![]() ![]() This is, after all, a good-hearted holiday movie, and while the Jangle family spins through some deep tragedies, Talbert keeps the mood light enough to not ruin any childhoods, while still making sure the stakes are clear. ![]() Suddenly, Jeronicus’ entire life and its work have been taken from him, and nothing will ever be the same. When Jeronicus’ invention - basically a toy-sized spin on Frankenstein’s monster if he was only evil on the inside and also voiced by, of all people, Ricky Martin - gets his tin hooks into a despondent Guftofson, all bets are off. “Jingle Jangle” Netflixīut even Jeronicus is blind to some things, like his young apprentice Guftofson (Miles Barrow, who turns it over to a well-cast Keegan-Michael Key for the older years), who is desperate to impress his boss, despite not quite being up to snuff. Talbert’s film is bursting with good cheer, and “Jingle Jangle” immediately conjures up a world where everyone is brought together by a shared love of invention and a deep respect for intelligence and hard work (what a world!). He’s mostly fixated on building wondrous toys for kids, and when the quite-literally labeled “final ingredient to the invention” arrives, he seems to be on the cusp of his best work yet (cue musical number advertising as such). Jeronicus (played in his younger years by Justin Cornwell, teeing it up for Forest Whitaker, who takes over after the first act) is a happy, generous family man, and just about the best inventor the world has ever known. Netflix’s Animated ‘Nimona’ Mixes ‘Sleeping Beauty’ with ‘Blade Runner’ Rashad ushers both said cute grandkids and the audience through the tale, which opens with the literal cracking of a book, a glittering affair entitled “The Invention of Jeronicus Jangle.” The story picks up in a Victorian era-ish small town, bursting with color and whimsy and pure joy, most of it centered around Jeronicus’ magical toy store, Jangles and Things, which offers a “gadgets and gizmos aplenty” situation that rivals anything “The Little Mermaid” ever dreamed of. ![]() While the shape of what follows is familiar enough - it wouldn’t be a holiday tale if it didn’t hinge on the literal power of believing in something - Talbert and his stacked cast find all sorts of fresh dimensions to liven up this joyous musical, from an admirable obsession with human intelligence to an unbridled enthusiasm for the power of the young. Talbert’s delightful “ Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey,” narrator Phylicia Rashad promises to unveil a “new story” to her cute grandkids, big holiday fans who are a bit worn out by the classics. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |