Reviews

This surprise hit received academy award nominations for Best Picture and Best Screenplay, and deservedly so. The characters are interesting, the casting is perfect, the writing is crisp and funny, and the direction is clever and engaging and filled with little surprises.

Four Weddings and a Funeral was admired in 1994 as the "little romantic comedy" that became a surprise box office hit, but time and perspective have made it clear that this film was no fluke. It's of those films that gets better with each viewing, as you realize how beautifully you've been manipulated by the subtleties in the art direction, editing script and score.

It's a guaranteed good time and sets the bar for romantic comedies.

What were they thinking? How can a Disney animated movie called "Chicken Little" be dominated by frightening alien attack scenes where established characters are vaporized? How can you make a Disney animated moved called "Chicken Little" dominated by jokes which either require the ability to read or a knowledge of 70s-era pop culture? How can you make a Disney animated movie called "Chicken Little" and have the central theme be "closure?" For those who haven't seen it, this last question is not a figurative one. The word "closure" is literally used as a central theme, revolving around the central character's inability to get over an incident in his past and the impact it had on his relationship with his dad. Give me a break. My quite-intelligent 10-year-old, who liked the movie's action and slapstick, had no idea what they were talking about. I wouldn't even bother bringing a sub-9 year old.

As for the 3-D version, there wasn't much point. This movie wasn't built around 3-D effects.

Don't get me wrong. I love the sophistication and frantic pace of recent animated films like The Incredibles or this director's own The Emperor's New Groove. This one doesn't even come close.