The defence The Sentimental Softie
“Sincerity is not manipulation.”
The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.
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Carl's Date
Animation · Family · Comedy · 2023
Carl Fredricksen reluctantly agrees to go on a date with a lady friend—but admittedly has no idea how dating works these days. Ever the helpful friend, Dug steps in to calm Carl's pre-date jitters and offer some tried-and-true tips for making friends—if you're a dog.
Movie details
Carl's Date
“New adventure. Same wingman.”
2023 Animation · Family · Comedy 9m
Critical arithmetic
The consensus, allegedly.
Scores change. Arguments endure.
IMDb
6.4 / 10
4K votes
TMDB
7.4 / 10
Community rating
External scores via OMDb · CC BY-NC 4.0. Values normalized for display; availability varies by title.
Carl Fredricksen reluctantly agrees to go on a date with a lady friend—but admittedly has no idea how dating works these days. Ever the helpful friend, Dug steps in to calm Carl's pre-date jitters and offer some tried-and-true tips for making friends—if you're a dog.
CriticWise case file
What this film says about your taste.
Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.
The archetype split
Who fights over Carl's Date?
For the defence
The Sentimental Softie
“You came to feel something, and you will.”
Read their case For the prosecution
The Cool Ironist
“Feeling things is a little embarrassing.”
Read their objectionThe split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.
Taste neighbourhood
Nearby on the taste map.
TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.
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Hawaiian Vacation
Animation · 2011
The toys throw Ken and Barbie a Hawaiian vacation in Bonnie's room.
A Matter of Loaf and Death
Family · 2008
Wallace and Gromit open a bakery, accidentally getting tied up with a murder mystery in the process. But when Wallace falls in love, Gromit is left to solve the case by himself.
Kung Fu Panda: Secrets of the Scroll
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Animation · 2010
When a social worker visits Gru’s house to assess its suitability for children, chaos ensues. Margo, Edith, and Agnes, along with the ever-mischievous Minions, scramble to give the home a makeover in record time. Their attempts to create a warm and inviting environment quickly spiral into hilarity as the Minions’ unorthodox methods lead to outrageous results. This short captures the Minions’ inventive, albeit chaotic, solutions, blending humor with heartwarming moments of teamwork.
Where it lives
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Names above the title
The people responsible.
Cast & crew
Directed by
Bob Peterson
Written by
Bob Peterson
Ed Asner
Carl (voice)
Bob Peterson
Dug / Alpha (voice)
Court is in session
Put Carl's Date on trial.
Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.
The prosecution The Cool Ironist
“The strings are showing.”
Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.