THE LION KING: A Visually Groundbreaking, but Ultimately Lifeless Shot-for-Shot Remake of the 1994 Original

Genre: Animation, Adventure, Drama

Produced by: Jon Favreau, Jeffrey Silver, Karen Gilchrist   

Directed by: Jon Favreau   

Written by: Jeff Nathanson

Production Company: Walt Disney Pictures

Starring: Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Billy Eichner, John Oliver, Beyonce Knowles-Carter, James Earl Jones  

Runtime: 118 minutes             

 

SYNOPSIS: 

A young cub Simba (JD McCrary), the only son of King Mufasa (James Earl Jones) and Queen Sarabi (Alfre Woodard), was the rightful heir to the throne.  That all changed when a tragedy occurred, forcing his uncle Scar (Chiwetel Ejiofor) to banish him from Pride Land. As the years have passed, the adult lion (Donald Glover) has learned to bury his past and embrace his newfound life as an exile, making new friends along the way. Soon, turmoil ensues back home, and he has no choice but to fulfill his true destiny. 

SPIDERMAN FAR FROM HOME: A Highly Exciting And Fun Spiderman Sequel And End to MCU's Phase Three

Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Superhero

Produced by: Amy Pascal, Kevin Feige

Directed by: Jon Watts

Written by: Chris McKenna, Eric Sommers

Production Company: Sony Pictures, Marvel Studios  

Starring: Tom Holland, Samuel L. Jackson, Zendaya, Cobie Smulders, Jon Favreau, J.B. Smoove, Jacob Batalon, Martin Starr, Marisa Tomei, Jake Gyllenhaal

Runtime: 129 minutes                                           

SYNOPSIS: 

Peter Parker (Tom Holland) decides to take a short break from being Spiderman and join his friends on a European vacation. But soon, duty calls when Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) intercepts the trip, asking Peter to help him deal with a threat that’s above his pay-grade:  giant mystical creatures called the Elementals. Peter must team up with a fellow recruit and Elemental expert Quentin Beck/Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal), to stop the creatures from creating more chaos.  

TOY STORY 4: A Perfect Entry in a Perfect Quadrilogy

Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy

Produced by: Jonas Rivera, Mark Nielsen  

Directed by: Josh Cooley  

Written by: John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter, Lee Unkrich, Rashida Jones, Will McCormack  

Production Company: Walt Disney Picture, Pixar

Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Annie Potts, Tony Hale, Christina Hendricks, Keegan Michael-Key, Jordan Peele, Keanu Reeves, Joan Cusack, Madeleine McGraw                                            

Runtime: 100 minutes

SYNOPSIS: 

Following the events of Toy Story 3 (2010), Woody (Tom Hanks) and his toy gang now belongs to Bonnie (Madeleine McGraw). One day, Bonnie returns from kindergarten orientation with a spork-turned-toy named Forky (Tony Hale). Knowing how much Forky means to her, Woody tries his best to make Forky feel like he’s at home amongst Bonnie’s friends. But Forky’s existential crisis compels him to run away, which sets the gang on an adventure that further challenges their perspective on their true life purpose.