Jedi by Knight

My quest to see all the 2014 Oscar-nominated animated movies starts with:

Big Hero 6

Disney

Don Hall and Chris Williams, directors

Viewing Source: local public library Blu-ray

I was disappointed when I missed seeing Big Hero 6 in theaters; I had been so ready for this convergence of Disney, Marvel superheroes, and Japanese culture.  And it turns out that was the correct sentiment because I did love this movie and watched it twice before returning it to the library.

It was the top grossing animated movie of 2014, plus the Oscar winner, so I think a lot of people agreed with me.

Big Hero 6 has plenty to love.  One of my favorite parts was the setting of San Fransokyo, with a blend of Californian and Japanese culture.  I may have paused once or twice to practice reading katakana on the signs.

It also is impossible not to love the inflatable healthcare companion robot Baymax, and his lines like “Haaairy baby” to the cat and his special fist bump have become staples around our house.  And the rest of the (diverse) cast of superheroes are pretty great, too (Go Go is my favorite).

The plot slightly weak, partly due to a bunch of stereotypical superhero-group-origin-story stuff and some predictable twists.  But it does have a great heart.  Like my Pixar favorite Up, Big Hero 6 is very much about loss and the grieving process.

Also, I’m a huge Fall Out Boy fan, and they did the great song “Immortals” for movie, which plays during the testing-superhero-tech sequence.  So that was cool.

It may not be the best Disney animated movie, or even the best Disney animated superhero movie (that would be The Incredibles), but Big Hero 6 is a great addition to both the Disney and Marvel lines and I think both kids and adults will find it very enjoyable.

P.S. It honestly would be worth checking this out just to see the animated short “Feast” at the beginning, which coincidentally won the 2014 Oscar for Animated Short Film.  So many feels.