Ed's Review Dot Com

Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Kerner Entertainment Company

Neil Patrick Harris, Jayma Mays, Hank Azaria, Sofía Vergara, Jonathan Winters, Katy Perry, Alan Cumming, Fred Armisen, George Lopez, Anton Yelchin, Kenan Thompson, Jeff Foxworthy, John Oliver, Wolfgang Puck, B.J. Novak, Paul Reubens

Gargamel (Hank Azaria) finally finds the way into the Smurf Village, and in escaping from him, the Smurfs (little blue people) are sucked into a portal that drops them in the middle of Central Park in New York City. Of course Gargamel has to follow them, and the chase is on. The Smurfs meet humans Patrick Winslow (Neil Patrick Harris) and Grace Winslow (Jayma Mays) who make friends and try to help them to find a way to return. But with Gargamel and his cat on their tail, and with all the dumb stuff they do to sabotage themselves, the Smurfs may not live long enough to get back home.

Ok, I may be a little harsh on this film, but I have to admit right of the top, I was too old for the Smurfs and did not develop a fondness for the little creatures that I always did feel were a little creepy. After all, the film did just barely make it’s budget of 100 Million back, so it wasn’t a complete disaster, probably due to those that did grow up with the Smurfs and are nostalgic to see them again. But taking a half hour cartoon and trying to stretch it out into an hour long films just doesn’t always work. Many stories do much better in a half hour format.

This film, to me, seemed just a lot of silliness. I never felt a kindship to the little guys, and didn’t really care if they got back or not. A number of films of the same genre are a lot better done. Enchanted for example, was pretty clever, as was the unique Gnomeo and Juliet (which I also did not LOVE, but it was way better than this was). I didn’t hate this film, but I just didn’t really get into it. It was hard to keep interested in it, and when it was over, it seems highly forgettable to me.

I think two age groups would enjoy it. Obviously those who grew up with the Smurfs and really want to see them again will no doubt like it. Also I can imagine the little folk who don’t know the Smurfs will enjoy seeing them too, as they are well animated and quite unique in that respect. But anyone who’s looking for a story, this is pretty week.

Two other comments. I much preferred Neil Patrick Harris in A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas. He was really funny there, as he is in How I Met Your Mother. He was good dramatically in a number of holiday films that are shown on the Hallmark channel and Lifetime at Christmas. But in this movie, he’s more like a prop. Not a complaint on Mr. Harris, he just wasn’t given anything to work with. Secondly, Sofia Vergara plays Patrick’s boss. I don’t know how they could possibly manage to make her appear non-sexy, as she is one of the most beautiful women in the world. But her plain Jane character in this film somehow makes her look neutral. I don’t know how they could do that! Not awful. Watch it if you’re interested, but it just wasn’t good enough to get me excited about it.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog

Werc Werk Works

Shirley Henderson, Allison Janney, Ciarán Hinds, Dylan Riley Snyder, Michael Lerner, Ally Sheedy, Paul Reubens, Michael K. Williams, Charlotte Rampling, Renée Taylor, Emma Hinz, Gaby Hoffmann

This is the story of three sisters, Trish (Allison Janney) and Joy (Shirley Henderson), and estranged Helen (Ally Sheedy), each married to degenerate men, as they ponder the virtues of forgiving and forgetting. As Joy visits Trish to escape problems with her perverted, druggy husband, Trish is unaware that her own ex-husband, a pedophile whom she’s claimed is dead, is now out of prison.
This is also the story of Trish’s two sons, the older who is away at school and trying to forget, and the younger son who acts way beyond his years, is scared to death that he is going to turn out just like his father.

This is actually a sequel to filmmaker Todd Solondz’s film Happiness. I admit that I did not see the first film, and having seen this one, I’m not sure that I would want to. I can’t really compare this one to the first film, so I’m reviewing it as a stand alone film. Perhaps knowing the first film could possibly change my opinion of this one, but I doubt it. My complaint with this film is that is way, way too artsy for my taste. The story does come around and it all makes sense, but you’re going to be so confused by the time you get half way through it, it’s really annoying. The characters are so dark. It’s pretty well acted, in that respect, but the characters are so unlikable that it is hard to get into their stories. The conversations between Trish and her younger son are disgusting and someone ought to call child services. The other sisters are just as nuts. It’s one of those stories that I just cannot recommend unless you are really fond of these art-house films. For me, it was a little bit interesting and very much annoying. If you’re a fan of this film, I’d love to hear from someone who really likes it, to find out why. I just couldn’t get into it, and do not recommend it, even as a rental.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog