La Cour de récré: Rentrée en classe supérieure

Thankfully better than 'Recess: All Growed Down', but 'Recess: Taking the Fifth Grade' is still a bit of a chore to watch.

This again features a couple of different stories, though to be fair their integration into the film is much improved if still a bit messy. The cast are as they've always been, solid but not exactly memorable. Animation-wise it's decent.

This is more on the level of 'Recess Christmas: Miracle On Third Street', yet still miles off 'Recess: School's Out'. I simply don't understand why they didn't create three unique stories for these sequels, as they did for the original production. Compiled stories are, in my opinion, lazy.

Not a series of films that I'll be revisiting, but they are ones that have pretty respectable ratings across a few platforms so it seems I'm in the minority. Each to their own, as always!

Here comes a new film for a new school year. It is time to return to the Third Street School with Recess, already in fifth grade!. Gang discouraged to discover that have occurred in the school some unpleasant changes: there will be no pizza, no playground ... no lockers! And if that were not enough, his new teacher turns out to be Miss Finster! All this is too much for TJ, who is determined to find a way to defend what they believe in Clique school and get back to what it was. Full of emotion, suspense and lots of laughter, enjoying how the 5th year get the best out of everyone ... including the best of Miss Finster and Pickly director! Recess is already in the 5th grade and teach that working together is the best way to learn about friendship, teamwork and, above all, fun

It's cute, actually it's boring, but I liked the Halloween part, there are several stories within one, several events, which makes it less boring, nice...

Just for the record, I love Recess. It is fun and entertaining with great characters and writing as well as one of the catchiest theme tunes of any animated series. Taking the Fifth Grade is decent, but it is lacking something compared to the overall standard of the show. I did feel as though All Growed Down and School's Out captured the show's spirit better as well. I'll start with the good things as there are enough. I did think the voice acting was good, TJ's voice is naturally different and lacks spunk but everybody else is voiced very well, Prickley and Miss Finster are especially well voiced. The music manages to be both catchy and dynamic, good characteristics for music. The writing is on the most part fun and engaging, maybe a little preachy for my tastes in the first story but the second story especially has some great moments. The characters largely are true to those of the show, Miss Finster being a class teacher is odd, but that didn't bother me too hugely. TJ lacks his characteristic spunk at times but like in the show he does have a sense of fun and his heart in the right place. The rest of the gang I can't think much of a problem with. On the other hand, the animation is rather basic, the colours lack real vibrancy and the character designs do look very sketchy at times. Taking the Fifth Grade's story is three stories into one, and I have to agree that the second story is the only one that properly captures the show's spirit. The first one means well but over-patronises for me towards the end and the third, while having some funny moments like seeing Miss Finster as a fairy princess and Randall as a fairy prince, is rather forgettable and somewhat predictable too. I also really dislike the character of King Freddy, I do find him annoying and rather incompetent as a king of the playground, mainly because King Bob(who you do see briefly) has better rules and more of a command over the rest of the kids whereas Freddy comes across at times as a whiny brat. All in all, a little tired but not bad. 6/10 Bethany Cox

Recess deserved a better ending to their storyline, but I guess this isn't all bad. It just feels really disjointed and the three stories don't really join well with each other. Fortunately, I love Halloween so I didn't mind the final 20 minutes as it dealt with the gang trick or treating as 5th graders, realizing that they are getting older and things change, and realizing that all good things will come to an end one day, just like our life.

Everything will end for us, it just will, but what is truly forgotten, the physical body or when your name has disappeared?

Live your life like the end is coming, because it will get here one day man.

7/10.

I know it's a cartoon but why is the first day of school on Halloween? Aside from that small detail, it's pretty nostalgic. Not a bad movie.