The Cinematic Schematic

The Cinematic Schematic returns for a review and spoiler-filled discussion of Walt Disney Animation’s latest film exploring a post-apocalyptic southeast Asian fantasy, Raya and the Last Dragon. Rejoining us for this conversation is our resident animated film fan, Lauren Weingart, founder of Video Peach Productions. After a full year away from a theater, the slow release of blockbuster-quality studio films had come to a crawl. That is with a handful of exceptions, including Disney’s latest $30 Premiere Access release. Raya and the Last Dragon is about as big a scope you can get with a Disney movie. It’s set in a fantastical world that had been ravaged by evil. The only way our hero, Raya(Kelly Marie Tran), can hope to save her world is by taking a globe-trotting, Indiana Jones-style adventure to reassemble a magical dragon gem with her new partner, Sisu(Awkwafina). It features sword fights, treasure hunts, and a timely message. Does it deliver on something fun and new? Is it worth the $30? We discuss all of th