UglyDolls (Musical Hell Review # 136)

[@writeon2593]

6:32 I think it would be funny if the Uglydolls received his criticism and then said "Wow, thank you!" leading to a record scratch. They see "ugly" as a positive term. The song would continue and explain "ugliness" to them in the way the perfect dolls see it. Not only would the characters feel bad about themselves, but would also receive culture shock when they realize that the two groups' definitions of "ugly" are opposites. That could have been so interesting, especially if some of the "perfect" dolls began to rethink "ugliness" as these people see it as a compliment.

[@davidanthonymercado7064]

Ugly Dolls Movie: “I’M UGLY AND I’M PROUD! I’M UGLY ANF I’M PROUD!” Me: “Is that what they call it?”

[@colleen4ever]

"I'M UGLY. I'M PROUD, GET USED TO IT!"

[@hunterolaughlin]

@@colleen4ever🎶Let your Ugly Flag wave Let your Ugly Flag fly! Never take it down! Never take it down! Raise it way up high! Let your Ugly Flag fly! Let it fly, fly, FLY!🎶

[@0deadx21]

Being ugly is nothing to be proud of. Ugliness brings misery and sadness, it never brings joy and happiness. Anyone saying they're proud of being ugly makes them come across as compensating for their insecurity. And because misery loves company, they hate beautiful things anf they're trying to make other people miserable.

[@americaroleplayer]

The number 1 sin of this movie- IS THAT THEY'RE NOT UGLY!!!!! I had uglydolls! I loved uglydolls! They were colored weird, had weird eyes, and that was WHY we liked them! That would've made a great message, and honestly the movie probably would've been a lot more successful if they'd done that. As it is, it's okay. (I'll always love Ugly Truth, it's just fucking fun! XD)

[@-_-0.0-_-]

Right - just like the glasses "flaw" - it's "ugliness" still designed for public consumption and styled for appeal

[@ImaNerdANDaGeek]

My reaction when seeing the bat was literally "Aw, how cute"

[@americaroleplayer]

@@-_-0.0-_- You know what would be a good comentary on ugliness? Something like a port wine stain. Something that could actually be perceived as ugly, but in fact is just unique.

[@gracekim25]

@@-_-0.0-_-yeah that trope with glasses really annoys me given I wear glasses to SEE

[@gracekim25]

@@americaroleplayerexactly 😅

[@DJtheBlack-RibbonedRose]

On tonight's episode of "How Many Ways Can We Rip Off The Lego Movie Without Ever Realizing What Made It Work."

[@kali3665]

Just glad that The Garbage Pail Kids was not a musical, Diva. You don't need to suffer through THAT one.

[@elainecanby412]

Except that movie did have a musical number, and it was garbage.

[@laurenfrey873]

Just one, thank goodness.

[@kali3665]

@redbulbuniverse Honestly, I don't remember.

[@kali3665]

@@elainecanby412 Fitting, of course.

[@wesleyhunt7599]

Only one. The minimum for a musical I think is five.

[@LauraM96829]

Am I the only one bothered that this movie’s idea of “ugly” is just having to wear glasses?

[@joshraid1550]

It would be so easy to make her have a glass eye or missing teeth or a green skin patch, or since she’s a doll, cracks hidden under her hair. It would be way cooler that way.

[@thegayghost872]

I think the point is that she’s not actually ugly, and the other dolls just have too high standards? But that’s way too subtle for a kid’s movie

[@timothymclean]

That exact plot point has been done so often that it doesn't make me feel anything. Objectively, it's pretty absurd, but subjectively...it's like poking a callus with a needle. It's there, but it doesn't hurt.

[@joshraid1550]

@@EnzoTheLibrarian It strikes me as a writer who wants to preach acceptance but is not actually willing to accept things that are too different, or they are afraid to make their audience uncomfortable by asking them to sympathize with someone they actually consider ugly, so they play it safe by inventing a new beauty standard that doesn't actually exist and that no one will hold these characters to.

[@LauraM96829]

@@joshraid1550 Exactly! It’s the surface level Holllywood brand of weirdness or prejudice, where minor flaws or imperfections are blown out of proportion just to make the main characters seem progressive and accepting without putting in the work of actually discussing real world marginalization because that runs the risk of hurting your bottom line.

[@dunes8817]

The director of Oogieloves treating the whole "audience interaction" thing as a novel idea will probably be addressed at some point.

[@mightyfilm]

It was "innovative" because it was aimed at kids, most likely Kindergartners and younger. The very SAME group of kids that act up in any movie, encouraging bad behavior. I'm sure we're all thinking Midnight Movie "Rocky Horror" but for kids stuff, but at least Rocky Horror is always made to be an event. This was just saying "hey kids, know how you love to run up and down the aisles, screaming, and slap other movie goers in the back of their heads? You're right to do so."

[@ryanschwartz4959]

@@mightyfilm And say what you will about Rocky Horror; at least it wasn't originally intended to have audience participation (I managed to find audio of the original Broadway production without any audience callbacks).

[@mightyfilm]

@@ryanschwartz4959 Also an important distinction. Of course, the sad thing is, Rocky Horror's cult midnight participation wasn't the inspiration for Oogiewoogies, but rather...ehhhh... the guy was at a movie where a black audience was talking back to the screen. Still, something that encourages kids to misbehave at the movies pisses me off. All the way back when I saw Bolt the booger eating brats behind me kept acting up and I had to whisper yell at the inattentive mother.

[@ericjanssen394]

Actually, Oogieloves trying to sell kids dancing in the aisles (forgetting that most theaters now have dangerously vertical stadium seating, where it’s hard enough to walk in those darn things) was taking its inspiration from live concerts and Nick Jr. kids’ song groups like the Wiggles or the Doodlebops. Unfortunately forgetting that most kids had already HEARD of those groups, and you can’t just drop a new group in out of the blue and expect kids to bounce about-Even if you do spend the entire movie explaining who the heck the characters are.

[@mightyfilm]

@@ericjanssen394 To me, the major problems with the concept are that the ONLY time they were seen outside of the movie was a PSA, and a bad one at that. These things come out of nowhere and they look like something from a cheap 90's obscure cable kid's show (technically they are). I don't think they could have sold a TV series on such an ancient looking bunch of poorly manipulated walkaround suits when every other preschool show was shiny and new CGI, let alone a movie. Plus, movies based on young audience shows don't tend to do well on the big screen. Even the heavy hitting name of Sesame Street didn't make that much with either Follow that Bird or Elmo in Grouchland. How was this no name cable access, perpetually in the VHS discount bin looking thing to stand a chance when even Elmo, fresh off the Tickle Me craze couldn't draw them in? There was barely anything there for him to rebrand the Bedbugs franchise for a TV show, which would have at least made back its budget if they did so on the cheap.

[@kristacoto]

What bothers me more than anything else about this movie is that the ugly dolls are obviously modeled on stuffed animals... but perfection is all humanoid dolls... where are all the perfect versions of the ugly doll models, like they didn't accidentally get a dog from a girl doll.

[@MusicalHell]

The opening sequence indicates that a variety of dolls is made in the factory, including dogs, bunnies, and ducks. The humanoid dolls are referred to as "type 12" or something like that in the Institute of Perfection exposition video. (Makes me wonder where the other models go and if they have Lou-like tyrants pushing them around in their worlds--questions for the non-existent sequels, I guess.)

[@trinaq]

"Oogieloves" is the next case. We seriously don't appreciate the godawful musicals that Diva sits through for our benefits.

[@MovieFan1912]

I have a feeling that one is going to be a blast.

[@Kahran042]

I've been looking forward to that one ever since I suggested it years ago. :D

[@qstionblomens6138]

Dear _god_

[@katherinepollock3957]

I've waited a long time 4 Diva 2 tear that movie 2 shreds. It was inevitable. I vaguely remember seeing both a trailer and a poster 4 the Oogieloves in the summer before 4th grade while at the movies with my family (I think we were seeing Ice Age 4). Even at the age of 9, when I still didn't grasp the concept of direct-to-video, I was rather befuddled. I wouldn't even think about about it 4 two years just because I wondered if Oogieloves was real and not some random bizarre dream I had.

[@viviennemorgan7217]

isn't the oogieloves based off of a tv show or something?

[@CalliopePony]

I'm surprised there was no sin for the vocal dissonance. Most of the voices didn't seem to match the designs of the characters. When I see Moxie's design I do not expect Kelly Clarkson's voice to come out of it. Same with a lot of the others.

[@kenthuang436]

It’s sort of like the Raggedy Ann and Andy movie where the writing was off but the voice actors gave it their all and put some heart into their performances and each voice matched what you’d expect the character to sound like.

[@tristanmichels5721]

Asbury himself said that the film was rushed and needed more time to polish its story. That really explains a lot... ...by the way, we will still miss him.

[@KaminoKatie]

Yeah, this movie only got a one-year production cycle despite spending a near decade languishing in development hell

[@gracekim25]

ahh ok 😅

[@MovieFan1912]

At least his legacy is better than the one who made the next movie she’s going to cover.

[@luisabravo1438]

Yeah there are some interesting ideas and it certainly had more potential than the Playmobil movie

[@CrypticCharm]

who's else first reaction was "what the hell is an uglydoll" also the concept of imperfect dolls, coming to life, was done in the 1980s-90 in the UK in a show called The Raggy Dolls they lived in a reject bin, and had adventures when no on was looking

[@erikbihari3625]

There's also the likes of raggedy Anne and Andy, not to mention toy story. Speaking of the u.k., what about super ted?

[@CrypticCharm]

@@erikbihari3625 oh my god Superted, i used to love superted

[@jasonblalock4429]

Not to mention that the old Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer stop-motion Christmas special did the same concept back in the 60s, with its Island of Misfit Toys.

[@erikbihari3625]

@@CrypticCharm. Pretty Quick for an action show as well!

[@MovieFan1912]

@@CrypticCharm”Super Ted? You mean the more credible version of Corduroy?” -Will Grubb (Hewy’s Animated Movie Reviews: The Little Engine That Could)

[@EvieRawlings]

I remember watching this with my family and thinking about all the ways I could make this movie creepier or uglier. I think making this movie "cute" and "charming" was it's biggest downfall.

[@themysteriouscrumpet]

The film does contain attempted murder, after all.

[@joshraid1550]

The dolls are too cute and normal for this premise. Give them unsightly seams, mixed colors, holes with patches on them, something that would look not corporately approved.

[@EvieRawlings]

@@joshraid1550 Exactly! You're telling me no kid would find these designs endearing? Give me a break.

[@justinriley]

It's sad how this was director Kelly Asbury's final film before he died.

[@gracekim25]

Oh dang 😢

[@AbareKillerFan-yo7pe]

May he rest in peace

[@KaminoKatie]

Talk about ending on a whimper

[@josephrowe849]

Huh? I don't remember hearing about his death. Well s**t.. :(

[@rocketman437]

One of the directors of Shrek 2

[@punkysnarks]

How ironic. This movie is about misshapen factory-reject dolls struggling against a conformist society, but it fits perfectly with all the other lower-tier kids' movies.

[@AmethystOrlando]

I am disappointed that this is the last movie directed by Kelly Asbury, who died the following year, whose resume includes Spirit: Stallion of the Cimmaron & Shrek 2.

[@rogue7723]

I sorta liked Kelly Clarkson's portrayal of Moxie. While the determined, optimistic dreamer archetype has been _done to death (and done way better),_ it doesn't feel like Kelly's just doing this for a paycheck. My big problem with this movie aside from the paint-by-numbers of it all is that the whole movie seems to exist _just to sell a soundtrack._

[@thomasspongeconductor2222]

All the actors sound invested, which is impressive considering only Wanda Sykes and Gabriel Iglesias are actually actors.

[@kenthuang436]

The celebrity voice acting was pretty good but the issue is the writing of the script.

[@kolonarulez5222]

I'm too much of a softie for plushies so when the fuzzy doll willingly jumped into the crying robot baby's hand to confort it, idk that was really sweet to me. I like to think toys enjoy doing that

[@thecinematicmind]

Janelle Monáe deserves far better film musicals

[@annalinde816]

You forgot to mention that this movie was released the week after Avengers Endgame of all films. Even with its sub. Emoji Movie budget, Uglydolls clearly didn’t stand a chance.

[@MovieFan1912]

Sadly, neither did Missing Link.

[@TommyPezMaster]

Happytime Murders, Uglydolls, and Playmobil must be the cause of the bankruptcy of STX. Annyone, anyone?

[@isaacthemonke233]

One thing I don't get is that the dolls themselves aren't even ugly in the slightest. Yeah, they're based on the toys, but wouldn't it make sense to design them to be ugly? Not God-awful designs, but nothing too marketable and safe. Plus, you could easily add the whole "beauty is subjective" message. People (both kids and adults) will think animals such as Cotton Weevils, or Proboscis Monkeys, or Vultures, or Chinese Hairless Dogs, Squids, or Aye-Ayes, Elephant Seals, or even Ibex and other animals are ugly. While at the same time there will be an equal amount of people who think they're the cutest critters on this black, green, blue, and white marble.

[@gracekim25]

Exactly 😅

[@DrawciaGleam02]

Is it safe to say they're baby versions of Hazbin Hotel designs???

[@ilikecurry2345]

Taking notes from Trolls in the sense that you're reviving a dormant toyline just for a movie.

[@rocketman437]

The Trolls movies were better

[@kenthuang436]

I couldn’t really get into the first Trolls movie but I can still appreciate the character designs and the original story of how there are more ways to be happy than you think and that anyone can be friends if you make an attempt to understand each other and respect each other’s opinions and feelings.

[@trinaq]

Kelly Clarkson's "Broken and Beautiful" is such a gorgeous song, and it's hard to believe that it was written for this mess of a movie.

[@Victoria-_]

Agreed!!

[@Funxboxrox27]

So glad you didn’t condemn any of the celebrity voices, none of them deserved to be in this movie, nor (in my mind) wanted to after reading the script.

[@kenthuang436]

Kelly Clarkson and Nick Jonas already suffered enough from their first time in the court.

[@mightyfilm]

To me the problem is obvious. The movie should have been about the Uglydolls being these off the wall characters that unintentionally wreak havoc on a gated community of the perfect dolls and other safe and bland toys. Characters that think they're helping and doing the right thing, all while having fun and screwing things up. See Yakko, Wakko, and Dot or (the American) Dennis the Menace. Like the other toys hate them and think they're dangers to themselves and others, but the Uglydolls have no sense of self awareness. Not this maudlin "we're different so they hate us" jazz. A "Wait a minnit! You guys HATE us?" while they stand next to a smoking crater they created plot. Something that ends with the towns folk actually missing them and realizing they were important, BUT with the compromise of the Uglydolls having to control themselves and comply to certain rules to keep everyone safe. They just had to go with a generic "It's not criminal to be an individual" message that feels just as plastic and manufactured as the little Uglydoll figures that even Dollar Tree couldn't get rid of. Plus, while it's obvious they were trying to be The Lego Movie, the (terrible attempt at) sardonic humor and pop musical numbers feels like they were going for Dreamworks' Trolls.

[@timothymclean]

Somewhere between the Minions and the Rabbids is a version of the Ugly Dolls that...well, I would find it unremarkable, but I'd be able to see why other people might like it. This isn't that. This is the safest possible product, designed to offend absolutely no one, but also interest absolutely no one.

[@mightyfilm]

@@timothymclean The Uglydolls strike me as something that would have been much more suited to a cartoon series, short form or full on show length. Something made to put personality to the toys, so you'd want to buy certain characters associated with their animated counterpart. I see something similar to Mixels or maybe The Mr. Men Show from the late 2000's. Something goofy, fun, and geared towards a younger audience that can appeal to adults as a guilty pleasure. They decided to do a generic, stupid movie instead. It does not match the brand to me, and it feels like you can put any license in there and they'd still have the same unimpressive product.

[@kenthuang436]

My suggestions to add some personality to the Uglies (besides Moxie and Ox) are that Uglydog be a bit more protective of his friends like some dogs can get with their owners and he joins Moxie in an effort to make sure she stays safe, Lucky Bat is ironically named and tends to be a magnet for bad luck but he still has a somewhat positive outlook on life and tries to see the good side to everything and he joins Moxie because he feels like she needs some moral support, Wage is still cynical and sarcastic but she’s more like Grumpy Bear in that she means no harm and is just a realist and joins Moxie because she thinks that Moxie might need someone to give her the hard truth if something goes wrong, and Bobbo is still dim witted with hammerspace pockets who comes along because he thinks that Moxie might need something like a ladder or a car on her journey and he can manifest the necessary item from his pocket. At least this way we’d have more character motivation and why they are friends with Moxie. My other suggestion is have the perfect dolls have a small group of imperfect dolls (I.e. bad wigs, one arm being slightly longer than the other, being a bit overstuffed with filler, etc) and said imperfect dolls are a part of their society but it’s the lower end and they are the ones that must do all of the manual labor. They aren’t happy with their situation but they also aren’t miserable and being subjected to abuse either. These imperfect dolls just want to be seen as being dolls too and deserving to be loved like everyone else.

[@mightyfilm]

@@kenthuang436 If you want something like what they were going for, only more developed, sure. I don't think the cutesy approach works with the toy concept. It needed to be more about them being too way out to fit into society, not them looking too different. The characters SHOULD have been over the top in both look and behavior. Let's say Addams Family rules. Their normal is our weird and they're weirded out by what we consider normal. They love their ugly little selves and consider the word a compliment, as they think conventionally attractive is bland, but not so much they hold it against the Normies. And they should have taken that too far and decide to uglify the community with clashing, loud colors, weird looking art, odd shaped houses. Eventually ending with the message it takes all kinds, but sometimes you have to meet halfway.

[@kenthuang436]

@@mightyfilmThat’s what I mean with the imperfect dolls. The normal perfect dolls think they are too weird for their society and the imperfect dolls don’t necessarily like being considered to be undesirable to be around and being used as labor and they want to be accepted just as they are yet they are perfectly content with their imperfection that they don’t see the other imperfections of their group as being awful. This is where the Ugly Dolls come in. They show both groups that being different isn’t a bad thing and that they can have fun with each other if they look past each others’ differences.

[@ryanschwartz4959]

3:16 It's... probably for the best we don't let Diva see the Back to the Future musical. Or the National Theatre's stage musical adaptation of Roald Dahl's "The Witches". 'Cause they each have a "what's with the singing" joke of their own.

[@trinaq]

Agreed, pointing out the singing in a musical kind of takes you out of the story.

[@gracekim25]

They do?😅

[@tsifirakiehl4250]

@trinaq Unless it’s something like “Enchanted,” “Schmigadoon,” or “The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals,” where a clash between musical and non-musical worlds is part of the premise. Of course, even those did more than just “ha ha isn’t it weird that we’re singing”-“Enchanted” and “Schmigadoon” both go on to further parody and deconstruct/reconstruct musical tropes, while “The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals” plays the premise for horror, with the singing and dancing being a sign that the characters are being assimilated by an alien hive mind intent on world domination.

[@ryanschwartz4959]

@@gracekim25 Yep. For Back to the Future (at least in the London production), Marty asks Doc where the backup dancers came from in “It Works”, and Doc answers “I don’t know; they just show up whenever I start singing”. And for The Witches, after Luke’s first encounter with a witch, he asks his Gran why she didn’t warn him about witches, and she answers “I did! I had a whole song about it!” (referring to the number “How to Recognise a Witch”). Doesn’t help that Luke remarks “Can’t you please just tell me normally?”

[@kelleyceccato7025]

@@tsifirakiehl4250 The Star Trek: Strange New Worlds episode "Subspace Rhapsody" does the whole "why are we singing?" thing pretty effectively, IMO.

[@uforad170]

ok so some notes on Uglydolls Lore & Facts from a guy who was really into them as a kid: So something that probably comes as a shock to a lot of people is that Uglydolls actually did have a sort of vague story and world that they lived in. They did live in a town called Uglyville as far as I can remember, though they weren't literally dolls as much as they were silly little guys who lived in a town together. All of the characters came with a little personality blurb written in the tag, and a lot of these personas were altered or outright changed for the movie. OX, for example, was originally a chronic thief and con artist who "borrows" stuff and then never gives it back. Obviously they sanded off anything even remotely edgy to make it more palatable for the kiddies, but this also removed the main thing that made Uglydolls likable to begin with. There's also a lot of weird design changes that they made. Moxy originally looked completely different, she was sort of pale green with big rabbit ears and buck-teeth, but I guess that wasn't feminine enough? Lucky Bat wasn't a real character, he was put in place of Ice Bat, and I have no idea why. They also gave him a nose, which most Uglydolls don't have. A lot of characters arbitrarily have colors changed too. I've been sitting on this infodump for years waiting to share it. Making an Uglydoll movie that was good would've actually been extremely easy if they just stuck to the lore and leaned into the original premise of weird little creatures in search of new friends.

[@georgeray1906]

Frankly I kinda wished the Uglydolls movie was like Rabbids Go Home but with a group of Uglydolls venturing out and collect souvenirs to bring back for their fellow Uglydolls all the while causing unintentional chaos to the Perfect Dolls.

[@justacrystal567]

Pet Peeve: animated movies with a celebrity cast just because they are celebrities and come see us because you like these people! Really wish they would focus more on actual voice actors, because everyone’s voice in this was too jarring. There will always be exceptions where celebrities have enough talent to fit in, but it just annoys me now.

[@baalgodofrain]

This movie feels like a nothing burger, like it came to this world wanting to be a Trolls but died out like all it's other cash grabs And the next movie...well, I've been needing that Lobotomy for a while

[@superfanmusicmaker]

There's something hilariously ironic about the fact that the "be original and be yourself" message is now pretty much the first sign of a movie or story being cookie-cutter, generic and not original at all.

[@janebyrne6463]

To quote Alanis Morrisette, "Isn't it ironic, don't you think?"

[@cooperross9495]

As someone who loved Ugly Dolls as a child, and still does, more or less, I am so, so, glad I've never seen this movie. Ugly Dolls are supposed to be about quirky, yet down to earth family fun, not this stupid corporate, sterile, pop-music fueled, pop-culture trash fire!

[@ericjanssen394]

Not just anyone thought they could knock off the Lego movie: This movie became more infamously better known for its two production companies, AliBaba Pictures-yes, THAT AliBaba, the Chinese Amazon knockoff that pops up whenever you’re shopping online-and the aforementioned STX Films, the would-be Chinese-backed production company back when studios were going nutty over China, and which produced a nonstop don’t-get-no-respect string of flops that made the name an industry punchline. But the box-office thud of Ugly Dolls was the one that was carved on their tombstone…. 😂

[@slashermaster28]

Not gonna lie, during the final clip of the movie, I was waiting for you to say 'Insert company logo here'. Surely I'm not the only one who thought the final scene was like something out of a Hallmark ad.

[@zooemperor3954]

Oogieloves is next? You have my utmost sympathies and have fun tackling that train wreck!

[@whimsicalhamster88]

I both paid money to see this in the theater and have zero memory of it. “Lou was subdued” was a great rhyme 😄

[@Dragmiredraws]

Me. “The story makes no sense, but why are the singers so amazing?!” You. “Kelly Clarkson and Janelle Monae” Me. “THAT EXPLAINS IT!”

[@kenthuang436]

And there’s also Nick Jonas.

[@ruinpowder]

the only reason i remember this movie at all is because my friends and i had time to kill before seeing detective pikachu 😭 iirc in the mid 2000s the uglydolls had books that fleshed out the lore of their universe in a more fun way, there weren't any recurring characters, just descriptions of the town they lived in and what they did. cute but not enough to carry a movie lmao

[@CyberKirby]

*sees next case* ...I don't know what or if they pay you down there but NOTHING is worth THAT. Save yourself while you still can.

[@Sandlot1992]

truly, this was Kelly Asbury's final film as a director before he died along with A Simple Wish as Michael Ritchie's last film as a director before he died!

[@entertainmentpowerfuchs5744]

It's strange that Lizzo is in so many Kids Media. Her Music is not child friendly

[@toonangel1723]

Sending Diva lots of support for the next trial because GIRL YOURE GONNA NEED IT

[@Jarakin]

Woman you are literally walking into walls. You are actually blind. You dont need glasses, you need a guide dog. Though now that I'm thinking of it, that would have actually been a good flaw for her to have to hide from a society obsessed with perfection.

[@disgruntledcashier503]

hold up, this movie was produced by Robert Rodriguez? Looks like he's continuing his streak of kick-ass movies for grownups, nonsense nightmare fuel movies for kids.

[@caitlinsnowfrost8244]

6:36 The thing is, they probably could have easily come up with some sort of explanation for this- maybe it's like Judy Hopps in Zootopia, where a bunny can call *another* bunny 'cute' but when other animals do it it's seen as insulting.

[@frisbyart]

One thing I never understood about the whole movie was WHY would they want to even leave Uglyville? I get exploring new worlds and things, seeing what’s out there, but from everything we’ve seen, nobody there is miserable (hell I’d LOVE to actually live there myself). It’d be one thing if the dolls were like Belle, stuck on a complacent village where everyone is nice to outright boring and doesn’t appreciate them, but we don’t even have that here. Why would they want to go to humans, that would destroy them and later outgrow them? Why is Moxy so adamant to prove something to others that clearly prefer to be boring? It would’ve made more sense if Moxy just really wanted to travel to new places and just see what’s out there, but the perfect dolls want to avoid that BECAUSE kids/humans actually likes the Ugly dolls better. No, instead we get this discount version of “I want to prove I’m unique and special in my own way; it’s ok to be different” that we’ve seen time and again, and the movie practically shoehorns that too. That’s just some of the writing problems, because we still have tons of other holes the movie has (like, how exactly do these dolls end up in a box through a portal? Weren’t they made in a factory? Who runs that factory and why build a whole world for these dolls?) The whole movie is ultimately harmless, but kids deserve BETTER than this. Also, I hate Nick Jonas and his crappy musical number in this was painful to sit through, and his voice acting here sounds almost average at best; and seeing that he and his other band brothers pretty much cannot actually act (see: Camp Rock, Jonas the show), it’s fitting. Ironically the only Jonas brother that did well in voice acting was their youngest one in Ponyo.

[@MaggieOffutt]

The next case……I only have one question. DO YOU LIKE BUBBLES?!?!

[@sawyer6264]

I honestly forgot this movie was a thing after the trailer dropped, and I’ve blissfully forgotten that it exists until now

[@VincentMariethe4th]

(Sees next case) 😱Oh, nooo. Mama Lilith be with you for that one, cuz you're really taking one for the team there.

[@colleen4ever]

Oh, it's just too cruel!! No one deserves that!!

[@AmethystOrlando]

This was the first time since The Lorax that I watched an animated musical where I disliked the lyricism.

[@thomasspongeconductor2222]

I know everyone has already said it, but Lou deserved a better movie.

[@OhSkyeLanta]

Do we call this “Generic Toy Story”?

[@Inlelendri]

You know, if I am going to have to follow the exploits of a rejected-at-the-quality-control toy, then I expect at least a spotted spaceman, moondust, mother nature and superpowers for the toy, like it was always intended. I sort of do miss SuperTed, though...

[@TheFrustratedHistorian]

I'll give this movie this, it's not worst movie Kelly Clarkson starred in that you had on your court. Not naming any names, *cough From Justin to Kelly cough*.

[@kenthuang436]

Nor is it Nick Jonas’. *coughcoughcamprockcough*

[@timonfanmedia3268]

Nice review, Diva. I enjoyed it. UglyDolls was nothing but a blunder for me. BTW, I'm so excited for the day where you rip apart that awful My Bedbugs disgrace known as The Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure!

[@geeker6350]

If Lou and the Perfect Dolls think that the Uglydolls are hideous, then they'd die of terror at the sight of a Fuggler.

[@MsGigglesluv]

For me, the celebrity voices are way too distracting. It feels like I’m just listening to the celebrities rather than their characters. And this is especially true for Ugly Dog. I’m just hearing Pitbull. The one who is the exception is Wanda Sykes and that is only because she’s a voice actor too.

[@MovieFan1912]

I feel like this series would be complete for me if Diva covers The Oogieloves at some point. Edit: 😮 She’s actually doing that next!?! Well, I can’t wait to see her tear that film to pieces. 🎶Jesus Christ, this will be fun! 😁🎶 Sorry, I just can’t resist a good Hamilton reference.

[@juliagoodwin9510]

Ooh boy, next time is gonna be rough...

[@colleen4ever]

Oh., it's just too cruel!! No one deserves that!!

[@Hessed3712]

I got my first pair of glasses at age 9. To which my mother said, “Aww you look so cute with your little affliction.” 🙃

[@jmann6130]

Well that’s a rather back handed compliment lol

[@MaraRhodus]

A conveyer belt? Something, something, two nickels...

[@tomjackson6077]

17:12 oh, this will be fun. (Insert evil laugh 😈)

[@MsWickedWolf]

I'm excited for The Oogieloves review

[@MovieFan1912]

So am I! I have a feeling this is going to be fun!

[@MsWickedWolf]

@@MovieFan1912 Poor Diva, she's gonna suffer

[@kenthuang436]

@@MsWickedWolf Well at least it’s not Music bad.

[@kenthuang436]

So Oogieloves is next? I hope Diva addresses the main question I’ve been asking ever since I’ve seen other reviews for the movie years ago: Is the pillow’s cover its clothes or its skin? I mean it’s the same color as its eyelids yet it’s clear that it is a cover.

[@roristevens2810]

The timing on "The Gauntlet!" was fantastic 🤪

[@kenthuang436]

At least this “Gauntlet” was a bit better than the one in Charming and at least made more sense as to why anyone needed to run it in the Uglydolls Universe

[@DrawciaGleam02]

Where is that clip from though?

[@roristevens2810]

Season 12 (the second Netflix season) of Mystery Science Theater 3000. @@DrawciaGleam02

[@andysee6996]

First of all, I'm not sure if The Lego Movie is the best comparison point for UglyDolls. The cutesy asthetic and movie musical format tell me that it's more a ripoff of Trolls. Also, you missed a great opportunity to reference American Gladiators when the Gauntlet was mentioned.

[@kenthuang436]

I was expecting her to mention Charming and its Gauntlet especially since Uglydolls’ is also performed so the winner can find a type of love.

[@alexanderklepp]

I haven’t seen this film but I can’t name how many times I’ve heard Broken and Beautiful at my local grocery store.

[@colleen4ever]

I was wondering what the hell those lyrics meant every time I heard that song. Now I know!

[@ryandowney9383]

These "ugly" dolls really are too adorable to be ugly. And they look completely different than the normal dolls so it makes no sense they could have come from the same factory, even as rejects.

[@ThomasFan-vd3uz]

11:19 to answer your question Diva, in the film Lou stated that he was sent by the factory to help guide the others through.

[@timmckee6340]

5:38 wait don’t the doll already have a system to determine that ? I mean that’s why “ugglyville exitis right? Why do non-rejected dolls have to go to an institute to “prove they are perfect” when they didn’t get rejected by the system? also You’re NOT toy story 2 and jessie with bonnie stop trying to be You’re NOT toy story 2 and jessie with bonnie. 13:02 OH NOW YOU’RE JUST RIPIING OF TOY STORY 3! What WHERE IN GOD’s NAME DOES THE PORTAL LEAD what do they dolls just randomly appear in front a kid or something or do they get transported in with their packaging?

[@phoenixknighttheultimatedi4134]

I am shock to know the oogieloves are next, I am shock

[@kelleyceccato7025]

"The Gauntlet!!" -- just another reminder of how much I wish the most recent MST3K had not been canceled (sniff sniff). Now I've seen what every animated family film needs: a callback to Mr. Bonestripper. Sleep tight, kids. The whole "let's hear it for the weirdos" thing has been done better, indeed. "Nimona" exists. By all appearances, that movie has more imagination and innovation in a single scene than "Ugly Dolls" has over its entire runtime.

[@Princess_-gp3ep]

I agree.

[@bjornjonsson6583]

I forgot to mention that an over-the-top-and-all-over-the-place-all-the-time-never-resting comedy show on Netflix, about some dumb teenagers running a toy shop, also did it again and again until I gave up and watched Judy's Greenroom instead.

[@KelpoTheCereal]

I was obsessed with uglydolls as a kid and I think even I would've hated this. What I loved about Uglydolls was that they looked well loved, a lot of the dolls even had a matted texture to them like they'd been in the dryer a couple times. Even when they try to make them "ugly" everything in the movie looks so sanitized.

[@mcwyman7928]

As aggressively meh as this movie is, it did at least give us Broken and Beautiful, which is lowkey kind of a bop that I sometimes find myself listening to if I need a pick me up.

[@CartoonFan1994]

This is one of those cashgrab movies that play it very safe, which further emboldens South Park’s message about marketing to China The failure this movie and Playmobil experienced at the Box Office are a few instances where the public can see through the safe corporate strings far more easily and swiftly than seeing studio equipment on oldschool stop-notion shows at super first glance. Rest in Piece, Kelly Asbury. You are missed to this day and beyond.

[@janebyrne6463]

In a way it proves, contrary to what H. L. Mencken famously said decades ago, it is possible to go broke underestimating the American public's intelligence. Not often, but sometimes.

[@BugsyFoga]

You can definitely tell this one wanted to cash in on the trolls films.

[@benburke3015]

I vividly remember seeing a trailer for this many many moons ago (had no idea it was based off a brand lol) and just forgot about it and moved on with my life. Fitting it's the same studio as the Playmobil movie, as I also had no idea this was a musical either. Seriously, why are movie studios/execs so cagey about advertising musicals as musicals? Lol.

[@DeepEye1994]

I hope that one of the movies Diva covers before the end of the series is "The Real Shlemiel" (or, Aaron's Magic Village) from 1997. A downright weird and silly animated movie about Jewish folk stuff and filled with songs that I absolutely want to see your reactions to lol

[@benjaminyates7889]

Remember when animated musicals had the songs like an actual musical and not like whatever popular crap was on the radio at the time?

[@TheGabygael]

sadly, i could see this movie be a fair exploration of how it is to be adhd or neurodivergent in a society geared towards neurotypical people... sadly it chose to be boring and EmOsOd4Rk instead. Even a view of how one could balance one's own creative uniqueness in a highly formatised world how learning to learn the rules of that system to one's own advantage and to support each other would have been interesting

[@VitaminNick-k1r]

I still suffer crippling regret from wanting to watch this and seeing this movie in theaters but never deceive pickachue.

[@MegaOrwell1984]

I actually remember the uglydolls, I even had one myself (it was icebat.)

[@princessfiona2967]

I love that actual toys I think they are so cool and I wish I had one

[@TellyKNetic]

I saw the one doll with the brown hair with a green streak through it and thought, "What is Smallishbeans doing here?"

[@janebyrne6463]

I had heard of this film when it first came out, but never saw it. I agree though the "the odd get even" concept has been done way better (like in Shrek and Shrek 2). I am looking forward to your take on Oggieloves. I've seen the Nostalgia Critic's take on the movie more than a few times, so I'd love to hear your take on it.

[@MovieFan1912]

I don’t remember the Nostalgia Critic covering the Oogieloves. I think you’re thinking of his colleague, the Cinema Snob.

[@erikbihari3625]

I'm just spitballing here, diva. But if you ever feel like in great need of ideas, we had many! For example, ever thought about listing reviews that have reached number ten on the sin count or no?

[@timothymclean]

Why? The comments do that pretty regularly.

[@erikbihari3625]

@@timothymclean. Sometimes, only I feel to be thinking big!

[@lovekovlover383]

I have a feeling the next case might beat Music in sins.... Have mercy on us all...😢

[@SuperSwordman1]

I honestly doubt it. Oogieloves is stupid and nothing but fluff, but it's harmless. Music was...not harmless.

[@Rabbitlord108]

I think the final case in April is going to be the one that beats out Music in terms of the sin count.

[@fashionablechangeling1988]

@@Rabbitlord108 Final Case? Is she leaving KZbin?

[@Rabbitlord108]

@@fashionablechangeling1988 The review series Musical Hell is what's ending. Know The Score will continue though.

[@JoshFreilich]

Check this off the list of things I have been waiting for for a long time… 😈

[@jeremyusreevu237]

Oh god, that next case is gonna be fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuun!

[@kali3665]

And I feel so very bad for you now. I mean, yeah, it IS Hell, but The Oogieloves should not be suffered by ANYONE above its target audience. Truthfully, not by THEM either!

[@gracekim25]

Please block @erikbihari3625 for being a rude jerk about Barbie, Lion guard and not understanding what reviews are. They’re a toxic person

[@pokemongirl7511]

i've never watched this movie, but it ended up being added to a series of bad fanfics i kinda keep up with. lou got a half-assed redemption arc and became a knock-off of sebastian from black butler, and the entirety of the climax/gauntlet scene got wholesale copied but applied to vampires (bc the main oc had hang-ups about vampires and so this was basically turned into a "are you enough of a credit to your species to hang out with her" competition), with "the ugly truth" being reworked for it. it's...a weird series.

[@gracekim25]

My main question about this movie is why are they called ugly dolls if the animation doesn’t make they ugly but CUTE😅 isn’t that like false advertising? And upon seeing the actual dolls, again why make the animation cute?😅I’m so confused 😶

[@BEE-oz7yd]

How does the movie miss the point of its own premise this thoroughly?

[@antonspivack3928]

3:16 She lied to us through song! I hate when people do that!

[@christheleavittman7080]

Here before this video gets deleted by copyright bots.

[@nickbritt1145]

Reincarnated as Goodwill toys, huh? Thanks for helping our business a little, Diva!

[@desrochessimon3044]

According to Wikipedia, there also suppose to be an Ugly Dolls tv show.

[@Urmumlel7025]

God, I love poorly created metaphor kid films.