The Good Dinosaur is a perfect family film, as could be determined by the inquisitive children in the theater and their joyful laughter throughout the movie. Arlo (voiced by Raymond Ochoa) is the hero of this tale, although it takes him quite a while to figure that out himself. One of three offspring to Momma and Poppa, Arlo is the timid son. His brother and sister are playful but work hard on the family farm and are praised for their labor. During one frightful storm, Arlo and Poppa are out chasing a human child who has been stealing their food. The storm intensifies and in a scene similar to The Lion King, Poppa pushes Arlo to higher ground but cannot save himself.
After Arlo loses his father and finds himself lost out in the storm, he is on a mission to capture the little human (voiced by Jack Bright) blaming his father’s death on the feral child. The movie follows Arlo as he begins to see his world a little differently and see kindness in the child, later named Spot. The animated film provided many obstacles for Arlo including a plethora of storms, angry birds, and attempting to find food in a foreign environment.
A story of unlikely friendship and overcoming one’s fears, The Good Dinosaur is a great family film. Pixar does an unbelievable job in the design details from freckles on Arlo’s face to the family paw prints on the rocks. There are also a few moments thrown in for the adult movie goers, such as the characters acting mighty strange after ingesting fermented berries! Sebastian, age seven, says “It was interesting. I liked the ending.” Come down to Village Theatre and see for yourself this dino-riffic film.
Director: Peter Sohn
Cast: Jeffrey Wright, Frances McDormand, Raymond Ochoa, Jack Bright, Peter Sohn, and Steve Zahn.
Run Time: 1 hr. 40 min.
Rating: PG (Peril, action, and thematic elements)
See upcoming showtimes for The Good Dinosaur here.
