Reviews in a nutshell
Trying to explain why a talking yellow sponge is a hilarious concept to the uninitiated is quite impossible (speaking from experience here). That’s why it’s best to just expose them to the insanity that is Spongebob SquarePants and let the chips fall. It’s not to everyone’s taste – and certainly implies the makers are on …
Continue reading “The Spongebob Movie: Sponge Out Of Water 3D ****”
Beasts of the Southern Wild child star Quvenzhané Wallis drags the character of Annie kicking and screaming into the 21st Century in the 2014 remake. For starters, she often reminds us she’s “not an orphan” but a “foster kid” – a term more commonly recognised these days with unconventional families the norm. She’s still singing …
If you ever thought the quartet of zoo penguins in Madagascar deserved their own film, this is it. Skipper (Tom McGrath), Rico (John DiMaggio), Kowalski (Jeff Bennett), and Private (James Patrick Stuart) regroup in a Bond-style adventure that starts off with a comical March of the Penguins spoof. This sets the sharp-witted tone ahead with …
They say bad things come in threes. When it comes to writer-director Debbie Isitt’s third Nativity film, things go from bad to worse. True, Dude, Where’s My Donkey?! is geared towards adult-chaperoned kiddies ready for a cheeky pre-festive giggle – and Mr Poppy (Marc Wootton) and his donkey Archie are back (again) to oblige, like …
Each generation needs its own ‘E.T.’ to believe in, to feed little dreams of friendly alien life out there. Cameraman-come-debut-feature-director Dave Green’s PG-friendly flick introduces us to Echo, a more mechanical but still very organic being that also channels today’s youngsters’ gadget obsession. A neighbourhood is being phased out to make way for a highway, …
‘The King of the Jungle’ and his man-ape antics are not deemed enough to keep the 2014 kid engaged, it seems. Well, that appears to be the case, with German company Constantin Films’ new take of Tarzan – all in 3D. For those who know the Edgar Rice Burroughs’ character, this animated Tarzan becomes emerged …
Food alive! It’s the much-awaited sequel to the 2009 film that includes marauding cheeseburgers, shrimpanzees and a feast full of colourful silliness on the menu. The relief is it’s as funny, if not zanier than the first – complete with some of the worse puns this century (check out the trailer), thanks to some new …
Continue reading “Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs 2 *****”
It’s fairy-tale time, another favourite ideas pot that Hollywood likes to dip into around the holidays to produce a film in time for family viewing. This time it’s the turn of Jack and the Beanstalk, a tale of man verses giant that should whet the appetite of any potential cinemagoer with a longing for some …
As the tile suggests, this is a bold new animated concept from pioneering Pixar that moves away from the fantasy characters children and adults alike delight in, and more towards fabled ones that could come straight from the campfire stories of Scottish folklore. It’s also quite fitting with our women’s triumphant medal glory in 2012 …
