toddly6666

I read Brian Orndorf's DVD review of Happy Feet at http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=25113 and...


Say what you want, but this movie is a masterpiece.

toddly6666

Brian, where did you see the movie? I saw Happy Feet packed with kids and parents and there was a huge applause at the credits. "Duped parents and head-spinning confusion"?That's the type of reactions I only saw after Matrix Reloaded, Revenge of the Sith, and Pirates 2.

The marketing of this movie was genius.

toddly6666

1. It's great that it disguised itself as just a cute movie.
2. The CGI animation is a lot better than every other American animated movie this year, in which it doesn't have that generic look as every other American CGI animated film. Miller also apreciates subtlety, not needing flashy looking characters to differentiate them. He uses just hints of differences.
3. Although I don't want to give away the surprise, the way the "aliens" look in this movie is pure genius, totally unexpected and much appreciated.
4. Who says an animated movie with Robin Williams has to be all fun and cute? Miller is the master of mixing light-heartedness, slapstick, humor and also serious themes that is lacking in current politically correct children movies. The great things about the 1980s children's movies is that they did the same thing - mixing dark and serious into the fun and slapstick. (Labrynth, Legend, The Adventures of Mark Twain, Animal Farm)
5. The movie is totally touching.

jaeufraser

Miller is the reason I still want to, and can believe this is excellent.

I'm a big fan of his mega bomb, but amazing family movie Babe: Pig in the City which also manages to fuse pathos and family friendly entertainment into a wonderful package. Looking forward to seeing the cute penguins.

Rogue588

Well, I have to agree with Brian. (And this isn't a case of DVD Talk reviewers sticking together). The film does take an extremely wicked left turn during the third act that might leave one wondering "Where the hell did that come from?!?!" And, let's be honest...this was marketed solely with penguins shucking and jiving.

That's not to say I didn't enjoy it. I enjoyed the hell out of it. In fact, I probably would've enjoyed it more had I not been viewing it at a 90º angle..

Michael Corvin

I agree with the review(for the most part) as well as all the points above. The movie was pure genius. As for the review I came away looking at it as two acts, not three. The first act about the "happy feet" and Mumbles finding himself and being accepted for who he is was very thin and I couldn't imagine it sustaining the film for another 45 minutes. That is when the second "serious" act kicks in. Almost as if it is a different movie. It is heavy handed, but I think it works. It keeps the film from crumbling under it's own initial flimsy plot and handles it in a very unique way(see #3 above). So I would give it more than 2 1/2 stars. Probably 3 1/2.

First thing that came to mind for me was Moulin Rouge as well. The music selection and implementation was perfect and rarely achieved these days when it is all about marketing a soundtrack vs. using what fits. Every song, and vocalist chosen was perfect. The music kept the first half of the film alive and I frequently found myself with "happy feet" toe-tapping to the music.

Castwise I usually can nail the voice actors. I didn't know who was in it going in, and I could only pick out Elijah Wood and Robin Williams. Looks like WB took a page from the Pixar playbook and cast the roles based on talent and who fit the part instead of who's name will look good on the poster. Speaking of Williams, I don't have a problem with him like most people around here, but I do have to say he voiced 2 too many characters(he does 3). What, did they score a bargain for him doing that versus hiring two more actors? It was a poor choice, IMO.

I also saw it in a theater full of kids. Took my 2 1/2 year old(her first movie) and while she didn't lose interest I think the abscence of color had an effect. You and I can appreciate the sprawling snowy and icy landscapes and lack of colorful characters, but I think it is pushing it for a child. The color palette is essentially black, white & blue. That is it for 90 minutes. Not something a child expects when they are used to something like Finding Nemo.

Also on this same line of thought there were more previews tacked onto this film than any movie I've seen in a couple years. Unexcusable for a film aimed at small children. It was literally 30 minutes of previews. Ugh. We also were treated to Ben Stiller's Museum preview which did not belong on there, IMO. The CG T-Rex totally freaked my daughter out. And Fred Clause? Sure it looks funny but do we really need to waste two minutes on a film that isn't due out until Christmas 2007? Jesus H Christ.

All that being said, this is the first non-Pixar/Disney animated film I have enjoyed since either the Iron Giant or the Prince of Egypt and is easily one of the best movies I have seen this year. Do not be fooled, this isn't your 'by-the-numbers' CG flick for kiddies, this is a film to rival some of Pixar's work. I'm tempted to say I enjoyed it more than Cars, but I think I will reserve that judgement until I see them both for a second time.

Alright, I've rambled enough. Go see this film! Just check your expectations at the door and ignore the previews. From the way Rogue and Brian present their views it appears as if they would have given it higher marks if not for the poor marketing. Does that sound right guys? I knew nothing of the film, so I had no problem with the turn of events.

Rogue588

I don't think the marketing was poor, I just could see Brian's scenario possibly happening because of the marketing. The film has done 40+ mil and beat the debut of an established franchise flick? I think the marketing was genius.

I just don't know if some of "today's" parents will appreciate having to take the time to explain the ending when they were lead to believe it would be a "by-the-numbers" family flick. Again, not that I have a problem with it..

superdeluxe

The turn in the last 30 minutes was so blunt, it was like...Alright already, we get it..You hate Americans and Christians.

Shannon Nutt

Not exactly discerning moviegoers in your area, are there?

JimRochester

I didn't care for the whole people fish angle. It was too heavy handed for me. Especially the way it was marketed, it came out of left field. Left me feeling as though I ended up watching a long infomercial for Greenpeace

Dead

Yup, and IMO that really took away from what the film could have been. Not to say that it was bad by any means. The "message" was overbearing and out of place though.

BravesMG

That's what kept my wife and I away from this and she LOVES these kinds of movies. That's the first I've heard it labeled as 'hate' but I got the idea it wasn't very subtle.

rennervision

I'm not sure if I completely understand what you're saying here. I took the message as an indictment against all mankind. Not Americans. And I sure didn't get the sense it was singling out Christians.