Wednesday, June 07, 2006

Go See This Movie

Last night a friend and I went out to see Over the Hedge, the animated film about a group of woodland animals who, confronted by creeping suburbia, decide to taste (literally) the good life on the other side of the subdivision hedge.

You have to see this movie. It's excellent.

Let me count the ways.

It's incredibly clever, with sharp, witty dialogue that explores some serious issues -- "affluenza," environmental destruction, greed, dishonesty, what makes a real family -- in a truly entertaining way, unlike some the ham-handed didactics one often experiences in these sorts of kids' films. Parts of it are just hilarious -- slapstick for the kiddos, smart repartee for the grownups. The animation is fascinating.

And I tink da porcupines may haff been Looterns, eh?

Go see this movie.

4 comments:

Tom in Ontario said...

Papa Porcupine was voiced by Eugene Levy, hardly a Looteran I think.

But what a great movie. The whole family went to see it last Wednesday. I think my favourite part was near the end when they fed Hammy the caffeine and he moved so fast that everything else looked like it was standing still. I was laughing so hard. The kids didn't get why everything stopped until I told them that it just looked like they stopped because Hammy was moving so fast.

I'd heard from someone that it wasn't worth seeing but we had free passes so we went anyway and we all loved it.

And I miss the "messages" in most films. I just go to be entertained and I was.

LutheranChik said...

Well, Eugene's porcupine sounds like he comes from Lake Wobegon!

Another thing I liked about this film: At times it would take you to the brink of manipulative bathos (always a bad thing for saps like me)...but then while teetering on the brink there'd be a burst of wit or a sight gag, and it would be all over. It was just a very well crafted film, IMHO, by creative people who respect their audience. What a concept.

LutheranChik said...

Well, Eugene's porcupine sounds like he comes from Lake Wobegon!

Another thing I liked about this film: At times it would take you to the brink of manipulative bathos (always a bad thing for saps like me)...but then while teetering on the brink there'd be a burst of wit or a sight gag, and it would be all over. It was just a very well crafted film, IMHO, by creative people who respect their audience. What a concept.

Dorcas (aka SingingOwl) said...

Yah, I tot da same ting about Eugene's Looterin porcupine. I loved the movie too. Laughed so hard I almost dumped a tub of popcorn.