Jungle Book(animated film)

For my movie I watched the new cgi Jungle Book film. The original cartoon was my absolute favorite movie growing up so I came in with a huge bias and very high expectations, they were met and then some. This movie was an absolute masterpeice and had something for absolutely everybody. First and foremost the cgi animation was nothing short of stunning, and at no point was there any disconnect from reality for the viewer. The movie itself became the perfect meshing of the happy go lucky children's cartoon kids like me grew up on and the deep and serious philosophical questions about man and his destructive power. Nowhere was this more apparent than the casting, which in my personal opinion is one of the best selected casts for any movie that I've seen. On one hand, you have the deeply terrifying and menacing presence of Idris Elba as Shere Khan conflicting with the protective mother of Lupita Nyongo as Raksha, and the issue of loyalty and the well being of one versus the well being of all that they bring up that move the viewer and make them think. On the other hand you have the perfect comic relief of Bill Murray who provides a perfect release of tension and gives the movie a light hearted happiness, not to mention the best Disney song of all time(Bare Necessities), and the conflict that produces with the protective and nurturing guide played by Ben Kingsley as Bagheera. The movie deals with a wide array of philosophical topics and issues, and does so in a beautiful manner. The baby Mowgli is orphaned by the attack of the vindictive Shere Khan, but rescued by Bagheera and raised among the wolves. The entire movie Mowgli struggles to find his identity, as he wants to be a wolf, but doesn't want to forsake his "tricks" that make a man cub so clever. Shere Khan represents the idea of hate and revenge the permeate the entire film. The men are undoubtedly destructive and their "red flower" reduces everything to ash and slaughters the animals, but nevertheless the audience finds themselves siding with Mowgli, because he is innocent, and ultimately he cannot be evil just because he was born a man cub, and it is Shere Khan's hate and prejudice that turn him into a villain. Overall the movie provides a touching story of love, acceptance, and loyalty mixed in with the playfulness of a children's movie, and it is just an amazing feat on all fronts. I would give this movie a ten out of ten and I will absolutely watch it again.