Leo

Giving this an 8/10 rating

Saw preview in the cinema for this absurd and wonderful animation. It really must get a proper cinema release.

Adam Sandler is Leo, an aged reptile stuck in rut with his turtle friend - Squirtle, voiced by a very laid back Bill Burr. Both are stuck in glass tank at the school watching life go by in the classroom, when a big change happens that leads the both of them, on a complete turn events.

Each human kid and adult are profiled and transformed in quite hilarious ways, and the songs are not to be taken seriously as you will be laughing along with the visual gags that go with the flow.

It looks all brilliant and the character designs work and not look dopey, which seems to be a trend these days, bad character design. Great musical numbers that are well staged are used just right. Adam Sandler is noted down as writer and producer, it's his company, after all. More like this please, Adam.

This movie was a fun watch: great animation quality, good writing, funny, sweet. I had no idea Adam Sandler's company can do animations, so this was a nice surprise. Great job.

Adam's voice is a great fit for the wise advice-giving lizard. Generally the voice acting is great.

The plot is great and full of funny moments and twists. I never felt bored, so I think that's a testament to great writing. The movie doesn't take itself too seriously but still manages to deliver a heartwarming fun experience.

It's definitely worth a watch and I hope Happy Madison do more titles like this one, great start.

'Leo' is a film with a message. It cleverly introduces us to very different characters to convey powerful messages about different members of our society. Being an animated film and aimed at a young demographic, 'Leo' can almost serve as an educational video to youngsters - and they will be thoroughly entertained at the same time. In the process, they will learn about insecurity, vanity, and various misconceptions kids might have about life.

Leo is a lizard, who has been living in captivity for 74 years. Erm, correction, he's been the class pet since 1949 and lives in a glass cabinet in a classroom, with his best friend Squirtle the turtle. With their beloved teacher going on maternity leave, the class now faces a strict, elderly substitute teacher, Mrs Malkin. In order to teach them responsibility, she suggests a pupil takes home one of the class pets for a weekend to care for them.

And so the kids in turn take home Leo, who turns out to be a talking lizard. To each kid, Leo tells them they are the only one able to hear him, and in the process he has a profound impact on their lives as he gives them advise on their personal dilemmas. My favourite character was Eli, a kid with over-protective parents who has a drone to look after him. The drone itself was a delightful and funny character.

With many scenes being very cartoonish and a bit silly, this film is definitely more for kids. Having said that, it is still a film adults will enjoy, too, and there are indeed many very funny moments. Towards the end it also becomes an action-packed adventure.

The only thing I didn't like about the movie, was all the constant singing. Ever since the huge success of 'Frozen', so many animated movies since features musical segments. It's like found footage movies that overstayed its welcome. I get it, young kids like so sing or hum to a catchy melody when they watch cartoons, but I found it a little annoying. Oh, go on, call me a grump if you must...

In general, 'Leo' is an enjoyable film, and yes, I definitely enjoyed it.

Due to life lessons, this film was made for kids and adults! This is a beautiful, heartening, and emotional (shed a few tears) animated film. This was a surprise. I did not know what to expect, but it was a gem! It kept me smiling throughout the whole film!! The kids in the movie and those watching at home learn important lessons about empathy and self-forgiveness from wise lizard Leo (Sandler) and his ability to lend a supportive ear. It was one of the best family films I've seen in a long time! The film can be summed up in one of its final lines: "Find your Leo (a representation of meaningful listening, mixed with prudent advice) to listen to you." The "Leos" we should look for can connect and offer sound advice precisely because they are lovingly listening rather than dictating. I love a film with a positive message, which is why I resonated with the story! Bravo to Adam Sandler, who is a fantastic voice actor! The humor and songs were catchy and funny! The last movie I loved from Sandler was 50 First Dates, and afterward, I couldn't connect with his films until Leo! It's been a while since I praised Sandler, but this movie deserves that adoration!

Overall, I felt that the first half of Leo was much better than the second half, which suffered from poor pacing and loses steam. The musical numbers come out of nowhere and are deeply forgettable but the fun, silly humor (minus a few dirty jokes that went over kids' heads and felt shoehorned in) with which Leo interacts with the students is delightful. Even if you hate Sandler's comedic stylings (I don't), you will likely find yourself somewhat charmed by this septuagenarian lizard imparting wisdom to 5th graders. The substitute teacher's character arc is convulated and non-sensical, contributing to a final act that feel rushed at times, too slow at others, and wholly unsatisfying. But, to be clear, it is a fine move for what it seta out to be: a cute family film that delivers thoughtful lessons packaged in Sandler's classic style of humor. 6.8/10.