When one thinks of a popular television series that is turned into a feature film, many immediately assume (thanks to the large number of those that have done this) that it will basically be a longer version of a standard episode of the show. Or, in the case of television animation, a few episodes all rolled into a full-length feature. Big City Greens The Movie: Spacecation is not one of those examples. Sure it has the fun, humor, and antics of its namesake series, but the new feature film showcases a brand new adventure that could not fit into a standard episode of the Disney Channel favorite.
Based on the award winning Disney Channel animated series that sees a small town country family forced to live in the chaotic concrete jungle that is Big City (now in its fourth season), this new full-length film follows the titular Green family as they embark on an adventurous outer space-bound vacation. When thrill-seeker Cricket tricks his family into taking a “road trip” in space, chaos in the cosmos quickly ensues. Despite growing frustrations between Cricket and his dad, Bill, the two must learn to appreciate each other’s unique perspectives in order to prevent Big City from being destroyed by an interstellar disaster.
Everyone you know from the Green family is along for this comedic (and sometimes dramatic) thrill ride, with the main cast of the series prominently featured in the film. This includes one of the Executive Producers and series creator (along with brother Shane), Chris Houghton as Cricket Green, Marieve Herington as Tilly Green, Bob Joles as Bill Green, Artemis Pebdani as Gramma Alice, Wendi McLendon-Covey as Nancy Green, Zeno Robinson as Remy Remington, and Anna Akana as Gloria Sato. The film also features Cheri Oteri as Gwendolyn Zapp, Joe Lo Truglio as a BigTech Scientist, Jack McBrayer as Farmbot, and Raven-Symoné as Maria Media.
You may have noticed that this list doesn’t feature EVERYONE you know from the series. As opposed to other TV-to-movie fare, Spacecation doesn’t pack the feature full of fan-service appearances for the sake of fitting them into the movie somewhere. Every character in the film serves the needs of the story, and that helps viewers get engrossed in the story that the creatives are trying to tell – and not throwing in a random fan-favorite character for no reason. That said, there are some fun cameos in crowd shots of Big City, but nothing distracting enough to pull us from the film.
Renee Elise Goldberry, known largely for her performance in the phenomenon that is Hamilton, is also in this film as Colleen Voyd, and she is here for a reason – Big City Greens The Movie: Spacecation is very much a musical. Sure the show has featured songs in many of their nearly 100 episodes, but nothing compared to what’s in store during Spacecation.
Full musical numbers in different genres of music are peppered throughout. Personally, a song performed by the aforementioned Goldberry might be my favorite from the film, though it might just be because of my fondness for technicalities and structure. There is a full almost cabaret-style number as well that is definitely another standout, and each song is very capable of getting stuck in your head. A power ballad between Cricket and Bill will certainly tug at the heartstrings but truth be told, as a longtime fan of the series I have to admit this isn’t my favorite Bill Green musical moment. Nothing will ever top that Theme Song Takeover for me. However, if you haven’t consumed every piece of Big City Greens content, then you will think nothing of what I’ve just said and find the song quite a significant moment in the film.
That’s because these numbers are nothing like we’ve ever seen on the series before. They are spectacle, they are beautiful, and they are on a much grander scale. That’s a recurring theme fans will notice. Everything about Spacecation is throttled up, which was the intention of the Houghton brothers and director Anna O’Brian. The humor is stronger and definitely includes many moments that will soar over some younger heads. The songs are grander and far more show stopping than ever before. The animation is absolutely beautiful while still retaining the style of the series. There is far more detail than a standard episode, and one effect in the background animation of an asteroid that is constantly adjusting its trajectory truly left me awestruck. Even the emotion and the gravitas is amped up. We’ve seen Cricket create some hijinks before, causing a rift between his father and himself, but now we’re seeing some real stakes, emotion, and heart. Yes, Tilly (complete with new animal(?) friend) and Gramma are there, but there is a strong focus on Cricket and Bill’s relationship. Fans might even notice a parallel – a road trip gone awry, father/son tension, and musical numbers? Could this be this generation’s A Goofy Movie? It’s definitely a strong contender.
I keep bringing up the episodes of the series, but rest assured, If you’ve never seen an episode of Big City Greens, it’s not necessary. You’ll definitely appreciate the film more if you’re familiar with the series, but you don’t need any kind of deep knowledge of the show to appreciate the movie. A fun introductory moment will catch you up fairly quickly, and it exemplifies that the story and humor are strong enough to get anyone invested and will likely make one want to look into the series if they have not yet been properly introduced.
In fact, a wiki-length knowledge of the series might open one up to some nerdy nitpicking. That said, I found myself doing that a number of times, mostly when Nancy arrives to housesit for the rest of her family. For half of season three, Gloria (who lives with the Greens) was essentially on her own in the house, with no need for a house sitter. Not that they do much housesitting anyway, considering Nancy and Gloria team up in this movie. An unexpected duo – but then again, so were Gloria and Gramma and look where we are now.
Okay, now that I’ve adjusted my “um, actually”-style nerd glasses to point that out, I can safely tell you that unless you’re THAT kind of person (a curse I wouldn’t wish upon anybody), you’ll absolutely enjoy Big City Greens the Movie: Spacecation. Whether you’re an avid viewer or brand new to the franchise, whether you’re a 12 year-old or an adult watching with or without a kid, you’ll likely find yourself similar to the show's trademark Kludge, and you won’t budge – from your seat. I give this out of this world adventure 4 out of 5 Zappstronaut Rulebooks.
Big City Greens the Movie: Spacecation debuts on Disney Channel on Thursday, June 6th at 8:00 PM, and arrives on Disney+ the next day.
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