Despicable Me

 

Animated films always seem to fit into two different camps; either they are awful cash cows (A Shark’s Tale, Shrek 3) or they are true labours of love (Toy Story 3, Shrek). It has become a rare find to watch an animated children’s film that takes the middle road, but ‘Despicable Me’ is it. Not revolutionary, but not something that has been quickly made to fill a gap in schedules.

‘Despicable Me’, like Pixar’s ‘The Incredibles’, is set in a comic-book like setting where villains exist, but strangely there was no caped crusader or masked vigilante in sight. In fact being a villain is it’s own profession with paid minions and a Bank of Evil to get loans from. Gru, voiced by Steve Carrell, is not the sort of villain that you would send Jack Bauer after; styled like a French cartoon character his most evil acts seem to be stealing monuments from Vegas or bursting children’s balloons. Saying this his big plot of the century is to steal the moon and then sell it back for fame and fortune and to help him with this he has the great inventor, cockneyDr Nefario, expertly voicedy Russell Brand. And of course he also has his army of yellow, worm like minions. These numeroud minions remind me of the game Lemmings – they act as very effective comic relief. With all the ‘Looney Tune’ like physical gags as well as cute voice work and costumes the minions are easily the second best part of the film, with the greatest part being the orphans Margo, Edith and Agnes. These 3 girls provide the heart of the film, as they are all so sweet together with Gru that they create the warmest moments that will melt your heart.

Outside of this, Gru-orphans dynamic the film ends up being pretty ‘run-of-the-mill’, which makes it rather dull at times. The supporting cast of Jason Segel and Julie Andrews were very good, but the story and script was just not complex nor mature enough. You may accuse me of being harsh given that this is a kids’ film, but many great movies for children have worked around this and managed to entertain both adults and children equally. There are a quite a lot of chuckles with some generally laugh out loud moments.  The 3D was also used exceptionally well. In fact it might have been the best use of 3D I have seen yet(apologies to James Cameron) but even with all this the whole production felt very middle ground. There was no new way of looking at the genre or the story or the characters. Maybe if it had come out 10 or so years ago it would have seemed slightly more original and impressive, but unfortunately with all the high caliber animation movie goers see at the moment, being adequate just isn’t good enough. That is not to say you should give this film a miss, you certainly should go and see it, but don’t expect too much from it. You will leave the cinema smiling, but will also forget the film as soon as that smile fades.

Degree: 2:2- a film with a lot of heart, if not much else, but worth seeing just for that.

(If you are confused about the rating system please click on the ‘About This Blog Page’ which will explain it all)

Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole

written by guest lecturer Dean Newby

The Owls of Ga’Hoole is an animated film loosely based on the first book of the fantasy trilogy ‘Guardians of Ga’Hoole’ by Kathryn Lask. Directed by Zack Snyder of ‘300’ & ‘Watchmen’ fame, with voice work from the likes of Helen Mirren, Geoffrey Rush, Sam Neill & Miriam Margolyes, and the lesser known but impressive Jim Sturgess, Joel Edgerton & Essie Davis. All the voice acting so impressive that you almost don’t recognize the famous voices; unlike other animated films this one has not relied on the strength of the names in the credits to hold it up. I had the opportunity to attend the European 3D Premiere in Leicester Square on Sunday 10th October.

As the film begins it’s obvious that we are in for a real visual treat. The leaves floating past on the screen are so ‘real’ that I move my head from their path while each feather if perfectly rendedered. It is movies like this that make you see what the true potential of 3D really is. The camera lands us on branch at the opening of an owl hollow, the sound of a family playing can be heard, and we are quickly introduced to the story’s young protagonist, Soren, a barn owl who is telling his young sister – the very cute Eglantine, the legend of the Guardians’ triumph over Metalbeak, a Sooty Owl who believes that it is the birthright of the ‘Pure Ones’ to rule over all other species.

The story quickly progresses, with a multitude of characters and character types introduced, including the evil Metalbeak who is rebuilding his army to yet again go to war with the Guardians in an attempt to wipe out both them and the lesser species. The Guardians are unaware of Metalbeak’s plan, but soon starts preparing in extraordinary style, and of course the band of companions are ever-present and vitally important as in all quest-based fantasy films.

Something this film is definitely not lacking is characterisation, which considering just how many characters there are is really quite impressive. The fact they are all owls is never a problem in how much personality they are given and how well we feel we know them. Even the members of Soren’s band of companions are given room to evolve, and play an important part in the story, with each contributing a characteristic one imagines is needed when on an exhausting and life-threatening quest. They also offer some of the film’s lighter and funnier moments, allowing the audience to take in and process either a piece of vital mythology or background, or a visually stunning sequence – of which there are many, each better and more impressive than the last.

It would be quite easy to write off a film like ‘Legend of the Guardians’ as simply an animated fantasy for children, the main characters are after all birds and the plot is not particularly complicated. But, to do so, would be a mistake. While it does fall short of being an epic, it is most definitely one of the higher quality animated fantasies. Not only in terms of visual effects and impact, but also in terms of plot and sub-plots, characterisation, and the natural flow and rhythm of the story’s timeline.

‘Legend of the Guardians’ is an enjoyable and visually beautiful film that though at times can be predictable, gives both children and adults alike enough reason to sit mesmerised for it’s entire 97 minute running time. An ideal weekend family film.

Degree: 2:1

A stunning adventure of good vs bad, light vs dark, owl vs owl.

(If you are confused about the rating system please click on the ‘About This Blog Page’ which will explain it all)

The Legend Of The Guardians: The Owls Of Ga Hoole

Here is a film that has truly mastered 3D animation and CGI. The detail and beauty rendered in every scene and with every owl could give Pixar a run for their money; Animal Studio have really outdone themselves.

The film is based on a series of novels called ‘ Guardians of Ga’Hoole’ by Kathryn Lasky and follows the epic of journey of a young owl named Soren. With his friends he wants to find the guardians in order to warn them on an attack by an army of owls called The Pure Ones. Think of this as an epic version of ‘Happy Feet’.

With the voice cast including Hugo Weaving, Helen Mirren and Sam Neill it is clear that this won’t only be visual stunning, but will also be an enjoyable family film to sit through. Set to be released on 15th October, this one will be one to look out for.

Until then enjoy the many clips below which introduce us to a lot of the characters.

How To Make A Classic…Family Film- The Disney Equation

Walt Disney has made some of the most known and best-loved family films of all time. Success to them is a formula that works every time. Every classic Disney movie has several key aspects that make the movie a classic; they need an unoriginal story, adult themes and an amazing soundtrack.

The idea of using an unoriginal story seems a bit backward, but looking at all the Disney classics many, if not all, are based on old children’s books and fairytales: Aladdin, Hercules, Cinderella, The Jungle Book, Alice in Wonderland are just a few, but the list goes on ad infinitum. These stories work for Disney because they are timeless tales that are known to work. If these stories have survived decades (often centuries) of publishing then they can survive a Disney make over. As anyone will know, the success of Disney franchises tends to wane when the House of Mouse releases the sequels and prequels they develop themselves.

On top of the classic story a Disney family film will include adult content. Some of the most memorable scenes from Disney are also the most harrowing; the death of Bambi’s mother and of Simba’s father defines both films. These scenes work because they don’t treat the child watchers like idiots. Not only do these scenes leave a lasting impression on the children, but they also bring in the parents who can enjoy the film as well. But there is a limit. Bad deeds done to the protagonist are fine, since the protagonist can overcome them; bad deeds done by the protagonist cannot be so easily justified. In the Hans Christen Anderson version of the ‘The Little Mermaid’ the mermaid must murder the prince’s wife in order to remain human. She decides not to, but instead drowns herself in the ocean. Suitable content for a children’s film? I think not: Disney wisely decided to leave this story direction out. The final essential part of a Disney family film is of course the music.

All classic family films must have a great soundtrack that is so catchy that you will remember it years later merely seconds into the song. It is these catchy tunes and wonderful lyrics that have families coming back time and time again. The music and the happy ending.

This formula which Walt Disney first equated almost a century ago has been shown to child after child for generations. And how successful it has been!

Lock up your daughters; here come the bad boys

In the space of a few months two big animation studios are releasing films which centre around super villains; ‘Despicable Me’ by Universal and ‘Megamind’ by Dreamworks. The films’ close realise dates have the old comedy team of Will Ferrel (Megamind) and Steve Carell (Gru) put against each other for the role of ultimate evil genius, but who will take over the world box office? Both these films look like they will have a great new take on the timeless hero Vs villain dynamic that everyone knows.

Gru (Carell) is an evil genius, but it doesn’t seem like he is a very good one. However he does have a heart which shows when he adopts three orphaned girls.The film will follow Gru as he gets to grips with this family and responsibilities as well as also trying to pull off his biggest heist-stealing the moon. The film is going to be released in the UK on October 15th 2010.

‘Megamind’ has a start that harks back to the origins of Superman, with two children from neighbouring planets being sent away from their homes just before their destruction and both landing on Earth, though in very different circumstances. One is brought up in a loving home and will become the hero Metro Man while the other is brought up in a prison and will become the villain Megamind. With the emergence of a new villain, Tighten, the roles are reversed and Megamind is given the chance to be a hero, while Metro Man hides away in retirement. This film is out December 3rd 2010.

Toy Story 3

No, it is all true, the hype is not an over-exaggeration, this is one of the best films out this summer. As we all know, Pixar have created films that rival the great Walt Disney in both originality and beauty. ‘Toy Story 3’ sees the end to the series that made Pixar’s name back in 1995; no creative expense has been spared in making it the best of the trilogy and one of the best Pixar films to date.

The film opens with an exciting imaginative adventure scene followed by a heart warming montage showing the interaction and love between Andy and his toys. When the dust settles, however, the audience find themselves back in Andy’s room: a lot of time has passed and things are very different. Nothing has escaped the change: Andy (still voiced by a now grown-up John Morris) is grown up and leaving for college; the puppy Buster has his fair share of grey hairs; and Andy’s toys are left half forgotten in his old toy box. Although many of our favourite toys are still in this film, such as Woody, Buzz and Jesse, to name a few, some are also missing. The ones that are still around have not changed: they still want to be played with and long for Andy’s attention. This childlike want is heartbreaking to watch. It is also clear that the toys are slowly becoming jaded as time passes; so begins the start of the message that Pixar is trying to tackle. The film aims to deal with loss of purpose and how we feel when we are looked over or no longer needed.

The solution presented to us and the toys is to try and live with no purpose, no responsibilities, no owners. Andy’s toys find this weight-free existence at Sunnyside Daycare where the toys have no owners and so have no no heartbreak. However, Sunnyside is a lot more sinister than it first appears.. It is here that the story starts to pick up pace with many action sequences, moving speeches and funny one-liners as well as introductions to many new characters, both toys and human.

This final instalment of the ‘Toy Story’ franchise easily has some of the best characters in it. We have the return of old favourites: Rex who is still as clumsy as ever; Ham who is voiced by Pixar good-luck charm John Ratzenberger; the Potato Heads with their alien adoptive children; slinky dog; the cowboy’s horse Bullseye; and of course Woody and Buzz, the film’s favourite duo. However there is also some female talent with Jessie the cow-girl and new comer Barbie. Both girls easily keep up with the male toys in both action and comedy. On top of these characters the audience are introduced to many more at Sunnyside Daycare such as Stretch, Chunk, Dollie and a host of others all voiced by famous Hollywood veterans such as Whoopi Goldberg and Timothy Dalton. The head of this host of new toys is Lots-O’-Huggin’ Bear (Lotso for short) who with the soft voice of Ned Beatty and bright purple fur, seems at first a kind and wise caretaker, but is in fact a ruthless warden who controls Sunnyside with intimidation and fear. He wields this fear with the help of Big Baby, his Lenny like accomplice who is strong, yet follows Lotso with blinding faith. Big Baby is a frightening character that harks back to the terrible creations found in Cid’s room in the first film. However easily the most stand out new character is Michael Keaton’s Ken, the embodiment of the metro-sexual man. With his All American smile, indignation at being called a ‘girl’s toy’ and expansive wardrobe that would make Carrie Fisher jealous, Ken could certainly be an idol for the modern man (a character some might relate to). The fashion montage in his walk in wardrobe is certainly a highlight of the film and makes him an immediate favourite with everyone watching. The great thing about all Pixar characters, and this film is no exception, is that they are not one dimensional. The good guys have flaws and annoying habits while the bad guys have relatable motives that cause them to act as they do. In this way these animated toys have are more realistic than something you might find in a M.Night Shyamalan production.

In typical Pixar fashion it’s not just the characters that have matured and improved since the previous film. The animation is easily the best ever, with beautiful bright colours, made more detailed by the 3D effect (although the jury is still out as to quite how much this improves the cinematic experience, in this reviewer’s opinion). Along with the animation, the emotional balance has been perfected with lots of jokes, both physical slapstick for the kids and witty quips for the adults, as well as lots of poignant moments and realisations. The film shows that a purposeless life is empty and that we never lose our purpose or importance, we simply grow out of old ones and start new ones. However along with the maturation Pixar has not lost its childlike humour with subtle in jokes and homages. Andy’s Mum’s car still has the licence plate A-113, which is subtle dedication to the classroom where many Pixar artists discovered their dream of animation. Many of the action scenes inside Sunnyside come from famous escape films such as ‘The Great Escape’. One of the new toys is Totoro, the mascot of the Japanese film studio Studio Ghibli with whom Pixar are on great terms. They also hint at previous jokes from the older ‘Toy Story’ films, such as ‘the claw’ and riding Buster like a horse, but these jokes have changed with time and are the funnier for it. There are probably many more in-jokes that first time viewers may not notice and, with this in mind, it’s worth going to see the film again and again to discover the plethora of hidden jokes and references. The movie also starts with a fantastic short film called ‘Night and Day’, which plays around wonderfully with the fusion of sound and vision and is easily one of the best short films Pixar has done in a long time.

‘Toy Story 3’ is the perfect end to a magnificent trilogy and will leave every member of the audience feeling warm, a little weepy, but fully satisfied with the ending. The film creates laugher and tears in both children and adults and yet no one is ashamed of this. The only thing to regret is that we did not show our own toys this much affection when we still had them.

Degree: 1st

An imaginative and stunning finale to a franchise that has touched us all.

Every member of the audience will leave with smiles on their faces and tears in their eyes.