Thursday, March 6, 2008

Meet the Robinsons - an old review

This is one of my first movie reviews, obviously written when the movie came out (so, over a year ago). Just thought I'd add it to my repertoire.

*****
I was not surprised at all when I walked into the Post Mall in Milford this Saturday and saw a crowd of children leaving the theatre. I knew what movie they had been there to see, and by the expressions on their faces, I could tell that I was going to love it, too.

“Meet the Robinsons,” the newest Disney film, turned out to be exactly as I had hoped: brilliant. I have never been a big fan of computer animated films, but good-ol' Walt has roped me in once again with wit and humor that appeals to any age group (the first time being with the 2006 box office hit, “Cars”).

Based on the book “A Day with Wilbur Robinson” by William Joyce, the movie is set in the modern-day and centered on a boy named Lewis, who was left at an orphanage by his mother when he was an infant. He is what most people would consider a “genius,” creating such inventions as the perfect machine to properly portion the peanut butter and jelly on your toast, “because too much peanut butter sticks to the roof of your mouth and gets crunchy, and too much jelly spills out the sides and makes your hands sticky.”

Lewis, just a few months away from turning 13, feels like a failure after over 100 interviews with possible adoptive parents, none of whom feel he is right for their home. When all of his inventions end in misery (and often explosions), he nearly gives up hope. It isn’t until a mysterious boy named Wilbur whisks him away to “Todayland,” set in the future, that Lewis finally discovers the confidence in himself to live up to his potential, and maybe even to find a family.

The movie is a hit, packed, of course, with the humorous innuendos intended for adult audiences that Disney is known for, as well as the comedy needed to keep the attention of younger viewers. My attention was held the entire time, as well as that of my boyfriend and our mutual friend, and we are all in our early twenties. I can safely say that I am glad to have seen that movie, and maybe even a better person. Well, that may be an exaggeration, but it was definitely a $7 well-spent.

While I did not see it in 3-D, I did see Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas” in 3-D this past October and I have to say that it wasn’t really three-dimensional at all. This movie may be different because it was made to be 3-D, but hey, life is already in 3-D – why spend the extra $3?

“Meet the Robinsons” was officially released to theaters this past Friday, offered in Disney 3-D where applicable.

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