Movie Review - Penguins of Madagascar

Penguins of Madagascar

Starring: Tom McGrath, Chris Miller, Christopher Knights, Conrad Vernon, John Malkovich, Benedict Cumberbatch, Ken Jeong, Anne Mahendru, Peter Stormare, Andy Richter, Danny Jacobs, and more.

Directed by: Eric Darnell and Simon J. Smith Screenplay by: John Aboud, Michael Colton, and Brandon Sawyer Based on Characters Created by: Eric Darnell and Tom McGrath Original Music by: Lorne Balfe

Premise: Leaving the rest of the animals at the circus to go celebrate Private's birthday, the penguins's plans get interrupted when they're kidnapped by an unknown enemy. This turns out to be Dave, who has a problem with all penguins - Skipper and the others but the first of many. However, the four escape, taking with them the mutagen Dave threatened them with. They're handling their escape just fine until the arrival of the North Wind - a self proclaimed animal protection organization.  And they do not believe our four operatives anything but innocent, vacuous penguins. Will the two groups be able to acknowledge each other and their unique skills before Dave enacts his nefarious plans on penguin kind? (Rated PG)

Review:

1) Voice Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Tom McGrath, Chris Miller, Christopher Knights, and Conrad Vernon are just too fun as the four intrepid, and highly chaotic penguins. John Malkovich gave just the right amount of crazy to poor unloved Dave. Benedict Cumberbatch was fun as the much flustered Agent Classified.


2) Artwork/Animation - Total Thumbs Up: Dreamworks continues to prove they have what it takes to make animated films. Crisp colors, super attention to detail, and some awesome texture generation were used throughout the movie. Cheezy Dibbles are a major part of the film and they look crunchy, their cheese powder going everywhere, in effect totally convincing the audience they are the messy, noisy snacks they are.

Lots of cool vehicles and HUD screens. The North Wind has all the cool gadgets you'd expect from a top secret world organization. The penguins work the opposite direction, all their instruments made from what's around them - a pivotal part of their continued survival. (And a whole lot of luck!)

The entirety of the gondola chase scene in Venice shows it all. What an inventive and wild ride!


3) Plot/Story - Total Thumbs Up: The Penguins have always been my favorite part of the Madagascar movies. I fell even more in love with them in their Nickelodeon TV series The Penguins of Madagascar. So I was very pumped when the previews came out for this film.

The story actually picks up at the end of the last Madagascar film, after we go through a hilarious flashback of how the four intrepid penguins met and what set them on the path as international daring doers. There's a lot of tongue-in-cheek moments, like the dramatic dialogue of the documentary men over the young penguins's plight, then actually shoving them into it.

Skipper, Kowalski, Rico, and Private are all about saving the world, going on missions, and having fun doing it, so the adventure takes on the look and feel of a James Bond film while also keeping some of the problems being faced by the foursome closer to home.

A lot of themes are covered - family, finding ones place, trusting in yourself and those around you, not dismissing others just because they do not fit your mold of how they should be. If you've watched the TV series, the plot involving Private will seem a little heavy handed, but otherwise should flow flawlessly by.

The film is full of cute moments, jokes, slick maneuvers, and as always lots of penguin fun.


4) Music - Total Thumbs Up: Lorne Balfe did a fantastic job on the music score. Fast paced tunes with just the right tone for awesome spy daring do!

Conclusion: "Penguins of Madagascar" is a fun ride with plenty of fun for adults and kids alike. A little extra fun during the credits, but nothing more at the end - well worth staying for that middle bit though. Great penguin fun!

Rating: 4 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price to See Again.)

Movie Review - How To Train Your Dragon 2

How To Train Your Dragon 2

Starring: Jay Baruchel, Cate Blanchett, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, T. J. Miller, Kristen Wiig, Djimon Hounsou, Kit Harington, Kieron Elliott, Randy Thom, and more.

Directed by: Dean DeBlois Written by: Dean DeBlois Based on the "How To Train Your Dragon" book series by: Cressida Cowell Music by: John Powell

Premise: Five years after the village of Berk embraced having dragons as friends, the village stands transformed by this new era of peace. Hiccup, however, is still trying to figure out who he is and what he wants, especially after his father approaches him about declaring to the village the fact Hiccup will become their chief in future and begin his training. But Hiccup pushes his concerns aside when he and Astrid come across a band of men trying to capture dragons for Drago, who is building a vast dragon army. They also tell Hiccup he's not the first dragon rider they've met - making him realize there are more than those of Berk out there. (Rated PG)

Review:

1) Voice Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Jay Baruchel is delightful as he reprises his role as the peace and dragon loving Hiccup. Wit and snark are served with fun aplomb by Kristen Wiig, Christophjer Mintz-Plasse, T. J. Miller, and Jonah Hill. Gerard Butler will make you cry as he tries to woo back the person he'd thought lost to him forever.

2) Artwork/Animation - Total Thumbs Up: Dreamworks continues to show their ever expanding skills in the animation field. With their efforts and the added 3D functionality, everything had texture, including human skin. The vibrant colors of the dragons were as dazzling as crystals during several scenes.

Of particular beauty and cool effect were the scenes where Hiccup encounters the masked dragon rider and when he sees the protected dragon area. On the human side, the attention to detail on the ships and other common objects was quite impressive and even helped set the mood in a couple of locations.

Great care was taken in the formation of facial expressions, as in several spots that is solely what the audience has to go on. They were all easy to read and did much to elevate the watcher's emotional involvement.

3) Plot/Story - Total Thumbs Up: I've not read the series the movie is based on, though my nieces insist much was changed. But for those only acquainted with the DreamWorks version, I think you'll be quite happy with this new installment.

Five years have passed from the time of the original film and all the kids have grown to different extents. The boys have definitely started noticing the girls and vice versa. It's background and comedic material, though in other ways it does permeate one branch of the main plot.

There are several very moving scenes, some of which will grab you unexpectedly. So, if movies make you cry, make sure to come prepared for this one.

Lots of cute or funny moments. Watching Hiccup and Toothless cavort around and play is always fun to watch. The subplot of Hiccup's Mom was nicely done. Drago though, didn't really have much depth. I would have loved to hear the tale of how exactly he got hold of his grand prize.

Conclusion: "How To Train Your Dragon 2" was a lot of fun and definitely worth watching. It will also tug at the heart strings. Beautiful animation made even more fun by the 3D.

Rating: 4.25 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price To See Again)

Movie Review - Mr. Peabody and Sherman

Mr. Peabody and Sherman

Starring: Ty Burrell, Max Charles, Ariel Winter, Lauri Fraser, Guillaume Aretos, Allison Janney, Zach Callison, Stanley Tucci, Patrick Warburton, Mel Brooks, Steve Valentine, Stephen Colbert, Leslie Mann, and more.

Directed by: Rob Minkoff Screenplay by: Craig Wright Additional Dialogue by: Robert Ben Garant and Thomas Lennon Based on the Series Produced by: Jay Ward Original Series Segment Created by: Ted Key Music by: Danny Elfman

Premise: While Mr. Peabody attempts to smooth over an incident with Sherman at school, Sherman tries to prove to his tormentor that he's not a liar by revealing to her the secret of the WABAC machine. Unfortunately, once she goes with Sherman traveling, Penny decides she's not coming back. So, Mr. Peabody must leave the dinner party and go with Sherman to try to convince her to come back. Things, however, do not go exactly as planned. (Rated PG)

Review:

1)  Voice Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Dreamwork's casting for this film was outstanding. Ty Burrell had just the right voice for Mr. Peabody. Max Charles was adorable as Sherman. Ariel Winter showed her lovely range as Penny. Allison Janney made her character glow with malicious evil.

2) Artwork/Animation - Total Thumbs Up: Dreamworks always pays a great amount of attention to detail, and their work on "Mr. Peabody and Sherman" was no exception. Their renderings of the historical locations they traveled to were exquisite. Mr. Peabody's lab, the time tunnel, the WABAC itself all looked amazing. What was even more fun, however, were the bits in the art that seemed to be paying homage to other films or shows - the giant statues in the sphinx shaped like cobras, the WABAC's interior looking a lot like the bridge of the 1960's "Star Trek", a couple of other spots mirroring scenes from "Dr. Who".  

That they included art bits in the ending credits of the original "Peabody's Improvable History" was a perfect touch. This was definitely a work of love.

3) Plot/Story - Total Thumbs Up: "Mr. Peabody and Sherman" is based on a 1959-1964 segment which appeared as part of the "Rocky and His Friends" and "The Bullwinkle Show" called "Peabody's Improbable History". The main points in the original segments were how the two of them would travel to important points in history and the off the wall way they would make things work out, and that all would eventually revolve around a pun or two. These traditions were definitely kept in the film.

What's most impressive about "Mr. Peabody and Sherman' is how Dreamworks took this bizarre concept of a genius dog and his adopted son who travel in time and infused it with real parent and children relationship issues, as well as several current topics pertaining to education and other agencies. Mr. Peabody may be the most accomplished dog or human of his day, but parenting doesn't always work as straightforward as science. I think many parents will resonate with the trials and feelings Mr. Peabody showed.

Puns and wordplay, as well as visual gags, are everywhere as well as an infusion of serious topics for parents and children alike to contemplate. There's even history to learn as many important events get explored, all seeded with accurate information as well as the 'not so much' kind the original segment was famous for.

4) Music - Total Thumbs Up: Danny Elfman did some marvelous music work on this film. While it carries his unique signature, it also lent itself quite engagingly to each of the times the group visits. Even better, there were riffs scattered here and there from other films and shows - "Stargate", "Lawrence of Arabia", and "The Matrix" to name a few.

Conclusion: "Mr. Peabody and Sherman" is a fun film. It gave homage to the original as well as to many other science fiction shows and did so verbally, visually, and even musically. It is a fan paradise for bits of homage, in-jokes, as well as nostalgia. Yet, the fast plot and smart script will keep both adults and kids thoroughly entertained. The short before the film called "Almost Home" is hilarious.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (Son-in-law and Daughter Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission)

Movie Review - Turbo

(Sorry I'm late! Life conspired against me!)
Turbo

Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Paul Giamatti, Michael Peña, Samuel L Jackson, Luis Guzmán, Bill Hader, Snoop Dogg, Maya Rudolph, Ben Schwartz, Richard Jenkins, Ken Jeong, Michelle Rodriguez, Mario Andretti, Mike Bell, and more.

Directed by: David Soren Screenplay by: Darren Lemke, Robert D Siegel, and David Soren Cinematography by: Chris Stover Original Music by: Henry Jackman

Premise: Theo is a garden snail, but the slow toils of the garden where he lives just aren't for him. His dream is to become a racer, regardless of what his brother says or the fact he's almost an outcast within his own community. A freak accident with nitrous oxide after months of drinking his favorite racing hero's sponsored (and full of possible side effects) cola changes something inside Theo so that his body will move as fast as his dreams. But even after fate brings him to a kindred spirit, the human Tito, there are a lot of obstacles still to be overcome - not the least of which is his own brother. (Rated PG)

Review:

1) Voice Acting - Total Thumbs Up: "Turbo" has nice voice acting work by all involved. Ryan Reynolds really brings through Turbo's yearning for racing as well as his utter bafflement with regards to his brother not understanding what drives him. Paul Giamatti did a great job as Chet, easily conveying Theo's brother's frustrations and worries. Samuel L Jackson was fun as Whiplash, the 'not quite sane' leader of the racing snail group at Starlight Plaza. The decision of getting Bill Hader to play Guy Gagné proved a great choice, as Hader gave Guy just the right amount of suave and sleaze, depending on the situation.

2) Artwork/Animation - Total Thumbs Up: As usual Dreamworks delivers a gorgeous piece of animation. From the factory like garden environs of the snails to the racing track of the Indianapolis 500, there is meticulous attention to detail. So despite the mind boggling premise with it's necessary 'suspension of disbelief', it's not hard at all to accept that the world portrayed in "Turbo" is real.

There are several visual gags and repeated bits throughout the film. Make sure to sit through part of the credits as a recurring moment finally gets a resolution and a laugh.

3) Story/Plot - Thumbs Up:  Despite my own eagerness to see this film, I'd been wondering exactly how they planned to pull off the main premise, and if they could do so in a satisfying manner. I was actually quite pleasantly surprised by their choices! "Turbo" is not one of those contrived arrangements where the hero gets to his final goal without any realistic hardships. The story actually places real life stumbling blocks in the hero's path, like the need for big money to pay entry fees, or the fact it takes more than just dreaming to reach your goals.

Another surprise were the two concurrent themes with regards to brothers and dreamers - not only do we get the struggle between Theo (the dreamer) and his older brother Chet (the pragmatist), we also get the same friction on a human level with the Dos Bros Taco stand owners, Tito and Angelo. So "Turbo" actually tackles some quite emotional and adult themes.

Conclusion: "Turbo" was a lot of fun on several levels. It's more adult in themes than one would expect, but still has a lot of 'gags' and action to keep both kids and adults well entertained. And if you're a racing fan, there's even more to love! Don't forget to sit through part of the credits.

Rating: 4 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Paying Full Price To See Again)

Movie Review - The Croods

(It's my birthday so I splurged! Doing two movies this week. One today and another tomorrow. Yeah!)
The Croods

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, Catherine Keener, Cloris Leachman, Clark Duke, Chris Sanders, and Randy Thom.

Directed by: Kirk De Micco and Chris Sanders Screenplay by: Chris Sanders and Kirk De Micco Story by: John Cleese, Chris Sanders, and Kirk De Micco Cinematography by: Yong Duk Jhun Original Music by: Alan Silvestri

Premise: Tired of always hiding in caves and fearing the outside world, Eep, a young cavegirl, breaks her father's strictest rule and leaves the cave during the night when she sees light shinning in from outside and decides to go investigate. She makes a startling discovery, but also finds out the end of the world may be at hand. If she and her family don't try to find a new way of life, they may very well become extinct. (Rated PG)

Review:

1) Voice Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Nicolas Cage works a remarkably broad range of emotions as The Crood's head of the family. Between Mr. Cage's acting and the great animation from Dreamworks, it's easy to see the whole spectrum of Grug's feelings throughout the film. Emma Stone played the ultimate teenager and did it very well. Ryan Reynolds was fun as the character 'Guy'. Cloris Leachman had great chemistry with Nicolas Cage as hated mother-in-law. She had some great one liners. Chris Sanders as Belt was adorable!

2) Artwork/Animation - Total Thumbs Up: Dreamworks really knows how to use their medium to tell stories. I loved the stark contrast between the Croods' home and the new land they discover when they set off on their journey. And rather than just give us the usual prehistoric or modern animals and plants, the film animators went through a lot of trouble, and had some obvious fun, inventing a world all their own.

The animation is quite impressive throughout. The film was filled with great sweeping vistas and grand chaos. Coupled with the bright imagination of the artists and story makers, it made the whole film very robust. Deadly beauty, unexpected discoveries, even finding a way to make serious things humorous - the film does all this and more. One of my favorite parts was the field of giant flowers some of the party members come across in the labyrinth - definitely beautiful and also very deadly.

Two mirrored but extremely poignant moments only involved animation yet were incredibly powerful - Eep and her father both unknowingly hesitate, then make the conscious decision (for different reasons) to leave the known safety of the cave - the deep emotion and hesitation shown purely by the way they lay their hand on the cave's front stone and then remove it. Lovely.

3) Plot/Story - Total Thumbs Up: As some of the best animated films do, "The Croods" has something for everyone in the family to enjoy. They also incorporated a lot of subtle humor, even weaving some of it into the music in the background. The parents are apt to enjoy the movie even more than the kids.

The story line possesses several concurrent plots, making it more robust as a whole. Not only do they cover Eep's anxieties and dreams, which is typical of animated films, but they go a step further and also show her father's - connecting with the teens and parents. The whole section where Grug is trying to be 'hip' and create things on his own, is a total riot.

But even better, despite it being a kid's movie and as such almost forced to end on a happy note, the story tellers even make you doubt all will turn out okay.

Conclusion: "The Croods" is highly enjoyable and totally adorable. Contains a ton of cute to outright funny moments. Lots of great visuals. (I want one of the flying turtles!) Well worth making the time to go see it.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Paying Full Price To See Again!)

Movie Review - Rise of the Guardians

Rise of the Guardians

Starring: Chris Pine, Alec Baldwin, Jude Law, Isla Fisher, Hugh Jackman, Dakota Goyo, Khamani Griffin, Kamil McFadden, Georgie Grieve, Jacob Bertrand, Dominique Grund, Rich Dietl, and more.

Directed by: Peter Ramsey Screenplay by: David Lindsay-Abaire Based on the book The Guardians of Childhood by: William Joyce and Based on the short film the Man in The Moon by: Joyce and Reel FX. Original Music by: Alexandre Desplat Art Direction by: Max Boas.

Premise: Jack Frost knows nothing of where he comes from or of his past. Unlike most of the other supernatural beings he knows about, he's the only one not visible to people. Yet this has never stopped him from having fun. But when he's dragged up to the North Pole without being asked, he's told an old evil is on the rise again. This evil is threatening the world's children and must be stopped by the Guardians. And the Man in the Moon has chosen Jack to be one of them. But Jack wants nothing to do with that. (Rated PG)

Review:

1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Great performances all around. Alec Baldwin was a lot of fun as North. Hugh Jackman as the Bunny was hilarious. Chris Pine made Jack Frost a very sympathetic character, who wants to belong despite what he says.

2) Animation - Total Thumbs Up: Dreamworks once again delivers some amazing animation in their newest film. From the very beginning the detail and the beauty of what is being presented shines through. The snowflakes and patterns of frost were gorgeous. I loved the added detail of frost on Jack's pullover shirt. They do some amazing things with the Sandman's (Sandy's) sleeping sand and Pitch's nightmare ones.

A lot of fun visual gags are interspersed throughout the film - the Yeti with the bad color timing, the helper elves that are usually not so much help as hindrance, the Eater Island guard stone eggs with turning expressions. There's a lot to see and take in.

Each of the legends' homes are fun and unique - I especially adored Bunny's place, which was somewhat reminiscent of "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory." The walking eggs were too cute! And Sophie was utterly adorable.

3) Story - Total Thumbs Up: Though the main story line is what you'd expect from the previews, there are other stories happening simultaneously, which gave the film a lot of emotional depth. Even better, though the characters at first glance appear to be ones we know - Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy - it becomes evident quite quickly that these well known supernatural icons are not as you'd expect. That alone brought half the fun of the film. A Santa Claus with tattoos who's more than willing to get into fights, an Easter Bunny who is lean and tough, Yetis making toys instead of elves - a re-imagining of all those things which we are familiar into something different yet still very much the same.

Like the animation, the story too brings with it all manner of little surprises that add a lot to the experience - Tooth and her fairies and their fan girl sighs over Jack's teeth; Cupcake, a hefty girl others fear but who's real love is for cute, lacy things. There were a lot of ying and yang type comparisons throughout as well - between Sandy and Pitch, Jack and Pitch, what's inside versus the outside wrappings.

Conclusion: "Rise of the Guardians" is a fun film for both kids and adults. Make sure to sit through part of the credits, too! A super cute extra section is tucked away in there. And if you've ever had the slightest inclination of crying at a film, make sure to take a least one set of tissues with you. You might just need them.

Rating: 4.25 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission.)

Movie Review - Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted

Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted

Starring: Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, Jada Pickett Smith, Sacha Baron Cohen, Cedric the Entertainer, Andy Richter, Tom McGrath, Frances McDormand, Jessica Chastain, Brian Cranston, Martin Short, Chris Miller, Christopher Knights, and more.

Directed by: Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath, and Conrad Vernon Screenplay by: Eric Darnell and Noah Baumbach Original Music by: Hans Zimmer

Premise: Alex (the lion) starts feeling home sick for New York and decides they should find the penguins, who finally were able to make the airplane from "Madagascar 2" flight worthy. Things take a bad turn as animal control is called when Alex and the others track the penguins down to a casino in Monte Carlo and get spotted. Captain Chantel DuBois is like no one they've had to face before, and she's out to get a lion's head for her trophy collection no matter what. (Rated PG)

Review:

1) Voice Acting - Total Thumbs Up: The chemistry between all the regular actors is still there and as always increases the fun. The new additions of Brian Cranston, Martin Short, and Jessica Chastain also work very well. But the most amusement comes from Frances McDormand's portrayal of Captain Chantel DuBois. The captain was an incredibly neat character and a worthy adversary for our heroes.

2) Artwork/Animation - Total Thumbs Up: Dreamworks' animation is 'top notch' as always. Their recreations of Monte Carlo and the country side of France were beautiful. The chase scenes flowed very well, almost as if watching an animated "James Bond" or one of the "Bourne" films.

The remade circus acts were also quite spectacular and creative.

3) Plot/Story - Thumbs Up: The story for "Madagascar 3" was just plain fun! Not a lot of surprises, but one doesn't normally expect such things from a children's film. Still, they got in a couple. A nice fast pace, and they were able to get in a lot of character building more effectively than many longer adult aimed films.

As I mentioned previously, the character of Chantel DuBois was a lot of fun. Between her awesome skills, her dedication to duty, and her style, you almost can't help but admire her and fear her a little at the same time. There are also a lot of in-jokes slipped in for the parents to enjoy from "Star Trek", "The Matrix", and more. The bar for 'suspension of disbelief' was set higher than usual, but works just fine for the film. It's what animated movies were made for.

Conclusion: A thoroughly entertaining film for kids and adults. Has everything you normally expect from a "Madagascar" film and more. Though I will warn you, you will not leave the theater without Marty's song ringing through your head for an hour or two after. A lot of fun.

Rating: 4 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission)

Mind Sieve 5/21/12

Greetings! Let's see what I have for you this week!

This side of the Pond has decided to do like the BBC and make a modern Sherlock Holmes rendition. CBS is backing it and has called it Elementary. I'm a Sherlock sucker so I will definitely check it out. Besides with Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu, it should be a blast~! 

From Dreamworks - Rise of the Guardians. Looks funky!

Science Fiction and Fantasy Icons Look Downright Dashing In 19th Century Russian Regalia from io9. (Yes, yes they do!)

A Fantastic Fear of Everything with Simon Pegg. Looks trippy!

For all those who've only recently discovered Josh Hutchenson, he's got a new movie coming. This must be the week for trippy trailers - Detention. 

A cute/sad stop motion music video - Delta Heavy - Get By. 

Designing From Bones - Stories Hewn From Rock: Tombs and Temples from Gene Lempp. 

Everything You Wanted To Know About Twitter Chats from Mark W Schaefer.

From Kaye Publicity - Can't Afford To Be Aloof. Why we must do social media and more.

3 Tips - Double Posting On Social Networks Is Missing Opportunity from Bindle Post. I thought this article was about one thing when I click and it ended up being something else entirely, but still pegged me! Doh!

From Rachelle Gardner - What If My Agent Doesn't Like My Next Book?

Villains vs Antagonists from DIYMFA. Some nice definitions!

Does Every Scene Need a Goal? From Jami Gold.

Have an awesome week! And see you next time!