Directed by Jimmy Hayward2008 Animated Comedy
Rated G
****
When I saw the initial trailer for Horton Hears A Who! last summer, I was positive it would be one of the worst movies of 2008. After seeing the film, however, I was pleasantly surprised. Jim Carrey stars as Horton, an elephant living in the forest of Nool, who discovers a city living on a speck floating through the forest. Determined to keep the city (Whoville) safe, Horton does whatever he can to get it to the top of an uninhabited mountain. Unlike the last Dr. Seuss adaptation he starred in (2000's horrendous the Grinch), Carrey is this time able to curb his outrageous comedy style (albeit only a little) to fit the character much better. The always reliable Steve Carell is also good as the mayor of Whoville, and a collection of current comedy heavyweights (Amy Poehler, Seth Rogen, Will Arnett, Jonah Hill) round out the strong cast. The film's most impressive aspect is the animation; Blue Sky Studios clearly doesn't have the budget for the beautiful animation that Pixar is constantly pumping out, but they use their weaknesses to their advantage. There is an incredible attention to detail in almost every shot, and a ridiculously over-the-top anime scene offers probably the funniest sequence in the movie. Overall, this is a welcome surprise in an already weak year, and a surefire nominee for Best Animated Feature at next year's Oscars.
1 comment:
Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who is classic, i forgot how much that guy packed into such simple storylines... they didn't add much to the original story either except for the usual Jim Carreyisms.
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