Gabrielle Union

GOAT (2026): A Traditional Sports Animation That Dribbles at a TikTok Pace

Posted on by Jack Drees

© 2025 – Sony Pictures

“GOAT” is directed by Tyree Dillihay (Bob’s Burgers, Good Times) and Adam Rosette (Harvey Girls Forever!, The Mr. Peabody and Sherman Show) and stars Caleb McLaughlin (Stranger Things, The Book of Clarence), Gabrielle Union (Think Like a Man, Bring it On), Aaron Pierre (Mufasa: The Lion King, Krypton), Nicola Coughlin (Derry Girls, Bridgerton), David Harbour (Stranger Things, Black Widow), Nick Kroll (Big Mouth, Sausage Party), Jenifer Lewis (Think Like a Man, Black-ish), Patton Oswalt (King of Queens, Young Adult), Jelly Roll, Jennifer Hudson (The Jennifer Hudson Show, Dreamgirls), Sherry Cola (Joy Ride, Shortcomings), Eduardo Franco (Stranger Things, Booksmith), Andrew Santino (The Disaster Artist, Mixology), Bobby Lee (Inside Job, Kickin’ It Old School), and Stephen Curry (Holey Moley, Mr. Throwback). This film is about a goat named Will Harris who gets the unique opportunity to follow his dreams and play roarball with much bigger, stronger, and faster animals.

When I think of the gold standard of animation, my mind tends to dart towards Pixar. As for Sony Pictures Animation’s place in this medium, I am kind of iffy about them. As much as the “Spider-Verse” movies are masterpieces, they also come from the studio that is responsible for “The Emoji Movie,” one of the most unforgivable abominations made by man. The quality is not the most consistent from one project to the next.

I was not exactly sure what to expect with “GOAT.” I had some idea, but not quite a full picture. The film certainly looked like it took some inspiration from “Spider-Verse’s” fast-paced animation style while also finding a way to bring its own personality to the table. That said, from what I saw through the marketing, this film looked cliche in more ways than one. Having seen the movie, I can definitely say it is cliche. Depending on how many movies you have seen, some of this film’s structure is going to feel quite familiar to you. A protagonist wants to be the best at something despite what the odds suggest and what other people have to say. I have said on this blog that cliches are fine as long as a project can effectively utilize them. Having made that point, I wish “GOAT” was a better movie.

This is not to say the movie is the worst I have ever seen. In fact, when it comes to establishing characters like the scrawny Will Harris (McLaughlin) and his much stronger mentor figure Jett Fillmore (Union). The movie takes time to give them a splendid dynamic that plays out perfectly on and off the court. Their connection unleashes some cliches, but they are, again, cliches that are handled decently. You have the young, eager student willing to learn from a wiser figure who is supposedly becoming more washed-up with each passing minute. It is a traditional storytelling method, but it works.

“GOAT” is very much a product of the 2020s. In some ways, it does a good job at shining a light on people’s weaknesses and problems that define the decade. There is one gag in the film involving a character who is way too attached to their phone. I could see a joke like this playing well with parents in the audience. That said, at my screening, the person next to me, who happened to be an adult, was on their phone numerous times. I wonder how they took this lesson.

By the way, if this has not been made clear already, please put your phone away at the movies. That said, I understand not everyone carries a watch nowadays, so I have no problem if you want to check the time as long as you do not go any further to wreck my time. Turn the brightness down. Peek in your pocket. Don’t flash it heavily for everyone to see! You got it? Good. Let’s move on.

While the movie positively defines the 2020s in some ways, it also manages to define it in less stellar ways. One of my biggest problems with this film is the pacing. Granted, the movie is all killer, no filler. It dives into each and every point without skipping a beat. But for a movie that is about basketball, part of me wishes I could have seen more of it. Thankfully, unlike another so-called sports movie that goes by the name of “Him,” which I reviewed last year, “GOAT” actually dedicates a lot of time to its focal sport. That said, part of me wishes we could have spent a little extra time on the games. I am not saying that we need to see all 48 minutes of the film’s players running up and down the court, but by the time the film gets to the big game at the end, it feels much smaller in scale than it should be. It feels rushed. It feels like it wants to end before it starts. The film literally breezes through its first couple of quarters of the climactic game in about as much time as it would take me to swipe through a few YouTube shorts. There are some occasionally thrilling moments in these games, but they would probably be more exciting if the movie drew things out. “GOAT” tells a lot in a 100 minutes. I just wish I had the chance to digest the material a little more.

One reason why I tend to favor stories told by studios like Pixar is that unlike Sony, their films feel a lot less commercialized. Sure, “Toy Story” uses a lot of real life toys, “Cars” uses real life vehicles, and “Wall-E” has ties to “Hello, Dolly” and Apple. Yet those projects feel like stories rather than extended advertisements. Even in some of Sony’s better animated productions, I always notice they find a way to sneak in a commercial for one of their products. When it comes to product placement, “GOAT” is utterly shameless. The movie spends quite a bit of time showing off the PS5, creates its own 2K sports games based on roarball, makes the card game Uno a core concept of the plot, and even spends quite a bit of time featuring Doordash.

Just because this movie feels commercialized, does not mean it lacks creativity. Instead of basketball, the movie features the sport of roarball. Like basketball, it features players going up and down a court trying to put a ball through a hoop. The two sports have their differences. We do not see humans playing roarball and rather tons of different animals taking up the sport. The universe within “GOAT” seems to have a similar layout to “Zootopia” as there are no humans.

But above all, I find the roarball courts to be more interesting than anything else the sport has to offer. If you ever go to an NBA game, you would notice that each arena has its own individual quirks and home teams, but each court follows a similar structure to the next. The courts that we see through this film’s professional league sort of play like a video game. There are moments where characters have to make their way through rising surfaces, ice, fire, and so on. Honestly, if Nintendo wants to make a “Mario Basketball” game sometime soon, I think this movie would be a solid piece of inspiration.

In the end, “GOAT” is not the greatest flick. It has glimmers of goodness. Although those glimmers are rather thin. The voice cast is pretty talented and bring a lot to the table. Despite clearly being similar to basketball, the concept of roarball has sparks of creativity. While there are a couple decent moments, most of the scenes in this film feel so rushed to the point where I cannot fully appreciate the characters within them. Also, the product placement feels kind of over the top, especially considering this film is animated. As someone who is in his 20s, I sometimes think about what would happen if I had kids and I took them this movie. I think they would have a fun time with it, and for all I know it could age somewhat decently for them, but I do not know if it is going to age like a fine wine. Time will tell. As for this 26 year old loser, I think “GOAT” is a one and done for me. I am going to give “GOAT a 5/10.

“GOAT” is now playing in theaters everywhere. Tickets are available now!

Thanks for reading this review! My next review is going to be for “EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert!” Stay tuned! Also coming soon, I will be sharing my thoughts on “Send Help” and “The Bride!”. Also, this is my first film review I have published since Scene Before officially turned 10 years old. I want to thank everyone who has wasted their time reading my above average material over the past ten years.

If you want to see a video-based film review I have done, check out the first episode of Movie Requests, where I discuss Lars von Trier’s film “The Idiots,” as requested by actress Bryce Dallas Howard. It is available now on my YouTube channel, and you should absolutely positively subscribe!

If you want to see more from Scene Before, follow the blog either with an email or WordPress account! Also, check out the official Facebook page! I want to know, did you see “GOAT?” What did you think about it? Or, what an animated sports film you enjoy? Sticking with the topic of basketball, you should totally check out my review for “The First Slam Dunk.” It is a great movie, give it a watch. Scene Before is your click to the flicks!

Riff Raff (2024): Having a Cast This Good in a Movie Just Shy of Being Solid is a Crime

Posted on by Jack Drees

“Riff Raff” is directed by Dito Montiel (Empire State, The Son of No One) and stars Jennifer Coolidge (American Pie, The White Lotus), Ed Harris (The Truman Show, Apollo 13), Gabrielle Union (America’s Got Talent, Bring it On), Lewis Pullman (Top Gun: Maverick, Bad Times at the El Royale), Miles J. Harvey (Supercool, The Babysitter), Emanuela Postacchini (The Seven Faces of Jane, Who is America?), Michael Angelo Covino (Keep in Touch, The Climb), Pete Davidson (Saturday Night Live, The King of Staten Island), and Bill Murray (Ghostbusters, Stripes). This film is set during a family reunion when a criminal’s life is suddenly turned upside down.

February is typically a dumping ground for movies. Although in recent years, the month has had a few attractive titles at the box office that would bring in a vast audience. In fact, this year we had “Captain America: Brave New World” as the month’s hot ticket. I am not going to pretend that “Riff Raff” had anywhere close to the box office potential of Marvel’s latest film, but if you look at the film’s cast, it would, in theory, bring some unlikely viewers in the door.

With the film’s cast being the biggest selling point, I am not surprised to say that they collectively end up being the highlight. Each individual brings their A-game and they all have decent material to work with. Is the material award-winning? No. Will the material go down in the history books? Probably not. But if you are looking for an hour and a half to kill, this might do. Perhaps just barely.

If you like the vibes of Rian Johnson’s “Knives Out” combined with a bunch of Quentin Tarantino’s filmography, then “Riff Raff” is for you. This film features a peculiar family who all come together at the same place. Even families whose members vowed to never speak to each other after that one time they discussed politics at Thanksgiving can tell you that this is clearly not a typical family gettogether. On top of that, the film is violent, bloody, and visceral. It is not the most grotesque picture of all time, but it is rather dark.

You may have noticed in the last couple paragraphs that I refused to take select thoughts I had on the film to an extreme. This is a consistency I have noticed regarding the film as I write this review. “Riff Raff” is a film that lacks standouts, both positive and negative. Sometimes I wonder if that is worse than a straight up bad movie. Because at least you can remember a bad movie. It is an experience you want to forget, but it often stays with you for a reason. This movie, while it has its moments, feels kind of disposable in the long run.

That said, there are some standouts in this film, one of which is Jennifer Coolidge as Ruth. She is funny, charming, and brings a respectable energy to her role to the point where I can only see Coolidge playing this particular character. There are certain portions of the film where you can clearly see the nerves coming out of Ruth to the point where she even tries to defend said nerves by suggesting they turn her on.

When you put Jennifer Coolidge in the same room as Bill Murray, Pete Davidson, and Ed Harris for example, such a concept sounds promising. In fact, all of these actors do a great job with their roles and have solid chemistry with one another. If I had to be honest, if you have a cast this promising, I wish the script were pinched up a little more to make the experience of watching all of these people at the same time just a bit better. Going back to “Knives Out,” the great thing about the movie, and even its 2022 follow-up, is that the gangbusters ensemble casts of both projects had great screenplays to back up their performances. I am not going to pretend that the screenplay for “Riff Raff” is broken. It works, it functions. Again, just barely. When I look back at this movie however, if I were to recommend it to somebody, I would recommend it on the idea of watching all of these big name actors come together as opposed to selling them on what kind of ride they are in for. The actors seem to offer more to the film, and as a result, the experience, than the writer does.

For the record, this film is solely written by John Pollono, who co-wrote one of my favorite films of the past decade that I did not review, “Stronger,” which is about a guy who was injured in the 2013 Boston Marathon Bombing. If I were to put these films side by side, I would easily choose to watch “Stronger” every single time. Although this is not to say “Riff Raff” is a heaping pile of malarkey. Pollono does a good job with “Riff Raff” by balancing humor with occasional drama. He also brings halfway decent stakes to the table.

I watched the film alongside my grandma as well as my mom. These two are not usually the target audience when it comes to bloody, violent films. Unsurprisingly, these two did not seem to walk out of the film thinking it was their favorite. But I would say in a way, the film seemed to do its job because it definitely generated a reaction out of them. The film has its hints of shock value, and there are some tense scenes where serious injury or bloody death seems imminent.

The film has some hilarious moments. There is one sequence past the halfway point featuring Pete Davidson and Bill Murray’s characters that had me in stitches. The sequence presents them with a neverending obstacle, and it was executed fantastically. “Riff Raff” is not the easiest film to identify within a certain genre. It is a little bit of an action flick. It is a little bit of a drama. It is a little bit of a crime story. It is a little bit of a comedy. When it comes to the comedy, it does not always hit, but when it does hit, it is sometimes a bullseye.

In fact, going back to those genres, one problem with this film is that it leans into being multiple genres at a time to the point where it never finds its footing and excels at one thing. It is like a more mature “Red One.” Although in this case, some of those genres perhaps barely surpass the “it’s fine” mark.

In the end, “Riff Raff” is neither great or horrible. It is the Little Caesars Pizza of crime movies. It delivers some enjoyment in the moment, but by no means is it going to sit in the hall of fame. Is “Riff Riff” going to end up being the year’s most memorable movie? No. In fact, it will likely be far from it. But there are also way worse options out there for your viewing displeasure. This is kind of in the middle of the road. It has been some time since I sat down and watched the movie so I am bound to forget some things, but truth be told, the more that time passes, the more I realize how forgettable “Riff Raff” becomes. The film has some decent moments that could squeeze it into a territory where I would say it is worth at least one watch, but I am nevertheless going to give “Riff Raff” a 5/10.

“Riff Raff” is now available to rent or buy on VOD.

Thanks for reading this review! I am sorry I have not posted a review for awhile. I have been busy with life, hobbies, as well as crafting the 7th Annual Jack Awards, which you totally should check out! It is available now for your enjoyment! That said, I do have more reviews coming including ones for “Nickel Boys,” “Mickey 17,” “Locked,” “The Luckiest Man in America,” “The Penguin Lessons,” and there is one film I saw recently that I have been debating as to whether I am going to review it or not, I just saw “Hans Zimmer & Friends: Diamond in the Desert.” It is a concert film, and I do not have a ton of experience with reviewing, or even watching those kinds of movies. That said, it was a great moviegoing experience and I would love to talk about it at some point. If you want to see more from Scene Before, follow the blog either with an email or WordPress account! Also, check out the official Facebook page! I want to know, did you see “Riff Raff?” What did you think about it? Or, what is a movie with a solid cast that you think could have been better? Let me know down below! Scene Before is your click to the flicks!

Strange World (2022): No Awe, No Wonder, Just Boredom.

Posted on by Jack Drees

“Strange World” is directed by Don Hall and co-directed by Qui Nguyen. The film stars Jake Gyllenhaal (Nightcrawler, Spider-Man: Far from Home), Dennis Quaid (A Dog’s Purpose, The Express: The Ernie Davis Story), Jaboukie Young-White (The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, Only Murders in the Building), Gabrielle Union (America’s Got Talent, Think Like a Man), and Lucy Liu (Charlie’s Angels, Kung Fu Panda). This film follows the Clades, a family who must overcome each other’s differences in order to successfully navigate themselves in a space off the map.

Thus far, animation has not been perfect this year. The only real highlight in regard to 2022 animation for me would have to be “Turning Red,” which I watched back in March and enjoyed immensely. In fact, my favorite animation I watched that came out this year is one that technically came out last year, specifically “Belle,” as it released in Japan in July 2021. That movie was so nice that I had to post about it twice. Therefore, I was hoping that “Strange World” could join the ranks of “Turning Red,” or surpass it, and give the genre a boost. “The Bad Guys” was okay. “Lightyear” was fun but it is no “Toy Story.” “Luck” was not perfect. Let’s not even talk about “Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank.” I wanted something that could potentially be a medium-defining movie. We had a couple of those last year with “The Mitchells vs. the Machines,” the recently mentioned “Belle,” and Disney’s own “Raya and the Last Dragon.” The good news for those movies, depending on how you slice it, is if they wanted to remain superior, then this is a good day for them. “Strange World” is a movie that should have dazzled me. Unfortunately, I was bored.

Now let me be clear, for the people who ask why I do not like this movie, please note that this has nothing to do with a certain character having feelings for another specific character. If you are looking for another review where the writer disses on the movie because it is “woke,” go someplace else, arrogant scumbags. Scene Before is not the place for that. That said, it is time to talk about why “Strange World” is one of the most underwhelming and snore-inducing animations of the decade.

However, before we get there, I do want to drop some positives. Because the movie does have its moments. The first act, while not flawless, introduces the characters at a quick pace and provides some fascinating setup for what is to come. There is a particular event towards the end of the movie that caught me off guard, but in a good way. The opening song, while short, is kind of a banger. Oddly enough, this does not go for that traditional Disney movie soundtrack extravaganza where every other scene becomes a musical all of a sudden. There is no equivalent to Let It Go in “Strange World.” If you are seeking a musical, look elsewhere. If you are instead seeking a mediocre adventure in unfamiliar territory, look no further.

When your movie is called “Strange World,” that should be code to make a world that looked kooky and fun. However, I had my arms crossed for a good portion of the runtime. “Strange World” had scenes that looked like an escape from reality, but it is not just a matter of how the movie looks, but how it feels. Despite being taken on an adventure to somewhere unfamiliar, I never felt immersed into this world. Part of the reason is because this movie feels like it spends more time building its vast environments as opposed to the characters who are surrounded by said environments. Sure, we get moments where we get to know the characters, but it sometimes comes off as the bare minimum. In addition, the characters themselves are annoying.

Now the characters, for the most part, are well voiced. Dennis Quaid and Lucy Liu are particular standouts as Jaeger Clade (top right) and Callisto Mal (top left) respectively. The voice performances serve their purpose and are in no way problematic. However, I was annoyed by a character that should have been a lovable sidekick, Splat.

I found out that nobody voices Splat (right), so the voice actors are safe in this instance. However, the sounds that Splat makes, while somewhat appropriate, are honestly more headache-inducing than trying to find a parking spot at the mall on Black Friday. I can say this is based on true events. Both as someone who just wanted cheap Blu-rays the other day, and as someone who wanted to have a good time watching “Strange World,” but failed miserably.

Like most animated fare, there is a lesson intertwined that the crew perhaps aspire to deliver towards the children watching the movie. As an adult, I took away a particular lesson that sounded halfway decent. But at the same time, the lesson made for an atrocious story. It is predictable, dull, and worst of all, the three main characters all made me roll my eyes. Whether it was cheap dialogue, selfish motives, or overembellishing what could easily be shown instead of told. There are scenes where the main characters argue, and it had dialogue that should have been compelling, it should have gotten me invested in the scene and where things could go from here. All it did was made me put my hand on my head, begging for the movie to move along.

I watched “Strange World” in a theater that had some people. It was nowhere near its total capacity, but there were some families and kids. Despite the various attempts at comedy in “Strange World,” no one uttered a sound. I could barely hear children chuckling. For all I knew, the children at this screening had a good time. But when your family movie fails to get the family to emote, that is a problem. Although when the movie was over, people did clap. So there is that.

Watching and/or reviewing a Disney movie sometimes has its complexities. Because Disney is not just movies. That is just a small aspect of how they entertain the masses. What goes into their movies often factors into their merchandising, their parks, and so on. While “Strange World” is not a good movie, it was the kind of movie that despite its failed attempts to immerse me, made me think there could be a chance that this would make for a decent theme park ride. I can imagine this universe as a motion simulator in Disney World because it is so otherworldly. Kind of like some of Disney’s other rides such as Star Tours or Pirates of the Caribbean, it feels like going somewhere else. It does not feel like Florida. It does not feel like California. You’re either in space or some vast environment far from home. Unfortunately, I am not reviewing a theme park ride. I am reviewing a story. And despite one or two okay scenes, there was not enough to make me root for the characters or care about what was going on. As a story, this is dull. This is forgettable. This is uninteresting. I wanted it to end. Thankfully the movie not that long, but despite time flying by, I was not having fun.

In the end, “Strange World” is a bit of a letdown. I did not think this movie looked like the next big thing, but it also looked fun. Disney movies, even ones that are lower tier, seem to have glimmers of fun on a consistent basis. When I fail to walk out of a Disney movie, or any movie for that matter, with a smile on my face, that is not a good sign. Let me just put it this way. I had more fun with another Disney film, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” and that is despite the film saying goodbye to a major character (in addition to the actor who plays him) and having a few downer scenes. “Strange World” occasionally made me angry because it looked fun, but it did not feel fun. There is a difference between designing something pretty, and doing something with it that is interesting. This movie felt like a first date with the most attractive woman alive, only to find out she has zero personality whatsoever. “Strange World” is a waste of time and I am going to give it a 3/10.

“Strange World” is now playing in theatres everywhere. Tickets are available now.

Thanks for reading this review! If you liked this review, check out some of my other ones! If you want to see more animated movie reviews, check out the review I did for “The Bob’s Burgers Movie.” If you want to see more family movie reviews, check out my thoughts on the brand new Netflix film, “Slumberland.” I am planning on seeing a movie this weekend, I am not sure which one specifically, so as to whether “Violent Night” or “Spoiler Alert” is going to be my next review is a total mystery. You will have to find out for yourselves. If you want to see this and more from Scene Before, follow the blog either with an email or WordPress account! Also, check out the official Facebook page! I want to know, did you see “Strange World?” What did you think about it? Or, what is an animation that you saw recently that disappointed you? Let me know down below! Scene Before is your click to the flicks!