Monsters vs. Aliens: We Loved It!
by Doug TenNapelI took my five-year-old son (Ed) and seven-year-old daughter (Ahmi) to see “Monsters vs. Aliens.” We got our Elvis Costello 3D glasses and wore them at all the wrong times during the television commercials that come on before the movie trailers. My kids didn’t know but I was mostly interested in their response to the 3D imagery. That’s right, I went to “Monsters vs. Aliens” primarily for human experimentation. They reached out to grab objects that appeared to float in front of them, but the greatest of all expressions came to their faces every time I looked over at them: smiles.
Reese Witherspoon voices Ginormica, a 49-foot-tall woman with an awesome figure. More to love. But her fiance is a sleazy weatherman from Modesto, as if there’s any other kind. Ginormica is the straight person in the adventure; she carries the hero’s burden of bringing any kind of depth or drama to a 90 minute farce. Her comedy relief side-kicks are fish man, cockroach man, a big Mothra maggot and the show stealing gelatinous B.O.B. voiced by Seth Rogen.
I can’t say my take on the movie is unbiased, in that I know half of the animators on the project and am a huge fan of Dreamworks animation. I’ve met director Conrad Vernon and am a huge fan of Katzenberg.
Folks might make the mistake of comparing Dreamworks’ features to Pixar works. These are completely different companies and they appeal to different aspects of the broadest audience. Like the classic Disney animation model, Pixar’s works are richer, subtler, and more technically accomplished. But Dreamworks Animation calls to mind classic Warner Brothers’ cartoons that were low-brow, sarcastic, and populist. “Monsters vs. Aliens” is blue collar entertainment and as I looked around at the audience of happy families, I was very thankful that these kinds of movies are still being made. With most of Dreamworks animated features selling north of $250 million at the box office, they help keep family entertainment profitable and viable.
As a fan of monster movies, ’50s sci-fi, and Godzilla flicks, “Monsters vs. Aliens” offers layers of jokes on top of tributes on top of some unashamed clunkers. I always admire a guy who can tell a joke he knows is stupid but isn’t trying to impress with his I.Q. when he’s trying to share a laugh.
The 3D movie experience felt like an unnecessary gimmick–usually I found myself thinking about the layered effects instead of the story. The movie trailers for a bunch of other 3D movies coming out didn’t show any real promise either.
Finally, on the way home I turned around to Edward and Ahmi and asked, “Thumbs up or thumbs down?” They both smiled and put their thumbs up. They already requested the DVD when it comes out.
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17 Comments
My only complaint remains cost. $10+ for 3 of us, plus concessions, I am looking at a $50 trip. Luckily there is a true $1 show by us again so I will wait to take my anxious 5 year-old to see it once it lands there.
I took my 4 year old to see it, and we both really liked it. One line, though, was so forced and out of place that I just had to groan. The monsters are out of the gov't facility looking for the Alien when Link says "Is it warmer now? I'd really like to know, that would be a convenient truth." I know they were trying to be tricky but it sounded so stupid – why put it in if they couldn't at least make it work as part of the movie?
I took my 4 year old to see it, and we both really liked it. One line, though, was so forced and out of place that I just had to groan. The monsters are out of the gov't facility looking for the Alien when Link says "Is it warmer now? I'd really like to know, that would be a convenient truth." I know they were trying to be tricky but it sounded so stupid – why put it in if they couldn't at least make it work as part of the movie?
Gotta love the kids. Love the reviews Doug, but on this one I'm ignoring your analysis and going with the "smiles" and "thumbs up" review. I'm going to go grab a friend this afternoon, get them out of their office, and go watch this in 3-D for the fun of it
Saturday afternoon matinee for $7/ea, eat before you leave the house (or smuggle in your own snacks). Presto.
The $50 number doesn't even factor in fuel and other transportation related costs for those that live in urban areas. If you see a lot of movies then there's no better deal than buying a 42" LCD + surround sound system + Blu-ray Disc player. Urban movie buffs with families can easily spend $2,000+ per year on trips to see movies at the cineplex or pay roughly that same cost for installation of a home cinema from Costco.
There are extra added benefits to this: If the kids want to see "Monsters vs. Aliens" again immediately after watching it on the home cinema, you can restart the Blu-ray Disc at no additional cost compared to the cineplex. You can also rub it into the faces of smug lefties that your home cinema is much more "green" than them because you are lowering your over carbon footprint by not making weekly trips to the cineplex, using Energy Star-rated TVs, and renting the movie via an online HD video streaming service.
But Dreamworks Animation calls to mind classic Warner Brothers’ cartoons . .
"Kung Fu Panda" stands up to anything Pixar has made in all categories. Characterizing Dreamworks as WB shorts sells them short.
Your comparison to WB cartoons (the old jazz vs. classical music thing) makes me interested, but there's a huge barrier for entry with me and Dreamworks flicks in that I think all of the characters are ass ugly. Doug, do you find them appealing, or do you just kind of get over it?
Totally agree about Kung Fu Panda. It doesn't just hold up to Pixar but blows them away. I think it's the best CG movie ever made and my general comments about Dreamworks don't apply to KFP.
I did the same thing when I watched it this Saturday.
Oh, man, I too think most of their characters are really ugly. Craig Kellmen does a lot of design for them and sometimes the execution into CG works and sometimes they don't. Ronnie Del Carmen/Brad Bird/Jeff Pidgeon have a better grasp on appeal that translates better.
Don't get me started on Shrek, but as ugly as those characters come off, I don't see how I can win an argument with Jeffrey when the box office shows the audience just doesn't care about ugly. Also see the popularity of Simpsons, Family Guy, Southpark and King of the Hill. We have a robust history of being okay with unappealing character design. It's not the key to entertainment apparently, though I relish good design.
I think you've confirmed my guess that the movie is really a kid's movie with some fun for adults too. If there are some politically-correct messages, the kids probably won't get 'em, and the adults will probably ignore 'em.
Sorry, no. I like Kung Fu Panda a great deal, but it's a Warner Brothers goof with a little "wax on/wax off" when compared to one of the best films of the decade, "The Incredibles". Even the rat is deeper.
Incredibles is great, as is Nemo, but the action/choreography in Panda puts Incredibles down a notch. Not a big fat of the Rat…though I like the wet fur effects.
We'll have to agree to dis, Doug. I thought the choreography of Incredibles (Dash running on the water, etc.) was pretty amazing.
And the story–story, story, story. From "Nitemare", Lasseter's CalArts animated short, through the latest Pixar big-deal (I'm looking forward to "Up"), they concentrate on story. KFP had a lot more story than those lame-ass Shrek tent-poles (not sayin' a lot there). The pre-CGI animations that DreamWorks tried to pull off were noble, but unfortunately, failures.
–Alex Pournelle
We went to the red carpet premiere for this movie and loved it. We had seats in the back corner and the 3D still looked great. I think the 3D actually made those otherwise 'cheap seats' much better because it pulled us into the action. CGI films definitely lend themselves to good 3D because of the crispness of the image. I had low expections because the title sounded pretty contrived but we were pleasantly surprised.
(full disclosure as a proud brother-my brother, Tom McGrath, was the co-director and voice of Skipper the Penguin for the Madagascar movies and he voiced one of the Secret Service guys in 'M vs. A'. He is currently directing Mastermind for Dreamworks) He tells me that much more 3D is on the way.
I'd put KFP up on the list of "legitimately-great" Dreamworks cartoons with Ice Age, Antz and most of the first Shrek… but for my money in different hands it might've turned out better. Dreamworks Animation has an unhealthy fixation on schtick and of-the-moment pop references, even to the detriment of stories where it isn't needed. KFP was "working" best for me when it was a 'straight' martial-arts fantasy movie that happened to have an animal cast. Whenever it lapsed into more of a formula Jack Black bit, it kinda lost me… Though the great villain, the inspired third act and brilliant casting of the great James Hong easily wins me back.
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