In an industry that lately gives voice and human traits to animals in order to teach lessons about
humanity, 'Norm of the North' uses the same stratagem to create a character that talks for the
environment and their inhabitants to protect them and create awareness, while at the same time
entertaining the whole family, especially small children. The plot for this movie is quite simple. Norm, a polar bear that has the unique ability to speak human, doesn't precisely fit with the idea of how the "king of the Arctic" should be. When humans threaten the peace and quiet of his home, Norm is the only one that can save his glacial land from Mr Greene, by embarking on an adventure to NYC.

The timing for a movie like this couldn't be more perfect. In fact, while other productions try to
speak more and more to adults, in order to attract a broaden audience, what 'Norm of the North' does is still entertaining both adults and children while teaching a good lesson to the young about respecting the environment. Trying to preserve our world using the best means of communication, a talking bear.
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Many of the jokes written in the film are easy to understand by children without being too childish
and leaving out the parents from the entertainment factor. The actors who gave their voices to each
character were capable of expressing every range of emotions effortlessly, giving more depth to
each human or animal.

The story not only tackles global warming, pollution and respect for the world in a simple yet
effective way, it also highlights how important it is to be yourself and believe in your capabilities
and, most importantly, never give up even when the journey becomes difficult and only a handful of
people are ready to stand by you.

The simplicity of the plot is what makes this story worth watching. While other animation feature
films become more and more complex each year, 'Norm of the North' created a simple storyline aimed at children of any age. The jokes are not too elaborate, but they still posses a comic timing that is entertaining both for children and adults alike. The drawings are made with great accuracy, and each character's facial expressions are realistic and help the audience connect on an emotional level with the story.
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Since it is a movie for children, the important subject of the environment, and how mankind is
polluting and invading habitats that are there just for animal species, are not analysed in a
complicated way. On the contrary, it is approached in a way to make the lessons more efficient and easily understood by children.

All in all, 'Norm of the North' is a film that, in going back to the origins of the animation feature
film, is making it possible for children to fully understand the core lessons behind the story
while still being capable of entertaining not only them but their parents as well, making it an
experience for the whole family.

An Australian production inspired by real events, 'Oddball and the Penguins' is a family comedy that
is made for both children and parents, gifting the audience with an entertaining and moving story
about family and friendship.

Set in a remote area in Australia, the film focuses on a family who devoted its entire life to preserve
and save an endangered species of penguins, known as Little Penguins, from the wild foxes that are
hunting them. This flock of penguins are living on a deserted island, supervised by Emily, a young
single mother who gave up her life to keep her late mother's project alive. Unfortunately, since the sea town of Warrnambool, where Emily and her family lives, can't afford surveillance on the island, the foxes are decimating the flock. Throughout the film the numbers of survived penguins keeps dropping and, if by the official counting they will be less than ten, the wild sanctuary will have to be re-purposed.

To try and save the day Emily's daughter Olivia, along with her grandfather, the eccentric Swampy,
will try to coach their untrained and unruly maremmas dog Oddball to guard the penguins and save
the sanctuary.

In 'Oddball and the Penguins' the plot follows the classic standard for these kind of family comedies
that want to entertain both adults and children. The comic aspect of the movie, always related to
Oddball being a tornado and destroying everything in his path, is well balanced with the more serious, as well as tender, scenes that portray the deep bond between this special family that
stood together and helped each other through the best and worst.
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Even though Oddball and the Penguins is not a high quality film made with the finest technique and
extraordinary cinematography, the movie is still great to watch. Its main purpose is to create
awareness about an environmental matter that maybe many people ignored by using humour and
emotions to help the audience empathise with the story.

In fact, the movie was inspired by the real events about the Little Penguins species in Middle Island
and the volunteering project that, since 2006, is using maremmas dogs to protect them.

In making this film the director was able to highlight the great effort that many people had to make in order to save this wild sanctuary. Not only that, but he was also able to teach to both children and parents the valuable lesson that in life it is important to believe in something great and that, when the road ahead gets difficult and filled with obstacles, one can always count on their family to go through them and finally reach their goal.

All in all, 'Oddball and the Penguins' is a simple movie that just wants to tell a real story filled with
great principles and it does so by adding entertainment and comedy all enclosed in a huge, furry and extremely sweet maremmas dog.

A common debate within any form of entertainment - from books to television shows to movies - is whether character or plot are the most important element. Should plot drive the character or should character drive the plot? As vehemently some may contest their chosen view, there isn't really a true right or wrong answer, but something that varies from each creator or creation to the next. As likely as it is to be either/or, it's just as likely for the focus to be both, or neither, depending on how one chooses to look at it.
 
It is via this lens that 'Triple 9' is best approached, and it's compelling exploration of human nature can be truly appreciated...
 
Trapped between the proverbial rock and hard place, a collection of criminals and corrupt cops consider the extreme in order to pull off a seemingly impossible heist.

'Triple 9' feels less like a story and more recorded series of events. Each action has a reaction. Each decision - both noble and despicable - breeds consequences. It's a vicious circle of a narrative that is as chaotic as anything that happens in real life and follows confidently in the footsteps of such similar classics as 'Training Day', 'End of Watch', or, more appropriately, director John Hillcott's previous effort 'Lawless'.
 
Hillcott weaves the words of relative newcomer Matt Cook into a gritty tapestry of betrayal, fellowship, deceit, and redemption. All of which stem from clearly defined, if occasionally fluctuating, characters. The pace is swift and barely pauses along the way, propelling the audience as breathlessly through moments of reflection and confusion as it does moments of action. As with the aforementioned 'Lawless', there is a palpable sense of escalating tension hanging over proceedings, creating some truly edge-of-the-seat, unpredictable set-pieces in a similar vein to 'The Raid'. Without the martial arts though of course.
 
At the centre of the events, Casey Affleck ('Gone Baby Gone', 'Manchester By The Sea') is on traditionally sterling form as a rookie detective trying to make sense of everything, with solid support from Anthony Mackie ('The Winter Soldier', 'The Hurt Locker'). Woody Harrelson ('True Detective', 'Zombieland') is on-hand to offer some extra pathos, as well as some much needed levity. Aaron Paul is as phenomenally intense as he ever was in 'Breaking Bad', though it could be argued that his character is a spiritual brother of Jesse Pinkman. And Chiwetel Ejiofor ('12 Years a Slave') continues on his path to world domination, showing once again that there is nothing he can't do. He repeatedly serves as the heart, soul, and a driving, sympathetic force of the film.

The rest of cast list reads like a Who's Who of popular, sought-after, and critically acclaimed Hollywood stars, with everybody from Kate Winslet ('Steve Jobs', 'The Reader') and Norman Reedus ('The Walking Dead') to Michael Kenneth Williams ('Boardwalk Empire', 'The Wire') and the amazonion warrior herself, Gal Gadot ('Wonder Woman') lending their presence to roles that range from inciting to "blink and you might miss them".
 
Given it's ensemble nature and the fact it meanders back and forth between various threads, it would be easy to dismiss a lot of the positives and negatives of 'Triple 9' and consider it a bit of a mess. There will, no doubt, be those that do. And maybe understandably so. Scratch beneath the Michael Mann-esque surface and there is a lot to enjoy from the brief glimpse into these worlds - in terms of spectacle and distinctly human conflicts.
 
Although the ending is a slight misstep, ending on slightly the wrong note, and numerous actors are wasted in their roles, Hillcott succeeds up to that point in keeping things not only cohesively on track, but thoroughly exciting and enthralling throughout.

All in all, such minor, niggling flaws aside, 'Triple 9' is a stellar addition to the recent classics of the realistic crime genre, boasting solid writing, occasionally brilliant direction, and some powerhouse performances. An utterly compelling watch well worth giving up hours of your evening for.