Monsters VS. Aliens!!!
Dir: Rob Letterman, Conrad Vernon
Stars: Reese Witherspoon, Seth Rogan, Will Arnett, Stephen Colbert, Hugh Laurie, Kiefer Sutherland, Rainn Wilson, Paul Rudd, the list goes on!
Synopsis: A meteorite turns a woman into a monster and she is imprisoned by the US Government with the other secret monsters --- but when aliens threaten to take over the Earth, the monsters are freed to fight them.
It made a decent $58.2 million this weekend, taking the number one spot, which isn't too much of a shock. Monsters vs. Aliens is in 3D --- but beware! Some of the showings aren't! I think there's a HUGE difference in how you'll perceive this movie if you don't see it in 3D. I saw it in 2D, as it just happened to be the only available screening at the time I wanted to go.
The movie is cute, with some funny parts and some good references to old sci-fi movies for the adults. However, it offers almost zero story or character development, other than a little bit for Reese Witherspoon's character. It was funny, but better characters and a more involved story could have made it funnier. I felt like it was an excuse for the 3D. There were a lot of wild action sequences that I'm guessing would look amazing when they pop right out at you. My sister and her hubbie took my nephew to the 3D screening, and they enjoyed the movie much more than I did.
I have to quote Roger Ebert here, who thinks that 3D is a gimmick and an annoying distraction. Of Monsters vs. Aliens he said, "It's like a constant nudge in the ribs saying, never mind the story --- just see how neat I look!"
I don't mind the idea of 3D as much as Mr. Ebert, but he's right --- it should never be at the cost of the story. My nephew (who is 4) enjoyed the 3D version, and my sister says that the little kids were enraptured and excited at all the stuff flying out of the screen at them. HOWEVER --- the kids in the 2D theatre that I was in weren't laughing all that much and they seemed to get bored and restless halfway through the movie with no story OR 3D to throw at them. You shouldn't be able to take out the 3D and have it become a totally different movie. 3D should enhance the picture, not replace the movie itself. AND --- why are they even showing this movie in 2D? Even though the ticket price is cheaper (they charge an extra 3 bucks for 3D, which Ebert isn't pleased about either), there is no point to seeing this movie in 2D.
I was hoping that Monsters vs. Aliens would elevate Dreamworks animation to a more story and character oriented level, like Pixar. Dreamworks' mandate seems to be to pump out more products with less thought put into them. That's why Pixar will continue to dominate the animated movie world. M vs. A was one of the better Dreamworks animated films I've seen, but without memorable characters or a great story, I'll have forgotten about it by next week.
2 and a HALF Dorks out of 5 on the Geek-o-Meter. (This probably goes up slightly if you're seeing the 3D version)