Animation Abomination
Screen Gems — By AltoidMan on August 3, 2010 12:15 PMI realize I’ve bitched and moaned a lot this year about several topics. I’ve griped about my entire childhood being remade because Hollywood is out of ideas (reference Karate Kid and Footloose), I’ve complained that studios take source material out of context for no good reason (The Losers), and I’ve even had the audacity to bring up the fact that the whole 3D thing is nothing but a money grab (thank you Avatar). I wish I could say this column was going to be different, but two things happened this week and I just have to sound off.
I sacrifice taste when I go to the movies only if my 10-year old daughter has to see something she can’t live without. As you may have guessed, this means I see every frilly, fluffy, pre-teen movie known to man along with every bad cartoon not made by Pixar. Hey, I’m a good father. It’s part of the job.
In this particular instance I accompanied my daughter to Cats and Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore. Yes, the movie was bad. No, I’m not going to write about it. What caught my attention was the short film prior to the movie. It was an animated, 3D, trying to pass itself off as real life, cartoon starring Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner.
At first, I thought this was going to be the highpoint of my day. I was wrong. This thing was terrible. It wasn’t funny, it lacked any creativity, and it tried to mindlessly update Coyote into the 21st Century. It was so bad, in fact, nobody laughed. Not one time. The theater was full and nobody thought this was funny.
I’ll admit Coyote and Company aren’t roll on the floor hysterical, but I do remember laughing and chuckling at the cleverness of the cartoons. This wasn’t even worth a chuckle. That’s sad.
My other complaint this week involves The Smurfs movie. At first I was so excited about this movie. I’m a HUGE Jonathan Winters fan and when they announced he was going to be voicing Papa Smurf, I almost needed a moist towel and a private moment. However, after the first trailer showing the Smurfs running around Central Park, that excitement turned to dread. I don’t want them to come to my world. I want to go to THEIR world!
Both of these movies are money grabs. They are cashing in on my childhood by taking everything out of context AND putting them in 3D to jack up the price. I find it sad Hollywood can’t create something new for my daughter to like. Am I really going to be sitting in an old folk’s home reminiscing with my own daughter about the same childhood movies/cartoons? It’s not even fathomable. Yet, here we are.
All this makes me even more excited for the next Pixar movie. I don’t even know what it is, but I know it will be great. Why? Originality is not overrated.
Share on Facebook
Digg This
Bookmark
Stumble
11 Comments
I saw the Losers this weekend, thought it was pretty good, though I’ve not read the Vertigo series, so can’t base opinion on anything. Otherwise, I agree on all points. Though, I thought you liked Avatar? I too was excited by The Smurfs, until I found out I’ll likely see little of their mushroom hovels. Cheer up, most mainstream Hollywood movies always suck. And they’ll always try to make a buck killing your childhood.
I did love Avatar. Avatar was fantastic. However, everybody has been trying to cash in on Avatar’s success by putting their movie in 3D. As if putting it in 3D will make it as good as Avatar.
I’m sure when the Marvel movies come out (Thor, Captain America, etc.) in 3D, I’ll see it that way. Otherwise, I doubt I’ll be seeing many movies that way. Its a hendrence to me to have to wear glasses that obviously weren’t made for comfort. I do that everyday at work, don’t care to do it and pay for the privilege.
I agree with you with some of this article. Now I’m not sticking up for any of the new animated or 3D movies (excluding Pixar) but I thought that Avatar was a great movie. Now I will admit that it wasn’t an original story line but it was beautifully animated and kept the audience entertained; which is more than I can say for most of the movies out in the cinema today.
I have to say I;m utterly sick of 3D. I refuse to see films in 3D. Maybe it’s just me but it looked crap in the 80s and it looks crap now. Can we just move on?
Well i dont like 3d mostly because i get headaches from it. but my son loves it every new movie that is coming out has the option for 3d.
Totally agree with the 3D being crappy. But wall-e was a good cartoon movie.
I refuse to pay extra for the same movie in 3D. $3 more (or however much it is) just for 3D and times that by 3 (me and my two kids), I can use the $9 for something else, like one soda or one bucket of popcorn, LOL. But seriously, the 3D thing is too much, I agree, especially having to wear those glasses and who knows where they have been before, ick, maybe.
The 3D look is nothing more than a flashy skin. It’s the plot and story around the movie that makes it a real masterpiece. Even though Avatar was amazing for its background, its story has been used many times.
Movies that are based in 3d usually are movies with a less powerful plot and storyline, simply drawing in the audience for the distorted depth perception recieved watching 3d.
History repeats itself that’s just what it does at times. I don’t mind all the remakes because it reminds me of my childhood a simpler time when life was about eating candy, having fun, taking those mid-day naps that I use to not want to take (my 5 year old will know what I mean some day). I especially loved the Karate Kid and I love the new one too with Jaden Smith. My 5 year old watched the new one and the original and he likes the new one best. However, I do think Hollywood needs to give a chance to people with fresh ideas. I think at the end of the day it’s about taking risks. I do think Avatar was overrated (great graphics though).