IGN Reviews Brutal Legend

[Reasonable]

Khuutra said:

Reasonable said:

3 - Kung Fu Panada is okay in a very 'rip off' Disney kind of way, but if you like cinema I do have to urge you to put aside whatever you think of kids films and watch at least The Incredibles, Ratatouile and Up from Pixar.  They are simply great films on every level, and rightly critically lauded as such.  They certainly soar over most films with actors in them I've seen recently, including well made films - personally if I was certain Oscar winners right now I'd be counting myself lucky those films 'don't count' in the big categories.

I actually enjoyed Kung Fu Panda a good deal, as I am able to enjoy silly Dreamworks-style movies and I like kung fu.

As to the bolded: I agree. On a related note, if UP doesn't get a nomination in at least one of the major categories, the Academy has lost damn near all relevance for me. Not that they had a lot, but there it is.

Kung Fu Panada is fun, but terribly shallow and I think the core message, which seemed to be 'if you really believe in yourself you'll be the best even if you have no skills initially, and in fact you'll become the best overnight vs people who've spent their whole lives being the best, etc' was a horrible message for kids - and indeed in general.  The animation was brilliant, the colours, etc. amazing and it was funny, but it's core theme to me represents everything that wrong about 'make it quick with no effort'.

Up though, was wonderful, not just funny, etc. on the surface, but thematically rich, poetic in places and deeply satisfying.  I look at Ratatouille, Wall-E and Up and am just amazed how tough Pixar make things for themselves, then come through with ease.  I mean, a kids movie with two old guys as main characters?  A main character who we see live most of his life in sensitive but unflinching detail in the openning 10 minutes or so, who has become a recluse since the death of his wife?  The average Hollywood Marking and PR exec would scream in horror and run from the room presented with recent Pixar premises.