Cool News
BNAT Footage Fest: Massawyrm vs MONSTERS VS ALIENS!!
Hola all. Massawyrm here.
Of all the footage I got to see this past weekend, Monsters vs. Aliens is the one that left me a little cold and unsure about what to think of the upcoming whole. I like the idea. I mean I REALLY like the idea. An animated film about an alien invasion being fought off by 50’s B Movie monsters is so right up my alley that it’s not even funny. That said, it’s a Dreamworks animated film. And those are decidedly hit or miss.
At first glance this feels closer to Kung Fu Panda than say A Shark’s Tale or Madagascar Back 2 Africa. It’s smart, a lot of the comedy is clever and the concept is just killer. But one sequence in particular turned me off in a big way. Ever since pop culture humor crept into children’s films in the late 90’s to serve as a way to amuse parents while tickling the kids, we’ve seen a glut of references for the sake of referencing. Occasionally is can be very funny. Other times…it simply exists. Such is the case with one joke here in which the President (played very amusingly by Stephen Colbert) gets up in from of the alien ship and starts playing the communication tune for Close Encounters of the Third Kind. But then the very excitable President gets carried away…and starts playing Axel F. from Beverly Hills Cop. And more than just a few bars of it. It was just…there. It wasn’t really cute or funny. It just was. And with several other really good jokes in the mix, it stuck out like a sore thumb – and worried me about the humor in the rest of the film.
Immediately following that was a very funny scene in which we are introduced to the Monsters in the War Room. This is where Colbert really shines as he gets to play around with General W.R. Monger (Kiefer Sutherland.) This is what left me with some hope – but even then not all the jokes were as sharp as they could be.
Finally, we were treated to an extended fight sequence, as out intrepid monster heroes take on a gigantic alien robot/space ship. This was the scene that really won over the crowd, as the 49’11¾” woman uses cars as roller skates over the Golden Gate Bridge and the rest of the team tries to find a way to neutralize the enemy. It was pretty fast paced, fun stuff with moments that were evocative of The Incredibles.
But no matter how cool everything was (even in 3D), everytime I reflected on it, I saw the Ronald Reagan president dancing and playing Axel F. And it just made me think of all the Shrek 3’s and Madagascar’s rather than the Kung Fu Panda’s. I really hope this is the latter rather than the formers. It really is a great idea.
Until next time friends, smoke ‘em if ya got ‘em.
Massawyrm
Got something for the Wyrm? Mail it here.
-
+ Expand All
-
Is this about Avatar?
-
I think your being a bit over critical, though I was tearing down every frame of the wolvie trailer last week, and I'll admit I wasn't at BNAT, but I got a chuckle from the AXL Foley theme joke. This is what you should do Massawyrm, go back and watch all ur favorite animated films, and see if every single joke was tailored for just your sense of humor, guess what, bet they're not. You just got to realize that with a film with this much scope, and range, that little 3 year old kids, and Older almost 40year old-beer gut kids (like yourself) want to see, have to pack in jokes for everyone. And not all of them will be your fancy. Me myself, I love a good Dead Baby Joke, but that doesn't mean I expect one from a kids movie. (I'm sure what you think is hillarious, to others might be trite and unoriginal. Quite a bit of tarnish to put on a movie, for a hunch you have, don't you think?
-
They had the same preview in Chicago. I'll admit I laughed when he first broke into the Close Encounter's theme, but then the joke kept going...and going...and I agree with you atleast on that scene. Overall though, I thought the footage was mostly fun and it was much better then I expected based on the trailer.
-
I saw that footage at SIGGRAPH this summer. I laugh so hard when he started playing the Beverly Hills Cop theme. I really like that kind of humor and even though I'll admit that Kung Fu Panda is one class above the Shrek 3's (Haven't seen Madagascar 2 yet so I can't comment on that one), I still really enjoy those movies. We have been spoiled with fantastic animated movies from Dreamworks and Pixar that our expectations are now so high, that we might get a fantastic movie like Monsters vs Aliens, and a lot of people won't appreciate it to it's full value because we keep comparing them to other almost flawless movies. I just think we'll enjoy these movies so much more if we keep our expectations in check. Nothing personal Massawyrm. I'm just saying.
-
Thats a fairly big part of that scene it seems, but sometimes it can just be little stuff. Like the fight scene in I think the 2nd Matrix film, when Neo fights the duplicate Agent Smiths. He knocks one into a bunch and theres a bowling pin sound effect thrown in as they fall over. Totally ruins it for me. And on the DVD theres a feature that talks about it like they're proud of it!
Sorry, this just became a digression to a pure rant. I had to get that off my chest though, and this article was just the excuse I needed. -
Okay I really can't comment so much on what you said but having looked at the 2nd trailer that just came out today. All I can say is it looks absolutely laught out loud funny.
http://tinyurl.com/9cy4y5 -
A Dreamworks animated film that relies on pop culture gimmicks in order to be funny? That's so unlike them.
Give me more Pixar please. -
I got no problem w/ the Axel Foley bit ... they do sound kind of similar, which is funny. Pull the stick out Wyrm.
-
Seriously, wasn't there a scene in "Space Chimps" where the chimps were playing "Axel F" on a keypad?
It was in all of the ads for it! -
Me likey.
-
About 10 years ago, i worked on a game called "The Last Days Of Planet Earth" (AKA "Dark Guns)which was never finished or released for the original PlayStation towards the end of its life cycle. The player assumed the role of the invading 50's UFO and Earth's defenses included giant ants, King Kong, and a whole bunch of other 50's sci-fi themes. Ah the good old days...
-
Dec 23, 2008 4:26:12 PM CST
The pop culture cartoon shit started with Tiny Toons
by nasty in the pasty
Granted, it kicked into overdrive with Shrek and it's sequels and rip-offs, but Tiny Toons and Animaniacs really started the pop-culture references thing in animation (along with Aladdin, which, while still great, is dated as fuck at times. The Genie riffing on Arsinio Hall?!). Monsters vs. Aliens looked very funny from it's trailer (the line "SooooOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooosan! Oooo, I scared myself!" make me laugh every time), but if it's clogged with movie references, it'll be a step down from the wonderful Kung Fu Panda. Not one movie reference. NOT. ONE.
-
Were throwbacks to Looney Toons, which was itself very pop referency. The difference is the jokes work without necessarily knowing the pop equivalent, which most of the dreamworks stuff has failed to achieve so far.
-
Dec 23, 2008 6:14:13 PM CST
I don't know what got Massawyrm all riled up
by walts_turning_inthegrave
but in my opinion the second trailer of this movie looks laugh out loud funny.
Here is the latest trailer: http://tinyurl.com/9cy4y5
-
for a take on 50s sci-fi paranoia without the "Robin Williams-in-Aladin/Shrek-1-2-3" treatment as I like to call it...
-
the references to pop culture were weird or anachronistic (the velvet rope scene with the mascot, the dragon/Donkey dynamic) that fit in with the zaniness of the movie. Shrek the sequel had friggin' American Idol and Cops and Gingerbread man in a thong. Didn't even bother watching the third one.
-
I'm glad it focused more on the lady who becomes a giant! She seems like she'll be the heart and strong link that holds the film together.
-
This is a real movie in production. I stumbled across it on IMDB. How about Monsters vs. Dahmer vs. Aliens vs. Gacy. Now I'd pay ten bucks to see that.
-
Enough from Massawyrm. Didnt this site used to contain things written by people other than him and Harry?
-
Jack Black needs to go away, he's a one trick pony.
Readers Talkback
User Login
Top Talkbacks
- Whitney Houston 1963 - 2012 -- 273 total posts 271 posts
- New JUDGE DREDD post production footage pops up -- 92 total posts 92 posts
- AVENGERS enemy revealed as pink boardgame pieces... You might suffer some form of elation... SPOILERS!!! -- 160 total posts 69 posts
- There's a STAR TREK video game that is going to lead into JJ's STAR TREK 2 apparently... -- 151 total posts 63 posts
- Does ‘SNL’ Rhyme With ‘Deschanel’?? Learn Which SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE Vet Hosts After Sexy Zooey!! -- 67 total posts 59 posts
- HANNA's Saoirse Ronan to boss around seven little people -- 60 total posts 57 posts
- To Commemorate The 3D Release Of STAR WARS EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE, George Lucas Wants You To Know...Greedo Shoots First!! -- 484 total posts 49 posts
- Here's The Red Band Trailer For Drafthouse Films' THE FP! -- 69 total posts 42 posts
- Friday Brings SWEEPS DAY NINE!! Gab Here About Tonight’s FRINGE!! Plus Einstein on TIM, Wiig On PORTLANDIA, MAHER, CLONE, GIFTED, GRIMM, SPARTACUS, SUPERNATURAL, GOLD RUSH And More!! -- 120 total posts 32 posts
- SPACE 2099!! -- 183 total posts 24 posts