Friday, July 01, 2011

Short (not so) Takes

Image Courtesy: Wikipedia
Pixar and animation generally go well. I liked their earlier animated ones (Toy Story, A Bug's Life, Finding Nemo, WALL-E, Up) and also 'Cars' in-spite of all the panning it got from critics. The story line was simple about a racing car that loses its way to go into a 'forlorn sleepy place' off a highway, the friendships it builds with the folks there and some racing excitement. Thought it was fairly balanced on style, sentiment, action, mystery and fun. Kids liked it and the adults too, to be fair. It does grow slowly on you.

And then comes 'Cars 2', a sequel based on most of the characters in the first one and added a few more. My verdict is that they over-engineered it. Difficult storyline to follow with espionage, alternate fuel, mafia and racing intertwined. There is lots of 007esque stunts, gadgetry and action too, but there is only so much you can bear. Worth a mention in the movie are the landscapes. It jumps right out at you, whether it is Tokyo, Paris, London or the Italian Riviera. Looks lovely, especially the Riviera. Few moments of laughter, via Mater, the buck-toothed bumbling tow truck, some smiles with characterizing based on the Brits and lots of action with zipping and stunt cars and being stuck in the gears of the Big Ben.

Could have been a lot better! And to see it in 3D at the Royal Meenakshi Mall's Cinépolis along with outrageously priced pop-corn tubs and nachos, sigh! The sound system at the theatre was thumping awesome. But that cannot redeem a weak movie, can it? And now I wait, for the last of the Harry Potter movies to come to town.

5 comments:

Ramesh said...

Ha Ha. One post where I can't understand a word. Not even "Royal Meenakshi Mall Cinepolis" - have no clue where that is; presumably in "Old Bangalore". Struck me a bit odd that something is named both Meenakshi and Cinepolis :) That's a bit like Sir Humphrey Rajalakshmi :):)

Appu said...

As i said please watch awesome kungfu Panda 2 and my awful review :)

@Ramesh so you are one person who "மழைக்கு கூட சினிமா தியேட்டர் பக்கம் ஒதுங்காதவர்!”

RamNarayanS said...

@Ramesh-Cinepolis is in the Royal Meenakshi mall in the happening nightmare of southern Bangalore, Bannerghatta Road, opposite the Meenakshi temple. It is not old Bangalore by any stretch of imagination. :) :)

Ha Ha Ha. Whatta name! Great naming sire.

@zeno-Maybe I'll see part one and then part two. :-) Rameshai udunga, avaru, Casablanca kaalaththulayae irukkar, Tamizh padaththula konjum Bhagyaraaj padam ellaam therinju vechchirukkaar. :-)

chennaigirl said...

Yet to see the movie. Will see and post my comments. Other than movie tickets they get most out of the of the popcorns i suppose. At some point i feel like dumping the contents rather munching.

sri said...

To be honest HP was ok ok :) may be because of the expectation it had with us. After all its a end of the era and we wanted it to be spectacular :) but the movie tried its best to live up to the expectation. Havent watched cars 2 loved the first part. Now after feel like watching after reading ur post :)