Getting Animated About It

I'm a huge fan of animated films. If given a choice, I'll almost always pick an animated movie over any other. Stop-motion, digital, hand-drawn, it doesn't matter. I am in awe of the movie making process for animation. There are some many different styles of animation and each is interesting and artistic. When each movie is over, then I have to watch the special features. All of them. I spent two and a half hours watching the making of Chicken Run after I bought that film. That's longer than the movie. 

This past year we signed up for Blockbuster delivery and since then I have been steadily requesting any animated film I can get my hands on. Lately I've been focusing on the more modern movies that have come out. And the results have been interesting. Tonight I watched the last of them for a while and figured I would do some quick reviews of the ones I have seen. I'll stay away from talking about the Pixar films which are consistently wonderful or the straight to video Disney ones that I can't bring myself to watch.  

Tonight we watched Hoodwinked. I had seen the previews when the movie first came out and thought it looked funny. First it had Patrick Warburton. The man is a comedy genius. I will gladly watch every animated film he does voice work for. And I was right. This fairy tale gone wrong had all the makings of a Jon Scieszka children's book. I won't tell you too much about the plot because that is one of the best things about this story. The movie follows Little Red Riding Hood's visit to grandma's house but the characters are not the ones you have met before. Each character, Red, wolf, grandma, and woodsman, tell their own story of the events of the night. And hilarity ensues. This was one of the most inventive and well written of the animated movies we have seen recently. 

The previous one we had rented was The Wild. This movie came out about the same time as Madagascar and seemed to tell the exact same story. I have to wonder if the stories had originally been sent around the studios and everyone sampled from the same thing. Both stories tell of zoo animals that have to make it out there in the wilds of Africa. Both of them have main lion characters and giraffes. We watched both of these. And while each movie was similar in plot there was a very different tone. And because of that, I loved one and hated the other. The Wild was quirky, lead by Eddie Izzard as the koala. There was a zaniness to the movie but it was not a grating zaniness. There seemed to be a heart behind the madness. Madagascar on the other hand focused mostly on the arguments between the characters. After thirty minutes I debated turning the movie off. It was a little like going to dinner with a couple filing for divorce. The sniping at each other was grating. The penguins were the saving grace of the film, perhaps the reason that the new film promised 30% more penguins. 

Open Season was one of those films that I enjoyed and forgot the moment it ended. I had to ask Jeff what the title was in order to write this and couldn't even remember any of the voice talents. Not a good sign. Normally I can tell you who did the principal voices, what the title was, and who directed it. I can tell you who directed the Pixar animated shorts. The story was cute, the characters were silly and slightly over the top, and the jokes were good. I just didn't find it incredibly memorable. Perhaps I should go back to the classic "Wabbit Season, Duck Season" Warner Brothers cartoon as a substitute. At least that one I can quote. 

But the jewel of the ones we have seen recently was Over the Hedge. If I had to pick an animated film that surprised me with its heart and warmth it would be this film. Now I have not yet seen Wall-E but I hear that one will possibly replace it. (I don't see things in the theater so that one has had to wait) First, the movie has a message. It is not a subtle message but one that is not dripping from every word. And it is a message I can wholeheartedly get behind. The sprawling of the suburbs has driven animals into smaller and smaller areas. (but this is not the post for that discussion). What I loved about this movie was the voices. Gary Shandling, Bruce Willis, and Steve Carell were hilarious. How can you not love a film that gives William Shatner a possum role? The movie is funny and touching and silly. Everything a good animated film should be. The scene at the end with Steve Carell was so hilarious my husband had to stop the movie to wipe the tears of laughter from his eyes. Too wonderful. 

I have to love that there are so many animated films for me to enjoy. And so many different forms. I'm eager to see Coraline when it comes out. Stop motion has a special place in my heart. But until then I have many more in my queue.