harrydoyle

This is the first review I've seen for it. As a fan of The Incredibles, happy to hear the film compared to it...

http://www.entertainmentwise.com/review?id=28820

mijorico

It looks kind of cute, but it don't look like no Incredibles. With Pixar not being involved, I have my reservations. Disney's (non-Pixar) track record the past few years has been less than stellar.

Giles

can't wait to see this in Disney 3D

Brent L

I don't know if it'll be a great movie or not, but I laugh out loud every single time at the part in the trailer where the dinosaur is trying to get the kid and the bad guy asks why he isn't seizing the boy, the dino says, in a dino voice, "I have a big head, and little arms".

harrydoyle

Yeah the dinosaur part is good. The thing that I liked about the review is how they said the villain (Bowler Hat Guy...funny name) was so memorable.

Giles

it kind of seems Un-Disney like to not have big A-list actors lending their voices to this film.

The Bus

You're thinking of Dreamworks. Disney usually reserves celebrities for a few key roles (usually never the lead character). Example: Beauty and the Beast, Little Mermaid, Alladin, Lion King. Dreamworks, however, makes sure every single person cast is an A-List or at least B-Plus-List celebrity. Look at Shark Tale. Look at Shrek. Madagascar. Over the Hedge.

I'm glad Disney still employs (what I hope are) traditional voice actors. For every Chris Rock employed to sauce-up a spicy sidekick, they're missing out on bringing someone on that could make the character truly memorable.

Pixar is sort of a medium between these two.

jeffkjoe

And Pixar has NEVER employed A-list talent. No one's heard of Holly Hunter, Samuel L. Jackson, Ellen Degeneres, Owen Wilson, Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Paul Newman, Kevin Spacey, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Billy Crystal, John Goodman......

mijorico

To be fair, he was talking about Disney, not Pixar. And he did say Pixar walks the line, so to speak.

Besides, I'd argue that the point is Dreamworks hires names, while Pixar hires actors. By that I mean the Dreamworks philosophy seems to be sign on as many big names as possible and throw them together, while Pixar goes for well-known actors (but not necessarily big names). Dreamworks builds their movies around their stars, while Pixar uses stars to build their movies.

Actors like Bonnie Hunt, Craig T. Nelson, Albert Brooks, and even Holly Hunter aren't huge stars. They're A-listers, but they're certainly not brought on because of their names.

harrydoyle

Shouldn't animated works be judged on their story and animation merit, rather than the star power of their voiceovers?

Giles

one would hope so, but prior Disney and Dreamworks animated flicks believed it so.

The Bus

I think this was ascerbated by Shrek. The worst of all I think was Shark Tale. Over the Hedge used only "famous" voices but for the most part they were cast well, like mijorico mentioned.

dcprules

It also looks like Real D is really increasing the number of 3-d screens for the movie. It's going to be playing in 3-d in nearly 700 theatres up from just over 200. It looks like there are going to be nearly another 100 Regal and AMC theatres added, amongst numerous others. So if Real D wasn't near you before, it probably will be now.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/...a7939c40aba66a

The Bus

I've got a Cinemark and two Regals within regular driving distance. The Cinemark is an older theatre so I hope it makes it there to give Regal some competition.

jeffkjoe

I really think this "star value" theory goes around all the studios, not just one. Look at Martin Lawrence and Ashton Kutcher in Sony's Open Season. Look at Robin Williams in Fox's Robots and Happy Feet. Look at Tom Hanks in Warner's Polar Express.

But getting back to the topic at hand, there's some really nice animation, at least from the trailer, from Meet the Robinsons. I'm really looking forward to it.

mijorico

True. But for a while there, Dreamworks was the worst offender of favoring star power and pop culture references over substance. Shark Tale was the low point. It seems they're slowly getting away from that.

Giles

not only Shark Tale, but Dreamwork's 'Sinbad' was blatant in it's pushing of A-list actors contributing their voices. Brad Pitt was terrible and quite frankly bland as the lead.

'Over the Hedge' I agree, the voices were perfect.

NatrlBornThrllr

YES!

harrydoyle

This one also makes mention of a matureness to the film. I really don't care about the star power argument, seems like there have been good and bad animated films with and without star power:

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/31857

Giles

I asked over at downtown DC's Regal Gallery Place and the manager stated that she knew that a Real D system would not be debuting with Meet the Robinsons

Steve Phillips

It's only a matter of time before DC catches up with the rest of the country! In the meantime, there are many locations not so far away from you. Take a road trip!

Dreamworks just announced today in the trades that all of its animated films will be available in 3-D starting in 2009 with the release of MONSTERS VS ALIENS.

Giles

road trips are fine and dandy. 3D theatres are out in Alexandria, Fairfax, Sterling, (Virginia) Hanover, Annapolis (Maryland). DC only has one in Georgetown, AMC books the 3D features, it's the standard DLP digital presentations they royally screw up and rarely feature (come on AMC get your friggin' act together). I am anxious to see what DC area theatres this round will get the digital conversion.

harrydoyle

Interesting, my friends just saw it in Georgetown last night in 3D. They said it was great, and I would guess just about any DC resident can get to Georgetown (I'm out in Nova).

maingon

i am gonna see it just for the 3d

milo bloom

I had no interest in this movie till I read this thread, and then watched for this part in the ad, and commenced to laughing out loud at this bit with the t-rex.