Summer of Magic- "Big Hero 6"

Ever since the acquisition of Marvel Studios by Disney, Marvel has delivered gigantic hit after gigantic hit for Disney beginning in 2012 with The Avengers and continuing today with their most recent release, Captain America: Civil War. In 2014,though, Marvel decided to return the favor by allowing Disney to tell a story arc from a comic series with a cult following while giving them the free reign to create some fresh and original at the same time. The final result was Big Hero 6, one of Disney's most entertaining films of the modern era. Tapping into their incredible ability to take something established and breath new life into the material, Disney has crafted a film for everyone, whether you are a diehard comic book fan or a casual Disney fanatic. With Big Hero 6, Disney continues to assert to the world that there is a new generation of filmmakers at the studio, and they are here to stay while producing classic after classic.

(We've reached a point in the summer where it is possible that you have not seen some of these films, so potential spoilers are present from here on)

At this point in the Summer of Magic, I probably sound like a broken record regarding Disney's characters, but yet again, Disney impresses in this aspect in Big Hero 6. Hiro Hamada is a fascinating character fueled by a terrific performance from Ryan Potter. Hiro is a scientific genius; his brain is able to comprehend and process thing such as robotics in an unprecedented fashion. However, at heart, Hiro is just a normal guy trying to find his place in the world. You can see that from the opening sequence as he is hustling gangsters while illegally fighting robots and by the way he is always looking up to his older brother, Tadashi, for guidance. Upon visiting Tedashi's research facility, Hiro becomes enamored with the prospect of working on robots all day, every day, and upon being accepted into the program, he has found his coveted place in the world. One day, though, something goes terribly wrong and Tedashi tragically dies, leaving Hiro with a loss of hope and identity. This dynamic allows Hiro to be a really well developed character with layers and fleshed out dimensions. Big Hero 6 holds no punches with Hiro's characterization. We see life at its finest (flying majestically over San Fransokyo atop Baymax), but we also see life at its worst (the aftermath of Tedashi's tragedy). That is one aspect of the third Golden Age of Disney that I admire above the rest. Sure, these films are set in mythical places, but their characters could not be more relatable and more like us. Hiro is a character that we can wholeheartedly identify with from the beginning, and that is what makes him such an excellent character.

However, Big Hero 6's ensemble is certainly no one hit wonder. I am going to discuss my love for Baymax more below, but I'll tease my thoughts by saying this: he is simply one of the best characters Disney has ever created. Furthermore, Hiro's inner circle of friends that assume the mantle of becoming superheros by completing the team are superb as well. Wasabi, Honey Lemon, Go Go, and Fred are such richly defined characters, each possessing their own unique personality that allows them to shine at various moments throughout the film.The entire cast of Big Hero 6 thrives in each individual role. The aforementioned Ryan Potter, Scott Adsit (Baymax), Damon Wayans Jr. (Wasabi), Genesis Rodriguez (Honey Lemon), Jamie Chung (Go Go), and T.J. Miller (Fred) may not make up the flashiest and most celebrated ensemble in Disney history, but they are each perfect for their roles, and the final result benefits because of it. Yes, Alan Tudyk does make his obligatory Disney animated film appearance, and just as we have come to expect from the studio's great lucky charm, he delivers as Alistair Krei (one of the best character names ever, might I add). Then, our villain for this film, Professor Robert Callaghan (James Cromwell with the splendid voice work), is a solid adversary for the Hiro and company. The twist of the loss of his daughter being his motivation behind stealing Hiro's microbots and trying to ruin Krei's life is an ingenious and inspired plot point that Disney pulls off with relative ease. We even hear from Maya Rudolph as she voices the eccentric Aunt Cass, and while she is not afforded much screentime, she raises the energy significantly whenever she has the opportunity to do so.

Every film from the third Golden Age thus far is spectacularly animated, and Big Hero 6 elevates the standard yet again. In particular, the shots of San Fransokyo on a large scale are just spellbinding and beautiful. The opening scene and Baymax's first flight over the legendary city feature some of Disney's best animation to date. Additionally, Henry Jackman returns to the studio after hitting a home run with his previous score for Wreck-It Ralph, and once again, he has crafted a perfectly complimentary score for Big Hero 6. Jackman's score never overpowers the action on screen, but it never nonexistent as well. It is always present in the subtlety of the film's emotional moments and in the bombast of the film's grand action sequences. Don Hall and Chris Williams direct this film to sheer perfection, and John Lasseter's creative genius looms large in this film as he acts as executive producer. Big Hero 6, in my book, seems quite a bit underrated in the official Disney canon, and I am not sure why that is. While it may not reach the heights of the all-time masterpieces, it truly has legitimate merit to be christened as a classic in its own right.

By now, with all of the Marvel and DC films hitting theaters, it is extremely rare for a superhero film to be released and feel fresh and inventive (and when that does happen, those films make all the money, i.e. Guardians of the Galaxy). That is precisely what Disney was able to do with Big Hero 6, though. Of course, the basic origin story nature of the film feels familiar at times, but due to their concerted focus on these characters, Big Hero 6 never comes off as a simple retread of previous material. Disney tossed its hat into the ring of superhero movies with this one, and just like Hiro in the world of robotics, they came out victorious.

Rating: 10/10

Historical Significance: Big Hero 6 is in fact based on a Marvel comic book series that debuted in 1998 and hit peak popularity in 2008. However, the film and the comics don't share many similarities besides the title. In the original comics, Big Hero 6's is Japan's official team of superhuman agents. In the 2008 arc, the team was tasked with assignments in America (hence, San Fransokyo). The team in this arc included the following: Silver Samurai (actually a former villain of Wolverine from the X-Men comics too), Hiro Takachiho (a thirteen year old scientific prodigy, so that similarity is strong), Honey Lemon (extremely similar to the film's character), Go Go Tomago, and Baymax (who was actually a robot who can himself into a dragon, of all things). Although Marvel is the film's inspiration, it is not labeled as a Marvel film due to the immense amount of changes, and unfortunately, it does not exist inside the grander Marvel Cinematic Universe with Captain America, Iron Man, and company. The idea for San Fransokyo was originally conceived by John Lasseter who suggested a blending of the two cultures to create a mythical city. According to art director Scott Watanabe, legend has it that the film is set in an alternative universe where the famous earthquake that struck San Francisco in 1906 destroyed the city, causing the US to ask Japan for assistance in rebuilding.

Behind the Scenes: Since I took the opportunity in my review of Wreck-It Ralph to applaud the short film that accompanied it, I must do the same here for the fantastic Feast. A man's love life is told through the eyes of a dog, and it is simply one of Disney's finest short films to date. Yet again, stop reading; do yourself a favor and watch the short here. Have you watched it? Great! The rejuvenation of the short films have also contributed to the rise of Disney's third Golden Age. With such classics as Paperman, Feast, Get a Horse!, Tangled Ever After, and Frozen Fever, Disney once again proves its willingness to return to its roots and recapture that unrivaled glory. Furthermore, there are a couple of references to Feast in Big Hero 6. Two posters appear throughout the film that say "Adopt a dog today!" while a graffiti version of the title is shown on an alley wall in Greek letters (phi and st, which is apparently pronounced feast). Plus, for my fellow Marvel geeks out there, in the tradition of the comic book studio, there is a post-credits scene which features Fred's father returning home to the mansion, who is voiced by none other than Stan Lee, abiding by his contract to appear in every Marvel film is some way.

Favorite Character: I promised you more discussion of Baymax, and now, I deliver upon that promise. Only Disney could take a robot with no facial expressions and no emotion whatsoever and create one of their best characters of the modern age. Acting as a constant reminder of Tedashi's presence in Hiro's life, Baymax is the heart of soul of Big Hero 6. I don't know how they did it, and I cannot offer any deep characterization epiphanies here, but Disney somehow, someway, makes it work. Baymax's infectious innocence is perhaps the highlight of the entire film, oftentimes leading to some of the most hilarious moments in Disney history (take Baymax and Hiro's first encounter with the villainous Callaghan where Baymax proudly proclaims, "I am not fast.") Scott Adsit provides the perfect voice for a rather tricky role. How do you voice act like a robot? Once again, I'm not sure how he did it so effectively, but he certainly did and to tremendous success. Not only, though, does Baymax star in the film's most hilarious moments, but he is also deeply involved in the film's emotional climax (more on that below). You will undoubtedly leave Big Hero 6 quoting Baymax and imitating his legendary fist bump, but you will also soon discover that everyone's favorite personal healthcare companion has worked his way into your heart like you never imagined.

Favorite Scene: I love every member of this superhero team, and in the film's climatic battle, they all have equal opportunity to shine and showoff, so this is my favorite scene from Big Hero 6. As Callaghan has converged on Krei's grand opening of a new research facility to permanently ruin his life, our Big Hero 6 team leaps into action as the filmmakers and animators teach a masterclass in awesome animated fight sequences. The presence of the microbots alone are enough to amaze me with all the intricacies involved in animating every single unit, but when debris starts flying and panic ensues, the entire scene simply leaves me awestruck, wondering how on Earth Disney pulled this off from a technical standpoint. Furthermore, the actions of our heroes are extraordinary, especially after Hiro encourages them to use their smart brains to find a new way to defeat Callaghan. We have been anxiously awaiting the first battle for this new team, and Disney did not disappoint whatsoever. Additionally, the following sequence which shows Baymax and Hiro flying through the teleporter to retrieve Callaghan's long lost daughter, Abigail, in the aftermath of the battle is where Disney provides its signature emotional moment. As incoming debris destroys Baymax's armor except for his fist, Baymax commands to Hiro to keep going without him with Abigail before the teleporter collapses and they are trapped forever. Obviously, Hiro does not want to leave his best friend behind, but there is simply no other choice. As Hiro heroically states, "I am satisfied with my care," Baymax ignites his fist and sends Hiro back to the real world as he ultimately meets his demise. It is an immensely emotional encounter that tugs at all the right heart strings, and after an adrenaline packed action sequence, we needed that. Of course, Hiro is able to reinvent Baymax in the next scene, but in that moment, emotional wrecks abound. This extended sequence solidifies Big Hero 6's place among the Disney elites.

Updated Ranking: As you can tell by my rating and review, I love Big Hero 6, but ranking it is was a rather difficult task. Here's what I have come up with, though.

1. Beauty and the Beast
2. The Lion King
3. Aladdin
4. Tangled
5. The Little Mermaid
6. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
7. The Hunchback of Notre Dame
8. Peter Pan
9. Cinderella
10. Frozen
11. The Jungle Book
12. Sleeping Beauty
13. Lilo & Stitch 
14. The Princess and the Frog
15. Hercules
16. Mulan
17. The Emperor's New Groove
18. Tarzan
19. Pinocchio
20. Lady and the Tramo
21. Wreck-It Ralph
22. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
23. Alice in Wonderland
24. Dumbo
25. Bambi
26. 101 Dalmatians
27. Big Hero 6
28. Pocahontas
29. Treasure Planet
30. The Great Mouse Detective
31. Fantasia
32. Winnie the Pooh
33. The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
34. The AristoCats
35. Fantasia 2000
36. Meet the Robinsons
37. The Rescuers Down Under
38. Fun and Fancy Free
39. The Fox and the Hound
40. Robin Hood
41. Bolt
42. Dinosaur
43. Melody Time
44. The Three Caballeros
45. Saludos Amigos
46. Brother Bear
47. Oliver & Company
48. The Rescuers
49. Atlantis: The Lost Empire
50. The Sword in the Stone
51. Make Mine Music
52. The Black Cauldron
53. Chicken Little
54. Home on the Range

Tomorrow, Pixar takes us where they have never gone before: inside the mind of a teenage girl. Inside Out is next!

-Cody Fleenor