Winning the Nespresso Grand Prize in the International Critics’ Week section of last year’s Cannes Film Festival — it’s the first animated film to claim that honor. And, since a record 32 animated entries were Oscar-qualified, to be among the chosen five is also quite an honor.
On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “I Lost My Body” is a skittering 6.
Set on a frozen island above the Arctic Circle, “Klaus” is a Santa Claus origin story, directed by “Despicable Me” co-creator Sergio Pablos and Carlos Martinez Lopez. It’s racked up seven nominations for the 2020 Annie Awards, including Best Animated Feature.
The story follows lazy, pampered Jesper (voice by Jason Schwartzmann), who is dispatched by his firm father, director of the Royal Postal Academy, to remote Smeerenburg to serve as its mail carrier. If he works hard, he’ll earn his inheritance. If not …
To his horror, Jesper discovers that Smeerenburg’s embittered residents don’t write letters. They’re too busy feuding and fighting, particularly the Krum and Ellingboe clans.
Eventually, Jesper teams up with Klaus (voiced by J.K. Simmons), a reclusive woodsman whose hobby is making toys. With no children of his own, he’s been storing them on shelves until Jesper, working with the schoolteacher Alva (voiced by Rashida Jones), has a gift-giving idea.
While Smeerenburg is a fictional village, Pablos did visit Norway’s Svalbard Island for research, which is how he learned about the culture of the Sami people. Young Margu is voiced by Neda M. Ladda, a Sami.
On the Granger Gauge, “Klaus” is an engaging, revisionist 8, destined to become another Christmas classic.
So many questions occurred to me whilst watching “Dolittle,” the live-action adaptation of British author Hugh Lofting’s beloved veterinarian who could communicate with animals.
Like, why didn’t they use its original title: “The Voyage of Dr. Dolittle?” What’s with Robert Downey Jr. bizarre accent? Why don’t the lip movements of the computer-generated creatures match their dialogue? And why have audiences never connected with cinematic depictions of this childhood hero?
The adventure begins as Dr. John Dolittle (Downey), still grieving after his beloved wife perished seven years earlier in a shipwreck, is barricaded in Dolittle Manor with his devoted menagerie.
There’s Poly the parrot (voiced by Emma Thompson), Chee-Chee the timid gorilla (voiced by Rami Malek), Yoshi the chilly polar bear (voiced by John Cena), Dab-Dab the goose (Octavia Spencer) and Betsy the galloping giraffe (Selena Gomez).
But young Queen Victoria (Jessie Buckley) is comatose, apparently dying from a mysterious illness. As Dr. Blair Mudfly (Michael Sheen), continues to apply leeches, he’s encouraged by villainous Lord Thomas Badgley (Jim Broadbent).
After conferring with the octopus that dwells in a tank near her bed, Dolittle believes the Queen has been poisoned and the only antidote is the fruit of the mythical Eden tree.
Meanwhile, young Tommy Stubbins (Harry Collett), appears on Dolittle’s doorstep with an injured squirrel he accidentally wounded. Before long, Stubbins becomes Dolittle’s apprentice as they sail off on their quest.
Among the obstacles Dolittle must face are his former father-in-law King Rassouli (Antonio Banderas), a troubled tiger (Ralph Fiennes) and a fire-breathing dragon suffering from severe gastric distress.
Co-written and directed by Stephen Gaghan (“Syriana”), this production has encountered many difficulties, necessitating 21 days of reshoots following disastrous test screenings in which audiences failed to respond positively to the comedy and computer-generated elements — reportedly bloating the budget to $175 million.
FYI: Back in 1967, Dolittle’s first screen adaptation, starring Rex Harrison, was a box-office bomb and Eddie Murphy’s 1998 version wasn’t much better.
On the Granger Gauge, “Dolittle” is a sweetly eccentric 6 — for family viewing.
(Editor’s Note: Westport resident Susan Granger grew up in Hollywood, studied journalism with Pierre Salinger at Mills College, and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with highest honors in journalism. In addition to writing for newspapers and magazines, she has been on radio/television as an anchorwoman and movie/drama critic for many years. See her reviews at www.susangranger.com.)
Winning the Nespresso Grand Prize in the International Critics’ Week section of last year’s Cannes Film Festival — it’s the first animated film to claim that honor. And, since a record 32 animated entries were Oscar-qualified, to be among the chosen five is also quite an honor.
On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “I Lost My Body” is a skittering 6.
Set on a frozen island above the Arctic Circle, “Klaus” is a Santa Claus origin story, directed by “Despicable Me” co-creator Sergio Pablos and Carlos Martinez Lopez. It’s racked up seven nominations for the 2020 Annie Awards, including Best Animated Feature.
The story follows lazy, pampered Jesper (voice by Jason Schwartzmann), who is dispatched by his firm father, director of the Royal Postal Academy, to remote Smeerenburg to serve as its mail carrier. If he works hard, he’ll earn his inheritance. If not …
To his horror, Jesper discovers that Smeerenburg’s embittered residents don’t write letters. They’re too busy feuding and fighting, particularly the Krum and Ellingboe clans.
Eventually, Jesper teams up with Klaus (voiced by J.K. Simmons), a reclusive woodsman whose hobby is making toys. With no children of his own, he’s been storing them on shelves until Jesper, working with the schoolteacher Alva (voiced by Rashida Jones), has a gift-giving idea.
While Smeerenburg is a fictional village, Pablos did visit Norway’s Svalbard Island for research, which is how he learned about the culture of the Sami people. Young Margu is voiced by Neda M. Ladda, a Sami.
On the Granger Gauge, “Klaus” is an engaging, revisionist 8, destined to become another Christmas classic.
So many questions occurred to me whilst watching “Dolittle,” the live-action adaptation of British author Hugh Lofting’s beloved veterinarian who could communicate with animals.
Like, why didn’t they use its original title: “The Voyage of Dr. Dolittle?” What’s with Robert Downey Jr. bizarre accent? Why don’t the lip movements of the computer-generated creatures match their dialogue? And why have audiences never connected with cinematic depictions of this childhood hero?
The adventure begins as Dr. John Dolittle (Downey), still grieving after his beloved wife perished seven years earlier in a shipwreck, is barricaded in Dolittle Manor with his devoted menagerie.
There’s Poly the parrot (voiced by Emma Thompson), Chee-Chee the timid gorilla (voiced by Rami Malek), Yoshi the chilly polar bear (voiced by John Cena), Dab-Dab the goose (Octavia Spencer) and Betsy the galloping giraffe (Selena Gomez).
But young Queen Victoria (Jessie Buckley) is comatose, apparently dying from a mysterious illness. As Dr. Blair Mudfly (Michael Sheen), continues to apply leeches, he’s encouraged by villainous Lord Thomas Badgley (Jim Broadbent).
After conferring with the octopus that dwells in a tank near her bed, Dolittle believes the Queen has been poisoned and the only antidote is the fruit of the mythical Eden tree.
Meanwhile, young Tommy Stubbins (Harry Collett), appears on Dolittle’s doorstep with an injured squirrel he accidentally wounded. Before long, Stubbins becomes Dolittle’s apprentice as they sail off on their quest.
Among the obstacles Dolittle must face are his former father-in-law King Rassouli (Antonio Banderas), a troubled tiger (Ralph Fiennes) and a fire-breathing dragon suffering from severe gastric distress.
Co-written and directed by Stephen Gaghan (“Syriana”), this production has encountered many difficulties, necessitating 21 days of reshoots following disastrous test screenings in which audiences failed to respond positively to the comedy and computer-generated elements — reportedly bloating the budget to $175 million.
FYI: Back in 1967, Dolittle’s first screen adaptation, starring Rex Harrison, was a box-office bomb and Eddie Murphy’s 1998 version wasn’t much better.
On the Granger Gauge, “Dolittle” is a sweetly eccentric 6 — for family viewing.
(Editor’s Note: Westport resident Susan Granger grew up in Hollywood, studied journalism with Pierre Salinger at Mills College, and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with highest honors in journalism. In addition to writing for newspapers and magazines, she has been on radio/television as an anchorwoman and movie/drama critic for many years. See her reviews at www.susangranger.com.)
