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Rango...WTF?!
I have a couple of questions:
1) In what way other than that it has anthropomorphized animals and is animated is this a kid's movie? Sure it has animals as characters but they are not cute and cuddly. They are all ugly and twisted. It has a multi-layered plot. The humor is very black indeed at times. And it has a snake that would make a six year old piss himself and then have nightmares forever.
2) What kind of hellish fever dream gave birth to this movie? A talking bit of road kill as a prophet? Outraged, Gatling gun shooting moles riding flying bats that explode when they crash? Mariachi Owl chorus that are seen hanging from nooses in one scene while they sing?
3) Who actually made this movie? Industrial Light and Magic did the animation but it was produced by Nickelodeon? Is that right? Not Pixar, not Disney, not Dreamworks?
4) Is the theme not the traditional Hollywood one that capitalism and development are bad and evil, although that is in there but more as a Western motif, but actually that actions matter more than words, self reliance is a virtue and that evil must be destroyed to be defeated?
4) How big a shame is it that this movie failed to turn a profit and thus there will not be more like it?
This is perhaps the best animated movie I have seen in a long time. I was frankly surprised at how damn good it is.
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- Erik Twice
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2) Don't know but obviously it's not Gore Verbinski since he isn't an animator, not someone knowledgeable about the medium. I have looked for the credits and there's no mention of an animation director either but obviously someone must have directed it because the film isn't a train-wreck. Probably one of the layout artists did it but obviously not Verbinski because I doubt he can't even draw, much less animate a feature film.
3) ILMD animated, produced by Nickelodeon, yes.
4bis) Accorind to Wikipedia the film had a cost of 135M$ and the Box Office results were 245M$. It was profitable, and very. Now if that's enough for being considered a "success" in this shitty industry, I don't know.
It was well received among some respectable circles but I'm extremely wary of modern animation so I didn't see it at the time. Perhaps I should check it out someday.
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Personally, I felt like there was a constant wall between me and the movie, because it just felt SO personal, like it was almost a catalogue of the personal interests and obsessions of Gore Verbinski...but I think that's great, and that's my problem more than the movie's problem. On a surface level I just REALLY loved the amazing character designs (by Crash McCreery).
Really unique movie. It is indeed not targeted towards kids, though I see that as neither a good thing nor a bad thing. If I had problems enjoying things meant for kids I'd have to throw out half my comics collection.
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- Michael Barnes
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That's a great observation about it, Dragonstout...about it being a very personal kind of collage of interests and obsessions. That's what art is all about, and sometimes art isn't very commercial. It's the kind of tough, fearless movie that is FAR too rare in Hollywood, and I guarantee you that it never would have been made if not for Verbinski's success with the Pirates films. In a way, it's almost a vanity picture, the sort of thing that a director is sometimes allowed to make at risk based on past successes.
The character designs are just outstanding, the animation blows Pixar away. The writing is great, the satire genuinely funny, and there's a healthy dose of surrealism that gives it all a kind of genuine (and not manufactured or phony) edginess.
I absolutely love the movie and I've watched it like six times in the last month...whenever I trawl through Netflix, I tend to wind up on it.
I love the "ridin' out scene..."Where are we going?" Such a great, subversive moment.
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Erik Twice wrote: 1)
4bis) Accorind to Wikipedia the film had a cost of 135M$ and the Box Office results were 245M$. It was profitable, and very. Now if that's enough for being considered a "success" in this shitty industry, I don't know.
My observation that it didn't make money was based on the info on IMDB which showed it to have lost about $27 mil. but that was dated sometime mid 2011. DVD sales and such could have pushed it into the black since.
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- Disgustipater
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io9.com/5747305/how-much-money-does-a-mo...ake-to-be-profitable
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JonJacob wrote: I really wish people would stop thinking that animated means for kids. It has stiffled my favorite medium for years and despite Gore Verbinski being involved in a pretty major capactiy.. and Johnny Depp, the film is still fascinating. Not exactly great because it does follow some sappy formula form time to time but there are some beautiful moments and it is worth seeing, especially if your into animation.
To me, the best personal example of this was seeing Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas in a theater full of screaming five year olds. Sad, but beautifully ironic at the same time.
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