You had me at dragons!
I’m writing a NO SPOILER review because I want all of you to experience the magic of Raya and The Last Dragon first hand. I found the film visually gorgeous, a story that will delight, and makes you want to save Kumandra.
I was delighted when I saw the first trailer showing dragons (I LOVE dragons) and the person in shadow. So excited to see a girl/young woman centered action animated film from Disney. I am sure children across the world will see themselves reflected in a world where they often feel powerless, with characters, mythology and new fantasy story based in a part of the world not often animated in films that I get to see where the characters are Asian (ethnic) and a landscape that looks like places I hope to visit one day. It’s Disney so you know they brought the cute which at first I thought would be the dragon but Tuk Tuk stole my heart when he was tiny and even more when he was big! Who doesn’t want to ride on a Tuk Tuk a loyal companion that was her only constant for six years.
Raya (Kelly Marie Tran) is an adventurous, strong willed warrior who happens to be a girl following in her family tradition of protecting the last of Dragon magic trained by her father Benja (Daniel Dae Kim) who wants to bring the kingdom back together after it was broken but saved by great sacrifice. Humanity was saved that day but jealousy and fear drove them all apart and it will take a plucky young woman, her pet/BFF Tuk Tuk (Alan Tudyk) and the last dragon Sisu (Awkwafina) that begin to break down her walls. But it takes her found family Boun (Izaac Wang), Little Noi (Thalia Tran), Tong (Benedict Wong) to teach her that you can’t save the world alone and that sometimes you have to have trust (faith in others).
The heart of Raya and The Last Dragon is the sums of its parts where anger and jealousy will blind you to common truths, that the body is not just a heart, spine, talon and tail but the mind that allows you to figure out all the bits and pieces. I loved this film and am happy that kids/adults will see themselves reflected in this animated film directed by Don Hall and Carlos López Estrada from a script written by Qui Nguyen and Adele Lim. It really does take a village to save the world.
The Short before the movie US AGAIN was such a concise story that made me want to have a partner to dance with. It had a Gene Kelly feel with a twist of yearning for youth of the past and not living in the now.
The film premiers Friday, March 5th in select theatres and on Disney+ Premier Access in most Disney+ markets.
RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON
Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Raya and the Last Dragon’’ will be available on Disney+ with Premier Access in most Disney+ markets, at the same time as it is released in select theaters on March 5, 2021.
“Raya and the Last Dragon” takes us on an exciting, epic journey to the fantasy world of Kumandra, where humans and dragons lived together long ago in harmony. But when an evil force threatened the land, the dragons sacrificed themselves to save humanity. Now, 500 years later, that same evil has returned and it’s up to a lone warrior, Raya, to track down the legendary last dragon to restore the fractured land and its divided people. However, along her journey, she’ll learn that it’ll take more than a dragon to save the world—it’s going to take trust and teamwork as well.
“Raya and the Last Dragon” features an outstanding voice cast, including Kelly Marie Tran, Awkwafina, Gemma Chan, Daniel Dae Kim, Sandra Oh, Benedict Wong, Izaac Wang, Thalia Tran, Alan Tudyk, Lucille Soong, Patti Harrison and Ross Butler. Don Hall and Carlos López Estrada are directing, with Paul Briggs and John Ripa co-directing. Osnat Shurer and Peter Del Vecho are the producers, and Qui Nguyen and Adele Lim wrote the screenplay.
US AGAIN (SHORT)
Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Us Again” will screen before “Raya and the Last Dragon” in theaters. It will be available on Disney+ in June 2021.
Set in a vibrant city pulsating with rhythm and movement, an elderly man and his young-at-heart wife rekindle their youthful passion for life and each other on one magical night. The years fade away as the joy of dancing propels them across the exciting cityscape of their youth and revives fond memories and ambitions. Director/writer Zach Parrish (head of animation on “Big Hero 6,” and director of Disney Animation’s “Short Circuit” film, “Puddles,” now airing on Disney+) taps into personal themes, family observations, and a love of dance, and joins forces with award winning choreographers/dancers Keone and Mari Madrid (“World of Dance” champions), and acclaimed composer Pinar Toprak (“Captain Marvel”), to create this experimental musical fantasy. Brad Simonsen, associate producer on “Big Hero 6,” “Zootopia” and “Ralph Breaks the Internet,” served as producer. Jennifer Lee, chief creative officer for Walt Disney Animation Studios, executive produced.
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