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Thalberg reports in on STUART LITTLE 2!!!
Hey folks, Harry here... Like I said in my SCOOBY DOO review, this was one of the trailers that my 2 year old nephew, KublaKhan reacted very postively too. He liked the talking mouse and birdies... yes he did oh goochie goochie gooodeedoodieeedooo.... aawwwwwwww, isn't he so cuuuuuteeeeeeeeee.... Ahem, sorry, flashback... Here's Thalberg with how the whole film is...
Hey Harry.
Thalberg here, writing from Toronto in the great white north, although it's pretty hot these days.
I just came from a screening for Stewart Little 2, which I attended with my nine year old daughter and two young nephews. This was an invitation only screening where everyone brought their kids, so it was packed with Sony's target audience.
I must admit I am probably one of the few parents who has not seen the original SL, so I came in blind. I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised. Although this film has sequel written all over it, it was quite entertaining.
Borrowing somewhat from Oliver Twist, SL 2, has Stewart befriending a female bird who turns out to be a shill of sorts for an evil falcon, played by James Woods. (Just an aside, but my daughter turned to me at one point and asked me if the falcon was the same voice of Hades from Hercules. You can't fool kids these days).
The falcon wants a diamond ring owned by Stewart's mom, and has planted the female bird into the Little family to steal it. Why a falcon would want a diamond ring is never explained, but this seemed to be of little small consequence to the delighted young audience watching this film.
What I truly enjoyed was the way that everyone accepts Stewart into their world without a thought. Stewart goes to school, plays soccer, drives his sports car down the sidewalk and this is completely normal in this film. Stewart is accepted as a member of the Little family and by society. Nice message there.
The Littles are very Ward and June Cleaver, very loving and supportive parents to their kids, including Stewart. They live in a great house, wear great clothes and are a complete 50's type throwback to an era of what Hollywood represented the nuclear family as being like. Except one of their kids is a mouse. And even though this is a family film, Gina Davis is sporting a huge rack under those wholesome cashmere sweaters. Bonus.
Now the critical part. This is terrific family entertainment. Sony obviously has a great franchise here, and if they want to keep it going, just keep on doing what they're doing. The CGI effects are fantastic, the story is good, not great, but will keep the young ones and probably their parents interested, and the characters are endearing.
Michael J. Fox as Stewart brings an "aw shucks" Jimmy Stewart sensibility to the role of Stewart. The acting is perfectly adequate for this film and the CGI characters are as endearing and believeable as their live action counterparts. I believe it was Sony Imageworks. If it was, kudos to them for their amazing work (check out Stewart's fur moving while driving his car and the falcon's feathers while flying. Incredible!) So that's it. Feel free to take the kids to see and enjoy a really great family film.
Thalberg reporting from Toronto.
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+ Expand All
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Know what I mean?
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And really, aren't we all...
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Jul 15, 2002 3:02:48 AM CDT
Yep, we are all waiting for the country bears and the fact that
by scorpio2nd
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NON-STOP SLAM BAM ACTION! THIS SUMMER, SL2 WILL BLOW. YOU. AWAY. er, Anyways. This series is what happens when you just get too sappy, predictable, corny, cheesy and cliche. I can only take so much of the "gee whiz" factor until my mind goes numb. In Babe, I accepted the fact that animals could talk and it was no big deal, because THE HUMANS DIDN'T HEAR'EM. In Babe, I accepted that the dogs slowly found out that sheep aint half bad. In SL, we just find that cats accept not eating mice because they are told too. SL2 will still make Gangbusters at the B.O. because people don't want to be challenged. They want PC (LOOK the boy has a BLACK friend now! Notice how he is BLACK! And Stuart has a FEMALE friend now. WWWOOOW!) feel good junk. No morals are taught like in Monsters Inc. or maybe even Shrek. But hey, the movie must be good because it got three exclaimation marks in header, right? Ok, sorry for wasting your time. I'll go back to my dark cave now where I can feast on children and brood over how to cook them.
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He could actually spell the movie's FUCKING NAME RIGHT!!!! What a moron.
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This movie looks too kiddie. I kinda liked the first one because it was a breakthrough in CGI but this looks dumb. I highly doubt that Thalberg is a grown person, and more like a seven year old. And it's spelled STUART!
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"...even though this is a family film, Gina Davis is sporting a huge rack..." - I'm sorry, are 'fun bags' illegal in movies aimed at the under 12's? ;-p What a weird thing to say... P$
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Jul 15, 2002 8:03:07 AM CDT
Gosh, I was on the fence about seeing this one until our erudite
by lance rock
Sheesh!
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"huge rack"? You spent a kids' movie looking at Geena Davis' breasts? Next reviewer please!
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I sure didn't want to know that the bird was a mole.
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I'm a huge Hugh Laurie fan... why wasn't he in this film?
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Sounds like exactly the kind of harmless, mindless twaddle my toddler would love. On question: how scary is the villain? I'm asking this on behalf of a child who ran out of the room at the sight of the evil train car in the execrable Thomas the Tank Engine movie. Cobra out.
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Jul 15, 2002 10:33:43 AM CDT
We were all having a nice little family discussion after the mov
by wasp
Thanks a lot, man. Now, if I ever see this flick, I'm gonna make a fool of myself by trying to ogle Geena's assets under three or four layers of one hundred percent cotton.
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Jul 15, 2002 11:19:01 AM CDT
Ok The guy's obviously gotta thing for cashmere and sweater
by weedymcsmokey
..but don't we all (well all us hetero guys anyway). I am constantly shocked by how this offends people on this site. Anyway, who cares about this movie - young families and Geena Davis fetishizers. That's all. Are any of you guys actually going to see it? Sorry, it costs $13 bucks to see a movie here in T.O. and there's no fucking way some little rat and a couple of talking birds are taking it from me.
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Damn, whatta fine-lookin' woman for 46 [drools] Oh yeah, the movie. I liked the first film (cute, lightly funny, and with splendid CG character animation), so I'll see this eventually. So, who would win in a fight between Stuart Little and Mr. Jingles from The Green Mile?
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Jul 15, 2002 12:35:27 PM CDT
Hmm..a battle to the death between Mr. Jingles and Stuart Little
by weedymcsmokey
I'm going with the Jingles kid on this one - he has a hard right hook, speed to burn and is more closely connected to the big guy who can resurrect people - that's the kind of advantage that wins fights to the death - resurrection. Also, Stuart's obvious intelligence advantage will work against him - actually being able to interpret what is going on - it would warp his fragile little mind. Although his ability to use tools will undoubtedly result in a few resurrections needed before the inevitable victory....Are we even talking about movies anymore?
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We truly live in a fucked up world when a TWO YEAR OLD CHILD has to have an internet alias(Im assuming that's an alias, because if that's the kid's real name, he is in for a hard road ahead). For God's sake, let the kid have some semblance of a normal childhood before you indoctrinate him into the cadre of pathetic, geeky, non sex having fanboys like yourself. Give the child a chance!!!!
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Remember "Earth Girls Are Easy", in which we get Ms. Davis in both an underwear AND extended string bikini sequence? Or "Transylvania 65000" featuring Geena in vampire lingerie? Those were the days, when MTV wasn't afraid to show the "Girls Girls Girls" video, and there were lots of dance shows with perverted cameramen. What a time to be an adolescent... Anyway, what's all this about a talking mouse? sk
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Jul 15, 2002 3:18:56 PM CDT
Hey, you've got to have something to entertain the adult men
by empyreal0
Bonus. heehee. that just tickled me.
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"Borrowing somewhat from Oliver Twist"??????? What is he talking about? This whole movie is in the original book, "Stuart Little," by E.B.White. They just divided the book into two movies. Oh, and let's see how many times we can misspell "Stuart" in the review, huh???
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Jul 15, 2002 6:29:15 PM CDT
Ok, those two birds in the flick creep me out..."with those litt
by terry_1978
I would NOT wanna see that Falcon staring at me in a lit or dark alley...they did make him decidely creepy and evil though, so I give Sony Imageworks kudos...now if they can only give us a decent Spidey.....
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Mr. Jingles would kick Stuart Little's ASS anyday of the week, man! My money would be on him.
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I don't suppose she wears any HOTPANTS in this movie, eh.
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Mr. Jingles, no argument. Stuart's a pampered little suburban mouse, while Mr. Jingles has been in the joint, man. Stuart ought to consider himself lucky if he JUST gets beaten up.
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Doggone it, people like him... gettin' trampled...
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First off, is it strictly necessary to knock every bit of Harry's life? So his niece has a nickname...first, it's inadvisable to post a real child's name on the internet, 'cause there's freaks out there. Also, pretty much all of my friend's kids had nicknames growing up. My Goddaughter was Schmecky, my best friend's son was El Jefe, and a friend's 2 week old son Xavier is Baby X. Hell, my brother was "The Big E" for the first ten years of his life. Second, hate to break this to you, but kids movie or no, Geena Davis is hot, and hootage is always appreciated. Sorry. Deal with it. Oh yeah, and Mr. Jingles couldn't die, remember? So he would kick Stuart's ass simply with that advantage alone.
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I mentioned Harry's *nephew* as his *niece.* My Goddaughter is 2, as is Harry's NEPHEW (nephew, dammit!) so I got a little mixed up there. Apologies.
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Stuart vs. Monterey Jack from Rescue Rangers? Stuart vs. Basil from The Great Mouse Detective? Stuart vs. Mrs. Brisby from The Secret Of NIMH? Stuart vs. Chip and/or Dale?
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i was at a mall in jakarta, indonesia at a signing session headed by none other than eric estrada. he announced that he was thinking of branching out into kids movies now that he had finished with cop/action movies. (estrada is actually quite big in asia and latin countries). he is interested in a sort of "black disney" production and claimed that harry hamlin had passed on the role in question. he was going to pass too, but then he decided it was time his career took a new turn. looks like we've got something to look forward to next summer.
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What is this babble about saving it for Country Bears? Sounded like a good Idea in early reports. The trailer, The commercials, it's all garbage. Bears is a film that COULD have been a classic. It looks hokey and self effacing. I'm an ex Disney employee, and had high hopes I guess. I watched the change up close. I should have known better. Cheap! Cheap! Cheap!
Stuart Little 2 looks like solid intelligent entertainment for a young audience. -
Dude, do you remember that movie? Geena Davis is hot in a your-best-friend's-mom sort of way. Have I said too much? Anyways, the CGI looks fine in the trailers, though I'm a bit put-off by the whole attempt to update Stuart + make him hip n' cool. The guy ice skates in paper-clips in the book for crying out loud, + they've got him in a freakin' convertible in the movie?! Please... Oh yeah, to all the pure American folk out there: apologies regarding my fellow countryman's repeated pooch-screw of the word 'Stewart.' It's just that, you know, we're kinda slow up here, eh? Out.
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StuartLittleRocks!!
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I can only assume you're responding to my post about how I'm saving myself for "The Country Bears." All I have to say is that I have forcefully abstained from all movie-going until such time as I can plunk my hind-quarters in a cushioned stadium-style seat and let my senses feast on the smorgasbord that will be this fine release from Walt Disney. There is absolutely no intended sarcasm, facetiousness or other such cynicism in my previous commentary on this matter. I can only hope that others share my interminable infatuation with this guaranteed classic dubbed affectionately by this poster..... "The Cuddly Num-Num Bears."
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You have to remember that these talkbackers haven't been with a woman in three years, on average. Of course, I am an exception in this regard....... It's been much longer than that.........
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Jul 18, 2002 2:16:05 PM CDT
Geena get in your panties and do a movie where you kick people&#
by screenplaywriter
I think Geena Davis should get more roles for action-flicks, or something. Go back to her roots. Get back in a bra and panties like the good old days and have fun doing it. It's pretty "sad" to see her in a role like "Stuart Little" because she's too cute and sexy as the mom, you kind of get the feeling for George (the little kid) "Damn, my mom is a milf!"
I dunno...I guess I'd liked her in "Cutthroat Island" because she was slitting throats and kicking asses and that one scene where she blasts her uncle out of the ship with a cannon is still one of my favorite bad guy deaths in film. GEENA GO BACK TO THOSE TYPE ROLES WHERE YOU KICK ASS INSTEAD OF CUTESY-WUTESY STUFF!
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