REVIEW COLLECTION: DreamWorks Animation, Part 2a

(Courtesy YouTube) 

Over the Hedge (2006) 

For their first feature under a new distribution deal with Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks Animation adapted a little-known comic strip about a group of forest animals who wake up from hibernation, only to discover a suburban neighborhood behind a giant, long green hedge where the rest of their forest used to be. Meanwhile, a scheming raccoon coaxes the natural critters into pilfering food and other supplies in one week to pay back an angry, hoarding bear he stole from. 

Directed by Tim Johnson and Karey Kirkpatrick, Over the Hedge is one of the studio’s most underrated movies. Besides being charming, entertaining, and (like Madagascar) very audience-friendly, the film is a clever and witty commentary/satire on suburbia and consumerism; not so much on how that has affected nature (as Isao Takahata’s Pom Poko so brilliantly did), which may be the one area where this movie falls short. Human characters in this story apparently hate forest animals. 

The animators and artists incorporate translucent lighting effects and P.O.V. shots into the CGI environment, while offering up a tour de force of visual slapstick and comic mayhem (e.g., a dog-wagon chase, a climactic truck sequence). Ditto the use of fireflies as literal and figurative lightbulbs. Even excerpts of the original comic strip by Michael Fry and T Lewis can be seen over the credits. Okay, so some of the human animation is a little uncanny (like homeowner association president Gladys, voiced by Allison Janney), with the exception of pest control worker Dwayne (hilariously voiced by Thomas Haden Church). Plus, there are subtle gags and mild toilet humor, including hyperactive squirrel Hammy (voiced by a scene-stealing Steve Carrell) looking for his “nuts” for the following winter. 

One of the best parts of Over the Hedge is the fun, A-list voice cast. Like Antz and Shark Tale, the animators successfully blended the personality traits of the actors into their respective roles. Bruce Willis is the fast-talking raccoon RJ. Garry Shandling is the neurotic, worrisome turtle Vern. Wanda Sykes is the tough-as-nails skunk Stella. William Shatner is the overdramatic possum Ozzie, while Avril Lavigne plays his teenage daughter Heather. Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara are Midwestern porcupines Lou & Penny, with three little critters of their own. And Nick Nolte is the intimidating bear Vincent. Even better, each respective voice actor doesn’t so much draw attention to themselves, but more to the characters and story. And a fun and worthwhile one at that, thanks, in part, to a winning score by Rupert Gregson-Williams, and catchy and original songs by Ben Folds.

The movie has real heart and sincerity, with themes of loneliness versus community, arrogance versus giving, honesty versus jealousy, and working together for both the wrong reasons (personal) and the right reasons (for family). It also highlights the harsh consequences of selfish choices and deception, as well as RJ owning up to the mess he’s gotten himself into, including losses, regrets, and how much is truly “enough” (something The Road to El Dorado frankly didn’t do). In the process, RJ discovers a home and family he’s never had. As one character says, “This is the gateway to a better life.” 

Shrek the Third (2007) 

In a year when certain blockbuster franchises gave us third helpings, one of them was another follow-up to DreamWorks’ ever-popular sendup of all things fairy tale. But like those aforementioned movie sequels (Spider-Man 3 or Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, anybody?), Shrek the Third fell short. 

Since their last outing, Shrek and Fiona (Mike Myers and Cameron Diaz, once again) have become popular and well-regarded in the kingdom of Far Far Away. The dying king (yes, this movie opens with a death) mentions that they are next in line for the throne, to which Shrek doesn’t see himself fulfilling. He then sets out on a journey with Donkey and Puss In Boots (Eddie Murphy and Antonio Banderas, respectively, steal the show again) to find the only other heir: Fiona’s teenage cousin Arthur a.k.a. Artie (voiced by Justin Timberlake). Furthermore, Fiona becomes pregnant, leaving Shrek even more worried and unprepared about fatherhood, while the childish Prince Charming (Rupert Everett) plots revenge by rounding up all the fairy tale villains and laying siege to the kingdom. What follows is a lackluster odyssey about believing what other people say versus listening to yourself, as well as embracing those latter changes and responsibilities. 

The writing and execution aren’t up to par this time around. And the movie itself (including its resolution) doesn’t take as many risks, despite being a technical achievement in human animation, clothing simulation, and set pieces that expand this world. Ironically, Far Far Away doesn’t seem as lively as it last was. The story is partially repetitive of the first two movies, while Fiona herself feels reduced. Her posse of fellow princesses (Amy Poehler’s Snow White being the funniest), on the other hand, standout, what with their conventional storybook worldviews and sassy personalities. It is strange, though, seeing “ugly stepsister” Doris (voiced by CNN’s Larry King) in this bunch. (Talk show host Regis Philbin voices fellow stepsister Mabel.) 

This PDI/DreamWorks production marked the directorial debuts of storyboard artist Chris Miller and character animator Raman Hui. Even though it’s easily the weakest of the Shrek movies, it still has its moments, such as Pinocchio trying not to lie, Gingy seeing his whole life flash before him, Puss and Donkey switching bodies, Shrek attempting to “cool talk” Artie, and Shrek’s sarcastic commentary of Charming’s stage performance—and high singing. While John Cleese has only one scene as King Harold, his friend and fellow Monty Python castmate Eric Idle voices a kooky variation of the wizard Merlin (a former high school magic teacher). Speaking of which, real high school bands and cheerleading squads contributed to the film’s production for the Worcestershire Academy set piece. Shrek the Third also marked the voice over and DreamWorks debuts for Seth Rogen, who plays a ship captain. 

Subtle drug references, a few macabre deaths, and suggestive elements (including princesses ripping their garments and burning bras) may fly over children’s heads while, like the first two movies, making parents scratch theirs. On the other hand, adults and especially music fans may appreciate the use of Paul McCarthy’s “Live and Let Die” in an otherwise melancholic moment. Ditto classic tracks by Led Zeppelin and Heart in an overall good and fun soundtrack. When interviewed back in 2007, Myers had this to say about Shrek’s development as a character. “The first time you meet him, he's a self-loathing ogre who doesn't feel that he's worthy of love. In the second one, he doesn't feel worthy of marriage, and in this one he doesn't feel he's worthy of being the father of his country or being a father of a child. You know what I mean? It's a smart progression.” He may have been right about that. 

Bee Movie (2007) 

In the early-1990s, John Hughes had a script for a movie that was told entirely from a bee’s perspective. But the idea was reportedly too ambitious and was eventually abandoned. The next decade, comedian Jerry Seinfeld (following the conclusion of his popular, self-titled T.V. sitcom) had a meeting with Steven Spielberg and jokingly suggested making a movie about bees. But the celebrated filmmaker actually liked the idea and, right then and there, greenlit what would become DreamWorks Animation’s second feature involving insects since Antz, courtesy Seinfeld’s trademark sense of random, dry humor. And directors Simon J. Smith & Steven Hickner. 

Early marketing humorously suggested what Bee Movie could’ve looked like as a live-action project—a lot different than Hughes’ aforementioned approach, I would imagine—complete with Seinfeld in a giant, black-and-yellow costume and interacting with fellow comedian Chris Rock (in a mosquito suit) and Spielberg, the latter of whom recommends making it into a cartoon after disastrous, “on-set” results. (Spielberg and Jeffrey Katzenberg are even thanked in the final end credits, as “Cinematic Visionary Dinner Companion” and “Deus Ex Machina [Hand of God],” respectively.) 

As Woody Allen did with the neurotic worker Z in that quirky 1998 adventure-comedy, Seinfeld here practically voices an animated avatar of himself in the form of recent college graduate Barry B. Benson. The life of a bee is apparently complicated, as there seems to be a sense of growing up fast when Barry and his fellow hive residents are expected to choose one job for the rest of their lives. Feeling underwhelmed by the thought of doing the same, monotonous thing all the time, Barry seizes an opportunity one day to go outside the hive and then breaks a bee rule by making contact with a human woman who saves his life. 

Bee Movie certainly has bright, colorful, and eye-popping animation (including honey, crowd shots of bees, and the fur on their bodies); roller-coaster action sequences that couldn’t have been done in live-action; an exciting score by composer Rupert Gregson-Williams, and clever visual and verbal humor (e.g., endless bee puns, antennas as headphones). There are also wonderful sequences of flowers being pollinated (which reminded me of the “Firebird” sequence from Fantasia 2000). The film’s A-list voice talent also includes Matthew Broderick (as Barry’s close friend Adam), Reneé Zellweger (as kindhearted florist Vanessa), John Goodman (as a snobby lawyer with a Southern drawl), and Patrick Warburton (as a hilarious jerk of a boyfriend). Bee Movie also has some macabre humor (including a stab at Disney’s Winnie the Pooh), brief images of smoking, and possible interspecies romance, which will easily fly over the heads of little kids. 

But the story is very uneven and qualifies as another one of those cinematic oddities in animation, with a weird, “just-go-with-it” premise. The interactions between insects and human beings feel convoluted and mediocre if amusing. Some of the human animation feels uncanny (recalling DW’s short-lived T.V. series Father of the Pride), including cameos by actor Ray Liotta, singer Sting, and (in a very meta moment) a bee version of news anchor Larry King. But the film really takes a bizarre turn when Barry sues the human race for supposedly stealing their honey—a case that turns out to have dire consequences. Not to mention a strong environmentalist agenda. To be fair, Barry learns a hard lesson about the balance of nature, why pollination and bee work is so important, and how small actions can lead to bigger things, for better or worse. Ironically, Bee Movie itself is not above-average, B-level. But it’s not bad either. It’s just, well, average. It has some things to buzz about, but not a whole lot. 

Kung Fu Panda (2008) 

In 2008, directors Mark Osbourne & John Stevenson presented a cartoon feature that embraced Asian cinema and martial arts, with doses of high-octane slapstick and comedy. As a better and more suitable showcase for his unique talents and personality than in Shark Tale, Jack Black headlines Kung Fu Panda as the voice of the titular Po, who dreams of becoming a master fighter just like his heroes, Monkey (voiced by Jackie Chan), Viper (Lucy Liu), Mantis (Seth Rogen), Crane (David Cross), and Tigress (Angelina Jolie) a.k.a. the Furious Five. The day that a legendary “Dragon Warrior” is chosen in the China-set Valley of Peace, Po can’t resist the desire to see the event for himself. Through a series of mishaps, Po inadvertently becomes the one chosen, much to his own surprise as everybody else’s. And to the dismay of the fighting quintet and especially their stern master Shifu (voiced by Dustin Hoffman), who do everything they can to get rid of the chubby panda. (They basically label him as nothing more than a joke.) 

The only one who believes in Po is the wiser Kung Fu master Oogway (a tortoise, voiced by Randal Duk Kim), who insists that it was no mistake that the panda showed up. And despite his own struggles with himself and comparisons with others, it’s Po’s relentlessness and persistence that eventually wins them over, despite their harsh criticisms at first. “A real warrior never quits,” insists Po. Their biggest physical conflict imminently comes in the form of snow leopard Tai Lung (voiced by Ian McShane), a once-promising fighter who eventually and tragically betrayed his master by trying to cheat his destiny by force. These events also led to that master’s own guilt and regret, as well as a misguided sense of control, destiny and purpose. 

With that in mind, Kung Fu Panda is more than just a stylish and entertaining action-comedy. And it does strike a perfect balance of colorful and energetic animation, stunning art direction, dynamic fight sequences (including a prison escape, a suspension bridge, and a duel over dumplings), genuine humor and pratfalls, and sincere drama. Not to mention a great deal of respect and reverence for Chinese culture and history (reportedly, Chinese government officials were very impressed with this film), while also having good fun with it. The score by Hans Zimmer and John Powell strikes these balances just as effectively and profoundly. The movie also features surprising layers of depth and character arcs, resulting in one of the studio’s best animated efforts, if not their best. And that’s no accident. It may be the first movie of its kind since the very funny, very sincere, and subversive Shrek. And it works. The screenplay by Jonathan Aibel & Glenn Berger is brilliantly written, with several elements that become callbacks as the story progresses. Much like Brad Bird and his team at Pixar did with human characters, clothing, weather elements, and action in The Incredibles, the Panda filmmakers created ambitious breakthroughs in not only animal fur and clothing, but both elements in constant motion. Think plush toys in combat, as some of the animators described. 

Some friends or acquaintances of mine (or people they knew) have criticized this PG-rated movie for supposedly teaching kids how to be violent, if only for fight sequences involving punches, nerve attacks, and gravity-defying roundhouse kicks. Not to mention a big finish. I wonder, however, if those same people were only focusing on the action, and not on the overall narrative nor its context. Perhaps they missed the point. In fact, the battles and fights are emotional and poetic, and not just physical. There are elements of Eastern spirituality, with a sacred scroll as a main objective in the central training courses and journeys. I wonder if the film also provides a challenging discussion about change versus acceptance, in terms of working with what we got as opposed to working towards something else. Something to think about. 

Even so, the themes in Kung Fu Panda are some of the most worthwhile, including seeing what others don’t see (or choose not to see), and respecting our elders. There are also themes and transitions from pride to humility, having faith for the wrong reasons as well as for the right reasons, and owning up to and embracing insecurities and mistakes, including the abuse of power and skill. The same goes for recognizing/admitting how those insecurities or mistakes truly affect others, for better or worse. (PluggedIn has a great observation about this in their film review online.) Characters also learn how to work with others, based on their skills and needs more than their own, even discovering motivation and new methods of training. The metaphor that Oogway gives about a peach tree, at one point, represents simply believing—or choosing to believe—even if it’s not what we want but ultimately what we need. As one character describes, “To make something special, you just have to believe it’s special.” To that I say, “Skadoosh!” 

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008) 

Following the Shrek series, Madagascar became the second DreamWorks project that turned into a franchise. The 2008 sequel, Escape 2 Africa (a co-production with Pacific Data Images, or PDI), not only expands the wildlife world of zoo animals Alex, Marty, Melman and Gloria, but also adds quick-witted and subtle elements that have helped define the former fairy tale satires. Imagine the world of The Lion King as a digital environment but played as a comedy. 

The movie opens with Alex the lion’s backstory, how he was separated from his parents and tribe (an intense prologue), and how he came to New York City. This segment even foreshadows the lion cub’s dance skills, much to his king dad’s confusion. Then, Escape 2 Africa picks up where its 2005 predecessor left off, with the ever-popular zoo animals heading for the Big Apple in a beat-up cargo plane. Their trip proves short-lived as they crash-land on the Safari planes of Africa, and Alex is reunited with his parents. Meanwhile, Marty the zebra joins a flock of look-alike critters. Melman the giraffe becomes a witch doctor, and Gloria the hippo catches the eyes of a macho, smooth-talking ladies man. There’s also a “rite of passage” that Alex has to go through, against an arrogant lion opponent (voiced by Alec Baldwin), to prove his leadership. Being a performer, though, he thinks it’s a dance-off. 

The movie benefits from smoother animation, grand vistas, and set pieces that are fun to look at. The research and development from the artists and animators, including returning directors Eric Darnell and Tom McGrath, really shows. The original voice actors return once again (Ben Stiller as Alex, Chris Rock as Marty, David Schwimmer as Melman, and Jada Pinkett-Smith as Gloria), displaying different layers and some surprising connections they didn’t express before. (Melman loved Gloria all along?) Before his unexpected death the same year, comedian-actor Bernie Mac gave one of his final screen performances as Alex’s dad, Zuba. And it’s wonderful hearing his voice. Ditto Hans Zimmer’s score, and some of the new songs co-written by artist will.i.am from the Black Eyed Peas (and who voices Moto Moto in the movie); the “Travelling Song” is a standout. 

There’s also the fast-paced slapstick comedy, with the hilarious Penguins stealing every scene they’re in. The thing is, Escape 2 Africa has a lot going on throughout its story, that it sometimes feels unfocused and almost overloaded, like a gang of monkeys goofing around. Certain gags or references will fly over younger heads a la Shrek but are surprisingly as crass and suggestive. Then there’s that running gag involving the elderly woman from the last movie (“You’re a bad kitty”), who has a more prominent role in this one while also being the butt of several crude and/or mean-spirited physical gags. 

Alex reassuring Marty how unique he is, and Zuba coming to value his son for who he is, are commendable elements, in terms of overcoming or working through complicated family dynamics and friendships. But mixed, sometimes weird, messages about tolerance and romance make me wonder if there was some kind of hidden agenda in this otherwise entertaining if questionable sequel. 

Monsters vs. Aliens (2009) 

Months before James Cameron revolutionized the cinema-going experience with Avatar, directors Conrad Vernon and Rob Letterman led a team of artists at DreamWorks Animation to create an eye-popping throwback to 1950s B-rated, sci-fi movies. Using native 3D technology more as a gimmick but with modern filmmaking techniques, Monsters vs. Aliens presents a colorful cast of characters that recall various titles from the aforementioned decade. 

These include the Godzilla-sized Insectasaurus; the amphibian creature Missing Link (voiced by Will Arnett, a la Creature From the Black Lagoon); the humanoid and aptly named Dr. Cockroach, Ph.D. (voiced by Hugh Laurie, a la Vincent Price from The Fly); and the clueless gelatinous mass B.O.B. (voiced by Seth Rogen, a la The Blob). There are also scene-stealing moments from a kooky U.S. President (voiced by and resembling political satirist Stephen Colbert) and a high-strung general (voiced by a radical Kiefer Sutherland, channeling George C. Scott from Dr. Strangelove). 

But the film’s main protagonist is a woman named Susan (voiced by Reese Witherspoon), who comes in contact with a strange meteorite that crash lands on Earth during her wedding day and makes her grow almost 50-feet (a la Attack of the 50-Foot Woman). While initially assigned to solitary confinement with the other creatures, they’re all soon called in to stop a malevolent alien from taking over the earth (voiced by Rainn Wilson, a la Independence Day or Mars Attacks). If there’s a theme here, it deals with characters wanting to be “normal,” but later realizing what they’re capable of. "I don’t want my old life back,” says the literally “big and strong” Susan. (We could all take a lesson from that.) 

If the movie would’ve balanced time with its titular “monsters” and not just Susan, I think I would’ve liked it more. I would’ve also preferred the opening 20 minutes be moved to later scenes or maybe referenced throughout a more linear structure. While visually amusing and clever (complete with Henry Jackman’s fitting score and some stylized silhouettes during the end credits), its story and execution turn out to be mediocre and bizarre. That goes just as well for its uncanny human animation—except for the President and General. Susan’s fiancé (voiced by Paul Rudd) turns out to be a shallow jerk, presenting a possible feminist angle. 

I did find a few moments exciting and fun, such as a roller-coaster chase through San Francisco where Susan skates on empty cars to the Golden Gate Bridge. It’s also funny when the President makes first contact with a giant robot probe a la Close Encounters of the Third Time, but with the techno theme music from Beverly Hills Cop. Ditto a rocket branding the phrase, “E.T. Go Home,” as well as Amy Poelher’s deadpan ship computer voice, and B.O.B. falling for a Jello mold (recalling a gag from Ghostbusters 2). This turned out to be the last DW film to use the custom-made logo and trademark fanfare since 2004.