Smurfs: The Lost Village

Like many kids and teens of my generation, I have a soft spot for Smurfs.  I was particularly excited that there was a female Smurf - Smurfette!  Smurfs were the "Minions" of their time and ridiculously popular.  So popular, that Kings Productions even produced a show for their theme parks - "The Smurfs Are Here.  Yup...and yours truly did was a performer in the one at Ohio's Kings Island.

If Beyoncé' lit a match under millennial women with her concept album "Lemonade", Smurfette is the ringleader for  the Female Smurf Nation.  At least until she stumbles upon the "lost village", which is saturated with female Smurfs.  These dolls have a strong sense of self, confidence and identity.  For all these reasons and more, Smurfs:  The Lost Village will really strike a chord with young girls.

It doesn't hurt that Smurfette is voiced by one of the most outspoken feminine voices on the scene - Demi Lovato.  Demi throughout her career has been very vocal  about how women need to empower each other, love each other and more importantly...love themselves.  Lovato's Smurfette doesn't depend on a man's love or approval to exist.  Which is why when Brainy Smurf (Joe Manganiello) consistently tries to impress her with compliments and chilvalry...it has no impact.

The scene stealers of the bunch are Clumsy Smurf, adoringly voiced by Jack McBrayer and Rainn Wilson as Gargamel is deliciously devilish.  The tension created with only their voices between Julia Roberts (Smurf Willow) and Mandy Patinkin (Papa Smurf) is genius!  I wanted see Papa Smurf and Smurf Willow have many more moments!