The Wild Robot

    And this week's Friday night movie has been... The Wild Robot!

Original image located here. Accessed 24th April 2026

I was burned by Kung Fu Panda 4. Can I trust DreamWorks again?

Apparently so.

It can't be denied that DreamWorks has proven itself to be a major rival to the Disney monolith. But personally I always felt that the identity that DreamWorks forged for itself was one that was defiantly anti-Disney. And it's an approach that proved successful (Shrek anyone?).
That being said, you wouldn't think that that DreamWorks would try and tackle something both sincere and heartfelt. 

But that's exactly what's happened here: Get past the jokes and anti-establishment ethos in the first portion, and you'll find something of wonder. It's not just the stunning visuals, the creativity on display and the imagination peppered throughout. Oh no, there are some substantial musings on parenthood, the notion of abandoning primal instincts for civilisation, and, particularly in my eyes, the implication of an autistic person coming in and ultimately uniting a disparate community. 

Personally? DreamWorks have produced some stellar works and this stands proudly among them. 

Tarzan

  And this week's Friday night movie has been... Tarzan!

Original image located here. Accessed 18th April 2025

I never saw Tarzan - or Mulan for that matter - when it was originally in theatres. At that time I was in college and my interests were being directed elsewhere. Furthermore to watch a Disney animated film back then was, in my mind, dismissed as 'kid's stuff'. 
But now, I'm an adult and I see no reason to care any more - especially as I continue to lurch through middle age. In addition, I have heard some good things about Tarzan so maybe it's time to give this a look with fresh eyes. 

So does this count among the Disney Renaissance? I have spoken previously about the post-Renaissance years, which is now recognised as the Experimental years, but is there an overlap between the two? Indeed, one could make the argument that the Experimental years began post-Lion King as those have not had the widespread recognition comparable to Little Mermaid/Beauty and the Beast/Aladdin/Lion King.

All right, enough delaying: This movie was fantastic. It wasn't just the astonishing animation, but a lot of stand out moments: The soundtrack courtesy of one Phil Collins. The theme of family. The gorgeous artwork. But the real star is Jane: She was a great character in her expressive, adorkable, probably-inspired-by-Jane-Goodall glory - helped immeasurably by the voice acting of Minnie Driver. And seeing her relationship with Tarzan progress is one worth following. 

I have heard that Tarzan himself functions as an analogy for people with Autism. Certainly I can see it and yes it does seem plausible, what with him being socially awkward and how he is treated by the people around him. Having said that, maybe I should've watched this during it's original theatre run as it could've helped...

Anywho, this was great stuff and yes, I think this could easily stand amongst Disney's best.

Please Stand By

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Please Stand By!

Original image located here. Accessed 10th June 2022

Anyone heard of this? It's a movie from 2018 wherein Dakota Fanning plays an autistic character who attempts to get her submission for a Star Trek script competition entered.
As regular readers will know, i will show favoritism to movies that shows autism in a positive light. And I certainly won't say no to a plethora of Star Trek references.

Clearly the strength of this movie rests on the shoulders of Dakota and whether or not she can pull off a conviction portrayal of an autistic character. Some might think such a character should be be played by a genuine autistic actor and to do otherwise would be ableist. But for what I could gather, Dakota took the role as she wanted to establish an understanding for the autistic.
I believe her.
Okay so maybe the end result isn't 100% correct, but for the most part, the autism here is shown in a positive and sensitive light. And I don't get the impression the people who worked on this movie were being exploitative.
So yeah, looks like we have a winner

Rain Man

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Rain Man!

Original image located here. Accessed 29th January 2021

It is nothing new to slam previous winners of the Oscar for Best Picture - usually accompanied by the words 'doesn't hold up against the passing of time' and 'undeserved winner'. Is this movie one such film? Maybe but personally, I think one could make a case for this movie starting the trend of 'mentally-handicapped-person-helps-shallow-person-find-meaning-in-life = Oscar success'.

Still i did enjoy this movie. Having said that though, a lot of it rests on the shoulders of its two leads. I've never thought much of Tom Cruise but here he brings his A-Game. And Dustin Hoffman impresses with his committed portrayal of an autistic savant.
There is a part of me that should hate this movie because a) it started the above mentioned trend and b) creating a lot of stereotypes about autistic people. And yet somehow I do not.
In a way i was dreading this to be a slog to get through but to my surprise that was not the case. So yes, I'm glad I saw this one.
And hey, looks like we have a well-deserved winner of the Best Picture Oscar.

Temple Grandin

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Temple Grandin!

Original image located here. Accessed 11th December 2020

As mentioned in previous posts, I will show favoritism to movies that are based around protagonists that are on the autistic spectrum. And this movie is one from that particular ell. It's a biopic based around livestock scientist Temple Grandin.

I will admit: I had no idea who Temple Grandin was until i saw this movie. And if a Biopic makes me interested in knowing more about the person in question then it has done it's job with flying colors.
Over the course of the movie, we see key moments in Grandin's life: Her diagnosis, her ingenuity, her coping methods and her revolutionary ideas on the treatment of livestock. And such a remarkable life is handled by Claire Danes giving the performance of her career.
It may be a TV movie but it sure stands head and shoulders above the rest.

The Imitation Game

And this week's Friday night movie has been... The Imitation Game!

Original image located here. Accessed 8th May 2020

As mentioned previously in this series, i will show favouritism towards movies that portray protagonists who are clearly on the autistic spectrum. As such, i was eventually brought to this: A biopic on mathematician and computer engineer/pioneer Alan Turing.

Of course, this makes this movie an oddity: It is a movie about an Aspergian who historically actually wasn't an Aspergian. Okay sure some historians have tried to match Turnings behaviour to those on the autistic spectrum but doing so is more speculative.

Historical inaccuracies aside though, it would seem that the entire movie rests on the shoulders of it's lead, Benedict Cumberpatch. And he's an actor I like a lot because he never gives in a dull performance - and what do you know, he's firing on all cylinders here. His portrayal as an Aspergian is indeed accurate and is more than enough to make this movie engaging and capable of rising above any historical inaccuracies.
Funny thing: I am used to see Benedict Cumberpatch in roles where he is ultra confident (ie Richard III and Dr Strange). So it is indeed a surprise to see him in a role which is the antithesis of such roles. And further proof what a talented actor he is.

The Accountant

And this week's Friday night movie has been....The Accountant!

Original image located here. Accessed 9th August 2019

Once again I pick up with a movie built around a character who is on the Autism spectrum. What makes this different though is this time, instead of a rom-com as per previously, we have an action movie.

Obviously this movie is giving an action movie hero that autistic kids can look up to and to that end the film is admirable - a socially awkward, mathematically gifted guy who can punch and shoot goons without flinching and has enough resources to make James Bond worried? Has potential. Furthermore, Ben Affleck is certainly giving a committed performance and the action sequences are well done. But there are moments in the plot that seem incoherent and baffling to the point of frustrating.
Still, as indicated above, this movie has it's heart in the right place so I'll give it that much.

Adam

And this week's Friday night movie has been....Adam!

Original image located here. Accessed 19th July 2019

As regular readers of this series would know, I will show favoritism for movies that feature characters that have Aspergers Syndrome. And this is one such case: A romance that shows a guy in New York, with Aspergers, meeting and falling in love with his neighbour.

It's not a bad movie. Its not the best movie I've seen but the portrayal of an Apsergerian is sincere and it's heart is in the right place. There are some moments that may be somewhat hard to swallow but in the end, the movie is indeed taking the romance seriously and the leads (Hugh Dancy and Rose Byrne) certainly give it their all.
Not a bad effort at all

Mary and Max

And this week's Friday night movie has been.....Mary and Max!

Original image located here. Accessed 17th May 2019

Those who follow this series would know that i have a particular favoritism towards movies that aim to portray autism in a serious light. They are indeed rare and, as an Aspergian, welcoming.

Well firstly, the art direction is great and the dry humor is hilarious. Now with that out of the way, I have to say that this is so far the best representation of Aspergers Syndrome i have seen on celluloid. Not only does it portray the various aspects of it and explain how it effects the diagnosed, but it, more than anything, it shows the social awkwardness of being an Aspergian. It shows the disconnect from 'normal people' and an-all-too-human want to connect with other people.
And as for that last scene......I'm not crying YOU'RE CRYING!!!!!!!!!!

My Name is Khan

And this week's Friday night movie has been.....My Name is Khan!

Original image located here. Accessed 15th September 2017

Has anyone heard of this? It's an Indian movie from 2010 which tells the story of a Muslim man with Asperger's Syndrome - and how his eccentric behavior gets him mistaken for a terrorist.
It may sound like a situation for a comedy but thankfully that movie refuses to go down that route. I will admit that yes this movie may be a bit long, somewhat melodramatic, has a few eye-rolling moments, and has a stronger first half than second half. But at the same time, there is still a lot going for it.

A lot of it rests on the shoulders of it's lead, Shah Rukh Khan, and his very convincing performance - stand out moments for me was when Khan reconnects with his estranged brother and the scene in the mosque. Also pleasing is the amount of heart this movie has and how it has a lot to say about both Muslims (particularly in a post-9/11 world) and humanity in general.

And speaking as a Aspergan, I found the portrayal of Khan quite the relatable character. And Shah Rukh Khan certainly knows his stuff without once being patronizing.
So in the end, the movie does it's job and does it well.