Happy feet/White Noise 2
Dec. 21st, 2006 11:21 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alexandral"Happy feet" Our family went to see it with our friends.
Story: Emperor Penguins find their mate through song. A little penguin, Mumble, is born without singing voice and consequently is an outsider among his friends and family. Natural habitat of Emperor Penguins and their fish supply is robbed by humans. Mumble grows up and tries to find a solution to this problem.
Strange things
Age ratings Sasha cried all the way through "Happy Feet" and watched it sitting on my lap hiding away, crying and saying "I don't like it". At first I could not figure out what was wrong. I wanted to leave, but we were with our friends and also I wanted her to see that everything would have a good ending. Then I thought more and I noticed that the balance between good things happening/bad things happening on screen was shifted in favour of bad things. When good things happened, some of it was shown very quick for a 7-year old to fully enjoy. When bad things happened, they were happening spectacularly, like killer whales or leopard seal chases. And music. It was a little too mournful. I was expecting happy-tap-dancing music, but most of the music had sad undertones. I think may be Sasha was feeling this.
Political undertones Just to preface, I think the state of the planet we live on is quite desperate and if we don’t do something NOW to save the planet tomorrow could be too late. Though I am not sure yet what we can do!!, because all our natural functions (breathing, eating, etc.) are polluting the world and there are too many of us doing our natural functions.
But all this said, I was quite surprised by the answer to the world’s problems as given in "Happy Feet". Tap-dancing penguins!!! Sorry, I know I am exaggerating, but what about other non-tap-dancing species? And to be honest, I am not sure if an obvious political agenda should be in something for very young, though children didn’t seem to notice this part of the film so much. Children have to grow up a little to make their own mind about everything, this is just my view.
Gooooooood things
Personally I enjoyed this film very much. There was lovely originality in story and visual presentation, and very valuable message that “To be different is fine”. And there was plenty of fabulous humour. I particular loved the little penguins (and I am in love with Ramon) and ex-guru Lovelace (both Ramon and Lovelace have Robbie William’s voice). The scene of graduation of young penguins was spectacular, they were jumping so into the water with much joy..
Lovelace, ex-guru:
Overall: this is not quite the same as "Babe" for me.
PS Good news/bad news: Whilst in the cinema I saw and advert for "White Noise 2", starring Katee Sackhoff and Nathan Fillion. I saw the first "White Noise" some years ago, and it was OK and in parts quite interesting horror, but nothing to write home about.
Story: Emperor Penguins find their mate through song. A little penguin, Mumble, is born without singing voice and consequently is an outsider among his friends and family. Natural habitat of Emperor Penguins and their fish supply is robbed by humans. Mumble grows up and tries to find a solution to this problem.
Strange things
Age ratings Sasha cried all the way through "Happy Feet" and watched it sitting on my lap hiding away, crying and saying "I don't like it". At first I could not figure out what was wrong. I wanted to leave, but we were with our friends and also I wanted her to see that everything would have a good ending. Then I thought more and I noticed that the balance between good things happening/bad things happening on screen was shifted in favour of bad things. When good things happened, some of it was shown very quick for a 7-year old to fully enjoy. When bad things happened, they were happening spectacularly, like killer whales or leopard seal chases. And music. It was a little too mournful. I was expecting happy-tap-dancing music, but most of the music had sad undertones. I think may be Sasha was feeling this.
Political undertones Just to preface, I think the state of the planet we live on is quite desperate and if we don’t do something NOW to save the planet tomorrow could be too late. Though I am not sure yet what we can do!!, because all our natural functions (breathing, eating, etc.) are polluting the world and there are too many of us doing our natural functions.
But all this said, I was quite surprised by the answer to the world’s problems as given in "Happy Feet". Tap-dancing penguins!!! Sorry, I know I am exaggerating, but what about other non-tap-dancing species? And to be honest, I am not sure if an obvious political agenda should be in something for very young, though children didn’t seem to notice this part of the film so much. Children have to grow up a little to make their own mind about everything, this is just my view.
Gooooooood things
Personally I enjoyed this film very much. There was lovely originality in story and visual presentation, and very valuable message that “To be different is fine”. And there was plenty of fabulous humour. I particular loved the little penguins (and I am in love with Ramon) and ex-guru Lovelace (both Ramon and Lovelace have Robbie William’s voice). The scene of graduation of young penguins was spectacular, they were jumping so into the water with much joy..
Lovelace, ex-guru:
Overall: this is not quite the same as "Babe" for me.
PS Good news/bad news: Whilst in the cinema I saw and advert for "White Noise 2", starring Katee Sackhoff and Nathan Fillion. I saw the first "White Noise" some years ago, and it was OK and in parts quite interesting horror, but nothing to write home about.
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no subject
Date: 2006-12-22 02:33 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-22 04:42 pm (UTC)HAve you seen/watched "Oklahoma!" musical with Hugh Jackman? I know it was released on DVD and quite desperate to find it.
no subject
Date: 2006-12-25 06:21 am (UTC)Who is in your icon? He's really cute. I can't figure out who it is.
no subject
Date: 2006-12-25 03:47 pm (UTC)Who is in your icon? He's really cute. I can't figure out who it is.
It is Takuya Kimura, FANTASTIC Japanese actor and singer. He was in "Pride", "Long Vacation" (my favourite, the icon in this comment is from Long Vacation), "Good luck" (this is where the icon in previous comment is from) and many many other dramas. He is beyond great!!
no subject
Date: 2006-12-26 02:39 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-26 11:40 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-22 02:50 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-22 04:50 pm (UTC)I agree, also the idea was quite original at that time. I am not sure about the sequel, I was surprised. Probably like with everything, it is an opportunity to make some money.
Sasha is fine after we explained to her everything. I just think that it was a little difficult to understand for her. She didn't realise, for example, that two main protagonists got together at the end, she thought Mumble is bound to be alone. When I thought about this, the sequence at the end was a little jammed together. Like adults, we know ahead that in the children's movie everything going to be good at the end, but she has not got this message yet. She also managed to miss the whole environmental issue. :D
I was a little surprised by her reaction, though, she was known to watch X-files episodes (the less scarier ones) with me. I think it was the emotional side and the music.
no subject
Date: 2006-12-22 05:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-23 12:54 am (UTC)She is not easily frightened, I just think she feels sad when something sad happens on screen.
no subject
Date: 2006-12-22 10:07 pm (UTC)I had to laugh a bit when I saw this morning that there will be another 'White Noise' movie. I haven't seen the first one, but I didn't get the impression that there was need for another one. :D
I was tempted to show you this trailer before but now that you mention Oklahoma in the comments above: The Last Standing Ovation (http://download.ifilm.com/qt/portal/2755332_300.mov). :)
no subject
Date: 2006-12-23 01:05 am (UTC)I was the one who seemed to like "Happy Feet" the most, but I am very fond of unusual music and clever jokes. And music was a little more then normal Disney variety. But considering it carefully, I thought it was giving more "serious" atmosphere to the film.
Sasha is happy, I think she missed few points in film, but now we explained them to her. In a strange way this experience was an eye-opener for me. Children can be very emotional over things like films. No wonder they changed the ending in the "Little Mermaid" story. :D You will laugh, but I had similar experience to Sasha's when reading original Andersen's "Little Mermaid". Even more. I was sad for days. :D
I had to laugh a bit when I saw this morning that there will be another 'White Noise' movie
It is also starring one of the main leads in the latest cult TV show, "Battlestar Galactica". This makes it even stranger.
Thank you very much for the link!