Meet the Robinsons?

[Chernabog]

I saw it last night and was pretty "meh" about the whole thing. Just read Alex's review on Mouseplanet and I pretty much agree with him on all points. The first 3/5 of the movie completely bored the crap out of me and then it was partially redeemed when it found some semblance of a plot.

I think it is definitely a step in the right direction for WDFA but that isn't saying much, considering Chicken Little was a complete pile of monkey vomit.

I'm also sort of annoyed by all the people talking about how this movie is the start of the third golden age of Disney animation (but I'll get over it). However, while we're on the subject, a) one movie does not an "age" make, and b) I am saddened that everyone's expectations are so low that a mildly entertaining movie from WDFA makes people squeal with tears of glee.

That quote at the end was just plain manipulative.... (I think I said "oh lord" when it came on screen).

Wow I'm really sour about this whole thing, come to think of it... rofl

[Mousey Girl]

Nickolas told me yesterday that yes, he would like to see it, but it is ok for us to wait for the dvd. I like (not!) how he gave me permission to buy the dvd.

[Prudence]

We saw it today. I enjoyed it. But good reviews aren't that entertaining, so I'll stop there.

[blueerica]

Golden age of Disney animation? C'mon! Manipulative? Double c'mon!

I can't believe both sides of this argument - are people really calling this the Golden Age of Disney animation? Because that's really lame. And does anyone actually care if it's "manipulative?" Things only manipulate you when you allow them to.

[cirquelover]

My son and I saw it on Friday and between the two of us we figured out the whole movie before it was half way thru it! I was kind of disappointed but the boy loved it. Like I told a friend though, he hasn't disliked any movie for at least three years so he wouldn't make a good critic.

[flippyshark]

Okay, I just saw it, I liked some things, I was indifferent to others, but, I was really confused by something revealed in the ending. Major spoiler to follow:

Spoiler:

Okay, so there is a character whose "wife" is a bizarre wooden hand puppet. This guy later turns out to be our main characters' adoptive father, and he marries the caffeine patch addicted Joan Cusack character. So, did she later die and he made a puppet to take her place? Did she become a puppet? Did I miss something? What the hell?!

Can anyone shed some light?

[Prudence]

Spoiler:

I don't remember how handpuppet guy was related, but he's not the adopted father. The adoptive father is the one with the face on the back of his head and his clothes on backwards that tries to help Lewis find the garage.

[Alex]

Prudence is correct but I also don't remember the correct relation.

[flippyshark]

Ah, that helps! But really...

Spoiler:

The younger version of the grandad character looked an awful lot like hand puppet guy, similar expression, and of course the family cowlick. so, daffy caffeine lady is the one who was later "baking cookies", and puppet guy is just a very sad individual. (And kind of a rip off of Mr. Garrison.)

It all whipped by so quickly, and it was hard to engage with, let alone remember, the various Robinsons.

[Prudence]

I don't think this movie is some sort of death knell for Disney animation. We know that there have been problems created by previous administrations, as it were. I'm hopeful that the tinkering done here before release of this movie made a few improvements, and that further improvements will be seen in later releases.

I think that there should be low expectations for this movie, based on the circumstances under which it was created. I think it's a good sign that in the short time that has elapsed since Lasseter came on board there was a quality increase between Chicken Little and Meet the Robinsons. No, it wasn't a Little Mermaid-like animation re-awakening.

But I enjoyed myself. It didn't rely on poop jokes for laughs, there were some good funny-for-adults moments, I liked seeing the "vintage" 3D short in the beginning (there's something I wish they'd continue with future new releases), and there were several really spiffy animation moments. It wasn't excellent, but it wasn't icky or mediocre, either. Given the circumstances, and they are the circumstances we have, not the circumstances we'd like to have, it was good.

What I'll be more interested in is the next movie. Does it meet the standards the resident curmudgeons associate with the Disney name? Or is it merely okay?