Tag Archives: Family

The Iron Giant (1999)

17 Monday Mar 2014

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When Sputnik orbits Earth, October 1957,
There’s a giant metal visitor that plummets from the heavens.
When it scares a screwy fisherman, the man warns Rockwell, Maine,
An alien’s invaded, but they think he’s gone insane.
 
But Hogarth Hughes, a spunky lad whose mother’s working late,
Goes out that night and finds the giant in a sorry state.
Young Hogarth saves him from the wires of a power station,
And soon he finds he’s earned the giant’s love and admiration.
 
Once Hogarth brings him home so he won’t wander through the wood,
He teaches him of Superman and how he should be good.
Meanwhile, one Kent Mansley, who is with the government,
Suspects that something big’s around, which he must now prevent.
 
He tracks the robot to the house of Hogarth and his mom
And even rents a room there. Hogarth’s disgruntled but calm.
The giant must eat metal from the junkyard’s Dean McCoppin,
Who’s quite dismayed when Hogarth and his giant robot drop in.
 
While Mansley lets his paranoia fuel his panicked search,
He finds a photo Hogarth took that leaves them in a lurch.
Kent gets the Army there at once, but Hogarth is too smart.
Both he and Dean disguise the giant as some junkyard art.
 
When Mansley’s shamed, Hogarth then plays and aims his small toy gun;
This makes the giant shoot a beam that’s more deadly than fun.
The giant flees and soon is being shot by Army tanks.
He tries to save his human boy but crashes in snow banks.
 
When he’s afraid that Hogarth’s dead, the giant goes berserk.
It goes into attacking mode; man’s weapons will not work.
But Hogarth lives and tells his friend he has the right to choose
To not destroy; the giant heeds the tiny Hogarth Hughes.
 
But Mansley still is paranoid and orders down a nuke,
And yet the bomb will kill them all; he earns a harsh rebuke.
The giant flies into the bomb as all the people tremble.
Though Hogarth’s sad to see him go, he may yet reassemble.
____________________________
 

The Iron Giant is a science fiction animated film that also works well as a period piece, presenting the paranoia and fear of the Cold War era in a way kids can understand. Honestly, most of those details flew over my head when I first saw it because I was too busy watching the awesome giant robot that every young boy would love to have. The giant is surprisingly likable as a character, and his climactic sacrifice and survival are actually quite affecting.

The film’s storyline shares many aspects with Spielberg’s E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial: boy finds alien creature, befriends and hides said creature from parent, government comes looking for it, and creature dies but doesn’t. Yet, while E.T. was basically helpless and at the mercy of overly curious scientists, the iron giant is a fifty-foot-tall menace that the Army assumes is there to level towns and such. This policy of shoot-first-ask-questions-later is irritating but understandable, considering the era involved, with the Russians having just beaten the U.S. to space with Sputnik.

While the animation is not nearly Disney quality, it is serviceable to the story and doesn’t detract much from it since the plot and characters are more important. The CGI giant is mixed nicely with the hand-drawn people and backgrounds, but my VC found the animation distracting. There’s also some very funny parts, such as Hogarth’s reaction to coffee; this helps to make the film more kid-friendly since it does tackle some more adult concepts. After all, a child is interrogated and drugged by a government agent, and the threat of a nuclear holocaust is made very real in the finale. (Wouldn’t there be some effects from an atomic bomb exploding in the atmosphere, though?) Plus, some repeated minor language and crudity earned The Iron Giant a PG rating, which my mom was wary of when it first came out.

It doesn’t have the magic of E.T., and I don’t appreciate the oft-repeated falsity that “guns kill” (people do), but it’s an enjoyable romp, intentionally reminiscent of 1950s alien films, with endearing characters and a great lesson of choosing one’s own purpose.

Best line: (Mansley, as Hogarth is grunting in the bathroom trying to hide the giant’s separated hand) “You know, this sort of thing is why it’s important to always chew your food.”

 
Artistry: 5
Characters/Actors: 7
Entertainment: 6
Visual Effects: 6
Originality: 5
Watchability: 6
Other (mild language and anti-gun message): -4
 
TOTAL: 31 out of 60
 

Next: #294: Apollo 13

© 2014 S. G. Liput

 

Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who! (2008)

15 Saturday Mar 2014

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An elephant picks up a sound
From a speck that is floating around.
It must have a person,
Whose bearing may worsen
If some safer place isn’t found.
 
He grabs up a clover posthaste,
And that’s where the small speck is placed.
A kangaroo, though,
Says that he must let go
Since this nonsense is just in bad taste.
 
But Horton insists that the speck,
Though it’s too microscopic to check,
Has life to protect.
It turns out he’s correct;
There’s a town that might soon be a wreck.
 
The mayor of Who-ville discerns
Something’s wrong, and, from Horton, he learns
They’re smaller than spit,
So he freaks out a bit
But is nervous to share his concerns.
 
Horton vows to protect all the Whos
And guards them in ways that amuse.
As he goes on his trek,
His interest in the speck
That old kangaroo won’t excuse.
 
She sends out a vulture named Vlad,
(Not the bunny, but he who is bad),
Who steals Horton’s clover
And then drops it over
A clover field, flying off glad.
 
The elephant searches for hours
Through hundreds and millions of flowers.
He finds it at last,
And the Whos are aghast
That their world is much smaller than ours.
 
They finally trust that the mayor
Is not just a foolish naysayer,
But, as Horton leaves,
He’s attacked by more thieves.
This time the whole jungle is there.
 
Indignant, stiff-necked, and enraged,
The kangaroo orders him caged.
The Whos create noise
Out of music and toys
And the odd things in which they’re engaged.
 
Young Jojo, the mayor’s own son,
Makes the most racket of anyone.
With a “Yopp” loud and true,
All their sounds do break through,
And they’re saved by the kangaroo’s son.
 
The animals now realize
There are things far beyond their own eyes.
They sing at this news
And then help all the Whos,
Who are people, regardless of size.
__________________
 

It may sound odd, but as a poet, Dr. Seuss is my hero. His books helped to shape a generation, as countless parents read The Cat in the Hat or Bartholomew Cubbins to their children as bedtime stories, including my own. His poetry and art are iconic, and no other film captures his whimsical style better than Horton Hears a Who! Also, while I haven’t seen a few, like Robots or Epic, I think this film is Blue Sky Studios’ best work as well.

The animation is way beyond the original Ice Age, and, while not quite Pixar quality, it brings to life the world of Dr. Seuss, particularly in the town of Who-ville with its curved arches and buildings and fantastical unicycle devices. Despite some overly odd scenes, such as Horton’s anime parody or that little furry creature continually yawning, the humor is actually funny, which is more than I can say for some other recent comedies. The part with the Mayor at the dentist’s office had my VC and me in stitches. Plus, it ends with an REO Speedwagon song, so what’s not to like?

While Jim Carrey’s track record has been rather mixed over the years, his quirky impressions and tones are excellent through the mouth of Horton the elephant. Steve Carell is perfect as the Mayor, with his constant nervous groans, sighs, screams, yells, chuckles, and hollers. Plus, the kangaroo is made appropriately sour by Carol Burnett’s deep and threatening voice. When she demands something, one half expects to hear “Yes, Miss Hannigan.”

When you think about it, aside from an unnecessary joke thrown at homeschooling, the film actually has many good lessons: faith in something beyond ourselves, tolerance for others’ views, and, of course, “a person’s a person, no matter how small.”

Best line: (the Mayor’s wife, to her daughter) “No, you need to go to bed. Daddy’s having a breakdown.”

 
Artistry: 2
Characters/Actors: 6
Entertainment: 7
Visual Effects: 8
Originality: 5
Watchability: 7
Other (a few unnecessary weird parts): -4
 
TOTAL: 31 out of 60
 

Next: #296: The Day after Tomorrow

© 2014 S. G. Liput

Stuart Little (1999)

08 Saturday Mar 2014

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The Little family’s looking for
Another member to adore,
And George insists his dad and mother
Bring him home a little brother.
 
The only one who “clicks” for them
Is tiny Stuart who’s – ahem –
An orphan mouse who somehow speaks;
He is the one the family seeks.
 
They take him home, but George is stunned
And walks off, leaving Stuart shunned.
Their cat named Snowbell must remember –
Never eat a family member.
 
Since Stuart’s small, one can suppose
That risks abound, like washing clothes.
It seems he just cannot fit in
With all his newfound next of kin.
 
But when he finds his brother’s room,
He plays with George, dispelling gloom.
They’re soon real brothers and embark
On racing boats in Central Park.
 
Though George’s rival tries to cheat,
Small Stuart hazards to compete
And helps his brother’s boat to win;
At last, it seems he does fit in.
 
But then two mice come for the lad
And claim to be his mom and dad.
He joins them, thinking that they are,
And leave in George’s own toy car.
 
They soon find out those mice, the Stouts,
Were lying. (Who else had their doubts?)
It turns out Stuart’s family group
Died in a mishap with some soup.
 
Snowbell had bargained with a cat
To somehow get the mouse to scat.
The Stouts got Stuart from the house;
Now Smokey wants to kill the mouse.
 
The Stouts admit their subterfuge
And warn him of the cat deluge
That’s on its way to make him chow;
He knows that he’s a Little now.
 
In Central Park, the cats attack,
But he evades them and gets back
To where all Littles know they’ll find
Their home, but Snowbell is unkind.
 
He lies and ousts him out of spite,
While Stuart’s folks are out that night.
They’re searching for their missing son.
Snow soon feels bad for what he’s done.
 
The cats chase Stuart up a tree.
On eating him they all agree.
But Snow redeems himself as a pet,
And all the bad cats end up wet.
 
The cat and mouse, no longer foes,
Go to the home each Little knows.
Relieved, they all are glad to be
One happy Little family.
__________________
 

Stuart Little is a great family film based on the classic children’s book by E. B. White, though it has a different plot and ending. The Oscar-nominated special effects that bring Stuart and the Stouts to life are amazing, even if their computerized origin is obvious at times. The speaking effects for the cats are almost better than those in Babe, and I love how the cats were clearly trained to do all their own stunts, so to speak.

While the human characters’ speech sounds like dialogue from a kids’ book, the best lines and moments go to Stuart (Michael J. Fox), Snowbell (Nathan Lane), and the alley cats (Steve Zahn as Monty, et al.). The script (which was worked on by some surprising names, such as M. Night Shymalan and David O. Russell) is chock full of great lines that anyone can use in day-to-day conversation, such as Snowbell’s “Talk to the butt” and Monty’s ingratiating “Pleeease.” Almost every character is likable in some way, even Smokey since he reminds my family of my mom’s old cat. Who would have foreseen, though, that Hugh Laurie (Mr. Little) would go on to play that jerk doctor on “House”?

The lovable characters, quirky concept, message about family and belonging, and dearth of anything objectionable make Stuart Little a marvelous film for families to enjoy together.

Best line: (one of the alley cats, when Stuart is hanging from a branch) “It’s mouse on a stick. I love mouse on a stick.”

VC’s best line: (toy salesman describing the Ben action figure’s clothes) “There are many moods of Ben.”

 
Artistry: 5
Characters/Actors: 7
Entertainment: 7
Visual Effects: 7
Originality: 5
Watchability: 5
Other (nothing objectionable; I just like other films more): -5
 
TOTAL: 31 out of 60
 

Next: #302: A Walk to Remember

© 2014 S. G. Liput

 

#310: The Karate Kid (1984)

02 Sunday Mar 2014

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When Daniel LaRusso moves to the west coast
From New Jersey because of his mom,
He isn’t too pleased with the run-down apartment
And shows it and yet remains calm.
 
His feelings start changing when kids his own age
Invite Daniel to beach party fun.
Attracted to Ali, who’s lovely and rich,
He thinks a good thing has begun.
 
But then her ex-boyfriend named Johnny shows up
And pummels poor Dan to the ground.
From then on, our hero is picked on and bullied
Whenever adults aren’t around.
 
But Daniel begins to befriend a repairman
At home by the name of Miyagi.
He knows of karate and thrashes Dan’s foes
When the boy is all battered and groggy.
 
While Daniel is eager to learn how to fight,
Miyagi insists he be smart
And talk to the bullies’ karate instructor,
Who’s ruthless in his martial art.
 
Miyagi suggests that all fighting be done
In a tournament two months away.
The teacher agrees that the violence should stop
But only to train for that day.
 
The next several weeks, Daniel feels like a slave
As he’s told to do chore after chore,
Like waxing and painting and sanding and such,
Which turn out to be something more.
 
These tiresome tasks may at first have seemed dull,
But they train Daniel’s arms and his hands.
With time, Daniel’s balance and technique improve,
And he fathoms Miyagi’s demands.
 
He learns that Miyagi was in World War II
And lost both his wife and his son.
When Dan has a birthday and need of a car,
His caring sensei gives him one.
 
His friendship with Ali, meanwhile, seesaws
Since he fears that he’s too poor for her.
He overreacts but admits his mistake,
And they’re soon just as close as they were.
 
The tournament comes, and the boy does quite well,
And both Daniel and Johnny advance,
But Johnny’s sensei tries to get Daniel hurt,
And he thinks that he’s ruined Dan’s chance.
 
Miyagi, however, helps Daniel recover,
And, back in the ring, Daniel tries
A kick that he noticed Miyagi once doing
And wins both respect and the prize.
______________________
 

The Karate Kid is a typical 1980s underdog tale that is essentially a martial arts version of Rocky set in high school, even sharing the same director as the 1976 boxing classic. Nonetheless, it rises above its overfamiliar plot elements (the newbie in town, the “cool” bullies, etc.) to become an inspiring classic in its own right with a unique young/old friendship found in only a few other movies, such as Up. (I will say that the beginning bears much resemblance to 1987’s The Lost Boys, minus the vampires—one of my VC’s personal favorites.) Many scenes are time-honored favorites, from Miyagi’s “wax on, wax off” lesson to the iconic crane kick that ends the film on an undeniably uplifting note. I also like the way it deepened Mr. Miyagi’s character, pointing an oblique spotlight on the afflictions of the Japanese Americans at Manzanar, as well as the heroism of the Nisei soldiers in Europe. Plus, the soundtrack is pretty good too, featuring hits like “Cruel Summer” and “You’re the Best.”

Despite brief language and some cruel high school antics, The Karate Kid is one of the great underdog stories on film, and, though I have not seen the remake with Jackie Chan, between “Pat” Morita’s quiet portrayal of Mr. Miyagi and Ralph Macchio’s likable if immature Daniel, I doubt it can be done better.

 

P.S.  Sorry for the recent hiatus last week. I had to focus on my taxes, but I hope to make up for it in the (hopefully near) future.

 

Best line: (Daniel) “I’m not by myself. I’m with you.”  (Miyagi) “To make honey, young bee need young flower, not old prune.”

 
Artistry: 6
Characters/Actors: 7
Entertainment: 7
Visual Effects: N/A
Originality: 4
Watchability: 7
Other (language): -1
 

Tomorrow: #309: Moonstruck

© 2014 S. G. Liput

 

The Sword in the Stone (1963)

24 Monday Feb 2014

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When England’s left without a king,
It seems that swords will likely ring
For a successor to be named,
And yet a method is proclaimed.
 
A sword is set within a stone,
And he who frees it gets the throne.
The sword becomes the nation’s judge.
Though many try, it will not budge.
 
The wizard Merlin says a sooth,
That he will welcome soon a youth,
But Archimedes, Merlin’s owl,
Scoffs and mocks him with a scowl.
 
But sure enough, that very day,
An arrow search for grumpy Kay
Has scrawny Arthur crashing through
Their cottage roof, as Merlin knew.
 
He stays for tea, and it is stated
That Arthur must be educated.
When Arthur says that he must leave,
He sees a thing he can’t believe.
 
The wizard shrinks his many things
To fit in one bag, which he brings.
Then, carrying his magic goods,
He leads young Arthur through the woods.
 
They go to Arthur’s home, a castle
Where the “Wart” is but a vassal
For his foster father Ector,
Who’s more employer than protector.
 
The wizard tries to teach the boy
And thinks his student would enjoy
A different view. He grants a wish
And turns the lad into a fish.
 
He shows the small fry how to swim,
And, when attacked, he cheers for him,
As Arthur’s hounded by a pike,
Which tries to eat the little tyke.
 
Once Archimedes saves the day,
The boy must work and walks away,
But Merlin’s magic does his chores
And washes plates and sweeps the floors.
 
When Merlin turns them into squirrels,
Young Arthur learns the world of girls,
And things he’d never reckoned of
Like gravity and the woes of love.
 
Still later, Wart becomes a sparrow,
Flying higher than an arrow,
But when a hawk tries snatching him,
He finds the home of Madam Mim.
 
This wicked witch plays cat-and-mouse
With Arthur all around her house.
But Merlin saves him (he’s in school),
And fights with Mim a Wizards’ Duel.
 
They change themselves to varied beasts
And try to make their foe deceased.
Though Mim breaks rules, she’s left infirm
When Merlin beats her as a germ.
 
When Arthur’s glad to be Kay’s squire,
Merlin’s mad he won’t aspire
To bigger, more refined pursuits.
Thus, to Bermuda Merlin shoots.
 
In London, Kay fights for the crown
But needs a sword that’s not around.
So Arthur finds the stone-held sword
And pulls it out; the town is floored.
 
He pulled the sword from out the stone
And must be destined for the throne.
He’s frightened to be chief of state,
But Merlin tells him he’ll be great.
________________________
 

The Sword in the Stone, based off of the book by T. H. White, is a lesser-known Disney classic that nonetheless is a whimsical fantasy that kids and adults alike can enjoy. My dad once called it a perfect drive-in movie, the kind to keep the kids safe in the car and glued to the screen while the parents got popcorn. The plot is episodic and so seems rather weak, considering that the actual Sword in the Stone is only at the very beginning and end. Still, these comical vignettes featuring a young Arthur transformed into various creatures are quite entertaining and nicely merge Arthur’s wide-eyed wonder with Merlin’s anachronistic, curmudgeonly wisdom. The duel with Madam Mim is also both funny and exciting, and Arthur’s pulling out the sword is a truly classic scene.

It also has some references to other films, such as Merlin cleaning up with animated brooms like in Fantasia. His ever-spacious travel bag is also reminiscent of Mary Poppins, which actually came out the next year. While the songs are less than memorable, they are some of the early work of the Sherman Brothers, who went on to write much better songs for Mary Poppins, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and The Jungle Book. One song in the film did stick out because of its similarity to Andy Serkis’s ad-libbed tune in the Forbidden Pool scene of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. Perhaps he was subconsciously inspired by this much earlier Disney ditty.

The Sword in the Stone may not be able to claim the iconic depiction of these characters, but I much prefer its portrayal of Arthur and Merlin than some other films’, like the awful Shrek the Third. While it certainly isn’t the best Arthurian film adaptation, it is nonetheless a classic of childhood that teaches the age-old lesson of brains over brawn.

Best line: (Merlin, speaking of Archimedes the owl) “When he stays out all night, he’s always grumpy the next morning.”  (Arthur) “Then he must stay out every night.”

 
Artistry: 4
Characters/Actors: 6
Entertainment: 6
Visual Effects: 4
Originality: 5
Watchability: 5
 
TOTAL: 30 out of 60
 

Tomorrow: #310: The Karate Kid

© 2014 S. G. Liput

The Secret of Kells (2009)

21 Friday Feb 2014

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Apprenticed to illuminators,
Ancient Christian illustrators,
Brendan is a boy within a monastery’s walls.
His uncle Cellach is the abbot,
Who obsesses in his habit,
Building up the wall around before their culture falls.
 
For Vikings threaten day by day,
Not caring what they crush or slay.
A refugee who’s fled from them is Aidan of Iona.
Young Brendan’s heard of Aidan’s skill,
Drawing wonders from his quill.
Brendan is excited by this new and fresh persona.
 
When Aidan shows the boy the Book,
On which the sinners dare not look,
Brendan wants to aid completion of this awesome text.
He sneaks into the outer woods,
To get for Aidan needed goods,
Berries used for making ink, though Uncle will be vexed.
 
With Aidan’s feline Pangur Ban,
Brendan quickly comes upon
Wolves, that stop their hunting when a white-haired girl appears.
This Aisling treats him with suspicion;
Nonetheless, she aids his mission,
Showing him the forest’s wonders and its deadly fears.
 
While Aidan’s glad to have the ink,
He’s lost the Eye, a precious link
To sages past, a crystal that improves an artist’s sight.
When Brendan’s locked inside the tower,
Aisling frees him with her power.
Brendan finds Crom Cruach’s cave and takes its Eye that night.
 
The pagan god consumes his tail
And Brendan draws for him a jail.
The Eye of Crom helps Brendan to begin the Book’s next part.
Though Cellach isn’t pleased at all,
Many just ignore the wall
To watch as Brendan practices illuminating art.
 
But soon the Viking hordes attack,
And Cellach’s wall can’t hold them back.
The abbot’s wounded as the Northmen raze the town of Kells.
Escaping from the cruel combat,
Brendan, Aidan, and the cat
Take the Book from Viking hands, which Aisling’s pack repels.
 
The three depart the ravaged land,
And Brendan wields his steady hand,
Illuminating every page as many years take flight.
When Brother Aidan’s laid to rest,
And Cellach’s tired and depressed,
Brendan comes to show the Book that turns the dark to light.
_____________________
 

The Secret of Kells is an Oscar-nominated, independent, mainly Irish animated film that is highly unique in its animation, drawing from ancient Celtic art and scriptural illuminations. To be honest, the animation takes some getting used to. I didn’t care for it at first, but, within 20 minutes or so, I grew accustomed to it and could better appreciate its detailed beauty. My VC tends to dislike most non-Disney/Dreamworks animations, like this one, viewing them as inferior and often too symbolic, but I don’t think it’s inferior at all, just different. In certain brief scenes that are given a moment of stillness, the hand-drawn animation looks like an ancient work of art.

As far as the story, there’s the oft-used cliché of the overly stern authority figure squelching the young protagonist’s imagination and eventually realizing his mistake (seriously, too many animated movies include this in their plots). Yet the story as a whole is quite fascinating with its fusion of beings from Celtic paganism and the religious monks who kept knowledge alive through the Dark Ages. While some of the references don’t make sense to a casual viewer, the filmmakers’ use of historical tidbits is actually quite clever (Crom Cruach was an ancient god worshiped with human sacrifice and ousted by St. Patrick; an Aisling is a type of poem involving a Faerie encounter; Pangur Ban was a white cat to which an unknown 9th century monk dedicated a poem in the margin of his manuscript).

As with Rise of the Guardians, however, The Secret of Kells seems to be avoiding any mention of God or the actual contents of the Book of Kells, the Gospels. There are some welcome scenes of generic prayer and talk of how strong the monks’ faith is, but these religious aspects have little substance. The latter half is also surprisingly dark, killing off nearly every minor character (offscreen), and the last scenes are touching, but not quite as grand and epically bittersweet as it tries to be. Overall, it’s certainly a film worth watching, one that uniquely presents the monks whose work helped to preserve light in darkness.

Best line: (Brendan) “You can’t find out everything from books, you know.”  (Brother Aidan) “I think I read that once.”

 
Artistry: 7
Characters/Actors: 4
Entertainment: 5
Visual Effects: 7
Originality: 5
Watchability: 4
Other (animation takes getting used to): -2
 
TOTAL: 30 out of 60
 

Tomorrow: #313: War of the Worlds (2005)

© 2014 S. G. Liput

 

Chicken Run (2000)

19 Wednesday Feb 2014

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Within the Tweedys’ chicken farm,
The chickens aren’t content to scrape.
They know they’ll only come to harm,
And so they always plan escape.
 
When all their tactics go awry,
Their leader Ginger gets the blame.
She never hesitates to try,
But all her schemes end up the same.
 
The failure’s hard on everyone,
Until a rooster falls with style
Into the Tweedys’ chicken run
And brings to Ginger’s face a smile.
 
This Yankee rooster Rocky Rhodes,
Although his wing is rather bruised,
Becomes their proof that other modes
Of getting out can still be used.
 
Though Rocky’s cocky (and it shows),
The chicks are awed that he can fly.
He says he’ll teach them all he knows,
If Ginger hides him, so they try.
 
The circus rooster guides them through
Some odd and silly exercise.
Days later, none seem closer to
Their plan of taking to the skies.
 
Although the hens had always been
Producing eggs the Tweedys sold,
Their owners’ profits have grown thin,
And selling eggs has gotten old.
 
So Mrs. Tweedy sees an ad
And buys a giant loud machine.
Since loud machines are always bad,
The chicks don’t know what it may mean.
 
The Tweedys’ plan is chicken pies,
And they choose Ginger on a whim!
But Rocky saves her, or he tries,
And Ginger ends up saving him.
 
They sabotage the pie machine
And buy themselves some time to fly.
They practice harder, still unseen,
Since no one wants to be a pie.
 
But Rocky knows the truth of it
And leaves the chicken run that night.
When he departs, he does admit
A cannon helped him with his “flight.”
 
At first, the chickens feud and cry,
But Ginger has one last idea.
They build a plane to help them fly,
Their much-awaited panacea.
 
Once the Tweedys have repaired
Their tool, they try to stop their hens.
But Rocky comes back undeclared
And helps to save his threatened friends.
 
So Mrs. Tweedy’s caught inside
A giant gravy mushroom cloud,
While all the chickens now reside
In open spaces, free and proud.
_____________________
 

Unlike many of the poorly received animated films on my list recently, Chicken Run was quite a success and is currently the highest grossing stop-motion feature. Fusing parodies of old POW movies like The Great Escape with an untold number of chicken-related puns, the film creates a surprisingly fresh and funny take on material that could have devolved into unentertaining silliness. Chicken Run stars Mel Gibson (before his descent from popularity) along with a host of less familiar British actors who, along with the skilled puppeteers, create unique and lovable characters out of clay figurines. I also love the score by the great Harry Gregson-Williams and John Powell, which is more instantly recognizable than memorable.

While the animation is seamless, it’s a tad distracting in its unrealism. Unlike real chickens, more “meat” is put into the animated chickens’ thighs rather than their breasts (for obvious reasons, considering it’s a family film), and my VC doesn’t care for Aardman Animations’ habit of giving the characters large mouths that stick out on either side. Despite this, with a hilarious script and some instantly classic scenes, such as the trip through the pie machine, Chicken Run is my favorite stop-motion film, outdoing other works like Wallace and Gromit and The Pirates: Band of Misfits, which are good and entertaining but can’t rival the imaginative genius of this film.

Best line: [the plane is being dragged down by Mrs. Tweedy] (Ginger) “Great Scott, what was that?” (the Scottish hen Mac, after a string of Star Trek references) “A cling-on, Cap’n, and the engines can’t take it.”
 
VC’s best lines (she can’t make up her mind): (Ginger) “Listen. We’ll either die free chickens or we die trying.”  (Babs) “Are those the only choices?”
and
(Bunty, the negative hen) “Oh, face the facts, ducks. The chances of us getting out of here are a million to one.”  (Ginger) “Then there’s still a chance.” 

 

Artistry: 4
Characters/Actors: 6
Entertainment: 7
Visual Effects: 7
Originality: 5
Watchability: 6
Other (aforementioned look of the animation): -5
 
TOTAL: 30 out of 60
 

Tomorrow: #315: American Graffiti

© 2014 S. G. Liput

 

Ice Age (2002) & Ice Age: The Meltdown (2006)

13 Thursday Feb 2014

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I recently sat down with Sid,
Diego, Manny, and Scrat too,
To ask them of the good ol’ days
In Ice Age, movies one and two.
 
Sid:
“Yeah, I was just fine by myself,
A single sloth all on my own.
Oh, sure, my family migrated
And left me in the tree alone.
 
And, yeah, I ticked some rhinos off
And made them want to crush my head.
That’s why I teamed with Manny here,
Since I prefer not being dead.
 
A mammoth’s good to have, you know,
When you’re the food chain’s bottom rung.
He seemed a little standoffish
And didn’t have the nicest tongue.
 
But then we found a human boy,
A baby, all forlorn and such.
And then, what’s more, Diego came
And seemed to want it very much.
 
I love the guy, but didn’t then.
(You know how sabretooths can be.)
Together, we all took the boy
To bring him to his family.
 
I thought it was a great road trip,
Our trio braving miles of snow.
Diego didn’t eat me too.”
Diego:
“Don’t think I wasn’t tempted though.
 
I’ll take it from this point now, Sid.
I led the way, since I could track.
My plan, though, was to lead our group
Back to my waiting sabre pack.
 
The human men had hunted us,
So vengeance was our only goal.
Yet, as I went, I grew to like
The ankle biter, on the whole.
 
And then when Manny saved my life,
I couldn’t trick them anymore.
I told the truth and all of us
Outfoxed my former pack, all four.
 
Though I was hurt, my buddies here
Returned the squirt without a word.
But I rejoined them afterward.
Our motley bunch was now a herd.”
 
Manny:
“I’ve asked myself why ever since.
It’s one long headache with these two,
Mainly Sid. Why, once he tried
To start a camp for kids. It’s true.
 
Of course, they would have buried him
If I had not been there to save
His sorry hide. That’s ‘bout the time
We almost met a watery grave.
 
The ice was melting all around.
We had to journey to a boat
Because a flood was coming soon,
And mammoths don’t exactly float.
 
See, I was feeling rather down.
I thought perhaps I was the last.
I once had had a family,
But that was in the painful past.
 
Then, Ellie dropped down from a tree,
Another mammoth! That was awesome.
And yet I was a bit perplexed
To see she thought she was a possum.
 
Apparently, she’d been alone,
And possums raised her from her youth.
Though first she was oblivious,
Eventually she saw the truth.
 
Her stubborn streak, and mine as well,
Got in the way of love at first.
But when the flood caught up to us,
I helped to get her through the worst.”
 
Scrat:
“All of you have had your time
To talk about your silly herd,
But I, through four whole Ice Age films
Have never said a single word.
 
But I feel I must say my peace.
I only ever sought a nut,
Which always has been swept away
By glaciers, floods, and who-knows-what!
 
I have been stepped on, shocked, and stretched,
Squished and thrown and frozen too,
That acorn still just out of reach.
I don’t know how I’ve lived; do you?
 
Why, I remember this here flood
These other three have spoken of.
I broke a wall to let it drain
And had a vision from above.
 
A lovely wonderland of nuts,
An acorn heaven void of strife,
Was to be mine, but then this sloth
Came by and brought me back to life!
 
I want a nut! Is that too much
For some filmmaker to arrange?
Why, even now it’s out of reach.
I tell ya, some things never change.”
__________________________
 

Ice Age is a franchise that has spanned a decade, and, while it may have gone on a bit too long for some people, there’s no denying the charm and entertainment value of the original. True, the animation is lackluster and the story is derivative, drawing from previous films like Dinosaur and Monsters, Inc., and it falls prey to the he’s-dead-no-wait-never-mind cliché. But, as with The Road to El Dorado, the main appeal is in the characters and their voice actors. Ray Romano as Manny, Denis Leary as Diego, and especially John Leguizamo as Sid become such endearing characters that it’s easy to see why the film spawned three sequels. Not to mention Scrat, one of the greatest slapstick characters of recent years.

I myself have only seen the first film and its immediate follow-up Ice Age: The Meltdown, which I like just about as much. Blue Sky Studios’ animation had greatly improved by then, and the action, laughs, and lovable characters were still plentiful, even if some elements are inexplicable, such as the existence of that MacGuffin of a Noah’s ark and the sudden appearance of the other mammoths at the end. I have thus grouped the films together since they are more of a piece than some franchises, but both films are definitely list-worthy.

I will also say at this point that this review marks the end of my long string of animated films. These films are all worthwhile, but I felt that better, more adult movies deserved a higher place. Thus, these were somewhat clumped together. Thanks to those still hanging with me.

Best line (from the first): (Manny, when Diego has Sid in his mouth) “Diego, spit that out. You don’t know where it’s been.” (Diego complies)
(Sid) “For a second there, I actually thought you were gonna eat me.” (Diego) “I don’t eat junk food.”

 

Artistry: 3
Characters/Actors: 8
Entertainment: 7
Visual Effects: 3
Originality: 3
Watchability: 6
 
TOTAL: 30 out of 60
 

Tomorrow: #321: Hitchcock

© 2014 S. G. Liput

 

The Road to El Dorado (2000)

12 Wednesday Feb 2014

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El Dorado is a city made, they say, of solid gold.
1519 is the year in which these escapades unfold,
In which two crooks make a journey to the New World from the Old.
 
Winning bets with loaded dice, Miguel and Tulio scam a map
Of the wonders of the New World from a less than pleasant chap.
When their cheating is discovered, they escape…into a trap.
 
Captives on Cortés’s vessel, they are baffled for a while,
Till Cortés’s horse Altivo lets them out in clever style.
All three end up in a lifeboat, floating mile after mile.
 
When they reach the New World’s beaches (with the map still close at hand),
They go on a grand adventure through this new, exotic land,
And they locate El Dorado, though not quite as they had planned.
 
They are taken to the city by the natives through a cave
And mistaken for two deities, omnipotent and brave,
So they play along and act as they think gods perhaps behave.
 
Chel, a native girl who’s willing to share all she knows about,
Sees the two are only faking, but agrees to help them out
If they also take her with them on their quick departure route.
 
Tannabok, the friendly chief, provides festivities that night,
While a priest named Tzekel-Kan thinks gods desire a bloody rite,
And his only wish is sacrificing everyone in sight.
 
Tulio just wants to lie low, but not so with brash Miguel.
He runs off into the city to have fun and thinks it’s swell,
While his partner Tulio begins to fall in love with Chel.
 
When an armadillo helps them win a hip-ball kind of sport,
Tzekel-Kan sees through their subterfuge and cuts their party short
By attacking with a giant metal jaguar of some sort.
 
Once he’s fallen in a whirlpool and has found Cortés to praise,
Our two heroes disagree and choose to go their separate ways.
Tulio decides to leave with Chel; his former buddy stays.
 
News arrives that Tzekel-Kan is guiding that conquistador
To the city, so the duo quickly gain back their rapport.
They want nobody to threaten El Dorado anymore.
 
So they sacrifice their gold and all the servants and the praise,
And they lock out Tzekel-Kan, Cortés, and all their violent ways,
And our heroes ride away to find another trail to blaze.
_______________________________
 

The Road to El Dorado is a musical adventure that attempts to be another Tarzan or Prince of Egypt, with some good music, exciting action, and some more mature content than most cartoons, but only halfway succeeds. It follows Tarzan’s example in having most of the Elton John/Tim Rice songs being sung by a singing narrator and only one number actually sung by the characters. While these songs are fun and enjoyable, they all end up sounding similar and don’t have the distinct memorableness of the artists’ work in The Lion King. Still, they clarify the mood for many scenes and complement the lively and colorful animation, which is almost as good as in the much more acclaimed The Prince of Egypt. The real pleasure of the film is in the two leads. Kenneth Branagh as Miguel and Kevin Kline as Tulio play off each other so well and their voices and unique inflections so fit their characters that the movie would suffer without them. They make some already humorous lines hilarious and turn the film into a “Road” movie worthy of Bob Hope and Bing Crosby’s classics.

While many reviewers objected to the weak plot and secondary characters, I take issue with its rewriting of history. The film presents the natives of El Dorado, who I can only assume are Aztecs, as peace-loving folk under the tyranny of a single bloodthirsty high priest. It lightly references the ritual killings of thousands of innocents and totally ignores the hostile lifestyle of the real Aztecs, who actively captured victims from neighboring areas for their sacrifices. Not to mention, there are some obvious flaws, such as Chel’s New York-ish accent, the isolated El Doradoans somehow speaking the same language as the visiting Spaniards, or the existence of a map to a legendary city that has supposedly never been discovered. Despite these weaknesses, The Road to El Dorado is another fun family film that, like many of the animated movies on the list lately, deserved a better box office turnout than it received.

Best line: (Tulio to Miguel) “The little voice, remember? Just imagine for a moment that you have one. Now, what would it be saying about Chel?”  (Miguel) “Um…” [he purrs romantically]

VC’s best line: (Tulio) “Your horse bit me in the butt!” (said as only Kevin Kline could say it)

 
Artistry: 4
Characters/Actors: 6
Entertainment: 6
Visual Effects: 6
Originality: 5
Watchability: 5
Other (aforementioned flaws): -2
 
TOTAL: 30 out of 60
 

Tomorrow: #322: Ice Age

© 2014 S. G. Liput

 

Doctor Dolittle (1967)

10 Monday Feb 2014

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In England, there’s a Doctor John Dolittle,
Who would rather be with animals than men.
He learns just how best to greet them
And comes up with ways to treat them,
And refuses too to eat them,
Though he’s tempted now and then.
 
This doctor earns the scorn of many people,
Such as Emma Fairfax, who believes him rude.
Emma’s uncle just abhors him,
Doctor Dolittle ignores them,
But one Matthew Mugg adores him,
Thinks the doctor’s wise and shrewd.
 
The good doctor seeks a giant pinkish sea snail,
Whose existence many scholars disbelieve.
Though he’s friend to fowl and bunny,
And the bees could offer honey,
All his patients don’t have money
So he can’t afford to leave.
 
Then a colleague ships to him a pushmi-pullyu,
Quite a rarity with two connected heads.
To the circus he displays it,
And they cannot help but praise it.
Any price, the public pays it,
And to John the money spreads.
 
Then the doctor sees a seal that seems unhappy;
She is homesick (this he knows because he heard her).
So he hides her with devotion,
And then, singing with emotion,
Doctor throws her in the ocean,
Which onlookers think is murder.
 
Though he proves that he is innocent of bloodshed,
An asylum still the justice recommends.
Of the charges, he’s acquitted,
But he’s nonetheless committed,
But his escorts are outwitted
By his animalian friends.
 
When the Doctor finds that Emma has decided
To go with them once their voyage has set sail,
He does not at first approve her,
But by then he can’t remove her,
So he thinks work will behoove her,
As he searches for the snail.
 
Once a thunderstorm destroys their flimsy vessel,
They all make it to a nearby floating isle.
Though each native’s educated,
All their laws are sadly dated,
And, for Dolittle, it’s stated
He must die in dreadful style.
 
But a whale he spoke with moves the floating island
Till it merges with the mainland once again.
There’s a ruling for this portent,
And it does not call for torment
So the punishment is shortened,
And they free the girl and men.
 
Doctor Dolittle then finds the fabled sea snail
And insists his friends go back beneath its dome.
News from home, for him, is splendid:
For his sake, beasts are offended
So his sentence is rescinded,
And he rides a moth back home.
___________________________
 

Doctor Dolittle is an old musical featuring Rex Harrison, not a forgettable Eddie Murphy comedy. This original 1967 version of Hugh Lofting’s classic book series comes closest to capturing the spirit of the books and manages to be a decent musical as well. True, Doctor Dolittle is nothing compared with other classic musicals, such as The Sound of Music, Oliver!, or even Rex Harrison’s My Fair Lady three years earlier.

The story tends to ramble and the Oscar-winning special effects look rather dated, but, nevertheless, it excels in one area in particular – the lyrics. Since I already love poetry, I enjoy musicals for their poetic use of lyrics to move a story along, and Doctor Dolittle definitely has some of the best. Whether delivering an ASPCA-worthy harangue over man’s inhumanity to animals (which inspired the above poem’s rhyme scheme) or crowing a jubilant ditty about the uniqueness of a two-headed llama (my favorite song in the film, sung by Richard Attenborough), lyricist Leslie Bricusse of Willy Wonka fame really outdid himself, and the songs well fit Anthony Newley’s Irish lilt and Rex Harrison’s speaking-with-rhythm style of singing. Granted, the slower tunes are less successful, like Samantha Eggar’s song and the song where the doctor realizes his (somewhat mismatched) feelings for Emma. The humorous script is also outstanding.

The best word to describe the film as a whole would be charming, even if it is a tad silly and overly long and a definite step down for the great Rex Harrison. My VC, on the other hand, loves almost everything about it, the film being a lifetime favorite of hers. Anthony Newley is particularly well cast, in her opinion. While there are many musicals I like better (as continuing readers will see), Doctor Dolittle definitely deserves a spot on my list.

Best line: (Dolittle) “If one place is as good as any other, it’s high time we decided. Otherwise when we get there, we won’t know we’ve arrived.” (a maddening line that could easily have been uttered by Captain Jack Sparrow)

 
Artistry: 4
Characters/Actors: 5
Entertainment: 5
Visual Effects: 3
Originality: 6
Watchability: 4
Other (songs): +2
 
TOTAL: 29 out of 60
 

Tomorrow: #324: The Lost World: Jurassic Park

© 2014 S. G. Liput