Saturday, July 16, 2016

The Secret Life of Pets - Movie Review

There was a subtle threat - 'you promise but then by the time we plan to go the movie is gone.' I jumped up and did what I don't normally do - fixed up the plan for today (and not tomorrow or more conveniently ...later). Tickets were secretly booked online, Anjali picked up from school (from the school bus in fact) and then onwards to the movies. It was a perfect time to celebrate because she showed me a huge silver medal that she earned (bigger than any I ever got) and three certificates for English in a test. 'I am second in the international ranks,' she told me. All the more reason.

We picked up some french fries. 'Nice,' critiqued the Masterchef fan as she took a bite. 'Crispy on the outside and soft inside.' Gary, Max and George could not have said it better. The movie began.

It was surprisingly good because it was just a fun story with no message. A whole bunch of pets living in New York with their dysfunctional owners. Max, the hero is a tiny dog, who thinks he and his owner Katie are soul mates. Until Katie brings home Duke, a big, bullying dog. They don't get along too well initially but owing to a lot of unforeseen activities with street animals after their walk, they find themselves in an Animal Control van. Freed by a rebellious bunny who leads a movement against humans and who is against all sorts of domestication, the two dogs find their way home, helped certainly by love. Love in the form of a love struck Pomeranian Gidget who loves Max (but he does not know it). Gidget manages to get a dangerous hawk Tiberius on her side and rustles up support from the other domesticated pets and they set out to find Max (and Duke). After a roller coaster journey of fabulous chases, stunts and bunny's machinations to get them, Max and Duke and all others get back home.

What a movie! Would I watch it again. I certainly would. Some characters are memorable - Bunny, the rebel leader, takes the cake, Pops and Gidget are the others apart form Max and Duke. But then the stray cat Ozone with a British accent - ah, I wished I saw more of that. Fabulous. No emotional drain, no messages, just pure adventure and fun.  

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