A Lovable, Heart-Thawing Film

Rating: 8/10 (30 January 2019)

Definitely the best in the (what would soon be) franchise. I say that even if other people say that the franchise as a whole is awful, at least check this film out. While they aren't wrong in saying the other films in the franchise are terrible, this one holds a special place in several people's hearts.
Since the story's too good to give away, i'll simply fill you in on the characters.
I enjoy Sid's personality a lot. He's a small, wimpy guy, but tries his hardest to make some form of impact. From some sources, it was said that he was intended to be a hustler/con-artist, which I would have liked to see. I think Diego is quite enjoyable as well. In my option, he should have had somewhat of a redemption ark given he wasn't the nicest when the group first met him. However, they make up for it in a short, but sweet reveal sequence when he bids a key character farewell.
I think the character that really breaks the ice in this film is Manny. He's the largest, loudest and most threatening in the ragtag group of misfits, but won't hesitate to stand up for his friends. The backstory of his family is very saddening to me, most likely because i've gone through something similar to it.
Ice Age might have some problems in it's story and it's CGI hasn't aged super well, but for what we got, it's a fun little movie that'd i'd like to see a few more times in the future.
One final note. My favorite scene from this film (and the entire franchise) is the opening with Scrat. No dialogue. No music. Just the low howls of wind and the saber-toothed screw up doing what he does best; wreaking havoc.