Chip 'N Dale: Rescue Rangers (Disney+)

This was the spiritual successor to Who Framed Roger Rabbit that Ralph Breaks The Internet tried (and failed) to be. Not just because it was live-action and animation. But also because it got a HUGE amount of non-Disney licenses for cartoon cameos.

Is this an appropriate reboot of Rescue Rangers? Not really. But the Rescue Rangers cartoon was the most boring of The Disney Afternoon cartoons (at least during the period it aired). I don't object to them going a little bananas with it instead.

I wouldn't vote for Senator Butt-Head, but I understand how he got where he is in the current climate. Other weird characters to see included were some from South Park and Big Mouth.

I know some people are gonna object to what happened to Peter Pan. My advice is to get over it. I don't personally find it funny, but it doesn't bother me too much.

Monterey Jack was recast as Eric Bana (weird choice) but Jim Cummings, and Corey Burton also had small parts. Tress MacNeille still voiced Gadget and was credited in the main cast.

I laughed that Zipper's voice was Dennis Haysbert, but if I'm being honest, his and Gadget's romance was kind of gross.

Tad Stones also had a cameo. The Darkwing Duck tag hints at a potential spin-off.

My favorite cameos / appearances were Roger Rabbit, Ugly Sonic, MC Skat Kat, and Tigra from Avengers: United They Stand. That last one was a pretty deep cut, even for a Marvel project.

Alan Oppenheimer voiced both He-Man and Skeletor here. He also had a big role in the five part Pilot of the original series.

The biggest reason this feels like a spiritual successor to Roger Rabbit is that there is a dark subtext attached to the story. The prejudice against Toons and racism allegory from the earlier film has sort of morphed into the notion that toons are being used and exploited for merchandising and cheap tawdry celebrity. Considering how Netflix and other studios are currently exploiting and mistreating their animators, I'm thinking the allegory is a bit unintentionally timely.

Disney+ Originals have a bad habit of never making it to Blu-Ray (I'd kill for Blu-Rays of Hamilton and the Star Wars and Marvel original stuff) but I sincerely hope this is like Soul, Luca, and Turning Red and gets a Blu-Ray in 6 months. I sort of need it in my collection like nobody's business.

Honestly. I could give that movie between four and five stars. Either three of those grades would be appropriate for different reasons. I think the main reason I'm going to decline giving it the full five stars is because as far as movies go, it's probably best I save that grade for great cinema, and while Roger Rabbit definitely qualified as such, this does not. It's still a pretty impressive achievement however, and I thought it was pretty great. I suspect most other people will have liked it too. ****1/2.