Monday, March 17, 2008

cami hears a review...

That title... don't feel the need to tell me it doesn't make sense. Because I already know I didn't hear a review... I'm writing one.

writing a review.

I might hear it when I read it back to myself while checking for typos and what not... but that's not what I'm talking about...

That was an attempt to be clever... I always could have used

cami hears a who

cami hears jim carey


cami hears an 80's song

cami hears obnoxious preteens


none of those work any better do they? No, they don't so let's move on.

This afternoon my mom and I took K to see the new Horton Hears a Who movie.

I was torn... I was of two minds... which isn't uncommon for me really but I digress.

I didn't know if I wanted to see it. I didn't know if I wanted K to see it.

Why? Because I am always afraid that the good work of Dr. Seuss will be destroyed in order to make it "come to life" on the big screen.

I believe that his words are alive.

They guided me through childhood.

I adored them as a teen.

As a young woman a guy I was dating gave me what I consider to be one of my most precious books; The Secret Art of Dr. Seuss.

His writings and art have impacted countless generations of children. He has captured the hearts and mind of millions.

And honestly I'm not that fond of Jim Carrey.

at all.

But still... K... She really wanted to see it. So did my mom.

They really wanted to see it.

a lot.

And I do like Steve Carell...

So we went.

It helped that it was playing at the Moreland Theater... it's in my neighborhood, it's historic, it's friendly. I love that theater.

The movie? It was okay. I laughed and laughed, I admit it. I also teared up a little bit... but I don't want to talk about that...

K? She really loved the movie. While we were walking out she asked if we could buy it when it comes out on DVD.

My problem with it? Problems actually...

They're kind of lame and non specific for the most part...

Though I will tell you that they felt compelled to add in some unnecessary comic style violence. I didn't like that. I think in a rated G movie that extra violence is a little much. Then there was the scene where they made the dentist seem really scary... honestly I think dentists are scary enough to kids... and maybe me... without making it seem like a horrific experience in a children's movie.

So I guess you could say both of those complaints are centered around the fact that I don't think you need extra things in rated G movies to scare little kids... or to glorify battle.

Put that in a PG movie... Fine. G? no. So maybe that problem should be taken up with the fellows who rate motion pictures...

As for the movie... It wasn't bad. It was cute. Really cute.

But it left me a little empty.

Perhaps it was that the Who's down in Whoville (the tall and the small) they were so awesome. The most awesome of all.

and that Horton was kind of blah blah blah...

That said...

I loved the bold use of REO Speedwagon.

The animation was great.

But still... I feel a little vacant about it.

I've never watched any of the modern Dr. Seuss movies. Maybe I feel that while this was really cute and my daughter really loved it...

maybe I should have stuck with his books.

14 comments:

Boobah's Mom said...

Dr Seuss is my favorite too! I remember spending absolute ages in the library reading his books when I was little. My mum couldn't afford to buy them for me.

Now, with Boobah, I joined the Dr Seuss bookclub, where they send me 2 books a month. I want him to learn about and love him as much as I did! Even though he's too little now, oneday, he'll have the WHOLE collection.

Thank you!

holly said...

actually, i felt they slaughtered reo. i did NOT care for that.

i LOVE seussy (he lets me call him that.) i was iffy on cat in the hat, now i'm iffy on this.

and i TOO had the same thoughts on dentistry! we no longer live in bugs bunny age, don't scarify the dentist!

and *normally* i love carol burnett. to itty bitty pieces. i wanted to be carol burnett when i grew up, but then i remembered there already was one.

i give it a thumbs-to-the-side.

Anonymous said...

If you don't like Jim Carrey in comedies (I did when I was 13 but outgrew that brand of humor pretty quickly) try Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind or The Number 23. Seeing those movies made me appreciate him much more. He really can play a serious role, pretty well I think...he just set himself up to be typecast early on.

MM said...

I love the Jim Carey stand-up comedy and some of his movies, but he's gotten over played really quickly. I'll have to take Mie and MG to go see this movie, just because of it being based on Dr. Seuss and it has Steve Carell (The Man-o-latern).

sybil law said...

Hmmm...
REO Speedwagon kills me. Even on the ads for the movie, it kills me.
But the rest sounds about right. i haven't seen it, yet, but they can never make one of those books as magical on the screen.
Honestly, I wish they'd stop trying.
Can't anyone come up with something ORIGINAL?!
Also, I think kids need some doses of scary, especially in movies. It's preparing them for all the movies beyond the G sector. Plus, we cusion kids sooo much, anyway.

The Ferryman said...

I am with you. As someone who grew up with the books, no movie can compare with the magic on those pages, and indeed, each subsequent attempt to do so kind of cheapens the original a little bit.

Anonymous said...

The only thing I've ever liked on video is How the Grinch stole Christmas, I can't have Christmas without it, as for the rest they all are entertaining 'cause cartoons usually are but I hate them. Jim Carrey tried to ruin my grinch.

Anonymous said...

The REO Chuckwagon song in the movie was odd and felt forced. I liked the rest of the movie in general. I don't plan on buying it though. Not like when I left The Incredibles or Toy Story.

The kids had a good time and sometimes that will suffice.

-Stu

mielikki said...

oooops
My comment was GOING to read that I would take a pass on this movie. But I see that MM is already thinking to take MG and myself to see it...
So INSTEAD I will say
hmmmmm
I do like Steve Carell, though

stephanie said...

Spot-on review, I must say. I had no real intentions to see it (I also have passed on the other Seuss stuff, except the classic Grinch cartoon), but the kids were positively manic so we went to a matinee.

The books are always better. *sigh*

(Verified by ozbizs, which sounds quite like a Dr. Seuss creature...)

CamiKaos said...

stephanie: Yes... they books are always always better. I had seen the grinch cartoon from my child hood and loved it. This is the first modern day Dr. Seuss movie I've seen... I don't think I'll do it again.

Mie: When I read his comment I almost fell over laughing... I knew you weren't too keen on seeing it from a previous discussion.

Stu: I may be biased with the music. Little K fancy herself a rock star so we often break into the stray power ballad in our house...

Denise: Same page, you and me.

Mr. Fab: I agree. cheap cheap cheap. and not in the good way...

Syb: Oh so could have done with out the scary dentist scene... K is phobic enough the way it is... let's all cater to my neurotic daughter shall we?

MM: I was so glad to see your face here... well not your face.. but your initials... not your initials... but your cyber initials... Hooray!!! MM came by my blog.

Lilac: I loved (absolutely adored) Eternal Sunshine. I really did. It was a great role for him. I still hate his funny shtick.

Holly: Like I said before, I am biased on the who musical number as we often break into song in casa de kaos... but yep. yep. You are the goods miss Holly... the goods.

Boobah's Mom: K has many of the books, I have some left from child hood. I consider it a great blessing... The first book she ever new all the words to was Seuss book.

julie said...

I took Polly to see it this weekend. I thought the Carol Burnett kangaroo was the scariest part, personally. She was a little too Hitleresque for a G-rated movie, in my opinion.

And I thought REO was kinda funny. Did I tell you they're opening for Def Leppard in Vegas next month? :)

Anonymous said...

I'm iffy on it too. I loved that book in particular. I still have my dad's copy from when he was a kid. But, I know the kids want to see it, so I will.

BTW, I've missed reading you! These kids need to go back to school!

Jo Beaufoix said...

Don't be mad, but Dr Seuss pisses me off. We had this book I had to read 10 million times to Miss E, and I hid it, then chucked it. It was just so contrived, and had so many doors to open. When I was little I did like Green Eggs and Ham just a tiny bit, but otherwise, no, I don't like it. Maybe I just don't get it or something.