By “Cinema” Dave

http://cinemadave.livejournal.com

Despite being No. 1 in the box office last weekend, Dumbo disappointed in the box office numbers. Earning only 25 percent of its production costs, Dumbo faces much competition this spring break season with Shazam!, Pet Sematary and Storm Boy opening this weekend. The sad thing is that Dumbo is fine family entertainment directed by Tim Burton. While a darker version of the popular animated motion picture from 1941, this modern version of Dumbo eschews talking and singing animals. The new film focuses on a family and a small business facing a financial crisis.

Set in Sarasota, circa 1919, the film opens with the Medici Brothers Circus launching their annual barnstorming tour through the American Heartland. While in Joplin, Missouri (Walt Disney’s hometown), Ringmaster Medici (Danny Devito) welcomes the return of his ace trick rider (Colin Farrell) to his family and the birth of a baby elephant with big ears.

The story is simple and conflict will ensue. However, it is the attention to detail that makes Dumbo so special. Music that animals sang to in the first movie is used as heartfelt musical cues. “Baby Mine” is rendered with sideshow performers (bearded lady, strong man) playing a flute and ukulele, while resting between shows. Despite some mean behavior and a jump scare, Dumbo is a sweet movie to take children to if only to see how a family sticks together to solve problems.

Storm Boy opens this weekend and contains many of the same themes as Dumbo with far less special effects. Based on the novella by Colin Thiele, Storm Boy is a rite of passage story that is set on the Australian coast. Geoffrey Rush (who also produced) portrays Mike Kingley, a retiring business man who is concerned that his son wants to pave paradise and put up a parking lot, upsetting the economical balance of the beach front.

When reuniting with his granddaughter, Kingley reflects upon his youth with three pelicans, in particular Mr. Percival, an orphan pelican.  Mr. Percival and Kingley have a series of encounters on the island and become local celebrities.

“A good story has to go wrong before it gets better,” Kingley tells his granddaughter late in the film. It is sad, but Storm Boy concludes on a life affirming note. In fact, it will inspire you to go for an early morning walk on Deerfield Beach to watch and observe the birds on our beach.

By Dave Montalbano

AdventuresOfCinemaDave.com

When Rango was announced as best animated feature at the Oscars, I came to a revelation. This was the first year I did not review any nominated animated motion pictures.

With the $70.5 million box office take over the weekend, I knew Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax would be the film for me to review this week.

Published 41 years ago, this 72-page easy reader was considered a serious children’s book that became required reading for Earth Day.

The Lorax told the story of a hermit named Once–ler, who was responsible for destroying all the trees in this particular neighborhood of Dr. Seuss.

After causing the departure of the Lorax, the guardian of the trees, the Once-ler tells his tale of woe to a child. With trademark Dr. Seuss wit and rhyme, The Lorax is a poignant fable about man-caused disasters.

If only the producers of Dr.Seuss’ The Lorax had the courage to be understated.

Instead, the audience is given a romantic subplot between characters voiced by Zac Efron and Taylor Swift, whose grandmother (Betty White) makes non sequitur statements that ultimately become profound pearls of wisdom.

As The Lorax, Danny De Vito sounds miscast as a nature god. We are given two chase sequences that are used to sell 3-D. The musical numbers are toe-tappers, but the tunes are not memorable.

Despite these flaws, there is no denying the entertainment value of Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax for young children.

In particular, the early sequences in which young Once-ler moves into the forest and encounters singing bears and goldfish. With less frenetic actions, these are sweet moments.

Children will not forget the sad eyes of the animals when they are forced to leave the forest. It is a subtle moment that best presents the theme of conservation.

In a world where people don’t drink water from the tap, but purchase it in plastic bottles, Dr, Seuss’ The Lorax provides pointed criticism to consumer behavior.