Oliver & Company 1988
This is another Disney movie that I never had a chance to see until I got Disney Plus. In online rankings of Disney animated feature films, Oliver & Company usually finishes below average. Since it is the first time I have seen it, there was no nostalgia, and in fact the overproduced late 80’s music was a turnoff with songs sung by Huey Lewis and Billy Joel. The animation and sound effects also make the movie feel kind of cheap, like something you would see on TV, even though there are a few early computer aided scenes. For the most part the movie tries to have a lot of energy and stay positive. More than once animals are knocked out or seriously injured only to recover within seconds, which seems a little like a tease. It is better than milking an injury for a big dramatic scene, but it feels off. There is a pretty big group of characters and they don’t get much of any development, mostly cartoon archetypes, I guess, including Cheech Marin as a zany chihuahua. More for kids than grownups, but with some dark moments from a crime boss (giving instructions on how to kill someone over the phone?). More silly than funny, the story still stays lively and moves along quickly, but the movie lives up to its forgettable reputation.
Written: 09 Jun 2020
Owned on: Digital