Last year, Jay posted a bit about squirrels becoming the new "in animal" at the movies, replacing the mouse. Since that post, I believe that the penguin has surpassed the squirrel in Hollywood. Too bad, I was really rooting for the squirrel, but, to be honest, he got type casted as a caffeine injected rodent. Funny, I will grant you, but ultimately a one trick pony.
Penguins, on the other hand, can march, surf and dance (and, according to Big Idea, drive space ships). Really, the resume is very impressive. But, I have to be honest with you, the penguins are wearing a little bit thin. I was not one of the masses that thought "Happy Feet" was the best film of all time. In fact, I did not like the sexual undertones in a children's movie (at one point, a penguin breaks in with a rendition of "Let's Talk About Sex" replacing Sex with X). It is the same subject of "March of the Penguins," but there you have a documentary and not some anthropomorphic fantasy. My only thought during "March" was, I paid how much for this film!? I will wait for "Surf's Up" to hit Redbox, thank you.
After watching "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer" I have noticed another trend: Helicopter Blades. In "Grindhouse," Helicopter blades are used to chew through a mass of zombies, obliterating them into chunks a liquid. Like the entire film, the scene was overplayed and such an obvious model that it could not be taken seriously. However, "28 Weeks Later" used the same tactic to plow through a rushing horde of Infected. This was meant to be taken very seriously, as was the scene in "FF." A helicopter "crashes" Sue and Reed Richard's wedding, blades dicing through guest chairs.
What's the point? There is none. Just one guy sitting 4rC noticing another trend. BTW, I recommend all of the Helicopter films, but, "Grindhouse" and "28 Weeks Later" are questionable in taste (the former more so than the later). But, I really enjoyed "FF" and would recommend it.
4 comments:
Looks like mostly comicbook fans giving FF:Surfer props. I liked it, too - but have caught a number of poo-poo reviews online.
Get it? "Props"?
I was more entertained with FF than Spiderman 3. I cried at the Hemi line. Now, if I was much closer to the subject matter, as I was with the Keaton Batman, I would be raging at the film. But I liked Johnny's continuing attempts to market himself, Ben giving bits of himself to his adoring fans, Sue getting Johnny's powers and Reed loosening up on the Dance Floor.
Also...There was one image that was absolutely iconic. When SS confronts Galactus at the conclusion. Absolutely beautiful imagery.
I must concur with your penguin assessment, though I have not seen HAPPY FEET or SURF'S UP. Perhaps this will be, instead, the summer of the animated rat. We'll see...
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