The Croods (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
'The Croods' (a Dreamworks animated film directed by Chris Sanders) takes an imaginative, funny, heartwarming look at life when prehistoric humankind dwelled in their caves; never daring to venture into the world after sundown. But on a more sophisticated level, it is also about overcoming fear & evolving. This tale concerns a nuclear family in the Stone Age that greets each morning with a rousing "I’m still alive!". Mere survival, though, is not enough for older daughter Eep (the feisty Emma Stone). A sulky rebellious teen who wants to take risks, questions her father's authority (which infuriates him), feels constricted in the family's safe haven, & refuses to join the family sleeping pile, preferring her own stone ledge, which hurts his feelings deeply.
Yet ... it is her forbidden sense of curiosity that eventually saves her family. Peeping out of the family cave, she sees what looks like the sun floating through the night. Little does she know that it's about to be a new bright spot in her darkened world. That would be Guy (Ryan Reynolds), a plucky young Neanderthal who has mastered the art of fire & uses a friendly sloth to hold up his loin cloth {haha}. Guy also suggests that end of the world is near (continental shifting). And so, after some awkwardly funny meet-cute moments btwn. this new pair, Eep must convince her loving mother Ugga (Catherine Keener), dim-witted brother Thunk, cantankerous Gran (Cloris Leachman), feral baby sister Sandy, and enormously reluctant father Grug to follow Guy to safety, or at least far away from certain death.
Nicolas Cage brings a real caveman machismo to the father role; but so, too, does he bring the fear spurred by his ignorance of the unknown. Emma Stone aptly demonstrates the perseverance & unbridled curiosity of youth. All of the voice acting is effective. The writing is incredibly clever, with smart humor as well as slapsticky pratfalls (that the kiddies will eat-up), & a vibrant visual imagination that rivals 'Avatar'. By the time the family migrates to the jungles, we're greeted with amazing colors, unique compositions, all sorts of flora & fauna, an ocean bottom minus the ocean, not to mention a plethora of delightfully oddball hybrid creatures (flying turtles, elephantine dinosaurs, piranha birds, mastodon giraffes, giant sabre-tooth cats, alligator dogs, etc.).
The Darwininan creativity on display and the sense of wonder in this movie is absolutely splendid; further description fails me, you just have to see it yourself. From the fast-moving morning races to get breakfast before their predators, to the magnificent detailing that brings that action to life, the animation (recalling previous Dreamwork designs from one of my faves, How To Train Your Dragon) is superb. I also loved watching Eep's wild red hair sway in the wind or glisten in the water. And the scene in which Eep first encounters the floating sparks of fire in the darkness is conveyed in such a quiet, mystifying, & magical way.
'The Croods' really has it all. There is high adventure. There's an intangible effervescence about it. I laughed out loud; something that rarely happens for me with animated films. But then, there's also palpable emotional resonance when one member of the group decides on self-sacrifice. The script hits upon elemental truths about family & about having the courage to face your fears. The plot points are very A to B, and the various characters are not especially deep, but each of them brim with personality, have their quirks, & their own human frailties that are endearing. This movie has received good-ish (not great) reviews from critics, but for my $$, it's the best animated film I've seen in almost 3 yrs. since 'Toy Story 3'. It's fun, wild, & exactly what kids will love ... and light-hearted adults, too.
Yet ... it is her forbidden sense of curiosity that eventually saves her family. Peeping out of the family cave, she sees what looks like the sun floating through the night. Little does she know that it's about to be a new bright spot in her darkened world. That would be Guy (Ryan Reynolds), a plucky young Neanderthal who has mastered the art of fire & uses a friendly sloth to hold up his loin cloth {haha}. Guy also suggests that end of the world is near (continental shifting). And so, after some awkwardly funny meet-cute moments btwn. this new pair, Eep must convince her loving mother Ugga (Catherine Keener), dim-witted brother Thunk, cantankerous Gran (Cloris Leachman), feral baby sister Sandy, and enormously reluctant father Grug to follow Guy to safety, or at least far away from certain death.
Nicolas Cage brings a real caveman machismo to the father role; but so, too, does he bring the fear spurred by his ignorance of the unknown. Emma Stone aptly demonstrates the perseverance & unbridled curiosity of youth. All of the voice acting is effective. The writing is incredibly clever, with smart humor as well as slapsticky pratfalls (that the kiddies will eat-up), & a vibrant visual imagination that rivals 'Avatar'. By the time the family migrates to the jungles, we're greeted with amazing colors, unique compositions, all sorts of flora & fauna, an ocean bottom minus the ocean, not to mention a plethora of delightfully oddball hybrid creatures (flying turtles, elephantine dinosaurs, piranha birds, mastodon giraffes, giant sabre-tooth cats, alligator dogs, etc.).
The Darwininan creativity on display and the sense of wonder in this movie is absolutely splendid; further description fails me, you just have to see it yourself. From the fast-moving morning races to get breakfast before their predators, to the magnificent detailing that brings that action to life, the animation (recalling previous Dreamwork designs from one of my faves, How To Train Your Dragon) is superb. I also loved watching Eep's wild red hair sway in the wind or glisten in the water. And the scene in which Eep first encounters the floating sparks of fire in the darkness is conveyed in such a quiet, mystifying, & magical way.
'The Croods' really has it all. There is high adventure. There's an intangible effervescence about it. I laughed out loud; something that rarely happens for me with animated films. But then, there's also palpable emotional resonance when one member of the group decides on self-sacrifice. The script hits upon elemental truths about family & about having the courage to face your fears. The plot points are very A to B, and the various characters are not especially deep, but each of them brim with personality, have their quirks, & their own human frailties that are endearing. This movie has received good-ish (not great) reviews from critics, but for my $$, it's the best animated film I've seen in almost 3 yrs. since 'Toy Story 3'. It's fun, wild, & exactly what kids will love ... and light-hearted adults, too.