|
Reason for animated remake invisible |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Written by By Roger Moore, MCT
|
|
Saturday, 13 January 2007 |
|
|
|
|
‘Arthur and the Invisibles’
2 out of 5
Freddie Highmore, Mia Farrow, and the voices of Madonna, Robert DeNiro, David Bowie, Snoop Dogg
PG / 1 hr. 42 mins. /Cinemark 16, Cinemark Greeley Mall, Metrolux 14
——
There must have been some charm to the French blend of animation and live action titled “Arthur et les Minimoys,” a fantasy concocted by the director of “The Fifth Element.”
Re-cut into “Arthur and the Invisibles,” with English speakers doing the cartoon voices, the charm is scrubbed right off Luc Besson’s first children’s film.
There’s a reason American animated filmmakers don’t use the great Robert De Niro, Jason Bateman and Madonna to voice their cartoons. The big names add nothing to this frustrating goulash of fairy tales and fantasy film ingredients.
It’s derivative, sure, and suffers because it comes along after “The Ant Bully,” another film that takes a kid into the world of teeny creatures and insects. At least the 3-D animation here is striking.
The story, near as I can follow it, has to do with a child who lives in that part of rural, 1960s Connecticut that looks like the South of France.
Arthur (Freddie Highmore) ponders the fate of his long-lost grandfather, when he’s not missing his show-people parents. When grandma (Mia Farrow) faces foreclosure, Arthur resolves to track down grandpa’s treasure, and grandpa, by figuring out the clues he left behind.
And that leads him into an underground world of itsy bitsy teeny weeny animated friends and meanies. Madonna voices the friend, a princess whom Arthur, in a sexist French touch, must help ascend to the throne (Dad is De Niro, boring). David Bowie is the villain.
The wild-haired elves (Minimoys) may be sure-fire toy-store hits. But with all the convoluted action and chatter about this plot device or that magical agent, that’s really all small children are going to get from this “Onee, I Shrunk Ze Keeds.” | Only registered users can write comments.
Please login or register. |
|
|  | "Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is Alchemy's first law of Equivalent Exchange. In those days, we really believed that to be the world's one, and only truth." | |
|  | We're not that bright, even though in our own little world, we're geniuses. We like 80s hair bands and one-hit wonders, but among us we have respectable tastes, too. Metallica, Iron Maiden, U2. Pursuit of all things trivial is a lifestyle, not just a game. We like some sports, love other sports, and can find something to say about anything. We watch TV and movies and we've read a book or two, even a few classics (Yes, Classic Comics count!)
We call it insight, you call it what you will. | |
|  | Felix Wong is an outdoor enthusiast living in Fort Collins. A mechanical engineer by day, he is especially passionate about bicycling, running, and backpacking. | |
|  | Hola Amigos! I'm Sandra. I like to believe that people are 70 percent good and 30 percent dumb. I'm stickin to that story. Reading this blog might make you want to be good, but probably just dumb. | |
|  | Donovan Henderson is editor of NEXTnc. | |
|  | Here at Nextnc we have some characters. Get a sneak peak behind the curtain and find out what amusing antics our staffers get themselves into on a weekly basis. | |
|  | What is up FoCo?
I am a recent college graduate of Minnesota State University Moorhead. After recieving my B.A. in English and Mass Communications this past August I moved down to Colorado.
I enjoy long walks on the beach, candlelight dinners, and heavy metal. My hobbies include reading and writing, music, movies, and getting drunk. Some of my favorite contemporary authors include Bret Easton Ellis, Chuck Palahniuk, and Kurt Vonnegut. My top movies are anything directed by Kubrick. I enjoy listening to anything that rocks.
Right now I am just trying to get to know Colorado and FoCo better. Mostly in order to find the best drink specials on each day that ends in Y. So if you know where I can get a cheap drunk on, let me know!
--Drew | |
|  | Life's little morsels of inspiration, observation and encouragement seen through the eyes of the Nextnc reporter.
| |
|  | Ms. Giles currently lives in Colorado where she stars in her own private reality show. She writes aphoristic accounts of her life, taken completely out of context, and embellished with characters and situations disguised to resemble something close to interesting. | |
|  | over and out | |
| | My name is Michelle Turley and I'm 28 years old. I live in Severance with my hubbie, Brandon. We have 2 dogs and a cat. We enjoy camping, four-wheeling, and just being in the mountains. I like to cook, clean (go figure), flea market, and play poker. I have so much to say about poker... | |
|
|
