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A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Saturday 29 July 2017
Review: ‘The Emoji Movie’ may be meh, but it’s not evil

By LINDSEY BAHR that all movies ideas are
AP Film Writer just doomed to confuse
There are five stages of “brands” for “ideas.” And
grief in preparing to watch the fifth is acceptance
“The Emoji Movie .” The first that, yes, of course that’s
is denial that this actually where we’re headed so
exists. The second is anger let’s pull up a seat and
that now even storytelling make the most of it.
has been reduced to those The good news is “The Emoji
reductive blobs. The third is Movie,” co-written and di-
bargaining that, hey, they rected by Tony Leondis, is
made “The Lego Movie” not evil. The bad news is it’s
work against all odds so just mediocre, or in emoji
maybe some smart folks parlance, simply “meh.”
actually pulled this off. It does not come close
The fourth is depression to achieving the joy and

This image released by Sony Pictures shows Alex, voiced by Jake T. Austin, in Columbia Pictures
and Sony Pictures Animation’s “The Emoji Movie.”
Associated Press

wonder of, say, “Toy Story,” nates between all emotions Hi-5 (James Corden) and
‘’Inside Out” or “The Lego and can’t stick to the one a hacker emoji Jailbreak
Movie” although it appears he’s supposed to have, like (Anna Faris) to try to get
to borrow heavily from all his parents Mary Meh (Jen- into the cloud where they
in its central conceit that nifer Coolidge) and Mel might fix him.
anthropomorphized emojis Meh (Steven Wright), who If you’re worried about
have families and ambitions deadpan lines like “I’m so whether or not this is some
but also exist solely to serve mad at you right now.” big smartphone adver-
a particular smart phone Also, should we be think- tisement, it only kind of is.
owner. “The Emoji Movie” ing about the implications There’s a whole journey
takes us into the world of Al- of aging and procreating through the Spotify app,
ex’s phone — he’s an awk- emojis? Probably not, but and they have to get
ward high school freshman it’s still a particularly weird through a dance com-
who is stressed out about and uncomfortable idea. petition in the Just Dance
what to text the girl he has Anyway, Gene is basically app to get where they’re
a crush on. His friend advis- the “Divergent” emoji, but going, and there is a line
es him that “words are stu- there’s no choosing in this that seems to have been
pid” so he goes for a good town and when he screws written by marketing folks
old emoji. up his first time at bat, the about how illegal malware
Little does he know in the sinister Smiler (Maya Ru- can’t get into the protect-
emoji app it’s Gene’s first dolph) decides he’s a ed DropBox app. Oh and
day of work. Gene (T.J. malfunction and must be while it’s not mentioned,
Miller) is supposed to be deleted. Suddenly Gene the Sony-owned Crackle
the “meh” symbol, but the is on the run, and hooks app is always on Alex’s
excitable yellow blob alter- up with the past his prime home screen.q

Showtime sets a Donald Trump

cartoon from Stephen Colbert

NEW YORK (AP) — Show- ily members, insiders, world
time has elected to air a leaders and even rival
cartoon series about the Democrats taking part.
Donald Trump White House. This animated portrayal of
The 10 half-hours of what Trump is a popular recurring
Showtime calls a work- feature on “The Late Show
place comedy will be ex- with Stephen Colbert.”
ecutive produced by Ste- The Showtime series will
phen Colbert for premiere team Colbert with his “Late
this fall. No date was speci- Show” executive producer
fied. Chris Licht. Production turn-
Showtime says the series, around time will be swift,
so far untitled, will satiri- enabling current events to
cally deconstruct life in the play a role in the show.q
White House-hold with fam-

In this May 1, 2017 file photo, Stephen Colbert attends The
Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute benefit gala in
New York.
Associated Press