I love watching films when you expect very little from them and they surprise you. When this film was released no one really cared, it didn't get people talking and it certainly didn't make me want to watch it. And after Clooneys oscar nominated performance in 'up in the air' I had fully had enough of him and didn't really want to like it.
After about two or three minutes of it however I was completely sold. The stop start animation is a breath of fresh air away from the over perfected 3D animation we have become almost immune to now and the story is just compelling. I am not going to sit here and compare it to the book, as I hate people that do that. Do you know how much harder it is to make a film than it is to write a book? and also, the only reason it was not as good as the book was because the director selfishly chose not create the film exactly how you had imagined it in your stupid little head.
Back to the film, Clooney is actually pretty funny. In fact, this film is one of the funniest and most charming films I have seen in years. The humour in it would go way over childrens heads and I am not at all surprised it did not get that well talked of at the time. It never seemed to be given a proper chance. One of the funniest things about the film is that they have replaced the word 'fuck' with the word 'cuss'. Although you would never notice it but the word 'cuss' is said so much that taken with a different mindset this film would have got much more than its PG rating.
The animation coupled with the humour in the film makes this truly one of my favourite animated films of all time. I cant wait to buy it and watch it again.
