f13.net

This movie was way better than it ever deserved to be.

I took the kids to see it with very low expectations. Instead, it is very funny, none of the characters wear out there welcome (even the talking monkey), it has some awesome voice actors (Bruce Campbell not being that Bruce Campbell-y, Mr T as the world's most hyper security guard) and as the film goes on some of the most insanely inventive imagery that I've seen recently. Giant roast turkeys swarming the walls like Aliens was inspired (and also probably the scariest part of the film, so think about your kids' disposition if you are taking them).

Is it a bit cliched? Sure. But then it will just go nuts too - monkey fighting large gummi bears on the wings of a flying car-style nuts. And the female lead does a reverse-beautification, which is just one of many cute touches of this film.

Pixar generally kicks Dreamwork's arse because Pixar goes for voice talent over named celebrities and tries to do something new and inventive with its properties. Sony has followed this kind of idea with "Cloudy ... Meatballs" and it really did pay off.

Chicken Brent was...disturbing.

Also:  STEEVE!!!

Agreed.

And as I said, the talking monkey managed to avoid being annoying which was genius in and of itself.

Watched this last night and I consider it to be fantastic.  That is overall, not just as a kids movie.  Like any of the things that have lasting appeal from youth to adulthood (Bugs Bunny is the archetype), it had jokes for both ages.  The chickens, for example.  Lots of subtle jokes in the background shots, like the store called Nothing But Floss.  Bruce Campbell was almost unidentifiable as the mayor.  NPH was completely unidentifiable as Steve, who was awesome, by the way.  Deserves a rewatch.

Steve was the bomb. I giggled incessantly every time he spoke. I totally did not recognize Bruce Campbell as the mayor, had to check the credits. I'd never heard of the book, but my wife loved it as a kid. Had she not mentioned it, I'd have never looked at this movie, which would have been a real shame. Fun, fun movie. The chickens were freaky freak.

Agreed, watched it twice with the kids. Anna Faris was well cast too I thought.

Great flick.

Also agreed. Very great stuff--and really didn't do any of the annoying-as-shit Dreamworks Animation-style loading up on very short-lived pop culture references. Some nice visual styling also.