Movie Day - Meet the Robinsons
We don't often indulge in going to the "cinema" and most of our movie watching is at home. But this weekend we splurged a bit to see "Meet the Robinsons". What is so special about this animated movie? Well it is based off of my husband's favorite book by one of our favorite children's book writers and illustrators, William Joyce. The book is "A Day with Wilbur Robinson".
Now I am a bit leery of movies based upon 36-page children's picture books (i.e. Cat in the Hat. The Grinch who Stole Christmas.) How do expand such a small amount of material to a 1 1/2 to 2 hour movie? "Meet the Robinsons" did an excellent job of this. Probably because William Joyce was an executive producer for the movie. Definately becuase they expanded the story a lot from the book.
The book is basically about a kid who visits his friend's very unusual and eccentric family for an afternoon. Most of the book is - wow look how cool and strange this family is. The main source of crisis is that Grandpa has lost his teeth and the family are trying to find them. A cute little story, but not enough to make a movie on.
Instead the movie uses this wonderful world and delightfully crazy family as (part of) the backdrop against which the story is created. The story ends up being a time-travel adventure, and it works (see the links above for the details on the story). Mainly it works because the world, particularly the future world, that William Joyce creates is absolutely wonderful - wacky inventions (travel via bubble), lounge-singing frogs complete with their own mafia, topiary shaped like dinosaurs and loaves of bread, and very serious meatball fights. It is just so cool. One thing I particularly liked about this movie is that it has a positive view of the future - not all doom and gloom like many movies.
We both really enjoyed the movie. Originally the movie was supposed to be live action - my husband thinks it would have been better live action, but I am not convinced. All in all an enjoyable movie - despite the fact that we were the only adults in the theater that did not have children in tow.
Now I am a bit leery of movies based upon 36-page children's picture books (i.e. Cat in the Hat. The Grinch who Stole Christmas.) How do expand such a small amount of material to a 1 1/2 to 2 hour movie? "Meet the Robinsons" did an excellent job of this. Probably because William Joyce was an executive producer for the movie. Definately becuase they expanded the story a lot from the book.
The book is basically about a kid who visits his friend's very unusual and eccentric family for an afternoon. Most of the book is - wow look how cool and strange this family is. The main source of crisis is that Grandpa has lost his teeth and the family are trying to find them. A cute little story, but not enough to make a movie on.
Instead the movie uses this wonderful world and delightfully crazy family as (part of) the backdrop against which the story is created. The story ends up being a time-travel adventure, and it works (see the links above for the details on the story). Mainly it works because the world, particularly the future world, that William Joyce creates is absolutely wonderful - wacky inventions (travel via bubble), lounge-singing frogs complete with their own mafia, topiary shaped like dinosaurs and loaves of bread, and very serious meatball fights. It is just so cool. One thing I particularly liked about this movie is that it has a positive view of the future - not all doom and gloom like many movies.
We both really enjoyed the movie. Originally the movie was supposed to be live action - my husband thinks it would have been better live action, but I am not convinced. All in all an enjoyable movie - despite the fact that we were the only adults in the theater that did not have children in tow.
Mom and I love the commercial where the dinosaur says: i have this big hed and lillel ams. Mom says he sounds deaf, lol. we played it back on the DVR about 50 times and laughed till we cried.
ReplyDelete-Becky
My 10 year old and I absolutely enjoyed the movie, too.
ReplyDeleteI went with a friend to see In the Land of Women this weekend. I didn't know what to do at a movie WITHOUT a kid in tow. Lol.
Tim and I went to see this movie after reading about it here, and we also really enjoyed it. Thanks for the recommendation!
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