Despicable Me (2010)

LAST WEEK WAS YET another FilmFather first: My wife and I took Dash to his first PG-rated movie in a theater: Despicable Me.

Not that we did it flippantly or without consideration: We Googled and Bing’d a-plenty, looking for examples of why Despicable Me was rated PG. I even asked a couple of fellow parent bloggers for specifics after seeing their reviews (thanks, Daddy Geek Boy and Weirdgirl!).

Based on everything we heard and were told, we decided to take the plunge…

Plot:
As evil supervillain Gru (Steve Carell) plans to steal the moon using a shrink-ray – with the help of his little yellow minions and the inventive Dr. Nefario (Russell Brand) – the weapon is stolen from him by rival villain Vector (Jason Segel). Unable to penetrate Vector’s lair, Gru sees who does get access: three orphan girls (Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier, and Elsie Fisher) selling cookies. Gru then adopts the girls strictly for getting into Vector’s hideaway, but wouldn’t ya know…the girls grow on him, showing him how to love children despite his own loveless childhood under his domineering mother (Julie Andrews).

Critique:

I gotta be honest: The trailers for Despicable Me didn’t offer me much hope for the film – mostly mediocre jokes, half of which relied on scatological humor for laughs. Luckily, the movie leaps past those promotions and delivers a commendable balance of humor and heart.

At its core, Despicable Me’s formula is familiar – kids warm the cold heart of a Grinch-type meanie – but directors Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud (with a script by Ken Daurio and Cinco Paul) wrap an original story around this idea so it doesn’t feel like you’ve seen it a million times before. In fact, the film is a fresh, welcome entry to the ever-growing, ever-competitive world of animated films (imagine if Pixar and Dreamworks had a love child).

And while Gru may be the lead baddie here, it’s the minions who steal the show – a mob of thigh-high yellow workers who speak their own language of gibberish and follow Gru’s orders with slapstick-laden results.

While Despicable Me may not be a timeless classic – and Pixar has nothing to worry about – it’s definitely better than the majority of animated films being served up these days.

And here comes my pandering pull-quote for the ad...

“If you miss this movie, then despicable YOU!” – FilmFather

Rating:

What did Dash think?

Dash loved Despicable Me, laughing especially loud at the minions’ antics and Gru trying to reign in the three girls. Our choice for his first PG movie in a theater was a good one.

Is it suitable for your kids?

Despicable Me is rated PG for “rude humor and mild action.” It features a noticeable amount of potty humor in various forms: Gru says “fart” and writes a Post-It note that says “PEE & POO;” the girls draw a picture of Gru sitting on the toilet; Gru’s mother shows the girls his baby photo with his bare bottom exposed; and Dr. Nefario mistakenly invents and demonstrates a “fart gun,” complete with a brown, billowy cloud. Also, some of the action sequences may be too intense for very young children (lots of loud explosions and screaming).

Will your FilmMother want to watch it?

My FilmMother really enjoyed Despicable Me. I would think yours will as well.

Oh great...it's raining infared lasers again.

Despicable Me
* Directors: Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud
* Screenwriters: Ken Daurio and Cinco Paul
* Stars: Steve Carell, Russell Brand, Jason Segel, Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier, Elsie Fisher, Julie Andrews
* MPAA Rating: PG (rude humor and mild action)



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Captain Sabertooth (2003)

HERE’S A UNIQUE ENTRY in the FilmFather canon: an animated film largely unknown in the US, but whose title character has quite the following in Europe…

Plot:
Based on a long-running series of plays and books (as well as a theme park attraction) by Norwegian singer/actor Terje Formoe, Captain Sabertooth tells the story of, um, Captain Sabertooth (Eric Myers) – a tyrannical pirate who sails the high seas in search of the long-lost treasure of Gory Gabriel. On board his ship is young Tiny (Smashing Pumpkins drummer Jimmy Chamberlin), who dreams that one day Sabertooth will see him as a real pirate – and a brave one, too.

Critique:
Originally a Norwegian production but dubbed here with English-speaking actors, Captain Sabertooth ambitiously packs a lot into its 75 minutes – there’s plenty of pirate-y action and swashbuckling to be had. Still, it kinda left me with an empty feeling. The animation is direct-to-video quality (though done in a unique style I haven’t seen before), the musical numbers are “meh,” and it could have had a better ending.

But that’s just the grown-up talking. Dash thoroughly enjoyed the film (see below) – and he’s probably the age that the makers of Captain Sabertooth had in mind.

Rating:

Me:

Dash:

What did Dash think?

While I thought Captain Sabertooth was merely passable, Dash really dug the adventures. He laughed several times at the antics of some of the goofy pirates, and really got involved in the film as Tiny and Sabertooth join forces in an effort to defeat the mean, greedy Happy Jack (Gary Martin).

Is it suitable for your kids?

Captain Sabertooth is rated PG for mild adventure action. There’s run-of-the-mill pirate peril, including swordplay, cannons blasting, Sabertooth shooting open a lock, and Happy Jack torching a few houses to ensure we know he’s the real bad guy. There are also a couple of references to wine, and one brief scene of a drunken cook.

Will your FilmMother want to watch it?

There are worse ways for her to pass the time watching a film with the kids; still, if Dash is any indication, they’ll probably enjoy it more than she will.

Arrrr…stop yer fancy bartendin’ tricks and fetch me bottle o’ rum!

Captain Sabertooth
* Directors: Stig Bergqvist, Rasmus A. Sivertsen
* Screenwriters: Arthur Johansen, David Regal
* Stars: Eric Meyers, Jimmy Chamberlin, Gary Martin, Jo Wyatt
* MPAA Rating: PG (mild adventure action)



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Interview with ManCry

IT'S ANOTHER FILMFATHER FIRST: I've gone from interviewer to interviewee.

After conducting a couple of interviews with people in the moving pictures business (here and here), I was recently interviewed by Doug at ManCry, a blog where men can share thoughts and memories of films that have made them well up, weep, or flat-out bawl.
Of course, the patron saint of ManCry is the Kevin Costner baseball flick Field of Dreams.

"Hey...Dad...you wanna have a catch?"

If you're a guy, you're probably crying right now just reading that line, let alone hearing Costner say it.

So man up and go check out ManCry. It's okay...

My interview with ManCry
ManCry Home Page

Congrats to the winners of the Despicable Me Prize Packs!

• Andie
• Surfer Jay

Andie & Jay: Please e-mail me your mailing address to receive your prize pack.

Thanks to everyone who entered the contest!

FilmFather turns 2!

Today marks the two-year anniversary

of FilmFather!

Hard to believe it's been two years since our first review.

Thanks to everyone who's stopped by and read what Dash and I are saying about the wonderful world of moving pictures.

(Earn bragging rights by naming the movie this image came from.)

Orca (1977)

THIS WEEK MARKS the 35th anniversary of Jaws, with many movie blogs posting about the greatness of that film, and rightly so.

Since there’s probably not much I could say about Jaws that hasn’t been said already, I’m taking a different approach and reviewing one of the many “giant killer animal” imitators that came in Jaws’ wake (i.e., Sasquatch, Grizzly, Tentacles) and was arguably the most high-profile: 1977’s Orca: The Killer Whale.

Plot:

While pursuing a great white shark, big-game fishing captain Nolan (Richard Harris) watches a killer whale attack and kill the shark when it threatens to eat the partner of marine biologist Rachel Bedford (Charlotte Rampling). Nolan then decides to set his sights on capturing a killer whale and selling it to a zoo for profit. But when he accidentally harpoons and kills the pregnant mate of a male killer whale, the whale seeks revenge by sinking boats in the harbor where Nolan docks and dining on a few of his crew members.

Bedford tells Nolan that the whale is deliberately seeking him out, wanting him to come back in the ocean. But will Nolan take everyone’s advice in his small fishing town and leave the area, or will he turn and face the killer whale in a to-the-death showdown?

Critique:

In Orca, everything feels second-rate compared to Jaws – not only in terms of story and execution, but in the quality of the production:

• poor special effects, even for the ‘70s (the whale’s attack on the shark is especially bad)
• a lack of continuity that’s laughable at times
• a sparse, sporadic narrative by Rampling’s character that adds nothing
• an underdeveloped backstory for Nolan as to why he can relate to the whale’s grief
• a score by Ennio Morricone that sounds like it could have come from (or could easily fit into) one of his famous spaghetti western soundtracks

As for “Orca” himself, he’s a combination of an animatronic whale and stock footage of killer whales from the now-defunct Marine World (source: IMDb). The close-ups of the whale poking his head out of the water and leaping in the air were obviously shot in a fresh-water tank.

In terms of the cast: Harris brings more energy and gravitas to the role of Nolan than the film deserves, while Rampling does her best to look stern when lecturing Nolan as their love/hate relationship develops. (The cast also includes a post-Cuckoo’s Nest Will Sampson and a pre-10 Bo Derek).

Despite the overall shoddiness of the film, Orca does have some merit: The scenes of the whale pushing his dead mate to shore are touching and sad. Cinematographer Ted Moore captures some fascinating shots of the open sea and the shores of Newfoundland (where Orca was shot). And one way Orca differs from Jaws is that, to an extent, you find yourself rooting for the creature in the ocean, not the humans hunting it down.

Unfortunately, the very point where Orca should pick up steam – when Nolan sets out to sea in pursuit of the whale – is where the film drags, until it reaches an ending that’s strangely both satisfying and anti-climactic.

Overall, Orca only succeeded in doing one thing: making me appreciate Jaws even more (if that’s possible).

Tidbits:

• Despite a lackluster film, Orca had pretty awesome poster art (click to enlarge). Unfortunately, it’s a scene that never happens in the movie.
• While the whale killing a shark in Orca was probably a dig at Jaws, the makers of Jaws 2 got their revenge: In that sequel, a mauled killer whale washes up on shore, with giant bites out of its body.
• Bedford claims that killer whales have a “profound instinct for vengeance.” To any marine biologists who might be reading: Is this true? (If it is, that’s pretty amazing.)

Rating:

Is it suitable for your kids?

I remember seeing Orca at a drive-in as a kid (I would have been about 8), and I think I was in a bit over my head. There are many violent scenes, including:
* After being harpooned, the pregnant whale swims into the boat’s propeller to try and take its own life
* The miscarriage of the baby killer whale onto Nolan’s boat deck is especially traumatic
* The whale dines on several of Nolan’s crew, though with little bloodshed; however, he does bite the leg off one unfortunate crew member, briefly revealing a spurting, bloody stump
* A crew member is killed by an iceberg avalanche

Will your FilmMother want to watch it?

I can’t imagine the appeal Orca would have to her, especially with a pregnant mammal dying and miscarrying in the same scene. But if she’s looking for high-sea thrills and a giant fish, there’s this movie that came out back in ’75…

Rule #1: Always keep killer whales at arm's length.

Orca
* Director: Michael Anderson
* Screenwriters: Luciano Vincenzoni, Sergio Donati, Robert Towne (uncredited)
* Stars: Richard Harris, Charlotte Rampling, Will Sampson, Bo Derek, Keenan Wynn, Robert Carradine, Scott Walker, Peter Hooten
* MPAA Rating: PG



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Win a Despicable Me Prize Pack!

YOU COULD WIN one of two prize packs from the upcoming Universal Pictures animated film Despicable Me, starring the voice of Steve Carell and opening July 9th in theaters.

Each prize pack includes:
* Youth Shirt
* Youth Hat
* Moo-Can (it really moos!)
* Pencil with Minion Topper
* Balloon
* Minion Ink Stamp

How to Enter:
Comment on this post by July 11, 2010. I will then pick two comments at random and post the winners on July 12. (Winners will then have to e-mail me their mailing addresses to receive their prizes.)

Rules:

• You must have a link to your e-mail address on your Blogger profile page. If not, you must provide your e-mail address in your comment.
• Prizes are available to United States mailing addresses only. (International readers can enter if they have a friend in the States who can accept their prizes by mail.)

For more information about Despicable Me, see my earlier post here.

Good luck!

Toy Story 3 (2010)

BECAUSE OF THE BUILT-IN AUDIENCE, the pedigree of Pixar, the near-universal agreement of critics, and its recent multi-record-breaking weekend at the box office, it really doesn’t matter what I say about Toy Story 3.

However, since I was fortunate enough to see it on opening weekend as part of my family’s Father’s Day celebration, I feel compelled to provide a timely review…

Plot:
11 years have passed since Toy Story 2 (how is that possible?), and little Andy is now heading off to college, leaving his toys – led by Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) – worried about what will happen to them. Fearing they’ll be thrown out as trash, they get themselves donated to a local daycare center, whose toys are presided over by the avuncular Lotso-Huggin’ Bear (Ned Beatty). But Woody, Buzz, and the gang soon realize the daycare center is more of a prison than a playplace – and the only way they can escape is through a daring, dangerous breakout.

Critique:

Because of the iconic status of Buzz and Woody, and how often the first two Toy Story sequels have been played in my home, it felt almost surreal to see Andy’s toys in the new environments of this third installment. I actually felt a bit emotionally detached from the action for the first half of the film, as the toys discover their new home at the ironically named Sunnyside day care center.

That’s not to say the first half of Toy Story 3 isn’t enjoyable; the new toys that Buzz and Woody’s gang meet at Sunnyside are a fun mix of new and familiar, including breakout character Ken (Michael Keaton). And the attention to detail that director Lee Unkrich and the Pixar animators bring to scenes, such as Lotso giving Andy’s toys a tour of Sunnyside, are beyond belief.

Midway through Toy Story 3 is where things kick into high gear. Realizing that a carefully plotted escape is the only way out, Andy’s toys embark on an elaborate breakout a la The Great Escape that must have taken the Pixar team months to storyboard.

But it’s the film’s third act where Unkrich and screenwriter Michael Arndt save the heavy emotional stuff that comes from knowing these characters for the past 15 years. The final scenes involving Andy and his mom, as well as Andy and his toys, are bittersweet but realistic…a testament to the powerful impact of this animated feature.

It’s almost getting tedious to say it with each new release, but with Toy Story 3, Pixar has indeed done it again.

Tidbits:

• While we saw the 3D version of Toy Story 3 (it’s all Dash would talk about when mentioning TS3 over the last six months), it adds very little except to the price of your tickets – and Jack-Jack, our 4-year-old, refused to wear the 3D glasses after 20 minutes. So unless your kids are clamoring for the 3D experience, stick with the 2D version.
• In the bedroom toys of Sunnyside preschooler Bonnie (Emily Hahn), watch for a cameo by the titular character of Hayao Miyazaki’s My Neighbor Totoro. Disney/Pixar chief creative officer John Lassetter (who directed Toy Story and Toy Story 2) idolizes Miyazaki, and Disney is the US distributor of Miyazaki’s films.
• Actor John Morris has been the voice of Andy for all three Toy Story films.

Rating:

What did Dash think?

Dash wasn’t disappointed after building up his excitement for Toy Story 3 over the last few months. He was completely engaged in the film, laughing often and loving it all – without the need for a single bathroom break.

Will your kids like it?

* Something tells me your kids will love, not like, Toy Story 3. The film is full of action, colorful characters (in both personalities and hues), and humor for all ages.
* There are a couple of spots where the film gets dark in tone, particularly a perilous scene near the end involving Andy’s toys. And while my family found the cymbal-clanging monkey who guards Sunnyside at night to be hilarious, the close-ups of him shrieking and wailing had a couple of little kids crying in our theater.

Will your FilmMother want to watch it?

I hope she would, and I hope she will.

Am I living in a box? / Am I living in a cardboard box?

Toy Story 3
* Director: Lee Unkrich
* Screenwriter: Michael Arndt
* Stars: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Ned Beatty, Don Rickles, Michael Keaton, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Estelle Harris, Blake Clark
* MPAA Rating: G



Rent Toy Story 3 from Netflix >>

Iron Man 2 (2010)

LIKE MOST MOVIEGOERS (and comic book fans), I was happily surprised at the greatness of 2008’s Iron Man.

On paper, it shouldn’t have worked: a movie starring a formerly uninsurable actor as a B-level comic superhero, directed by the guy who made Elf. But Iron Man was a worldwide critical and financial smash, so a sequel was simply a question of when, not if, it would be made.

And like many other superhero sequels, Iron Man 2 stacks its deck with more characters, both heroes and villains, as if to laugh in the face of those sequels that sucked when they did the same thing. (Batman Forever, anyone?)

Plot:

Ever since playboy millionaire magnate Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) revealed he’s Iron Man at the end of the first film, he’s amassed a rockstar-like following by the public, while congressmen and the US military demand he hand over the Iron Man suit in the name of national security.

With his newfound fame and success as Iron Man, Stark is even cockier and more reckless than before – throwing his weight around and frustrating both the government (including buddy Lt. Col. James Rhodes (Don Cheadle)) and his co-workers (especially newly appointed Stark Industries CEO Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow)).

Watching all of Stark’s shenanigans from Russia is Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke), who has a score he intends to settle with the Stark family. Further complicating things is smarmy government weapons contractor Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell), who’s jealous of Stark’s success. And to top it all off, the mini reactor that gives both Iron Man and Stark life (Stark’s heart was severely injured in the first film) is slowly killing him by turning his blood toxic.

Critique:

Much like Tony Stark, Iron Man 2 lacks a true heart. Despite a handful of explosive action scenes and hero/villain posturing, there’s something missing that makes it more of a passive, detached experience than it should be. Not that director Jon Favreau and screenwriter Justin Thoreaux don’t try to make things engaging and deep, including Stark and Vanko wrestling with daddy issues during their sins-of-the-fathers plotline.

And a warning to anyone who (like me) geeked out at the early footage of Rourke as Whiplash, as he tore things up at the Monaco Grand Prix: Savor what you saw, because that’s all you get of Whiplash until the finale. In between, Rourke is simply Ivan Vanko, a thug with a physics degree who helps Justin Hammer create military drones to outperform Iron Man and make him obsolete.

On the plus side, most attempts at humor succeed. And things get blowed up real good during the action sequences (the finale involving Iron Man, War Machine, an army of killer robot drones, and Whiplash 2.0 is off the hook). But in the end, Iron Man 2 seems to be missing an intangible modicum of fun that made the original such a blast.

Rating:

Is it suitable for your kids?

Iron Man 2 is rated PG-13 for “intense sci-fi action and violence, and some language.” Some examples:
* Vanko breaks a prison guard’s neck
* Lots of explosions, comic-book fighting/violence, and a mayhem-laden finale in which a main character dies in a fiery bomb blast
* A drunk Stark celebrating at his birthday party
* Innuendos and profanities

Will your FilmMother want to watch it?

If she’s a fan of Iron Man or Downey, then probably. Even so, wait for the rental.

Ess not to lett…to vip it…vip it goot.

Iron Man
* Director: Jon Favreau
* Screenwriter: Justin Theroux
* Stars: Robert Downey, Jr., Mickey Rourke, Don Cheadle, Gwyneth Paltrow, Sam Rockwell, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, Garry Shandling
* MPAA Rating: PG-13