 |
DVD Gnomeo & Juliet
 Run time: 84 min Rating: 6.0 Genres: Animation | Comedy | Family Director: Kelly Asbury Writers: Rob Sprackling, John R. Smith Stars: James McAvoy, Emily Blunt, Maggie Smith |
| Storyline Garden gnomes Gnomeo (voice of McAvoy) and Juliet (voice of Blunt) have as many obstacles to overcome as their quasi namesakes when they are caught up in a feud between neighbors. But with plastic pink flamingos and lawnmower races in the mix, can this young couple find lasting happiness? Written by Walt Disney Pictures |
|
| Plot Keywords: garden, gnome, flamingo, neighbor, love | |
| Details: Country: UK, USA Release Date: 11 February 2011 (UK) |
|
| Box Office Budget: $85,000,000 (estimated) Opening Weekend: £2,945,627 (UK) (11 February 2011) Gross: $99,808,609 (USA) (17 June 2011) |
|
previous post
4 comments
Cut the pretentious crud. This film is obviously intended to entertain a younger audience, and it does a good job at doing that, while somewhat tactfully putting in some jokes for the parents. No, it's not spectacular. If you watch this movie expecting something "Grade A", you're not going to get much out of it.
The plot: generic, predictable. But obviously so, considering it's called "Gnomeo and Juliet".
The cast is an oddball compilation of respectable actors, with the exception of the obscure addition of Ozzy. But what is really keeping this movie going is the cuteness of it. That is the selling point, and what makes it most appealing. If you go into this movie expecting something more, you will be left disappointed. So I suggested you loosen up, look for a laugh, and you'll enjoy it more. It's not a bad film.
I took my twins (age 5) to see this today and they were THRILLED to bits!! I disagree with the reviewer that says it's a "girls'" movie! My Hot Wheels/Bionicle loving sons, loved it and they didn't think it was girly one bit and neither did I!
I also did not think it was a Toy Story rip off as there have been a ton of movies featuring toys that come alive long before Toy Story anyway. Yes, garden gnomes and decorations come to life but that's were the similarity between the two ends.
I did not go in expecting to see a cartoon version of Romeo and Juliet so I was not disappointed one bit and thankfully, this story does not share the tragic end of the original tale. I did like the characters quite a bit, I LOVED how the gnomes were fragile, I loved the clay clinging sounds they made, how realistic the textures were.. it did not feel like a "dime a dozen" animation at all!! It was bright, it had a solid plot, and it was going somewhere (unlike let's say, Alpha and Omega or Happy Feet).
My boys were begging as soon as the titles rolled to watch it again so we just might be returning to the movie theater with some friends this weekend. I wouldn't mind seeing it myself and I was glad we did go see it because after I read the previous review, I had my doubts if it was going to be any good but it was!!! My boys "got it" much better than say, Shrek… so it will appeal to a younger crowd as well in my opinion…
Okay, so I bought myself a pack of 10 movie-tickets from Hoyts and thought "what the heck" lets see a movie with the family. So, we went for Gnomeo and Juliet and we really, really enjoyed it. Yes, the movie is predictable from start to finish, but I say: "So what!" It's supposed to be a family/kids movie and we all know that this movie is not going to end like the real Romeo and Juliet. The characters are funny, the voices are great, the flamingo(s) even better. The Terrafirmanator is cool – I would like to order three and have them delivered within the next 5 minutes. Mixing in the music of good old Sir Elton John makes the movie even better – it becomes so English! Mmmm… the end-scene did remind me of Shrek a lot (just a lot softer, which makes sense them being a bunch of garden gnomes – they are quite fragile), but it's still very, very positive. Yeah, I believe Gnomeo and Juliet is a must see for the family – you won't regret it. Oh, please observe the sound when the gnomes happen to touch each other – I think the sound artists have done a fantastic job!
In the beautiful British town of Stratford-Upon-Avon there's a street where the owners of two neighbouring houses have no idea of the rich lives being led in their backyards. In these backyards there are two groups of garden gnomes – one garden is ruled by the blue hatted variety, the other is ruled by the red hatted variety. An age old feud – of which the reason has long since been forgotten – is keeping them apart, but unexpected events might just be enough to get them back together again.
Loosely based on the Shakespearean tragedy Romeo And Juliet this animation film keeps the middle line between tragicomedy and romance. Like many animation films being made these last years it combines fun things for kids with fun things for adults – without hurting either group (the innuendo that is fun for adults is not seen by kids whose innocence protects them from it, the deviation from the original tales to make it fun for kids is not so warped that it makes it unrecognisable for them parents).
The animation is great – the gnomes and the gardens are just lovely to watch. The setting with gnomes is flawless – the sounds, the implications of being a garden gnome – it works out really well.
If there would be one bit of negativity for this film it is that its trailer is a bit too biased towards an audience that wants to see romance instead of a bit of light comedy.
8 out of 10 midsummer night's dreams