The (Guinea) Pigs have it!
September 28th 2009 06:58
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REVIEW | G FORCE
Being a child at heart doesn't mean you are going to connect or even enjoy a movie advertised (pitched) towards children these days. Long gone are the days of a children's film containing family values, general morals or even child-like characters.
Since my first year in Primary School I was keen on Guinea-Pigs or Carveys. They are small, clean, not too noisy and each of them has an obvious personality. The first great tragedy of my life was the passing of Peggy, my very first guinea-pig. Oh how I cried. It was such a dark moment, I remember the great loss even now fourty-five years later, as if it happened yesterday.
So, when I was invited to come along and review the new 3D Disney/Pixar Film, G FORCE, I was a little excited because it was bring back a raft of memories about my early experiences with the cute little critters. Certainly there was a time when anything created by Disney was a little twee, naieve and down right racist at times, but this is a new style of film for kids; maybe not so much a new style, but in a new era...
These creatures are voiced by great actors in the form of Penelope Cruz, Nichoilas Cage and Sam Rockwell - it is not in the vein of Babe or Babe Pig In The City where the real animals have been computer doctored to make their mouths move - these creatures are built in the computer from the ground up. The overall development in technology that allows some very exciting special effects is great. Really stunning 3D effects that had my kids (who all speak Nepali and have little understanding of Western culture as yet) hooting with wonder. My nineteen year old boy Chakra San who has never seen such things lost all his newly developed (since arriving in Australia 8 months ago) urban cool and hip hop heavy American cool - and sat in the theatre crying "Oh my god" every time one of the creatures shoved a paw at his face. He was completely astonished, bewildered and delighted by the 3D aspect - and I think he will expect all movies to provide this added feature in the future. Why? Because they can. They can (as young folk) expect it, and they can (as film producers) because it will reignite interest in the whole film industry.
But the script is way too sophisticated for younger kids. Juarez (Penelope cruz) for instance spends her whole time giving out mixed messages to her companions about liking a guy/not liking a guy - something maybe mildly adult for the older kids, and way way over the head of the little ones.
In so many ways it's a little scarry to think that we have to have undercover, secret guinea pigs. We can't just have them being normal... they are espionage trained and equipped.
It doesn't sit so easily with me to see a show pitched at youngsters that uses films such as Mission Impossible or The Man from U.N.C.L.E. as their templates; and it just doesn't wash with the kids. Yes they are living in a greatly brave new world and they've all seen something about spys I suppose, but in the end, it just doesn't wash with me.
I enjoyed it as an adult watching a film for kids, but none of the kids I took understood why the guinea pigs were doing things with electrical equipment or any technology for that matter.
So as much as I enjoyed it myself, I doubt many mums and dads are going to really enjoy the overall content of the film.
Younger teens and tweens will enjoy it, smaller kids will cry out in wonder and tots will just be bored I think. I enjoyed it sure, but as a responsible adult, I'm not going to suggest it as a feature for all kids - it's just too adult in the end.
David Jobling
Since my first year in Primary School I was keen on Guinea-Pigs or Carveys. They are small, clean, not too noisy and each of them has an obvious personality. The first great tragedy of my life was the passing of Peggy, my very first guinea-pig. Oh how I cried. It was such a dark moment, I remember the great loss even now fourty-five years later, as if it happened yesterday.
So, when I was invited to come along and review the new 3D Disney/Pixar Film, G FORCE, I was a little excited because it was bring back a raft of memories about my early experiences with the cute little critters. Certainly there was a time when anything created by Disney was a little twee, naieve and down right racist at times, but this is a new style of film for kids; maybe not so much a new style, but in a new era...
These creatures are voiced by great actors in the form of Penelope Cruz, Nichoilas Cage and Sam Rockwell - it is not in the vein of Babe or Babe Pig In The City where the real animals have been computer doctored to make their mouths move - these creatures are built in the computer from the ground up. The overall development in technology that allows some very exciting special effects is great. Really stunning 3D effects that had my kids (who all speak Nepali and have little understanding of Western culture as yet) hooting with wonder. My nineteen year old boy Chakra San who has never seen such things lost all his newly developed (since arriving in Australia 8 months ago) urban cool and hip hop heavy American cool - and sat in the theatre crying "Oh my god" every time one of the creatures shoved a paw at his face. He was completely astonished, bewildered and delighted by the 3D aspect - and I think he will expect all movies to provide this added feature in the future. Why? Because they can. They can (as young folk) expect it, and they can (as film producers) because it will reignite interest in the whole film industry.
But the script is way too sophisticated for younger kids. Juarez (Penelope cruz) for instance spends her whole time giving out mixed messages to her companions about liking a guy/not liking a guy - something maybe mildly adult for the older kids, and way way over the head of the little ones.
In so many ways it's a little scarry to think that we have to have undercover, secret guinea pigs. We can't just have them being normal... they are espionage trained and equipped.
It doesn't sit so easily with me to see a show pitched at youngsters that uses films such as Mission Impossible or The Man from U.N.C.L.E. as their templates; and it just doesn't wash with the kids. Yes they are living in a greatly brave new world and they've all seen something about spys I suppose, but in the end, it just doesn't wash with me.
I enjoyed it as an adult watching a film for kids, but none of the kids I took understood why the guinea pigs were doing things with electrical equipment or any technology for that matter.
So as much as I enjoyed it myself, I doubt many mums and dads are going to really enjoy the overall content of the film.
Younger teens and tweens will enjoy it, smaller kids will cry out in wonder and tots will just be bored I think. I enjoyed it sure, but as a responsible adult, I'm not going to suggest it as a feature for all kids - it's just too adult in the end.
David Jobling
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