Genres

Visitors Review

2012-05-25 19:52:35

A New Standard

Not for children for two reasons: First, it's hard enough for adult hairy mammals to feel empathy for a reptilian lizard (the oohhh, isn't he cuddly cute factor just isn't there). Second, a lot of the humor is so esoteric than even adults would have a hard time catching it. But for adults for these reasons: The sound tracks; the background sounds (creaky windmill); the ever changing clouds, smoke and dust; the lighting (especially inside rooms); the textures (especially the animal bodies and the wood); the detail (every piece seemed unique); the colors; the expressions; the background sets; the destruction of the background sets; the emotional expressions; and best of all each movement seemed natural and to have a purpose. The script seemed excessively cognitive although interesting to hear the dialogue in a context other than a university classroom or text. The number of unique character animals must have approached 100 so the computers being used to create all those unique entities moving independently must have been borrowed from the Defense Dept. Finally, not sure but it seemed that Eastwood and his 5 Academy Awards showed up at the end so was this an homage to Sergio Leone or Eastwood or Spaghetti Westerns? Did I notice "Unforgiven" and "Pale Rider" allusions within the storyline and in specific scenes. Also, the sunset monologue at the end sounded like a JFK inspirational speech?

2012-05-25 02:27:07

My Kids Were Bored

This isn't for kids. Mine left the room in the middle of it. The plot wandered, and it was depressing. Like a really bad Clint Eastwood movie. (Sorry, Clint.) Don't bother.

Marjorie Baumgarten 2012-05-24 03:23:23

It is Depp, however, who really nails this thing by simply blending in with all the other voice talent and characters and not reverting to the oversized Captain Jack Sparrow swagger.

2012-05-23 17:39:14

Rango is NOT kid friendly

This review is from: Rango (DVD) This is not a kid friendly cartoon movie...for something created FOR children..the content and language was horrible. What happened to childrens movies being safe and free from cursing?

Bella 2012-05-23 02:34:21

Funny but silly

It was fun to watch Rango even though sometimes throughout the movie iwas tempted to interrupt it. The mix of silly or intelligent hybridjokes, weird characters and animal relationships in a harsh desertenvironment made me stay. Rango had a pretty boring but good life; hedidn't know it until tragedy struck upon him and he ended up in asurvival situation that forced him to adapt very quickly. Intelligentand willing to survive no matter what, he becomes the hero andsubsequently the sheriff of a desperate city. I chose to see theextended version and i can't imagine a shorter one. The specialfeatures are very interesting introducing the viewers in the real worldof each character, sort of National Geographic or Steve Irwin style.Relax while listening to John Depp's voice as Rango!

2012-05-22 19:57:01

Rango

This is a awesome movie, rango is hillarious from start to finish. I love the story and the characters and the story. rango is an awesome movie for everyone to see. If you have not seen this movie then i recommedn you should.

2012-05-21 22:10:50

Got dvd quickly

This review is from: Rango (DVD) Recieved dvd qucikly and in great condition. Granddaughter (only) couldn't keep her interest in it but was good for adults to view.

2012-05-21 11:42:16

Rango-lishis

This review is from: Rango (DVD) This is a lot of fun! The story is different and the animation technique is wonderful. Animation is mesmerizing. Loved it - and the music! The lemurs are hilarious! Loved it!!!

Peppered_Productions 2012-05-21 07:28:05

Rango Wrangles You In

A Johnny Depp film that dons its lead character in the Hawaiian shirtof ANOTHER Depp portrayal ? THEN has this new chap actually intersectwith the original character in a fun twist on both their story lines?I'm in!It's a familiar story - a silver-tongued, lonely coward flamboozlespeople into believing he is their hero. Uncharacteristically, he comesto embody exactly those traits - until he is outted by the evil, greedyPTB. Along the way, he befriends, and comes to rely on, a smattering ofoddball characters. Resolve reinforced, he throws himself back into thefray.I'll admit, I am not familiar with all the classics this animated piecepays homage to. But, there were enough clever shots, word play, and awell-paced plot that my attention was fixed throughout the movie. I love the freedoms that animation affords a well-written story. Thereare actions and belief- suspending scenarios that, in a live-actionpicture, would seem....well, animated. Facial expressions, flights offancy and poking fun at pop culture (old and new) were some of theelements that evoked classic Looney Tunes episodes - full of suggestiveasides, exaggerated, yet underplayed stereotypes, and the inevitablepotty humor.This is one of those movies that makes me want to watch the films ittakes its elements from - and then go back and give a second view inorder to appreciate how it was all pulled together. I had one or two"Labyrinth"-like moments where I noticed small details, easilyoverlooked that add to the enjoyment of this film.It's a predictably happy ending, but the path taken to the payoff iswhat makes Rango worth riding along.

moviemanMA 2012-05-20 17:00:18

The Ballad of Rango

Rango, director Gore Verbinski's (Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy, TheWeather Man) first foray into animation, is a mesmerizing display ofboth animation and storytelling. We follow a chameleon, voicedwonderfully by the talented Johnny Depp, whose life is turned upsidedown when he finds himself stranded in the desert. After an encounterwith a hawk, our chameleon friend runs into another critter of thedesert, a lizard named named Beans (Isla Fisher), who brings thechameleon into town.In the town of Dirt we meet an array of strange looking characters, allof which seem to be confused and curious about this newcomer thechameleon. Now, our friend who remains nameless up until this point, isan actor by trade, though I guess you could call it desire, who is insearch of finding his own identity. When approached with the questionof who he really is, he quickly comes up with the back storyfor...Rango.Rango quickly becomes the town's new hero/sheriff. His first task is tosettle the unpleasantness surrounding the towns water supply, whichdwindles day by day. With the help of Beans and some of the otherlocals, Rango gets a posse together to find the missing water. Shouldhe fail, the future of Dirt looks mighty grim.This movie had the potential to be a cheesy, kid-joke infused, chaoticromp and a poor excuse of a western. Yet just the opposite happened.The jokes are witty, it is very controlled, and it is an excellentwestern, certainly one of the best since the millennium. The veryopening scene with the soon to be named Rango is so clever andunexpected that I thought Nickelodeon had never even screened the moviebefore being released. There are so many one liners and visuals that gocompletely, and I mean completely over the younger audience's stilldeveloping head. There are some laugh out loud moments for them, but Idon't think they will really understand what is going on for most ofthe movie.There are guns, explosions, and chases to keep them busy, not tomention a fair dose of falls, whacks, and kerplunks. The kids will befine. It's the adults that really get to enjoy this movie. I would goso far as to say that adults should call a babysitter to forgo anyquestions their children might have like, "Why are you laughing?"Depp's performance, and I do mean performance, is remarkable. Mybrother said that he didn't even think it was Johnny Depp. Depp, whoseface and on screen persona is so hard to dismiss, is hidden well behindthe uneven eyes of his reptilian persona. His talents along with theentire cast, whose voice acting turned into real acting behind thescenes (I strongly encourage you all to watch the featurettes online)turned out stellar performances similar to those from Wes Anderson's2009 masterpiece Fantastic Mr. Fox.Verbinski's animation team deserves a great deal of praise as well. Thetextures and attention to detail rivals that of Pixar, who invented theprocess of CG feature films. The landscapes, dreamscapes, andeverything in between is second to none. The most important part of theanimation and perhaps the whole movie is the work done on eachindividual face. Each character pops off the screen. Usually suchcraftsmanship is reserved for the main character, the villain, and afew secondary characters (i.e. Carl Frederickson, Russell, Dug, andCharles F. Muntz from Pixar's Up), but here each character, regardlesshow much screen time they are allowed, is given their own uniquefeatures. It's some of the best animation I have ever seen, and that isnot an exaggeration.This tightly woven animated movie is a sight to be seen. Need I forgetto mention, you don't have to break the bank to see it in 3D. Would ithave looked nice, maybe, but this is sure proof that 2D is alive andwell in the land of animated films. Will it fluff up those box officenumbers, no, but will it win over the hearts of millions like me,starving for some real good animation outside of Disney and Pixar, youbetcha.

2012-05-19 21:31:00

Environment Plus

This review is from: Rango (DVD) The characters are great to watch and listen to. The animation is also very good. The story line still pertinent for this day and age, as we, especially in the desert, need to be aware of how we use or preserve our resources. I always enjoy anything "characterized" by Johnny Depp, and he doesn't disappoint here either.

2012-05-19 04:52:09

Outstanding!

This movie succeeds in so many ways I'm not even sure where to begin. First, the animation itself - that just keeps getting better as the CGI guys perfect their craft, and this rides the wave. Hair, feathers, and all kinds of delicate effects come across beautifully, in ways that couldn't have been done just a few years ago. But, even the best tools do nothing without an artist to wield them, and the characters here show real artistry. Each one has a unique look, from the cute "Little Sister" to the grizzled characters of the Western genre, to the dusty Mayor with his windup wheelchair.Taking it a step further, good looks and shallow characters leave a movie feeling oddly hollow, but these characters all come to life. Depp's mouthy lizard with the aloha shirt stars, of course, but each personality stands on its own. Then the scripting takes those individuals, and puts them to work in a demanding set of roles: the kind that stay true to the oater genre while satirizing it at every step. The sendup of the spaghetti western wouldn't have come across nearly as well if it weren't taken seriously, too. (The Clint Eastwood-like cameo was a high point.)Although the movie had plenty of kid appeal, there was plenty to keep the grownups entertained as well. In fact, a few jokes (like "side saddle") had me rolling, at the same time I was glad I didn't have a kid demanding an explanation. Rango has my highest recommendation.-- wiredweird, reviwing the release to theaters

Scott Weinberg 2012-05-18 21:30:08

Very funny, packed with solid action, animated with a remarkable degree of care and creativity, and delivered with a breathless sense of energy.

Simon Miraudo 2012-05-18 12:01:56

I just don't know if we'll see a film as smart or fun or overwhelmingly rich as Rango for the rest of the year.

christy-crisis 2012-05-18 05:01:35

Just extraordinary!

Rango has pleased me in such a way that I am unsure any other movieever has and I was just raving to myself about it from the beginning,so I just HAD to share! This movie was a beautifully inclusive ofthings I didn't even know I appreciated in a movie because I had simplynever seen such care put into its production. I am so relieved thatthere are still people who are dedicated to making the best movie theypossibly can and I dare to hope that Rango sets the bar for the moviesto follow in 2011. Right away I noticed the immense detail in theanimation and the focus on simple, graceful images, qualities that didnot disappear as the movie progressed. The plot and the protagonist'sjourney are both traditional and yet unique and fresh, thanks to thenot-so-cliché detailed additions and unexpected perspective. Theimagery is simply phenomenal and so gracefully blunt. I would notreally consider this a children's movie because there isn't any dancingaround the frightening or violent, it is all very inclusive. Anotherthing that surprised me was the overall wordiness and the style ofhumor. Some of the jokes I didn't get immediately, so I definitelyliked the intellectual humor there. Once again, I don't really thinkthat children are a fitting audience for such humor and there weredefinitely bewildered children in the theatre wondering why all theadults were laughing. I like that the story seems very folk-y whenviewed out-of-context, but is brought into perspective very well. Thecharacters were all very individual and dimensional. One thing that wasrefreshing was the variety in settings and genre. We go from Rango'slittle 'theatre' and his artsy dramatics to a Tex-Mex kind ofenvironment where we are occasionally and subtly reminded that this isa role of Rango's and that we are in the modern era. I thought thatRango's graceful success and general boldness upon first arriving inDirt were off-beat and quite pleasingly surprising. The music also fitvery well with the film but wasn't simply background music, so I wassurprised again that the movie makers would bother so much. There werea lot of subtle techniques used, and maybe it's just my own artisticeye, but these (things like Rattlesnake Jake nearly never being shownfully in frame, which makes him seem very large and thus quitefrightening) show me that this was a film crafted with the utmost care.I can't find anything bad to say about this film, which proves to methat the people responsible for this went above and beyond, trying tomake each aspect of the film a masterpiece in itself for an overallvery consistently lovely movie. I would definitely recommend thateveryone see it.

2012-05-17 13:12:42

Whatching paint dry is less painless...

WOW, what a terriable movie, I'm glad I rented it first and am now saving the money of buying it. I am a Johnny Depp fan, but was so disappointed with this movie... The animation was very good in this movie, but what good is that if you can't stand to watch the thing!Just when you think it is going to get better it don't and never does.It's kind of sad, because if it was written better it might have been a real hit...If you listen to nothing else of my review, rent it first! Then you will know exactly what you are buying...

2012-05-16 23:12:07

"All SEVEN of them?"

This review is from: Rango (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy) (Blu-ray) Rango comes into his own when he arrives at "DIRT". A quick drink at the Saloon and he takes on some gun slingers. His reputation is enhanced when a Hawk is terminated. There is a community concern about the drought which is controlled by Urban renewal. True Love blossoms in the heat between violent action of gun fights and escape. Jake "The Snake" evens matters and salutes Rango with a tip of the Hat. Two True Legends of the West. This is highly recommended for age 4 to 12.

Cindy White 2012-05-16 19:53:20

If the art of the mashup is what passes for originality these days, then Rango is a creative tour de force.

strangebullit65 2012-05-15 22:47:19

Wow!

This could possibly be one of the worst movies I've ever seen. Thestory was, well.....not there ! The images were fine, but it had nodirection. I thought it was made for children but.... The swearing wasunnecessary. I'm guessing there was a political message. My childrenfell asleep. My wife and I were ready to leave in the middle of theshow. I'm disappointed that it involved Depp. I'm sure Depp will befine.I would NOT recommend this movie to anyone.I'm having a tough timesaying anything else but the rules state that you have to have tenlines to get your review to post....so.... DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY ONTHIS SHOW !

2012-05-15 06:08:05

An animated western that grows on you.

This review is from: Rango (DVD) This movie is a typical spaghetti western with familiar actors.The plot is your basic stranger-in-town / damsel-in-distress /save-the-town fare. Tongue firmly in cheek.The makers are clearly tipping their collective hats to the genreand, I think, doing so respectfully, convincingly & enjoyably.But it's animated. Phenomenally. Some nuanced texture and detail workthat are nothing short of remarkable -- the best that I can recall seeing.I didn't see the film in the theatre because the ad campaignsuggested to me that I'd hate the film. I thought it wasa kid's film. Nope -- it's no more a kid's film than the'Man with No Name' trilogy. But that's a GOOD thing.And I love the Zimmer / Los Lobos true-to-the-genre soundtrack.Each time I see the film, I find more to like about it.Highly recommended.