I was just chilling down, was looking to watch some movie with less or no expectations which made me turn down to this one.
It turned out to be an above average movie.
If you like animated stuff, don't miss this. Right after 20 minutes of the movie, I started becoming curious what's next in the movie. The climax amazed me. Should, should have run a little longer. The direction was superb. All boxes and characters ticked right from the start. A completely satisfying end to the movie.
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manicgecko13 February 2006Here I am, taking my 2 year old to a movie expecting to be bored stiff. Much to my surprise, my 8 year old also enjoyed it, and my 2 year old sat enraptured and watched the entire movie without a peep. And then talked non-stop about it for the next couple days. That is enough for a positive rating, but I also found myself enjoying this cute movie. Usually for that to happen the movie makers have to put in scenes just for the parents that the kids don't get at all, not here, I found myself chuckling at the same things my daughter did. Just simple innocent monkey business and a bumbling Will Ferrel, it needs no more. I even thought the additions by Jack Lullaby Johnson added to the movie, not just to put the parents asleep. We will definitely end up with this movie on our shelves for the kids, and even the parents can watch it one or 2 more times without going out of our minds with the typical substitute stupid for cute fare that usually passes for children movies.
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EpeeBill21 February 2006I took my two-year-old son to see this movie, his first in a theater, and we both had a great time. Curious George is a light-hearted, sweet movie that portrays our little monkey's mayhem without resorting to manic pacing, blaring music or wise-cracking.
In fact, the makers deliberately put very little into the movie that is aimed over the children's head and at the parents. So, unlike a Shrek or a Toy Story movie, there was never an instance of a joke that mommy and daddy laugh at and the kids miss. All the jokes are shared.
So, see this movie with a small one. It probably isn't 'slick' enough for anyone over 8. People without small children can take a pass. The most hard core Curious George fans can rent the DVD. -
djansen2420 August 2012Curious George is a rare thing in Hollywood these days: a big budget feature ($50,000,000) that is specifically tailored to small children. Oh yes, they could have possibly made more of a profit had it been a straight to DVD release or put in less effort into the animation, but the studio decided to have some balls, take a risk, and go all out for this feature. I am so glad they did! This film avoids a lot of the pop culture references that one finds in most animated features and decides to focus on George's antics. That was a very good decision. Kids can identify with a curious monkey with seemingly limitless energy, an excitable innocence, and fun filled nature. The opening credits clearly establish the personality and good humor of George, and it just gets better from there. Jack Johnson was commissioned to write the music, and his whimsy is a perfect compliment to the mood of the movie. No, it is not a perfect film that transcends the genre of animated movies and there are plot holes. But in a film so fun loving and innocent, who cares about the small details. This film is appropriate from age 2 and up. Parents will enjoy seeing their kids laugh and having a good time. Simply put, if you want something safe for kids to watch, get this movie. Or better yet, read them the original Curious George stories.
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Dingataca30 November 2007I thought I would be bored out of my SKULL seeing this, but I really enjoyed a lot of this movie. I am glad I watched this with some friends and their siblings, and by the end of it we were all pretty cheerful, Curious George is such a gentle, light feel-good movie!
Ted (voiced by Will Ferrell) is a guide at a museum. He needs more fun in his life, and it comes in the form of a cute little monkey, who Ted names George, after the George Washington statue. George stowed away on Ted's boat, after Ted was sent to find some ancient shrine in Africa - and lo behold! George is now part of Ted's life. However, George is a bit difficult, and Ted's life gets more and more stressful in the process...
I thought the music was the highlight of the entire movie. Jack Johnson's soulful, calm, meaningful tracks just did it for me. Each song fit in perfectly with the movie too. The animation is fantastic. Though strictly childish, it is appealing to adults too! George is ADORABLE! Just look at him! I also liked the story, it is universal, and everyone enjoys a film, rather than kids freaking out and adults sitting there bored. Curious George does not do that. Everyone enjoys. -
mdabney-25 February 2006First off, let me say that this is a movie for younger children. The sneak preview that I attended was filled with laughter from the children in the audience and my 4 year old wants to see it again. Those adults looking for a comedy in the vein of "Shrek" or "The Incredibles" will be disappointed. Those thinking along the lines of "Clifford's Really Big Movie" will be pleasantly surprised. Those fearing the worst that this is another "Garfield", breathe easy. Watching Curious George is a perfectly pleasant way to spend an hour and a half with your child. The 2D treatment was much more appropriate for bringing H.A. Rey's books to the screen than the computer generated style that is predominant it today's animated films. While Curious George won't be on my list of this year's favorites, it was a warm, endearing film that evoked warm memories of my childhood.
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etakyzzilvuli6 September 2019This movie has heart. It's a kid's movie but it's still so cute. Much better than the PBS show, in my opinion.
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TheStudlyDuckling19 April 2006This is one of those films that could have been something absolutely wonderful but fell somewhat short. Luckily, there were enough positive notes circling the film that I felt it was definitely worth seeing.
I must admit that when I had heard it was in production a while back, I was very excited because I grew up with the Curious George storybooks. They were often checked out by my friends and I in elementary school and I think it'd be safe to say that I've read every single Curious George storybook that has ever been published. I even own a VHS tape of all the Curious George cartoons from back in the early 1980s. So please take my comments with the knowledge that they come from someone who truly appreciates what Curious George is all about.
First things first, the animation is absolutely brilliant. Thankfully, they did not succumb to this new fad of abandoning classic animation and sticking only with computer animation. Classic animation is, in no way, dead -- and furthermore, will never be dead. Just as I still appreciate silent films and the good ol' black-and-whites, I will always appreciate hand-drawn animation. It made me so happy that they stayed true to the feeling of the storybooks and presented it in this format and they should be commended for it. Thank you so much. You made me a very happy camper.
My problems with the film come primarily from the fact that I am not a young child and that I did, in fact, grow up with the storybooks. Sadly, Curious George has been somewhat updated to be friendly to the younger audience that they targeted. There are references to video games and the internet... and cellular phones and laptops play a significant role in the plot of the film. You will also see many unique inventions from robotic dogs to "magnificators" to a giant rocket ship. This, to me, was very depressing because it took away from the Curious George that I know and love that just did more simpler things (like flying kites). I definitely understand why they went the route that they did, but it still saddens me as they took away from what I loved most about the storybooks.
There's a scene where George is floating above the city by a handful of balloons and it was probably the most magical moment of the film. That's the Curious George that I know and I wish they would have stayed more true to that.
Instead we get a very epic storyline where "the monkey" (I guess he's no longer a chimpanzee) doesn't even enter the storyline for the first twenty minutes or so. It seemed like they tried too hard to create a conflict, a climax and a resolution. But it's Curious George! They needed to realize that they didn't necessarily need to do it in that fashion. To me, it just bogged a lot of things down.
I wish it would have started out with Curious George and The Man in the Yellow Hat (who, ahem, now actually has a name -- can you say sacrilegious?) together and just going on an adventure and George getting into mischief. The film rather takes a different direction and explores more the life of The Man in the Yellow Hat (I refuse to call him "Ted") and his romantic subplot. Again, it should have been about the adventures of Curious George and not The Man in the Yellow Hat's career and love life.
As for Will Ferrell, Drew Barrymore and Eugene Levy providing voices. I was, admittedly, somewhat weary to begin with because I couldn't attach their voices to the storybooks -- but kudos to them because they actually did a very good job and fit the film very well.
And last, but most certainly not the least (in fact quite the opposite), the thing that had me absolutely captivated by the film. You all know what I'm talking about, I'm sure. Jack Johnson. His original songs are probably the most amazing compositions for a film I've seen in quite some time. Not only "Upside Down" (the best song of the collection), but all of the songs... they are amazing. Absolutely amazing. They not only fit the film, but they also fit the storybooks. You could sit down and read Curious George while listening to the soundtrack and it would just be heaven on Earth.
So in conclusion... as a Curious George fan, the film had its disappointments -- but overall it was actually very enjoyable. It made me feel like a kid again and I could just feel my young heart about to burst with joy when I was watching Curious George get into some of the mischief he was creating. I suppose that's why I wish I could have seen more of George finger-painting on the walls and less of The Man in the Yellow Hat (whose name still isn't "Ted" in my mind) trying to save his job.
It's definitely a film geared more towards children and, with that, I understand the choices that they made. I still got a very warm, fuzzy feeling watching George while listening to the brilliant Jack Johnson. I hope you'll get the same warm, fuzzy feeling as well.
David, The Studly Duckling -
kathryn-behm13 February 2006My eight-year-old son said to me on the way out "Mom, that was the best movie I've ever seen".
Myself? I had my jaw dropped, tears in my eyes, and my spirits were soaring.
Finally - a movie you can take your kids to see with no "adult humor" that may or may not fly over your kids' heads. No farting or potty humor. A TRUE children's movie that does beautiful justice to the beloved books.
Outstanding traditional animation. Loved all the primary colors! Great soundtrack - just went out and bought it today. I am taking my kids to see this one in the theater again (a first for me), and we can't wait for it to come out on DVD.
Thanks Ron Howard - you have a winner here. -
Ted (Will Farrell) is a good natured but simple tour guide at the Bloomsbury museum. With museum attendance no longer being sufficient enough to justify continued operation Mr. Bloomsbury (Dick Van Dyke) must reluctantly go with his son Junior's (David Cross) plan of selling the museum to be turned into a parking structure. Wanting to save the museum Ted proposes a last ditch effort to find the fabled Lost Idol of Zagawa to get a new attraction to draw in audiences. Bloomsbury agrees and Ted is off to Africa. Once there Ted's Idol falls short of expectations, and befriends a monkey who grows an affinity for Ted's yellow hat. Upon return home, Ted must now find a way to deal not only with a public hungry for an idol that doesn't match the description but also a monkey with a penchant for good natured chaos.
Based on the series of children's books by H.A. and Margaret Rey, a feature film adaptation had been in development in fits and starts since 1990 when Universal first acquired the rights. The movie went through many stages of development including live action versions that would've been helmed by The Flintstones movies director Brian Levant, and live action/animated hybrids that would've been directed by acclaimed director Brad Bird. The various iterations of the projects were rejected for various reasons with some scripts being rejected for being too farcical, while others such as the Brad Bird version were rejected for being too "dark" and "adult". The final product directed by veteran animator Matthew O'Callaghan and written by Ken Kaufman while not great, is good.
The movie as it starts sets itself as a very relaxed and easy going pace as we're first introduced to George in his jungle environment playing with various facets and creatures in it. George himself is well animated and smoothly jumps, swings, and runs through a mixture of both 2D backdrops and 3d rendered models which give a nice illusion of depth and space to his movements. George is also like his literary counterpart mute (save for monkey chittering) and conveys character through a wide array of expressions complete with a larger mouth and eyes than in the books which is fairly well done.
The movie's human characters are all very nice counterparts to George, Will Farrell dials back his usually manic performance in favor of a more subdued every man who's trying to handle more than he can carry and makes a sympathetic and likable lead, the rest of the cast are also filled out rather nicely with Drew Barrymore playing a kind teacher who often takes her class to Ted's museum because she has a crush on Ted and brings warmth and sincerity to her performance. David Cross is very funny playing the antagonist of the movie as the jealous son of Bloomsbury who while definitely taken schadenfreude in the museum closing, doesn't play the character as a mustache twirling villain and gives more humanity and weight to a character that could have easily been written to be a hate sink. Dick Van Dyke is, no surprise, a good world weary performance in museum owner Bloomsbury and while he doesn't get to do much, he does lend credibility to the movie with well delivered and authoritative presence.
The movie's plot is very standard. The plot of the movie takes bits and pieces from events and plots of the Curious George books and rearranges them into episodes of what's essentially a buddy film structure. The movie's faithful to the books with the art style being a more detailed and expressive take on the book's illustrations and aside from the slight change in art style Curious George looks and feels like it could have come from the world the books create. The movie also avoids much in the way of pop culture and topical jokes (quite wisely given how "well" those worked in Mike Meyer's The Cat in the Hat), and aside from a brief scene where Curious George references King Kong with a hologram projector the movie exists in a timeless world that bases itself off the time period the books were illustrated.
Curious George is a sweet and simple film, but with that in mind it's a film made more for children than it is a broader family audience. Curious George with its relaxed pace, sweet characters, an antagonist who isn't all that antagonistic, and even plot points like the third act "on the outs nadir" are very light which makes good viewing for younger children. But as much as I respect Curious George for maintaining the tone of the books, it doesn't have much in the way of challenge for its audience. This is by no means a bad thing as there's a lack of movies that respect children and are specifically targeted towards children and there really hasn't been a film like Curious George since Follow That Bird from the 80s. But much like Follow That Bird, Curious George isn't a movie designed to cast a wide net and that limits its appeal beyond it child demographic.
Curious George is a simple but sincere film that should appeal to children and those with fond memories of the books. George is well animated and brings his lovable mischief to life with expressive movements and facial expressions, and the cast all bring warmth to their performances. While the movie doesn't have much in it for adult audiences, it's inoffensive and avoids pandering so it should be a easy enough sit that will be likable enough. -
HotToastyRag19 April 2022As any self-respecting fan of the Curious George series would, I flocked to see the full-length theatrical movie released in 2006. As much fun as it was to hear Will Ferrell voicing the Man in the Yellow Hat - and believe me, I really enjoyed it - I did miss Jeff Bennett's original voice from the television series (although he does give a cameo as a salesman). Since Frank Welker got to keep his employment in the movie and voice George, it seemed a little unfair that Jeff didn't also have the privilege.
Any Curious George is better than none, even when it's not completely faithful to the original series. I loved seeing the backstory in this movie, learning how the Man found George in the jungle and took him home to America. But one of the most recognizable features in the series is that the Man is a single man. He never complicates George's life with a potential stepmother or a revolving door of "aunties". He's a good caretaker and father, showing that George is always his first and only priority. But - in this movie, the Man is given a love interest, voiced by Drew Barrymore. Hollywood is obsessed with the idea of the entire population getting married and settling down, but in a beloved children's show where the father figure isn't even given a first name, it's inappropriate. By the way, the Man is given a name in this movie: Ted. Children don't even think of their parents as having names, which is why "the Man" was so perfect as he was.
If these complaints don't bother you, go ahead and watch this version. I prefer to stick with the tv show; no offense to Ferrell, Barrymore, Welke, Dick Van Dyke, Eugene Levy, and David Cross. -
alane850020 February 2006Anymore animated movies are trying to appeal to adult audiences with crude humor, and double meanings. If I wanted to see an adult movie, I would get a babysitter. This is a movie FOR CHILDREN. I took my 2 and 3 year old girls to see it. It is a visually stunning rendering of the classic children's books. George is wholesome, endearing, and charming. The whimsical animation style breathes life to the character we remember fondly from our youth. He exudes youthful exuberance and energy and mischief.
It is a true G rated movie. I would say it reminds me of Classic Disney but even Cinderella had its wicked stepmother and Sleeping Beauty definitely had its scary moments. There is nothing here to frighten even the smallest children. Only delight them! -
Okay, its funny and its cute. I may be a little over the age limit expected to see this movie but I liked it. The problem is (which totally ruined the movie for me) is that this is nothing like the Curious George books that I loved as a kid, I have all the books fro gods sake!!! First, The Man in the yellow hat (perfectly voiced by Will Ferrell) never had a name, in this his name is Ted. Second, why does this man need a girlfriend? the books never had any romance. Third, The Man in the yellow hat never had a boss named Mr. BloomsBerry. Fourth, the monkey did not seem at all curious, all he did was walk around causing trouble for the man in the yellow hat and finally it was too long for a little kids movie. This movie is enjoyable but somehow I knew that Hollywood would just try to make this a star studded movie and try to add drama, romance, adventure, city humor and references to King Kong (you'll see them, they're everywhere). I enjoyed the movie but not how bad it screwed up, kids will love it, but people who grew up loving the books will not.
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golgo-717085 October 2020Nice to teach the kids that it's ok to go to Africa and steal their lost treasures for an American museum 😉 i guess the colonialism isn't over in the minds of the producers and the studio
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danafess25 February 2006Being a traditional animator, I really want this film to succeed, and fortunately after a sneak preview yesterday, I can honestly say that it's a really great film. I highly recommend it. The review from my blog: The story is simple (which does not mean "bad"): a curious monkey who gets into trouble in the jungle of Africa meets up with a man in a yellow hat (who, by the way is tricked into getting such a silly costume and ridiculed by his shipmates) who is exploring the jungle looking for an ancient idol. Ted (the man in the yellow hat) is a museum guide who is searching for the idol to bring back to the museum because they are bad off financially and hope that the idol (that is supposed to be huge) will bring them the notoriety to stay open. The museum owner sends Ted on the expedition, but his son, Jr. is jealous of Ted and sabotages the exploration by changing the map. In the jungle Ted finds what he thinks is the idol but really . . . something more. Suffice it to say that it looks just like the idol, but in miniature form. in a hilarious joke that I don't want to ruin, the museum owner gets word that the idol Ted has found is enormous and starts a huge press conference and ad campaign. As Ted is getting ready to leave the jungle his hat is snatched by the little monkey who believes it first to be a banana, then a hiding place. Ted plays with the monkey a bit, but has to leave back home to break the bad news. The monkey (who has not yet been named) is not done playing, however, and he follows Ted to the ship (complete with appropriate product placement) and thusly to New York where Ted lives. Fun adventures ensue while the fun story of misunderstandings between the museum continue. There's even some romance for Ted thrown in for good measure. Ted learns about friendship from the little guy that he eventually names George, and it's not such an easy path to a happy ending as you might think The films has some of the best animation seen in years. And this comes as no surprise considering the talent one finds in the credits. Dave Brewster, from Dreamworks (Young Moses and Older Ramases in "Prince of Egypt"), Disney, Turner Animation, and just about every other animation company in America (and Canada) leads the animation of George. The style is not quite that from the books, but close enough, and Brewster brings the strong poses he brought to Danny in "Cats Don't Dance" to the picture. John Pomeroy (Mrs. Brisby from "Secret of NIMH" and John Smith from Pocahontas) animates Maggie (Ted's love interest) with all the graceful dimensionality one can expect. The lead animator of Ted (who I think was also David Brewster, but I will check on) never lets him turn into a 2 dimensional character which comes naturally when he spends a lot of time chasing George.
When I heard Will Ferrell was in this, I was not impressed. I was afraid the movie would become "The Man With the Yellow Hat: the Movie." And being the only one of the duo that speaks, Ferrell does have a lot of screen time and voice work, but he is fun and surprisingly, not nearly as over the top as he is in his live action films. Drew Barrymore is as good as she ever is in animated films- which is great! I think Drew has a very good voice for animation and is a good actress and voice-actress. She makes Maggie sweet and kind- she also is kinda the voice of reason for Ted. The real star of this film however, is Frank Welker who provides George's squeaks and grunts. This may seem easy, but that's only because Frank "Man of 1000 voices" Welker makes it look easy. He brings such warmth and depth to George in the same way he did with Abu in Aladdin or any other of his animal voices in the over 500 titles that have his name to them. (Ironically, as of this writing, Welker is NOT listed on the IMDb page or the film, even though he is the first credited in the end titles).
George's silence (or, only monkey voices) was a stipulation of the estate of the creators (not that giving him a speaking voice would have made the film any better). So to fill time the creators did what many American animation producers do. They brought in a musician. In this case, unlike "Toy Story" it works. Jack Johnson provides tunes to collaborate with George's on screen antics. Like any good song writer, Johnson has created songs that are totally serviceable to the film, but "liftable" to be played outside the film's content, which means that hopefully these songs will also be on the radio to help promote the film. They'll certainly be in my CD player as soon as the soundtrack is released on Tuesday.
Beautiful looking, fun story and great songs make up a film that is a fantastic testament to what traditional animation can and should do for film. Let's hope audiences agree and Hollywood gets the message. -
In a word...cute. Even if you're older than seven, you can find a giggle or two and have some fun. Ted(Will Ferrell)-The Man in the Yellow Hat-must travel to Africa in hopes of bringing back a rare idol in order to save his job and Mr. Bloomsberry's(Dick Van Dyke)museum. Before coming home, Ted with a little help adopts an inquisitive and spunky chimp given the name George. Ted has an admirer in Maggie(Drew Barrymore); but he has his hands full sharing (mis-)adventures with his new little friend. Predicament after predicament, Curious George accidentally discovers a way to save the museum. The animation is juvenile, but delightful. More than a handful of songs garnish this picture, the best being "People Watching" by Jack Johnson. Other characters are voiced by: Eugene Levy, Joan Plowright, David Cross and Clint Howard. It really feels good to listen to a theater full of pre-schoolers chuckle and giggle in unison.
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MartianOctocretr514 January 2007This is a fine adaptation of the classic children's books that so many people have learned to read on. The happy-go-lucky monkey lives up to his "curious" reputation and the human characters he encounters are integrated well to his story.
Basically, the plot follows the Man in the Yellow Hat (giving a fun back story on how he came to get that famous costume), as he searches for a valuable idol in Africa somewhere. George becomes intrigued with this strange visitor, and follows him around. The predictable mishaps occur and George is on his way to America. George's innocent, childlike curiosity leads to several amusing scenes and subplots. The friendship between the two and the romance of Yellow Hat and Miss Maggie are surprisingly cute. The bad guys are clearly defined but a gentle enough evil to be perfect foils for a children's film. There are some cleverly thought sight gags: my favorite is the giant holographic image comically frightening the city.
The humor is all the silly slapstick that kids will get, and the film resists the temptation to throw in that "second layer" of humor for older members of the audience. To the adults: just enjoy the smiles of the little ones as they watch. -
bconsorti11 February 2006This was a nice family film for the kids.
It doesn't have much of ANY subtle adult humor so if you are a parent and are expecting to be entertained you may be disappointed.
But the kids will love it because it's pure and sweet.
My wife enjoyed it more than I but I think all kids will have fun.
All our kids (newborn, 2, 4 and 6) enjoyed it.
The theater was packed with families and everyone seemed to also like it too.
I can't wait for the DVD to be out so our kids can watch it at home.
I give it a 7 out of 10. -
Growlyted1 January 2007This is a charming film about the friendship between a shy man & a curious monkey. Its simple, colourful & traditional artwork makes a refreshing change from the CGI bombardment. It is free of pop references & innuendo. It has an uncomplicated plot, but it succeeds without one. It will appeal to young children & young hearted adults. It's fun with a monkey called George, voiced by the talented Frank Welker. No heavy-handed life messages. Just pure joy & innocence. Cute soundtrack too. George's mischief just makes you laugh out loud & keeps a smile upon your face. There's a special treat for fans of the original books at the end & for George's new fans too. 10/10
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Wow, what a rare treat. A children's animated movie the is completely and totally suitable for children of all ages. I am not easily offended by movies for adults, but as a parent I am simply amazed at how much children's entertainment is really NOT fit children. Cat in the Hat, also from Ron Howard and Imagine, was rude and crass. I am embarrassed when my six year old repeats lines from the movie like the whole dirty hoe thing and all that. This movie is a very gentle and kind movie. No double meanings, no sexually explicate or pop culture references to keep adults interested. A favorite children's book, that with any luck, will be a favorite children's movie. I have a feeling that this film may not be a box office success, yet I still think that it will have a very long life for many years to come on DVD and cable because it is such a great entertaining movie for kids. The Jack Johnson music is perfect. The animated style is wonderful. It is not the all-new and important CGI animation, but a traditionally animated film that uses the old styles that have all but been abandoned in feature films This is the best Disney animated movie that I have seen in the past decade. Well, of course this film isn't made by Disney, but this is the type of film that they should be making, even if only occasionally, as a reminder of what a CHILDREN'S animated movie is supposed to be like. In a way, the film is even sweeter than the stories from which it is based. I really can't find anything wrong with this film for children and as a parent, I was much happier to watch it than Garfield or Shark Tales (both of which I sleep through).
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amyesmith71-118 February 2006Well, let me first start out by saying that I DID enjoy the movie as a whole and my 4 and 5-year-old little boys did too. While watching the movie, however, both of my boys independently of each other asked, "when can we go home?" (I also heard other children in the theater asking to leave prior to the movie's end!) Even though I was looking forward to seeing the movie I have to admit that, in my opinion, its animation is geared towards 3-6 year-olds but the story line would seem to be more appreciated by 8-10 year-olds. While I enjoyed the typical Will Ferrell antics (he's great!) and the 2-D animation, I felt that the movie in its entirety was *whisper*---a little boring. Should you see it? Absolutely. Decide for yourself and let the rest of us know what you thought.
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Why didn't they rename this one "Ted, the Man in the Yellow Suit, Who Doesn't Like Wearing it Very Much but Does Anyway Because the Book Says He Has Too". Ask any kid, their most favorite thing about Curious George - is Curious George. The few Curious George parts taken from the books were amusing but who wants to see a Curious George movie that's all about the quest for a giant museum exhibit not by Curious George? The irony of Hollywood these days is that they always prefer to show action rather then good dialogue but when they get a story with all action that could essentially be an awesome silent film they impress overwritten stilted dialogue. Hmm? Curious.
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Ronald_Mexico19 February 2006I'll admit it: when I first saw the trailer for "Curious George", it inspired in me little more than an eye-roll and a deep sigh of martyrdom. As of late, Hollywood has had a fascination with remaking children's stories from earlier decades, producing such atrocities as "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", "The Cat in the Hat", and "Bad News Bears" (to name just a few). Taking the misguided notion that people actually want to see modernized versions of these stories and combining it with the voice talents of perhaps the most overrated comedy star in Hollywood (Will Ferrell) seemed, at first glance, to be a recipe for certain disaster.
Forced by my little brother to see this and all children's fare, I sat in the darkened theatre of "Curious George" with a level of anticipation dangerously approaching ennui, fully expecting to be more entertained by the ads promoting the hot buttery popcorn at the concession stand. Then the movie started, and I tried to rearrange the hood of my sweatshirt so that I could catch a few winks without my brother noticing. Begrudgingly, with the reluctance of some bizarre fictional creature being force fed green eggs and ham, I began to pay more and more attention to the film as I was captivated by a surprisingly strong performance by Ferrell and the understated (yet effective) animation. I was surprised to find that there were a few laughs for adults as well as kids, and was shocked to find the plot as one actually worth following.
The premise of the movie: The man in the yellow hat (named "Ted" in the movie) has the responsibility of discovering an exhibit that will save his beloved museum from becoming a parking garage. He goes overseas, befriends George, and typical "Curious George" mayhem ensues. George is cute without being cloyingly adorable (not an easy trick in animation), and the script is also faithful to the books in that he doesn't suddenly begin giving verbal discourse on "War in Peace" (remember when suddenly Tom and Jerry could not only talk but SING in their disaster of a movie?). There are the occasional sight gags (a ship named the "H.A. Rey" comes to mind) and witty dialogue that make the Pixar films so successful, and the conclusion is satisfying (although the ending scene definitely enters the realm of the deeply weird).
If you're unsure about this film, take it from the word of the deeply skeptical: chances are good that you will you not hate "Curious George", and odds are that you'll even enjoy it. As "Yellow Hat" Ted and George fly over the city clinging to a set of balloons (guess I'll have to mark the 'contains spoilers' box for this), he makes the ironic remark that "This isn't so bad" after all.
We agree, Ted. We agree. -
aidenreinholdt9 September 2023Disclaimer I wrote this critique Biased please don't Expect any Serious here. First off All I love the Bright colors there so Special I search Two weeks for a Word ore an Sentence that Described the Look of this Colors and Two weeks later I still not find a thing that Describes the Colors (I give up 😅) But now I write about the Movie the Story is the same old thing there is a Historical thing that have Problems then comes a villain who want crushed up the thing then a Clumsy hero comes and want to stop the villain on his way there is a bunch of Problems but in the end all become good. Not the Greatest Storyline but I still Love the Movie. There a side Story with the Teacher and Ted but it's. Not l's Earth-shattering thing. But all in all I like that Movie I watched him 10 times and I can watched another 10 times. Seven out of Ten stars from me for Curious George the Movie.
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tomthevenot11 February 2006i took my 3 yr old to see it. it dragged at times and he got distracted from the movie. My god! just name the monkey already. It was an hour into the movie before he gives the monkey a name which kind of set the stage for their relationship. Everything in the movie moved so slowly. They wasted a whole hour of the movie before George's situation is established. The plot about the dumb idol detracted from George's storyline. The movie should have featured more of his antics and misadventures. I was let down by that fact. the plot was not interesting at all; however I was immensely pleased with how different it was from today's typical kids movies like Daddy Day Care, etc.