#grover fischoeder is a great villain

[golden--doodler]

Soooo, what are YOUR thoughts on the movie 👀?

OMG YES thank you! I've been so excited and waiting to give my thoughts on the movie, glad this ask trade worked out.

As I mentioned when I asked this to you, I was lucky enough to catch this in theaters (I went with my dad :D). It was one of the most entertaining theater experiences because of how excited I was and how GLORIOUS it was to see all the Bob's Burgers characters on the big screen (spoiler alert: I love the movie). The animation was 11/10 chef's kiss on a theater screen. Also, for some reason, the sound system in the theater we were in was TOP NOTCH and had such good quality, it made everything sound amazing too, especially all the songs.

Speaking of the songs, I love all of them so, so much. I've listened to all of them on repeat so much, it's insane, especially "Sunny Side-Up Summer". It's just so catchy and upbeat and fun and just gah, I can't get enough of it. It encapsulates the feeling of summertime so perfectly, it's hard to put into words. I just wish there were one or two more of them to listen to and geek out about! I especially love the very brief "Sunny Side-Up Summer" reprise that Linda sings. It just shows off her and Bob's relationship so well, as well as Linda's personality--her giddy nature and boundless optimism getting through to Bob, even for just a second, is so freaking wholesome. Also yes, everyone's muppet dancing is brilliant and I can't get enough of it.

Well, just the upgraded animation in general is SO GOOD. It helps that they got the largest team possible to help give the character designs more detail and to make the animation so much more fluid and bouncy! Comparing it to the show's animation feels like night and day, it shows that they were determined to make it look worthy of the big screen. But if another person ever tries to comment on the Bob's Burgers style being ugly, I shall immediately point to the movie (I do actually enjoy the Bob's Burgers style though, even just for the show).

The plot itself is also super fun. Some people have commented on it just feeling like an elongated episode, and while I can see that, I do appreciate how they managed to up the stakes for the movie in a meaningful way whilst not deviating from the nature of the show. It would've been so easy for them to have something super insane happen to kickstart the plot, and while what actually happens IS insane (I mean, hello, murder!) it's not so insane that it feels unfaithful. And in general, having the movie be a murder mystery is wonderful--I mean, not the murder part, obviously, but it makes for quite an intriguing mystery that needs to be unraveled. The fact that they foreshadowed the sinkhole exploding by having people trip over the sidewalk in Season 12 is amazing.

Tbh, I don't even care that it's VERY obvious in hindsight that Grover did it (I mean, they would never remove Calvin or Felix from the show) it still surprised me, and I think he's my favorite villain the show has had. He's even more deliciously evil than Felix was in the two-part season four finale, and "Not That Evil" is just a masterpiece, it had me wheezing so hard the first time I saw it. I mean, his weirdly high-pitched voice and flailing dance moves? Yes. Also, the way the song is structured as well is just satisfying to me, for some reason. I think it might be the transition from Calvin asking him if his entire plan is about his mega park idea, and him singing about his entire idea for the mega park, I don't know, the way he sings that is great. And Linda going "Ooh giftshops!" is hilarious. He's so horrible and it's a delight to witness his insanity unfold.

The humor in general is also very great and very well done. I mean, it's Bob's Burgers, of course, the movie is going to be funny. But the jokes just keep coming, especially from my boy, Gene. I mean, him going "Can I say, 'Honey, no!'?" lives rent-free in my brain. Also, Mickey going "Cops don't dance around like that. They dance like this!" and then him doing some strange, unexplainable dance moves is peak comedy. Plus, I think Sergeant Bosco's role in this is what solidified him as one of my favorite side characters. He's too funny, trying to insist that being in Robbery is great while being terrible at going undercover--and then he gets a legitimately awesome moment in the end when he gets to arrest Grover! Love that for him.

And YES, I one-hundred thousand million percent agree that Bob and Linda are SO FREAKING SWEET in this movie. They might be at their best here, or at least almost at their best. Not only in how they interact with their kids but with each other, of course. Linda beginning her role in "Sunny Side-Up Summer" by insisting that Mr. Dowling is going to say "Oh wow" to their food, and nothing's going to stop their business? Yup. She is always giving him the encouragement about the restaurant that he needs, and it shines so well in this number. Not to mention I just love John Robert's singing voice as Linda for some reason, especially when it blends with H. Jon Benjamin's. Very satisfying. Plus, she shows off even more of her partner of the year tendencies with that wonderful scene of them in bed together, having that extremely touching and real conversation. The flashback of Linda being pregnant? 🥺

She's such a good wife for reminding him why he started the business in the first place. Then punches him in the nuts as "a metaphor". God, I love her.

Plus, that scene of them all in the sinkhole near the end, with Linda actually straight-up giving up for once, and thinking that they're all gonna die? I mean, Jesus. Rip my heart out, why don't you. I kinda wish they spent more time on this, Linda being so downtrodden and how that's affecting her. And as for Bob, he definitely shines at this moment. His realization that he needs to step it up and give back Linda's optimism is something I didn't know I needed. Then he actually succeeds in getting them out and saving their lives! But not before that scene of him talking about his mother, COME ON. My heart couldn't take seeing his mother's face for the first time, plus toddler Bob!!! I also love how he wants to go save the Fischoeders on his own immediately when they escape, but everyone else joins him without hesitation.

I also gotta mention Louise's whole arc, because it's also what makes this movie. I love how it's mostly centered around her thinking about her bunny ears and what they mean to her for the first time. It was super interesting seeing her doubt herself and her bravery so much, to the point where she gets convinced by melted Kuchi Kopi to go into the sinkhole because she always seems so self-assured on the outside. It's really nice seeing her actually crack the murder case eventually, and even save the Fischoeders' lives in the end. Plus, gain the courage to do the "Dead Man's Drop" and ultimately feel okay without her hat for a few seconds.

Going into the not-so-positives, I also agree that Gene deserved more! It feels like everyone else in the Belcher family got more to do than him, it would've been interesting to see him doubt his musical abilities again--it did seem like they were laying the groundwork with that, with his daydream nightmare about the robots insulting his music skills. Maybe even having him being in a band be useful for something in the plot. Though, his bonding with Mr. Fischoeder over playing the organ was very wholesome. And he's still probably the funniest one in this movie. I also definitely agree with wishing the side characters got more time to shine. Teddy got a ton to do (his enthusiasm about the cart/the olive bar is incredible) but the other side characters, like the ones at Wagstaff, are just kinda there and then gone (even Courtney just gets a blink-and-you'll-miss it cameo in "Sunny-Side Up Summer"). And while I appreciate the fact that Mort appears in the movie, he also gets literally nothing to do.

I get that they needed to focus on the main characters for the movie, but it is still a shame. I honestly enjoyed what they did cook up (hah, I didn't even mean for that pun to happen, if you can call it a pun) so much that I just wanted more. Seeing some of the deleted scenes they had definitely solidified this, they NEED to rework that deleted scene with Bob, Linda, and Teddy in airport security for an episode or another movie or something, because it's pure gold.

There's just a lot you can do with these characters and this world that they weren't gonna be able to do everything or please everyone. However, they did make a solid movie, in my opinion, and despite the fact that I've already watched it three times, I highkey want to buy the Blu-ray just to listen to the commentary and go through all the other behind-the-scenes stuff. Even though it's definitely not perfect, I will fight for this movie if I need to.

Also yes, the fact that out of all the characters, Jimmy Jr. is not given a dance sequence during the end credits also haunts me. Like, what?? Seriously, Zeke and Andy and Ollie got dance sequences, what was the excuse not to put in Jimmy Jr.??? That being said, though, seeing Tammy and Jocelyn dancing in perfect sync was actually really sweet, a nice surprise.

Anyway, wish there were more Gene and more side characters and more Jimmy Jr. dancing (I think I just want more in general) but I do have a soft spot for this movie. I might revisit it soon, I want to write more about it on here, haha (mainly because I'm sure I forgot a few things I liked here).