SECOND SCREEN
Zootropolis (PG) is a colourful, Disney-produced delight that will come to the rescue of millions of parents facing the prospect of a houseful of small children over the Easter holidays. The animation is stunning, the screenplay as amusing as it is clever, and the voicework – led by Ginnifer Goodwin, Horrible Bosses star Jason Bateman and Idris Elba – is top-notch.
It’s set in a fantasy future where all mammals have evolved to a point where they can not only exist safely alongside each other but wear clothes, walk on their hind legs and even sing, like Gazelle (above), voiced by Shakira. They live a thoroughly anthropomorphic life in the climate-controlled zones of the city of Zootropolis.
Newest arrival is rookie cop Judy Hopps (Goodwin), the first rabbit police officer ever, who dreams of changing the world but is assigned parking duties instead. But when animals start to go missing and fate brings her together with a sly, ice-lolly hustling fox (Bateman), we have not just the basis for a good mystery but a buddy movie, too.
Small children should love it but there’s lots here for adults as well, including a very funny ‘elephant in the room’ joke and a sporting Disney dig at its own smash hit,
Frozen. Oh, just let it go. Back in 2002, My Big Fat Greek
Wedding was the surprise hit that had its producers laughing all the way to the bank. Made for just $5million, its global box-office receipts topped $300 million. No wonderow we’ve heard so little from its writer and star, Nia Vardalos, in the intervening years. But now she’s back and fans of the original – myself included – are going to be so disappointed because My Big Fat Greek
Wedding 2 (12A) is just awful. It took 11 horribly laboured gags for me even to crack a smile, and I can tell you there weren’t many more in a film that sees just about everyone from the original cast returning.