happy feet
2006-11-20 14:48:16.32296+00 by
Dan Lyke
7 comments
Went to see Happy Feet last night. Much like "Snakes on a Plane", the high concept can pretty much narrow it down: if "tap dancing penguins" wasn't a draw, this movie wasn't for you.
Not a great movie, the first half of the story was real uneven, the second half had at least one bit preachy and abstract bit that was jarring in the face of, well, tap dancing penguins. And with the licensed "Elvis" and "Marilyn Monroe" properties, and all the pop music, I kept feeling like I was in product placement hell (part of what made the first half of the movie so uneven, I guess).
But perfectly watchable. And, you know, tap dancing penguins.
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comments in ascending chronological order (reverse):
#Comment Re: made: 2006-11-20 19:46:50.511266+00 by:
spc476
So, how accurate is this review of the movie?
#Comment Re: made: 2006-11-20 21:19:42.643089+00 by:
Dan Lyke
I'd say it's dead on (and filled with spoilers, but, you know, it's dancing penguins, how many spoilers do you need?).
Yeah, none too kind to cultural tradition or religion, and quite a bit simplistic when it comes to predators, prey, and solutions to shared resource issues.
My complaints were about the latter rather than the former, but that's 'cause I'm coming from a different perspective than that reviewer.
#Comment Re: made: 2006-11-20 22:30:25.324731+00 by:
Dan Lyke
I should also note that a lot of people seemed to think that March of the Penguins had its own set of agendas, so politically charged penguin films have become the norm for me.
#Comment Re: made: 2006-11-20 22:52:28.711513+00 by:
meuon
March of the Penguins was fascinating, and I have a new respect for penguins because of it. Yes, I recognize the "green" agenda in the movie, but it was still good. My "happy feet" need to keep walking elsewhere, but probably see it post-theater somehow soon.
#Comment Re: made: 2006-11-20 22:54:45.635574+00 by:
Dan Lyke
And those enlightened folks in Shiloh, Illinois are making a flap over a children's book about two male penguins that adopted the fertilized egg and raised the chick on their own. The book sprung out of this happening for real in the New York Central Park Zoo.
#Comment Re: made: 2006-11-20 22:56:31.146171+00 by:
Dan Lyke
Actually, Meuon, the politicization I was thinking of is probably better illustrated by this search...
#Comment Re: made: 2006-12-24 21:47:32.04057+00 by:
meuon
Nancy took me to "Happy Feet" at the IMAX today. I thoroughly enjoyed the high res projection and excellent sound system playing the sound track. Once I turned off my overly analytical mode and went with the flow, it was a great ride, very funny lines and I enjoyed the fun they had with lyrics, dancing and animation.
And then the socio-political agenda hit in full force, with a predictable, and pseudo-happy ending. I kept thinking of Project DARE. You know, the cops that go to school and tell stories/"facts" of recreational substance abuse that lose credibility just because they hit you so hard from their agenda's point of view.
But, agenda's are typically swayed by the strong forces at the extremities moving the middle just a little bit. And while I support the general direction of the force applied, I think it might have been better served with just keeping "happy feet" a kids movie.