Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Over the Hedge (2006)

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Posted by Sam Graham (Member # 2889) on 05-20-2006, 02:48 PM:

CINEMA: Century 20 at Jordan Creek, West Des Moines, IA
AUDITORIUM: 14
PRESENTATION: 35mm/Dolby Digital/THX
PRESENTATION PROBLEMS: None [Cool]

RATING: Two and one half stars (out of four)

It's been years since I've seen the comic in a newspaper, but I seem to recall it being much more clever than this.

It has its moments, and the kids in the room loved it, but for adults...You know how y'all thought the squirrel was the best part of Ice Age? Well that's the story here too.

If "Mutts" gets made into a movie, they'd better do it better than this.

Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 05-21-2006, 04:26 PM:

Considering that newspaper circulation is down and that it continues to decline at an all time rate, I am betting that the majority of people who go see this film have ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA that this is based on a comic strip.

Kids don't read those. They play Auto Homicide 3. Parents are apathetic. They don't care anyway.

I had no idea this was a comic strip before the movie. After seeing the movie, I read one of the comic strips on the internet. Now I see that I should have never enjoyed this movie. I am, after all, an adult. Damn me and my ass getting laughed off. [Eek!]

I really loved the film. I laughed from beginning to end, with several moments I thought I was going to have a stroke! [eyes]

It was guilty pleasure to sit back and just laugh my ass off and have a good time. The film required no thinking on my part, it was cute, cuddly, warm and fuzzy. Many moments of silliness in this film prevented it from taking itself too seriously.

And really you have to take into consideration that this weekend I had the choice of this film, or the DaVince Code. Please! [Mad]

The film works for what it is supposed to be, never pretending to be anything but what it was.

I give it a 7 out of 10.

Ciao

Posted by Chris Unwin (Member # 3792) on 05-24-2006, 04:08 AM:

A great movie..........3 out of five. Hammy the squirell is by far the best character. For the weekend matinees I looked out the port from the booth and saw a sea of kids.....it was crazy busy for this one with kids. I could hear that they were enjoying it, even when I was up in the booth! [Smile]

Posted by Brian Michael Weidemann (Member # 2243) on 05-26-2006, 07:57 PM:

I only saw this movie on the grounds of the following: I was bored and wanted to pass time before our X-Men screening, I don't know how much longer we'll have this in DLP, I'm a fan of several of the voice actors and it's been awhile since I've heard anything from Garry Shandling, and I'm a Ben Folds fan and he had five or so songs in the film.

It wasn't bad, since it had its moments (of course, most of them were the squirrel ... yay, Steve Carell!), but I wasn't too impressed with much of it.

The Ben Folds songs were good, but I must say I was devastated hearing his voice use, for the first time, that "polished" pitch-correction on every song! Wince! If they were great, I'd have considered getting the soundtrack album, but I just can't do it. He was never a seriously strong vocalist, but that's the appeal of his vocal quality ... and they pop-album'ed it up. Even if it was just a touch-up treatment, as opposed to full on Britney-processing, it still grates the ears! I'm sorry, but does that pitch-correction shifty sound bug anyone else? Does anyone even notice it!? Wince, wince.

The DLP was bright and colorful, though. Those greens are incredible!

Posted by Dave Williams (Member # 299) on 05-29-2006, 12:15 PM:

I also hate the pitch correction. As a part time sound engineer, I cannot understand why anyone thinks the use of computers to make someone sound better than they are is a good idea. Either they can sing or they cant. Please don't make me lie about it in my work.

The DLP presentation was incredible. Very sharp and crisp and bright. Very impressive.

On the second viewing, I fell asleep. Well I meditated on thoughts of something better to do, waking only momentarily for Steve's and Shatners moments. Admittedly, I was very tired, didn't sleep much, so it isn't fair for me to say I was bored. The seats were comfortable, very easy to sleep in.

Ciao

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 06-08-2006, 02:38 AM:

Brian - you should get the Ben Folds album "Rockin' the Suburbs." It has at least 2 of the songs from this movie and is a really good disk.

As for the film - I liked it. The visuals were great. I enjoyed Willis's smartass attitude and Garry Shandling was good too. Lots of in-jokes for the adults and the kids were enthralled. Bottom line - it put a lot of big and little butts in the seats and everyone enjoyed it, so that makes it a good movie in my book.

As for my personal opinion - The story was a little weak and predictable - maybe they should have had the bear eat the raccoon at the end. So I'll give it 4 out of 5 for visuals, 2 out of 5 for writing, for an average of 3 out of 5.

Posted by Brian Michael Weidemann (Member # 2243) on 06-08-2006, 03:48 AM:

[thumbsup]

Rockin' The Suburbs has already been on my Top 10 Favorites list for years now! I agree, it's a great disc. I enjoyed the new lyrics to the song in the credits. Kept with the spirit of the original

Posted by Richard Greco (Member # 2032) on 06-20-2006, 04:34 PM:

Hammie the Squirrel rules!!!!

5/5

Posted by Brian Michael Weidemann (Member # 2243) on 06-20-2006, 07:42 PM:

I like a cookie.

Posted by Phil Blake (Member # 2012) on 06-22-2006, 05:00 AM:

This will keep the kids interested its short its a busy film with funny animals and crazy antics.
I found it entertaining , print was good, sharp coulorfull image with good sound.

The Skunk was my favorite.

3.5 out of 5

Posted by Eric Hooper (Member # 1730) on 06-22-2006, 10:55 AM:

This was wretchedly awful! I felt physically ill after this. [puke]

The jokes were lame, the animation was so-so, and it seriously gave the wrong message to kids about eating candy and drinking red bull/energy drinks.

Plus I saw it in a house with DTS. And as I always complain about it, the sound was low, flat, and muffled. DTS SUCKS. [puke]

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 08-06-2006, 08:44 AM:

I expected to hate this (saw it as part of a double-feature at a drive-in), but I actually thought it was fun. Definitely above average for the CGI-kids-movie-of-the-week. Parents will enjoy it too, I think.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 08-06-2006, 02:00 PM:

quote: Eric Hooper
Plus I saw it in a house with DTS. And as I always complain about it, the sound was low, flat, and muffled. DTS SUCKS.

Sounds more like an alignment problem. We had DTS for over 10 years and not one person ever said it was low, flat or muffled.

Posted by Chris Hipp (Member # 1788) on 08-20-2006, 06:23 PM:

I enjoyed it, but I felt like I was watching a Nazi propaganda film. WAY too much political nonsense in there for little kids. I guess that is the new plan though, brainwash the kids now so in 15 years they will vote how hollywood wants them to.

Of course as always, the comment in this post may or may not reflect the opinions of the author.

Posted by Gary Crawford (Member # 2038) on 08-22-2006, 01:50 PM:

It was fun and entertaining. We did well with the kids in the seats for this.

Most of the newer cartoons (do they still call these things cartoons?) all have adult humor. Not "dirty" adult, just more mature comments. Rocky & Bullwinkle, The Flintstones, almost all of them were "adult" sitcoms rather than kiddie cartoons.

My fave line was when the huge SUV was being explained. "Wow! How many humans fit in that big SUV?"

"One."