CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS: THE FIRST EPIC MOVIE Review

It was nice, for once, to walk into a movie having not watched a single trailer, having not read the source material, and literally having zero to no expectation for what was about to be delivered. This type of movie-going experience doesn't happen often in the age of the twenty-four hour news cycle, especially when large portions of that cycle are dedicated to updating fans on every inch of a new movie's production status. The truth of the matter though, was that I personally had zero interest in Captain Underpants, his books, or his potential movies and chalked this initial feature up to being nothing more than a relatively cheap and easy cash grab to capitalize on the popular book series by Dav Pilkey. Still, even this kind of "brand recognition" mentality seemed like it wouldn't serve DreamWorks Animation in the way they might hope as the last I'd heard of the Captain Underpants books was when my younger brother discovered them in elementary school as they gained popularity...in the late nineties. There have been some rather large gaps in the publishing of Captain Underpants novels, but apparently Pilkey is still going strong today and given it's been almost two years since the last Captain Underpants adventure I'm assuming fans might have even been excited for the prospect of a new Underpants adventure not to mention the first one they might experience on the big screen. And so, Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie is here and while, again, I couldn't have been more unaware of what a movie that had "underpants" in the title could possibly deliver it actually is a rather inspired and genuinely funny piece of entertainment. Granted, this is all very silly and rather outlandish while capitalizing on the fact it knows it's capitalizing on potty humor, but nonetheless the titular character and his creators, elementary school students George (Kevin Hart) and Harold (Thomas Middleditch), burst through scene after scene with tireless enthusiasm and a joy for life and all its possibilities that's downright contagious. Though I have no idea how faithful this film is to a certain novel or the series in general I have to imagine that what is captured on screen is very close to the spirit of Pilkey's series as the most vital ingredient in Captain Underpants is that of getting the audience to view these adventures through the minds of George and Harold and it is in this regard that I came to not only appreciate what Captain Underpants was mining, but kind of adore it for doing so.

First Trailer for BASTARDS Starring Owen Wilson & Ed Helms

With the long-delayed release of Masterminds next week it seems Warner Bros. thought now might be the best time to debut the first trailer for their R-rated January offering in Bastards. While it couldn't feel more like Owen Wilson has slipped into complete comfort roles after passes with more challenging material in Midnight in Paris and Inherent Vice I always enjoy a nice piece of comfort comedy and hopefully if Jared Hess' Masterminds doesn't fill that quota in a few weeks maybe Bastards can come January when we (arguably) need it more anyway. What is interesting about Bastards is the pairing of Wilson with Ed Helms (who I totally thought was Jason Sudeikis in the above still). It's always interesting to mix and match and see what comedic stars charisma's work best together and so the prospect of Helms' more frantic gonzo mentality mixed with Wilson's more laid back persona should make for an interesting dynamic. It doesn't hurt the film has strong supporting credentials either as Glenn Close plays Wilson and Helms' characters mother with the premise being that she lied to her sons about their fathers death. Originally telling them he died of cancer the boys come to learn their mother actually doesn't know who their father is at all and so they set off across the country to track down potential dads. With J.K. Simmons and Terry Bradshaw delivering some of the bigger laughs here it seems first time director Lawrence Sher has taken advantage of every caveat screenwriter Justin Malen (the upcoming Baywatch movie) has thrown at him with it being especially endearing to see Katt Williams in a major studio comedy like this alongside more mainstream names. While the comedy probably won't be breaking any new ground and by all accounts might be pretty bad I'm always hopeful when Wilson is involved and so I can only hope he proves the release date stigma wrong. Bastards also stars Ving Rhames, Katie Aselton, Bill Irwin, Ryan Cartwright, Harry Shearer, and opens on January 27, 2017.

First Trailer for LOVE THE COOPERS

Christmas movies are almost as old as the medium itself. In my own, limited time on this earth I've come to love only a few that I can watch over and over again when that time of year comes around. While I enjoyed The Family Stone (which this trailer trades off of given it was produced by the same person) it isn't one I've returned to over the years. Maybe Love the Coopers will be a little different as this first trailer indicates a pretty solid family dramedy with a solid cast. Of course, you could describe The Family Stone that way as well...and I did like it...maybe I need to re-visit that this year instead of watching The Santa Clause for the billionth time (who am I kidding? I'll watch both). Anyway, in this new Christmas comedy that is once again led by Diane Keaton playing the matriarch of a somewhat large family (the Cooper's, duh) four generations come together for an annual Christmas Eve party. Naturally, things don't go as planned when a series of unexpected visitors and unlikely events turn the night upside down, leading them all toward a surprising rediscovery of family bonds and the spirit of the holiday. Sounds about right, right? And yet, as I watched the trailer I chuckled enough times and was happy enough to see certain actors show up to make me think this might actually have some potential. I like that Jake Lacy (The Office) is getting more work and strangely enough it's good to see Olivia Wilde back in comedic territory after seeming absent from it for a couple of years. Love the Coopers also stars John Goodman, Ed Helms, Amanda Seyfried, Marisa Tomei, Alan Arkin, Anthony Mackie with Steve Martin as the narrator and opens on November 13th.

VACATION Review

It was something of a surprise this new sequel in the Vacation series that also intends to serve as something of a reboot or re-make, but isn't really, included the line from the trailer about how this Vacation will indeed stand on it's own. It seemed a piece of dialogue specifically designed for the marketing campaign so as to let audiences know the movie itself was aware of what it represented and the pressures it might face in convincing audiences it was worthy of the challenge. This line, when given in the trailer, almost made the film more endearing (hey, it knows it has a lot of work to do), but the fact they included it in the final product gave an entirely different impression-one of desperation even. Maybe desperation is the wrong word, maybe a lack of confidence is a better way to put it. The statement itself wants to impose a sense of confidence though, a bold statement of this particular film being it's own thing and being successful on it's own terms whether there was an original or not. Of course, if this were a world where the original Vacation didn't exist we would have (a slightly altered) We're the Millers and that would be it. Instead, as brand recognition and nostalgia are at an all time high thanks to social media and our heightened sense of self-awareness it would be wrong to not try and capitalize on every big brand of generations past. And thus, we have what is essentially a remake (but it's a sequel!) of/to the original film where Stu from the Hangover movies plays a grown-up Rusty with call backs aplenty just in case you didn't get that this was in the same timeline as the 1983 film, but that it's still supposed to stand on it's own. These call-backs are of course intended to make audiences familiar with the 1983 version recognize the correlation and laugh while those who aren't will hopefully just laugh because...the comedy is timeless? All of these particulars don't really matter though as this is little more than a ninety-minute comedy intended to make audiences chuckle. When taken on such simple terms, it does it's job well enough. My qualm is why couldn't we do something with these actors/directors/writers that maybe didn't rely on tapping into nostalgia? If we keep re-making and re-visiting old properties what are future generations going to reboot or re-make? Or even worse, be able to call their own?

TIG Review

I like to listen to stand-up, but haven't in a long time. I went through the typical college phase of listening not only to what was popular and current at the time (Dane Cook, Mitch Hedberg), but digging into my dads collection and getting to know the stuff he was into (mainly Eddie Murphy, but there was plenty of Steven Wright and Steve Martin in there as well). Over the last few years I've dabbled in some of the more popular stuff like Aziz Ansari, Louis C.K. and Bo Burnham, but haven't explored the current scene as much as I would like to. That is, until I started listening to the top comedy tracks inside the Spotify app on my phone. This led me to not only appreciate the variety of personalities and insight I was missing out on, but also served as an introduction to Tig Notaro. I didn't know much about Notaro or what her story was other than that I'd seen her in Lake Bell's 2013 directorial effort, In a World..., but I liked her stand-up almost immediately given the first thing I heard was her story concerning Taylor Dayne. This immediate affection wasn't necessarily because I'm also a fan of Dayne (though "Tell it to My Heart" really is just the best), but because it allowed Notaro to put herself in her place. She understands where she stands in relation to Dayne as far as the pop culture pantheon is concerned and in relaying this story of unironic fandom she became one of us by divulging a piece of information most might consider at least somewhat embarrassing and going even further by consistently being shameless in her approach to how much Dayne's music meant to her in her formative years. As I continued listening to more of Notaro's material it became evident from her two album discography that some major things had occurred in her life between the release of her first and second albums. And so, when I came scrolling across this documentary simply titled Tig on Netflix the other day, I was more than thrilled to have access not only to what was going through Notaro's mind at the time multiple crises were taking place in her life, but how she's been since and what she's been up to.

First Red-Band Trailer for VACATION Reboot

It's hard for me to admit, but I haven't seen any of the Chevy Chase Vacation films sans Christmas Vacation as the in-laws enjoy watching that every couple of years or so when Christmas in fact rolls around. I've seen bits and pieces of the original as well as parts of Vegas Vacation on TBS or TNT at some point in the past, but never have I sat down with the intention of watching any of these straight through. That looks as if it will change this year as Warner Bros. has decided to not necessarily reboot or re-make what you would typically label as a sequel, but kind of is, as it continues the story of the Griswolds, but more by treating us to the next generation of the family that started it all. Given I don't have as much of a history with this series I likely don't get some of the references or jokes that play in this trailer, but as it states outright this is a Vacation that will stand on its own and I can only hope it proves itself right. Ed Helms is playing the grown-up Rusty Griswold who is intent on picking his family up out of its current slump by recreating his childhood vacation to Walley World. Christina Applegate is playing his wife with Leslie Mann filling the role of sister Audrey. Both Chase and Beverly D'Angelo return as Clark and Ellen for what I assume are glorified cameos while Horrible Bosses and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 scribes John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein take on their first directing gig. Vacation also stars Chris Hemsworth, Steele Stebbins, Skyler Gisondo, Nick Kroll, Charlie Day, Kaitlin Olson, Regina Hall, Keegan-Michael Key and opens on July 31st.

STRETCH Review

Joe Carnahan has made six feature length films, four of which I have now seen. Some of them I remember, others I don't recall much of. I haven't seen his debut 1998 feature Blood, Guts, Bullets and Octane (which looks and sounds horrendous) nor his sophomore follow-up in 2002's Narc though I hear that one is actually worth a look. I was introduced to Carnahan's tendency for manic action in his hyper-stylized 2006 effort which he both wrote and directed, Smokin' Aces.  I can remember Aces featuring an all-star ensemble, but a story that alludes me though that doesn't matter. It was a film with a visual flair all its own and from what I do remember it was that overt style that made me want to seek it out more than anything else. Going through the rest of Carnahan's filmography brings us to the highly underrated, intended to be franchise-starter that was 2010's The A-Team (an almost $80 million domestic gross against a $110 million budget) and then on to the next years The Grey which gave Liam Neeson what looked like another actioner in his new position as official movie badass, but was actually a thoughtful, meditative look at love, loss and the meaning of our existence among the threats of the wilderness and wolves. He is an eclectic kind of filmmaker as the aforementioned filmography proves, but he clearly has his tendencies when it comes to the types of films he likes to make and the very precise style he likes to infuse them with. There isn't necessarily one distinct style, though his pacing is key, but it is more about the melding of the style and material together in a way that produces something that feels totally organic. Organic in terms of a harmonious relationship between several different elements and Carnahan is now at a point in his career with his latest, Stretch, that he pulls off his manic tone with ease as his multifaceted screenplay dips in and out of different circumstances while never losing its energy.

WE'RE THE MILLERS Review

I love early August comedy releases. Though this spot is usually reserved for a Will Ferrell comedy every other year and thus may be the reason it holds a special place in my heart, We're the Millers does a fine enough job of filling that void until Ferrell unleashes his massive sequel he's saved for Christmas this year. While this has been a particularly stale year for American comedy, not to mention this summer, with the most memorable thing to come out so far being the very meta, very elaborate inside joke we all felt a part of that was This is the End. What was unfortunate about that film was that it didn't leave the big cultural impression I expected it to, or hasn't immediately anyway. It may pick up steam once it arrives on Blu-Ray and DVD as it will no doubt become my default funny flick to toss in when I'm bored, but as for We're the Millers I was hoping for a little something more, something lasting from the summers final funny effort. Director Rawson Marshall Thurber hasn't made a feature film in five years and that one, titled The Mysteries of Pittsburgh, didn't exactly do much (I'd never even heard of it). Before that, his last film was 2004's Dodgeball. Now, I loved Dodgeball as it came during that sweep of a summer that also included Anchorman and was preceded by Starsky & Hutch in March. It was a consistent set of comedy monopolized by the likes of Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Owen Wilson, and Ferrell. It is clear those days are long gone now as not even a Wilson/Vaughn reunion flick garners much excitement, but Thurber is at least intent on trying to keep that type of comedy intact and continuing the tone by any means possible. For, if nothing else, what I took away from We're the Millers was that initially underrated feeling that I will come to love in the long run. I know there are jokes I missed, inflections on certain lines I will laugh at more when I hear them again, and certainly something more to the characters of David and Kenny that I'll end up feeling more akin to and as a result laugh at their jokes even more. It is a comedy that, while funny enough on first viewing, will undoubtedly grow on me as time goes by. That may not be the best compliment to pay a film right out the gate, but as for now that is the biggest highlight of this high concept comedy.

THE HANGOVER PART III Review

If you know me personally then you know I have a big soft spot for comedy. I love it and I pretty well like everyone involved in the mainstream comedy game in Hollywood. I root for the underdogs the critics like to bash (I'm hoping The Internship is good, but feel the critical response will be worse than it is for this one) and I've felt I've especially had to stand up for The Hangover films since many, fans included, were disappointed in the carbon copy follow-up the second film turned out to be. I was, like most, a huge fan of the first film. I found it refreshingly funny and daring. It didn't care what anyone thought, it just wanted to be funny and that is what comedy is supposed to be. There should be no fear when putting what you think is funny on screen and that element I think is what saves the third and final part of this men behaving badly series. Director Todd Phillips and writing partner Craig Mazin (Identity Thief) listened to the audience reaction to Part II and appeased the crowds by saying, "okay, we'll do something different for the third one." Naturally, this was a smart move but as the first reactions have come in it seems people are upset that there is no trace of an actual hangover anywhere in the film and that instead of following the antics of these guys on a chase through a random city that has them putting together the pieces of the night before it has them exploring the truth about Alan's psyche and wanting to help him move on with his life. In some aspects it is a film completely devoted to character development and getting Zach Galifianakis' lovable goofball to a place where we as an audience feel content to leave him and the rest of the time it is almost a dramatic man hunt movie that has the wolfpack tracking down Mr. Chow (Ken Jeong). The Hangover Part III is certainly not what you would expect from the trilogy and compared to the others it is definitely the least funny, but that didn't make it a bad movie. In some ways it even made it more of a legitimate film.

First Trailer for THE HANGOVER PART III

It is hard to argue with those who didn't like The Hangover Part II. It was clearly a carbon copy of the first film with a change in location, but it is hard to deny that the film was funny. And the reason it maintained that same level of humor and endearment with the audience is due to the characters. For me, personally it makes little difference what these guys are doing or where they are as long as they are doing it together. That looks to be the main focus of this first glimpse of Part III as the format for someone getting married and a bachelor party have been ditched and the boys are on some kind of quest for something that has the film looking very action-filled. There isn't as much comedy here as I hoped to see, but it is only a teaser and it is likely they have to save some of the best bits for the audience admitted to an R-rated film; here's hoping! It has likely become the hip thing to hate on this series because "everyone" disliked the second film, but it was fun if not innovative like the first. Think about that first one though, it was an instant classic in the realm of comedy and I trust Todd Phillips well enough to know he understands what people disliked about the second film and has fixed it with the third while still maintaining everything that made the first one such a huge success. The core cast is all back with Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, Ed Helms, and Justin Bartha (though we don't see Doug once in the trailer) as well as returning members Ken Jeong, Heather Graham, Jamie Chung, Mike Epps, Mike Tyson, Jeffrey Tambor and some fresh blood in Melissa McCarthy and John Goodman. The Hangover Part III opens May 24th. Hit the jump to watch the trailer.

JEFF WHO LIVES AT HOME Review

The directing team of the Duplass brothers produced a rather interesting comedy a few years ago in "Cyrus" when pairing a perfectly cast Jonah Hill opposite a wildly hilarious and self-conscious John C. Reilly. What spoke to me most about the project though, was not that it cast these two major comic actors in a more intimate light, but instead that it had them playing these characters who weren't just your average funny guy. They were in a real, completely possible situation that life presented and to see these guys that play it up with such farcical tones most of the time in a situation that made them stop and realize and then laugh made it a real treat (though Reilly is known for his serious/indie side as well). The same can be said about their followup "Jeff, Who Lives at Home" which again stars two major comic actors in roles that aren't smaller in the context of the film, but simply smaller in terms of life. Our title character Jeff is played by the always lovable and effortlessly funny Jason Segel. As an actor, Segel has perfected the art of playing a slob with musings that he'd like to compare to Ghandi. As Jeff, Segel is a perfect blend of innocence mixed with wit and charisma that spews into every look he gives his brother Pat. Ed Helms plays the up-front jerk of a guy that is Pat and is given a chance to be someone other than the goober-loser shtick that has infused pretty much every character he has ever played. Like the story it's telling, "Jeff, Who Lives at Home" isn't a big movie, but it has a sweet heart and no matter how repulsive the characters might act, they win you over in the end.

Jeff and Pat's mom (Susan Sarandon) finds herself in a
perplexing situation.

Jeff is a guy who thinks everything happens for a reason, literally, every single thing. He is 30 and still has no idea as to what he wants to do with his life and seems to have no real aspirations in trying to find it either. He is simply going to let the universe guide him. It sounds very romantic and all, but the reality is that Jeff wears the same hoodie every day, hasn't had a girlfriend since high school and lives alone in his mom's basement where he seems to do nothing but watch the movie "Signs" over and over again. He is a kind of lost soul that is a slacker at heart. He aspires to much more, but the truth is that if he really had to do anything consistently it would just bum him out more. As Pat, Helms is a class-A douche bag that has chosen to go behind his wife's back and spend their savings on a Porsche rather than investing in a house. Their relationship has been deteriorating for a while now, and its clear that Pat's attitude toward pretty much everything is what is causing this. Then there's their poor mother played by Susan Sarandon who has been drifting through life since the death of her husband at a cubicle job that offers no real adventure in life. She's stuck with Jeff at home and Pat who pays her no regard or respect. We follow these three characters on a certain day that promises new beginnings for each of them, but more importantly the Duplass brothers have made it more about the meaning of those beginnings.

Jeff (Jason Segel) and Pat (Ed Helms) embark on an
unexpected adventure.

We know from the opening shot what the tone of the film will be and it continues with the musical score and the very personal way in which the movie has been shot. We don't get any particularly cinematic shots yet instead become accustomed to an increased amount of zooms and documentary-like style moving of the camera. Nevertheless, it works in building this relationship with the heart of the film, who is of course Jeff. We are drawn into his world just as his brother is when they somehow wind up on a journey together to uncover whether Pat's wife (Judy Greer) is having an affair or not. Don't let that line fool you though, that isn't what the movie is about. It can hardly be summed up in a typical fashion where the actions of these characters determine the plot line. The reason being the actions of these characters are abnormally random and while the whole point of the film is to give such everyday folks a far fetched experience the film is so expertly crafted that none of this feels all too "out there". In fact, when Jeff hops on the back of a truck because it is adorned with the name "Kevin" we completely accept it because we are thinking in "Jeff terms". It is a lovely way to shape the audiences point of view and the Duplass brothers accomplish it wonderfully here by telling a story that introduces some of the weirdest details throughout while bringing it all together in perfect sync for that one moment of clarity.

Pat's wife Linda (Judy Greer) contemplates the love for
her husband after a difficult argument. 

While it may be difficult to understand the charms of this movie at first with its patience-testing pace, by the end of it you will surely be smiling. It is hard to decipher exactly why such stories that can seemingly do nothing to offer escapism appeal to an audience, but there are moods that we all have that simply long for the company of those we can relate to. That seems to be the quest of the Duplass directing team as what they have done here is to show the what-ifs of a dreamer coming true; that vindication of knowing that what Jeff has believed his entire life finally has some credibility to it and that others, and not just anyone, but his family has caught a glimpse of it and understands where he is coming from. Why he operates the way he does. It is a sweet, charming film that offers as many laughs as it does emotional moments. The directors are just lucky enough to have such skilled actors who can truly convey the points of their writing to an audience without the meaning becoming misinterpreted. Each of these actors has done that here, whether is be Segel lending his slight smile to a moment of clarity, Helms perfectly hitting the inflection of his dialogue or Sarandon conveying her desperate need to feel more in life. It is in a way comforting and affirming that there might be someone out there that was inspired to write something like this because they have felt the exact same ways you have before, but more importantly that there is always the chance of a light at the end of the tunnel.

JEFF WHO LIVES AT HOME Review

The directing team of the Duplass brothers produced a rather interesting comedy a few years ago in "Cyrus" when pairing a perfectly cast Jonah Hill opposite a wildly hilarious and self-conscious John C. Reilly. What spoke to me most about the project though, was not that it cast these two major comic actors in a more intimate light, but instead that it had them playing these characters who weren't just your average funny guy. They were in a real, completely possible situation that life presented and to see these guys that play it up with such farcical tones most of the time in a situation that made them stop and realize and then laugh made it a real treat (though Reilly is known for his serious/indie side as well). The same can be said about their followup "Jeff, Who Lives at Home" which again stars two major comic actors in roles that aren't smaller in the context of the film, but simply smaller in terms of life. Our title character Jeff is played by the always lovable and effortlessly funny Jason Segel. As an actor, Segel has perfected the art of playing a slob with musings that he'd like to compare to Ghandi. As Jeff, Segel is a perfect blend of innocence mixed with wit and charisma that spews into every look he gives his brother Pat. Ed Helms plays the up-front jerk of a guy that is Pat and is given a chance to be someone other than the goober-loser shtick that has infused pretty much every character he has ever played. Like the story it's telling, "Jeff, Who Lives at Home" isn't a big movie, but it has a sweet heart and no matter how repulsive the characters might act, they win you over in the end.

THE LORAX Review

I am not as up on my Suessian knowledge as I probably should be. I haven't re-visited the books since elementary school and as for the film adaptations of Dr. Suess's works I haven't really been impressed by them except for the Ron Howard directed "Grinch Who Stole Christmas" which a good majority of people didn't favor. I didn't even bother with "The Cat in the Hat" though and have only seen "Horton Hears a Who" in passing on TV. There was something about "The Lorax" though, from the beginning that had me a little excited about seeing this version. I don't know if it was because it was coming from the guys who brought us the uniquely imaginative "Despicable Me" or that I can fondly remember watching the cartoon when I was little and therefore remember the story a little better than some of the other books. The final product though is somewhat of a glass half full kind of thing. It has some bright moments: the animation is gorgeous and literally pops off the screen, the voice cast is superb, and the unexpected musical numbers are catchy and make you want to look up the soundtrack. I can't even pinpoint the negative aspects of the film. It is generally hard for me to dislike animated films purely by the fact they are always so well-meaning. There is no difference here, but when the first five or so minutes indicated something refreshingly fun and carefree it seemed hard to consistently capture that tone and magic. "The Lorax" is an acceptable entry in the animation canon but it doesn't reach the levels of excellence I for some reason held out for it.

The Lorax (Danny DeVito) warns the Once-ler (Ed Helms)
of the consequences his actions will produce.

The main problem all the features made from Dr. Suess films have had is stretching his short story into feature length form. In order to do that here we have been given a bigger scope of the story that doesn't even include the title character. While this is somewhat jarring as most moviegoers are accustomed to sticking with one particular protagonist, we are instead here, given two. In the present time we have Ted (voice of Zac Efron) a young boy in love with the neighbor girl Audrey (voice of Taylor Swift). Audrey is a lover o nature in a world made completely of plastic. Thneedville is dominated by fake trees and concrete grass and is being controlled by a stubby little man named Mr. O'Hare (voiced by the wonderfully hilarious Rob Riggle) who sells air to make his millions. When Audrey mentions her desire for a real tree it sets our hero Ted on a quest to find his prize that will seal his relationship with his dream girl. With a little help from his Grammy Norma (a fun Betty White) who points him in the direction of the Once-ler who lives outside the safe haven of Thneedville. It is when Ted reaches the crabby ole Once-ler (the scene stealer that is Ed Helms) that we are served what are extended flashbacks disguised as the meat of the movie. Whn the Once-ler was young he left home with big aspirations of making his invention (the "Thneed") a huge success. When he wonders upon a beautiful valley of trees topped with what looks like different colored cotton candy he finds the perfect material to create his masterpiece. The only problem is that the little orange Lorax who is the voice of the trees steps in and stops him from destroying the home of all the creatures that inhabit the valley.

Mr. O'Hare (Rob Riggle) has no interest in trees as he
makes his money from selling clean air.

While the Lorax is our title character and is voiced by what is the most natural fit ever seen in animation, Mr. Danny DeVito, he is hardly at the center of the film, they even take away the fact he provides the heart of the story. That instead seems to be placed on the younger characters of Ted and Audrey to push on and change what has become a world that keeps covering up the problems that it is creating. The Lorax is a symbol that exists simply as a conscience for the Once-ler. I can only remember the book having a bit more of an ominous tone. That it was almost an epic of what used to be and what evil greed had brought to such a pure place. This theme is still exhibited in this film and it has no problem not being subtle about the eco-friendly message it is trying to get across, but it just doesn't come off as genuine as I remember it being. Maybe this is just a product of my more cynical mind now and choose to see this as a movie that preaches the bad ides of selfish, greedy people while in itself being one big advertisement for the merchandise that will be associated with the film. I hate to look at it that way, I would much rather be ignorant and feel like we are all fighting for a good cause with the Lorax and his cuddly friends in the colorful forests. Like I said, we get this kind of camaraderie in splashes of sing song and well executed action pieces that will certainly keep the kiddies entertained and singing along, but the disjointed narrative and lack of depth to this lead character made me slightly disappointed in what I held out hopes for.

Ted (Zac Efron) and Audrey (Taylor Swift) marvel at the last
truffula tree seed.

In the end though, it only really matters a little that this didn't live up to my expectations for it because by the box office return alone it will go down as a success story and it has received more than a handful of positive reactions from families that are simply thankful any time there is a feature there kids can enjoy as well as them. I have no problem admitting I went to see this without the excuse of children and or younger siblings, nieces or nephews. I was generally intrigued by what the ad campaign offered, even if it was a little overbearing. The previews made the humor look cute while hiring an actor an older generation knew to trust with bringing the hilarious. Instead what we have here is a script that lacks the whimsical quality of Suess's original works and instead opts for being a modern, hip tale that will appeal to the masses. There is a repetitive quality about it that allows you to know where it is going and have that sense we have all seen this at some point before. While I have always stood by the fact that Ron Howard at least attempted to capture that unique style of a Suess drawing on film, director Chris Renaud plays it safe here and despite those flavorful breaks from reality that are the musical numbers we are in the end left with a feeling that what we've seen is nothing really special, but instead quite generic. Generic is a word that should hardly be used to describe a piece of Dr. Suess work.

THE LORAX Review

I am not as up on my Suessian knowledge as I probably should be. I haven't re-visited the books since elementary school and as for the film adaptations of Dr. Suess's works I haven't really been impressed by them except for the Ron Howard directed "Grinch Who Stole Christmas" which a good majority of people didn't favor. I didn't even bother with "The Cat in the Hat" though and have only seen "Horton Hears a Who" in passing on TV. There was something about "The Lorax" though, from the beginning that had me a little excited about seeing this version. I don't know if it was because it was coming from the guys who brought us the uniquely imaginative "Despicable Me" or that I can fondly remember watching the cartoon when I was little and therefore remember the story a little better than some of the other books. The final product though is somewhat of a glass half full kind of thing. It has some bright moments: the animation is gorgeous and literally pops off the screen, the voice cast is superb, and the unexpected musical numbers are catchy and make you want to look up the soundtrack. I can't even pinpoint the negative aspects of the film. It is generally hard for me to dislike animated films purely by the fact they are always so well-meaning. There is no difference here, but when the first five or so minutes indicated something refreshingly fun and carefree it seemed hard to consistently capture that tone and magic. "The Lorax" is an acceptable entry in the animation canon but it doesn't reach the levels of excellence I for some reason held out for it.