Movie Reviews: Horton Hears a Who! & Drillbit Taylor
Horton Hears a Who: This is first and probably last time I’ll ever give a movie starring an elephant (sorry Operation Dumbo Drop 2) a good review with the exception of the possible prequel Horton Hatches an Egg. But, a good rating for this film is rightfully deserved. Beyond the fact that the voice acting is done by Jim Carrey, Steve Carrell, Carol Burnett, and others…it’s simply a great movie all around. The creators of the live action version of Cat in the Hat should have been as smart and made their movie animated as well…or possibly just not make it at all. If it was also completely animated, we would have just had to listen to Mike Myers act weird and stupid and not also see him in that ridiculous get up.
It was probably a much easier decision to make this animated because well…it stars a fucking elephant.
Working in child care for a pretty long time, I saw most of the recent kids films on Friday afternoons which was movie time, naturally. For the most part (and I’m looking at you SHREK), they were a far cry from the kids movies I grew up with: Toy Story, Lion King, etc. I was no longer seeing movies that had the humor and heart of those previously mentioned films, but instead I saw bullshit like ROBOTS.
Finally, here’s a movie that, sure, is based on a children’s books and aimed mostly at kids…but adults can truly enjoy. Gone are the faux-edgy jokes from recent animated kids movies that are supposed to make older people laugh, but instead are replaced with universal comedy that anybody can laugh at because well…it’s actually funny. I won’t go into the plot because most have read the book (or had it read to them) at some point in their lives.
Whether you’re a high school geek with a heart of a gold, soccer mom, or a UFC fighter, Horton will most likely make you laugh and smile at the “awww” moments. If they don’t, you’re probably Charles Manson.
Grade: A-
Drillbit Taylor: Let’s see what this movie has going for it: Co-written by Seth Rogan and Kristofor Brown (former Beavis & Butthead writer), produced by Judd Apatow, and starring Owen Wilson pre-suicide attempt, of course. Should be pretty damn good, right? On paper, it sure is a real winner. On the big screen it’s more of a mixed bag. It plays out like the son of Superbad meets the 80s classic My Bodyguard without the incredible amounts of laughs or heart.
“ok everyone say ’suicide’ on the count of three!”
But, on it’s own without comparing to other things, it’s definitely one of the more enjoyable movies released recently. Owen Wilson, being his usual self, completely delivers as the homeless man (who I guess spends all his quarters and dimes on perfect hair and a tan ) who lies to the kids in order to get the job as their bodyguard. Naturally, he’s the best part about the film. The young actors as the kids provide a lot of comic relief as well but some of their lines seemed like they probably worked better in the screenplay or in the writer’s head and not actually acted out on screen.
The choice of casting with the bullies was quite good and kinda odd at the same time. The bullies are played by Alex Frost, who played a tormented student harassed by bullies in Gus Van Sant’s Elephant, and then Josh Peck who is known as one half of the kiddie-duo Drake & Josh on Nickelodeon (or as I like to call him…”that kid on Nick who used to be pretty fat and now he’s skinny”). As the villains, they not only scare the living shit out of the kids, but also have some pretty funny scenes.
The film is pretty by the book and full of plenty high school movie clichés, but it also does exactly what it wanted to do: make the audience laugh.
Grade: B