This is a new feature I thought up to give reviews of things I just feel like reviewing in a short, sweet way.  I started with a great little animated feature I caught on Netflix that seemed to get lost among the big-budget, sequel-happy world of modern cinema.

Bullet Point Review: Turbo (2013)

• Title: Turbo
• Premise: A snail name Theo (aka Turbo) is addicted to speed and racing despite his being, ya know, a snail and wants to enter the Indy 500.
• Protagonist(s):

o   Theo (Turbo): Main character/Racing Snail (Neverending Story shout out)

o   Chet: Theo’s disapproving Brother

o   Tito: Snail-racing taco vender at Van Nuys, CA mini-mall “Starlight Plaza” who finds Turbo. They work together to achieve their dreams.

o   Whiplash, Smoove Groove, Skid Mark, Burn, and White Shadow: Starlight Plaza racing snails. Whiplash is voice by Samuel L. Jackson and Smoove Groove Snoop Dogg, which means this movie has both a Samuel L. Snail and a Snoop Snail)

o   Paz, Kim Ly, Bobby: Starlight Plaza venders who sponsor Turbo in the Indy 500.

• Antagonist(s):

o   Evil Mower: Turbo’s first racing opponent.

o   Guy Gagne: Turbo’s REAL racing opponent and Indy 500 Champ.

o   Crows: They eat snails…a lot…

o   Mother Nature: Made Turbo a snail and thus…not very fast…

• Conflict: Turbo’s addiction to racing affects his job, his relationship with his brother, and dominates his life.
• Twist: Turbo accidentally Bruce Banners himself with NO2 and gains super-speed! Stan Lee would’ve been proud.
• Moment I was Hooked: Somewhere around the line “You’re trashtalk is needlessly complicated!” delivered as only Sam Jackson can…
• Journey: Turbo finds his speed; finds his dreams; and finds that, maybe like Dorothy, he had what he needed all along.
• Surprisingly…: This movie has a kick ass soundtrack.  Good licensed and original music.
• Most Relatable When…: Turbo becomes popular by going “viral” from a kid’s random video, including a catchy remix version.  It felt like it could happen because it’s happened oh so many times in the past with oh so many cats…
• Final Thoughts: I’ve been on a bit of an animated feature kick. Mostly because they are a lot of them on Netflix. I’ve always liked snails so this one called to me. I didn’t have high hopes due to some of the kids’ movies of recent vintage (i.e. Kung Fu Panda…) but was surprised by how much I enjoyed this. Ryan Reynolds, though I’m not usually a fan of his live acting, turns out to be a great voice actor, the supporting cast is also excellent, the story is solid (though cartoonishly fantastical), and the message truly inspiring. Very creative, great fun, and better than most “serious” movies I’ve seen recently.
• Rating: Four and a half snail shells outta five.