Without Fathom

So what's the difference between a villain and a super villain?  Presentation!  At least according to Megamind it is.  After finally seeing this movie I'm inclined to agree.  Although as it turns out Megamind himself isn't really a true villain at all. He's just an earnest alien nerd too smart for his own good and that gets him shunned by his peers and sets him on the path to hidden lairs and high backed swiveling chairs.

Megamind tries so hard to be a real bad guy but it's pretty obvious through most of the movie that he's just playing a role he was mostly forced into and that he would much prefer to be the one who saves the day and gets the girl. Nevertheless, he finds himself in the villains role and he does his best to be the baddest villain he can, always knowing that on most days Metro Man will win and on some days he will almost win.

This movie seems like it was written with Will Ferrell in mind as he fits the character of Megamind perfectly.  It reminded me of his character Mustafa in the first Austin Powers movie , another funny bad guy who you just can't quite believe is really evil deep down.

Although I don't always like Will Ferrell's movies, (many times his schtick is just too over the top and wears out its welcome long before the movie ends) this film showcases his strongest, best and funniest talents and fits him like a Black Mamba. (No not the snake.)

Megamind is full of funny quotable lines. Many of them made quotable by Will Ferrell's delivery... or should I say presentation.  However it doesn't hang the full weight and repsonsibility of the movie on them. As with all good movies there is a strong story and a generous helping of heart to back up the silliness.

 If this movie had come out in another year other than 2010 I may well have called it my favorite animated movie of the year.  Unfortunately Tangled and How To Train Your Dragon are just in another league of their own.  I can see myself choosing Megamind over Toy Story 3 on some nights though.

I will look forward to this Halloween to see dozens of giant blue heads dressed in Black Mambas roaming the streets carrying Forget-me sticks.

Thanks to KJAMBD for lending me their DVD!

Rango

I think my first exposure to any kind of promotion for this movie called Rango was when I briefly glanced at the above poster on IMDb. I mean, it’s a chameleon holding a wind up bathtub fish. Yeah right, I thought. I won’t be seeing this one anytime soon. Then a few days later I took a closer look and read that the director is Gore Verbinski from Pirates of the Caribbean and that the lead lizard is voiced by Captain Jack Sparrow himself, Johnny Depp. OK now I’m interested.

I figured that this movie would either be completely out in left field and a waste of time or (the more likely scenario considering the talent involved) that it would be an unexpected even if somewhat eccentric highly entertaining breath of fresh air. Well, um… it’s the latter.

Rango is definitely not your typical animated feature. In fact I’d say it sits on the seat opposite Tangled on the movie playground teeter-totter. So different but providing the necessary balance to keep either side from crashing down to the ground.

I could be mistaken but I think Rango is what is often referred to as a character driven movie. Of course it has a story with a beginning, a middle and an end but I felt that all of that was almost secondary and maybe even just a vehicle to expose us to the weird and wonderful characters we meet along the way. The dialogue is thick, quick and sharp. You really need to watch intently or you’ll surely miss a bunch of stuff. I was paying full attention and even without the distracting intracranial crunching sound of $7 popcorn I know I need to see it again to catch a few things I missed.

Like Tangled, Rango pays homage to some classic movies from the past. Some of the references are quite obvious, (two times “Rango” reverts to his only slightly different Capt. Jack Sparrow voice to exclaim “that’s interesting” just like he says in POTC when he finds out what the curse feels like for himself) most are not. You may recognize references to Once Upon a Time in the West, Apocalypse Now, The Good the Bad and the Ugly, LOTR, Star Wars (I swear one of the characters looks exactly like Jabba the Hut), It’s a Wonderful Life and probably several more.

Kids might enjoy Rango on their own level but this is definitely a movie which will be most fully appreciated and enjoyed by adults. It is highly entertaining mostly in a comical way. I and most everyone else in the theatre were LOLing like totally super often!!!!! I think you’ll find most of the laughs come in quick short bursts. Lots of ha-s, (singular form of ha-ha) chuckles, chortles and other proclamations of recognition of a clever or subtle bit.

In the end I’m struggling to explain Rango especially without giving away too much. I love movies that reward you for giving your full attention and Rango does that continually. Now that I think about it, the lack of talking and texting around me was a rare throw back to ancient days when people had manners. Although deep down I know it was only because everyone was just trying to keep up and not miss anything rather than a sudden mass discovery of etiquette.

Finally, just to be clear, this is not Shakespeare (although Rango himself is a big fan of the Bard) and it’s not ALL THAT either. It is a funny, entertaining and unique little picture that I enjoyed very much the first time and plan to watch several more times in the future.