Charlie, mon héros

When I was a little girl (and my dad owned a video store), this was among my favorite movies. I hadn't heard much about it since then, nor did I really remember anything about it, it having been forgotten in the wake of Don Bluth's other, probably better films. I managed to track it down a few weeks ago, however, and was pleasantly surprised again. Set in New Orleans in the 1930s, the animation is delightful and the songs are memorable. There are a few goofs in continuity if you look hard enough, but they generally don't detract from the storyline, which leaves you smiling (and maybe even a little misty-eyed, if you are a lover of animals). The characters are believable (maybe even a little too grown-up for younger watchers), as well. Two paws up, and for those of you who haven't seen it in a while, definitely worth a re-watch.

This movie has been overlooked so much, it saddens me every time I see an empty review about it that fusses over tiny elements.

Yes, "All Dogs" is weird; There are dogs, orphans, corruption, murder, gambling, alcohol, afterlife, machine guns and a singing alligator, all mixed-up in the same movie. Yes, "All Dogs" has plot holes; Charlie can't talk to horses but can talk to alligators, the bad guy is allowed to enter heaven and the story is overall confusing.

So what?

This is one of the few movies that managed to make me "feel", in the true sense of the word. Have you ever been sad and hopeful at the same time? "All Dogs" made me feel that way. It makes me smile every time I watch it -without even knowing why-, and occasionally makes me cry. "All Dogs" has one of the most powerful endings I have ever seen in my life. The art is sublime; the characters' expressions, the backgrounds and special effects are astonishing. The symphonic and jazzy musics rolling in the background make whole with the 30's atmosphere. The dialogs are all fitting where they should belong. There are so many things to tell about this movie... I've noticed that many reviewers have been disturbed by the unusually dark tone spilled throughout the film. In real life, people are able to drink, gamble and/or kill. Don Bluth seems to be one of the few directors that takes children seriously, and present them the not-so-bright sides of life.

For those who are unsure about watching "All Dogs" or not because of some disturbing interpretations of the movie; Give it a try. You'll either hate it or love it to death, but one thing is sure: you won't be seeing anything like that in the near future. This is one of the strangely addicting movies that you love without knowing why (see also "Six-String Samurai" and "The Man Who Saves The World" to see what I mean).

I watched this movie mainly because I read on the net that it was Barsi's last film before her tragic death, but I discovered a heart-warming tale of friendship and love too! She really is the star in this tear-jerker movie. The movie itself isn't perfect, but is still better than people give it credit for.

The whole thing about heaven and sin was beautifully animated and sets up a rather deep spiritual side of the story about our main character, Charlie, a morally degenerated canine who learns some valuable lessons about friendship and caring. Charlie's rather initially meanspirited nature may turn some people off, and yes, his transformation is a little unevenly paced, but ends up being satisfactory.

The songs aren't especially memorable and to be honest, Burt Reynolds is an actor, not a singer. He and his sidekick, Itchy (Dom Deluise), do brilliant jobs, and in this movie Deluise wasn't over-the-top happy all the time. That was a delight. Carface is also a memorable and intimidating villain with a despicable agenda and matching voice of Vic Tayback. King Gator (Ken Page) was a little obnoxious, but very entertaining. But Judith Barsi is the shining star of All Dogs Go To Heaven. Her last movie, but she will always be Anne-Marie and Ducky.

All Dogs Go To Heaven is a recommendable animated movie with good valuable lessons in it. Maybe a little scary at times for the youngest viewers, but to hell with that! There's no harm done by showing kids movies with dark content as long as it has a purpose! And in my opinion, it has the most heart-warming ending in any Don Bluth movie!

It may not be his greatest movie due to a little confusing narrative, but it is really worth watching, both for you and your kids.

I've seen this movie when I was young, and I remembered it as one of the first films I have truly liked that was not an action movie or a comedy. So, in my later years I decided to watch it again and see if it was just nostalgia or was there really something in that movie. To my surprise, the movie held to my every expectations. It's a great movie. Emotional in the right amount, some jokes, nice songs (not great though, and that actually explains why I did not remember it was a musical) and all in all a great use to my time. I was surprised because the last movies from my childhood that I have revisited did not even pass my minimal demands of a decent movie and yet this movie, which I first saw in the second grade, made me cry today just like it made me cry then. Maybe that's because my dog died recently and maybe not, but the important thing is that it made me feel, and that's why filmmakers make films (that and the money, of course). Yes, there are continuity glitches. Yes, the script has holes, but it doesn't matter. The movie itself is fun and smart. So don't be fooled by cynical people who always look for the bad things in life, because nothing is perfect, and this movie gets a 10 not because it is perfect. It gets 10 simply because it made me feel.

All Dogs Go To Heaven is a movie that I have always liked. When I was a kid, I used to watch this every other day. It is underrated if you look at its IMDb rating and the comments of many people in general. This isn't a bad movie like many say, it is a very good movie. This is good and your kids will probably like it. Even though it's rated G, some parents may find this to be a bit violent. It is actually a pretty dark story, where the dogs are similar to mobsters who are involved in gambling, extortion, and even cold blooded murder. The movie follows a dog named Charlie who had escaped from the pound, is killed by his old friend, goes to heaven, but ends up coming back to earth. Many younger kids watching this movie may feel as though they are watching a big kids movie.

There are some scenes that may scare little kids, but I'm sure they'll do fine. Every time I watch this movie, it reminds me of when I was a little kid. I'm sure everyone has a movie that reminds them of when they were younger, this is the movie that makes me feel that way. The performances from Burt Reynolds and Dom DeLuise are great, and this is the last movie that a little girl named Judith Barsi was in. Unfortunately, she was killed at a young age, which is a shame because she had so much potential and didn't deserve what happened. Now that I know her story, I can't watch this movie the same way anymore because her voice sounds so sad.

The animation in this movie is great, the voice work is great, and the story is good, but a little bit different from many other kids movies. This was popular at the time of its release, but was over shadowed by Disney's mega popular The Little Mermaid. This is a movie that isn't conceived as well by adults, but if you're a kid, or if you grew up with this movie as a kid, then I'm sure you will enjoy watching it.