter. The way it references all these things can be a bit overwhelming at times and sometimes it loses its way slightly but it’s still a lot of fun seeing these teenagers being awkward yet smart. Along with a mishmash of references, Dope is also a mix of genres, it’s no doubt a comedy but it’s also a drama and it’s a bit like a crime-caper in the end – it’s sometimes a bit strange but it’s always a lot of fun. (more…)